The Digital Award honors outstanding municipal digitalization projects. Felix Ebner, Deputy Chairman of the Federal Association Databund e.V., presented the award to Michael Fielenbach, Head of the Cadastre and Surveying Office of Rhein-Kreis Neuss, and Department Head Christoph Kany. Bavarian Digital Minister Dr. Fabian Mehring was also present at the award ceremony.
The “Digital Twin” project of Rhein-Kreis Neuss was nominated from a nationwide pool of 72 applications. The aim of the Digital Twin is to consolidate the geospatial data of municipal administrations in Rhein-Kreis Neuss to make the real world experienceable on-screen. Users gain access to high-resolution, three-dimensional 360-degree image data comparable to virtual reality. This enables the visualization of planning projects and simulation models in mobility, traffic, construction, climate, environment, and economic sectors. In addition, the project serves as a foundation for Smart City applications and new business models.
Since the project’s launch in 2023—funded by the NRW Ministry of Home, Municipal Affairs, Construction, and Digitalization—two complete 3D surveys of the road network have already been conducted using specialized vehicles, with a third planned for 2027. Additionally, standardized aerial imagery (orthophotos, oblique aerial images, 3D models) is being used throughout the district. The planned data hub will centrally consolidate municipal data pools and standardized state data and make them accessible. The project is led by the Cadastre and Surveying Office of Rhein-Kreis Neuss. IT Department Head Harald Vieten, Office Director Michael Fielenbach, geospatial expert Christoph Kany, and their team are driving the further development of the Digital Twin.
The award was presented during the “Kommunale” trade fair, a nationwide event organized by the Bavarian Association of Municipalities, which set a new record this year with around 8,000 visitors and more than 600 exhibitors. First place in the Digital Award 2025 for the category counties, ministries, and other authorities went to Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg with the AI-generated video news format “LaDaDi KOMPAKT.” Following Rhein-Kreis Neuss, Landkreis Augsburg took third place with the project “AI-supported Innovation for Youth Welfare.”
In the category of towns and municipalities with up to 20,000 inhabitants, Kloster Lehnin took first place with a digital application for seamless application processing. In the category of towns and municipalities with over 20,000 inhabitants, the city of Nuremberg ranked first with “Living Data Culture – Digitally Sovereign. Decentralized. Citizen-Oriented.” More information about the Digital Award can be found at https://www.kommunale.de/de-de/digital-events/digital-award.