‘Building on Knowledge’ reviews twenty years of the Architects’ Council of Europe’s participation in European research and innovation projects, showing how this involvement has helped position architecture at the heart of the continent’s ecological, social and digital transformations. The document explains how Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) has moved from occasional collaboration to developing a mature strategy that connects research, public policy and professional practice. Through more than thirty projects, the organisation has contributed to advancing the decarbonisation of the building stock, promoting circularity, protecting heritage, improving wellbeing in workplaces and progressing the digitalisation of the sector.

The catalogue also highlights the creation of practical tools — guidelines, training programmes, assessment models and digital platforms — which make it easier to apply project results in the daily work of architects and public administrations. A key element is collaboration: universities, technology centres, professional associations and public bodies have made it possible to generate replicable solutions adapted to different European contexts.

Beyond looking back, the publication sets out future priorities: strengthening knowledge transfer, more explicitly integrating the values of the New European Bauhaus and expanding architecture’s presence in European innovation programmes. The final message is clear: research is essential for architecture to continue offering relevant responses to the challenges of our time.