Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr (BMDV – Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport) has been operating the Innovation for Roads Framework Programme since 2023. In the context of this programme, BMDV has now issued the fourth call under the headline ‘Sustainability in Tunnel Construction’ (Nachhaltigkeit im Tunnelbau).

The call supports projects that develop, test and implement technologies, processes and strategies for more sustainable tunnel construction in Germany. The focus is on assessing ecological, economic and socio-cultural sustainability, as well as resource-efficient construction methods and material optimisation. A central component of the call is the development of a tool for comprehensively assessing the sustainability of road tunnels. The aim is to create a practical system that enables tunnel construction projects to be systematically assessed for their sustainability and to identify potential for optimisation. The call also promotes resource conservation and optimised use of materials by developing innovative methods for the treatment and reuse of excavated material. Reducing the amount of steel used in tunnel construction also plays a key role.

Eligible organisations are institutions of higher education, non-educational research institutions and commercial companies, especially SMEs.

The overall budget of the call is €2 million.

Applications must be submitted by the deadline of 20 June 2025.