"Mannheim shows itself active" was the motto of the iDEAL Environmental Award 2023. This year, the municipal competition honors projects in three categories: Projects related to BUGA23, projects for greening backyards and private green spaces and projects that are iDEAL for Mannheim. This week, First Mayor Prof. Dr. Diana Pretzell presented the awards to the winners at the Technical City Hall.

The motto of this year's iDEAL Environmental Award was intended to appeal to all Mannheim residents who are actively committed to climate, nature and environmental protection in Mannheim. The projects submitted show the diversity of the commitment: from sustainable and communal housing projects, to projects for solidarity agriculture and communal gardening, to projects for waste collection and waste avoidance, it is clear what is being actively achieved in Mannheim.

"I would like to thank all participants for their commitment to the environment and our city. They are making Mannheim a much better place to live. I am convinced that the creative projects will also motivate other people to get involved in the spirit of the Local Green Deal in Mannheim," said First Mayor Prof. Dr. Diana Pretzell.

The Local Green Deal also demonstrates commitment to climate, nature and environmental protection. This year's prize is linked to the development of the city of Mannheim as a pilot city for the implementation of European climate targets at local level.

Nine projects were awarded prize money. The three main prizewinners each received 500 euros, and six other prizewinners each received 250 euros in prize money. Four lighthouses were also highlighted. These projects and initiatives have particular appeal beyond Mannheim.

All submissions were evaluated by an expert jury according to criteria such as stakeholder participation, added value for society, sustainability, originality and exemplary effect.

The individual winners were:

In the category Projects that show that the Federal Garden Show 2023 has an impact on the entire city:

Main prize winner: Naturgarten e.V. with the NaturErlebnisGarten project, which was created on the BUGA site through the voluntary cooperation of around 40 members and will remain in place after BUGA23. Other winners in this category were OIKOS e.G. and WohnWerk e.G., both cross-generational housing projects in ecological and climate-friendly new builds.

In the category "Projects for the climate and environmentally friendly redesign of backyards & private green spaces", two winners were awarded prizes.

The main prize winner is Jugendhaus Vogelstang with its Neighborhood Garden project, with which they reach out to active gardeners who jointly cultivate and design a formerly fallow area and use it as a meeting place. The other winner in this category is Jarcke Architekten, who built a green noise barrier at the locomotive shed in Mannheim.

In the category Projects that are particularly iDEAL for Mannheim, four award winners were honored. The main prize winner is LAMA e.V. with its motorized wheelchair transport bike "Billie", which can be borrowed free of charge in Mannheim and enables people in wheelchairs to take part in excursions by bike. Infinitity Mannheim e.V. was also honored with a project to swap electrical appliances for foreign students, the Protestant church with its offer of fresh, regional and organic lunches in the KiTas and Surfrider Baden-Pfalz e.V., which drew attention to the littering and death of animals due to plastic waste with its "Save the storks" campaign.

The award winners also receive a "Partner of the Local Green Deal" certificate, which confirms the active partnership of the Local Green Deal in Mannheim.

Source: City of Mannheim

SPINELLI . Construction log

Two SPINELLI housing projects awarded the City of Mannheim's iDEAL Environmental Prize 2023