Launched in November 2025 and spanning three years, ShieldBot brings together 11 partners from six European countries to revolutionise the construction, renovation and maintenance sectors through the use of advanced robotics tailored to the industry’s unique challenges.
ShieldBot focuses on three key robotic solutions:
InnerShieldBot
designed for internal construction works to enhance the thermal performance of walls and ceilings.
InspectionShieldBot
equipped with advanced sensors to assess exteriors, identify structural or insulation needs, and ensure long-term building integrity.
FaçadeShieldBot
which installs thermal shielding on building façades to improve insulation and reduce energy consumption.
These robotic systems are supported by:
DigiShield
A digital twin platform that aggregates and analyses data from on-site operations, enabling real-time decision-making and precise project planning.
EcoShield
Innovative, eco-friendly materials for insulation solutions to further minimise the carbon footprint of construction activities associated with traditional building materials.
The Work Plan
The ShieldBot project work plan is divided into seven Work Packages (WPs) closely interlinked:
WP1
Management and coordination activities
IDEKO
WP2
Requirements and KPIs definition
BOUYGUES
WP3
Disruptive robotic solutions for a sustainable built environment
UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
WP4
Advanced robot functionalities for construction and renovation
IDEKO
WP5
Advanced construction site technologies
DFKI
WP6
ShieldBot demonstrators
UNIVERSITY OF NANTES
WP7
Dissemination and exploitation
AUSTRALO
Our Mission
ShieldBot’s mission is to revolutionise construction, renovation, and maintenance workflows by developing and validating advanced robotic systems that integrate sustainable materials, AI-driven planning, and collaborative automation. The project aims to enhance productivity, precision, safety, and environmental performance while addressing critical challenges such as resource inefficiency, workforce shortages, and high operational costs.
Our Vision
ShieldBot envisions a future where construction and renovation are sustainable, automated, and highly efficient, minimising environmental impact and material waste while ensuring safety and quality. By leveraging robotics, AI, and eco-materials, ShieldBot seeks to transform the building industry into a resilient, innovative, and green sector, capable of meeting global renovation goals and supporting large-scale reconstruction efforts, including post-disaster scenarios.
ShieldBot keychallenges
Many construction and renovation projects lack detailed upfront planning, leading to inefficient resource allocation, material waste, and inconsistent quality. Without structured workflows, errors accumulate, increasing costs and delays while reducing overall efficiency.
The construction sector accounts for nearly 50% of all extracted materials and over 35% of total waste in the EU. This problem intensifies in post-disaster scenarios like Ukraine, where large-scale reconstruction leads to excessive resource extraction and waste production.
The industry faces a declining workforce and higher productivity requirements, while many construction tasks involve high-risk environments. It creates an urgent need for collaborative automated solutions that can complement human workers.
Effective insulation is essential for improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions. However, current manual methods are slow, labour-intensive, and prone to inconsistencies, making large-scale renovations costly and inaccessible. As a result, many buildings remain poorly insulated, leading to increased energy consumption and a need for scalable and cost-efficient renovation solutions.
Traditional inspection and maintenance rely on reactive approaches, where issues are only addressed after they become visible or critical. Inspections often require invasive methods that involve dismantling walls or façades, increasing costs, material waste, and operational disruptions.
Impact: Environmental Performance & Affordable Housing
ShieldBot marks a bold step forward in transforming construction, renovation, and maintenance work using cutting-edge robotic hardware, advanced control algorithms, sustainable materials, and AI-based dynamic modelling technologies. The project will have an impact on greener and smarter construction processes, facilitating: