The KfW Award Urban Living 2025 recognized innovative municipal projects across Germany, with first prizes awarded to Potsdam, Bendorf, Denzlingen, and Darmstadt/Dieburg. The awards were distributed in four categories: "Digital education," "Energy and heating transition," "Affordable and space-efficient housing," and a special category titled "Living inclusion – Disabled sports unite municipalities." A total of EUR 40,000 was allocated among the winners.
The award ceremony took place on June 2, 2025, in Berlin during the German Municipal Congress. It highlighted projects that address challenges posed by climate change, digitalization, and demographic shifts. Stefan Wintels, CEO of KfW Group, emphasized the importance of these initiatives in modernizing society through cooperation and citizen participation.
In the "Affordable and space-efficient housing" category, Potsdam's ProPotsdam project received first prize for promoting smart housing management. Bendorf's MakerSpace initiative won first place in "Digital education" for offering free access to digital technologies. Denzlingen secured top honors in the "Energy and heating transition" category with its local heating network project aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2035.
The special category recognized Darmstadt/Dieburg's ViiAS project for fostering inclusive sports offerings. Other notable projects included Aachen's guide for adapting club sports to individuals with impairments and Rostock's efforts to develop as an inclusive sports city.
The jury consisted of 16 experts who selected the winning projects from numerous applications. The event was attended by nearly 800 representatives from cities and municipalities. A special TV broadcast covering the ceremony will air on n-tv on June 9 at 6:35 PM.