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The 2026 climate adaptation plan places a clear focus on de-sealing the urban area.
second place in the inaugural nationwide competition "abpflastern" (unpaving), finishing behind Frankfurt. The competition, organized by the Koblenz University of Applied Sciences for Social Design, ran from March 21 to October 31, 2025, and encouraged municipalities, institutions, and citizens to open up as many paved surfaces as possible.
Climate Protection Officer Michael Kolmer praised the result as an important step in the city's climate adaptation: Darmstadt intends to systematically unseal further public spaces in the coming years. Unsealed surfaces reduce urban heat islands and simultaneously improve preparedness for heavy rainfall, as rainwater can seep directly into the ground or evaporate. An internal project group is already working on concrete unsealing projects.
Competition participation and results
Darmstadt competed in the league of cities with over 100,000 inhabitants and achieved a clear result:
- Approximately 9,500 unsealed paving stones (each 10 x 20 cm)
- 58 stones per 1,000 inhabitants
Ranking: www.abpflastern.de/index.php/ranking
A large part of the success is attributable to the Technical University of Darmstadt: Over 50 volunteers transformed the previously gravelled Kirschbaumplatz in front of the Mensa Stadtmitte (city center cafeteria) into a planted recreational area with over 450 perennials and small shrubs within three days. Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences also de-sealed 2,025 surfaces at its Haardtring and Schöfferstraße campuses.
Support through the research project “Blue Green City Coaching”
Since November 2025, Darmstadt has been participating in "Blue Green City Coaching (BGCC)" . The goal is to implement blue-green infrastructure through scientifically sound support. The project is funded by the Action Programme for Natural Climate Protection and is being implemented by, among others, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Fresh Thoughts, and the German Institute for Urban Affairs. Darmstadt is one of ten selected model municipalities.
Outlook: De-sealing as a key focus of climate adaptation from 2026 onwards
For 2026 and the following years, the city has announced a significant expansion of de-sealing measures – both in public spaces and in cooperation with citizens. Re-participation in the "paving away" competition, scheduled to begin on March 21, 2026, is planned. Citizen-oriented initiatives, such as consultations offered by the BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany) urban nature guides, are intended to further promote private greening projects.
(Darmstadt - Red/PSD/DK)
