Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik

The Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (Difu) is the largest urban research institute in the German-speaking area and has established itself as a reliable partner for municipalities since its founding in 1973.

The Difu advises municipalities across disciplines on a variety of tasks they need to tackle today and in the future. The main services include:

• Urban Management and Development: The Difu supports modern urban management, including topics such as sustainable development, climate protection, and social consequences of urban developments.
• Research and Consulting: It conducts extensive research projects and advises municipalities in areas such as energy policy, land price development, and sustainable municipalities.
• Knowledge Transfer and Networking: The institute promotes the exchange of experiences between municipalities and supports collaboration among various urban stakeholders.

The main mission of the Difu is to support municipalities independently, objectively, and based on facts in addressing their current and future challenges. The values of the institute include:

• Independence and Objectivity: The Difu strives to provide objective and scientifically based consulting and research.
• Practical Orientation: The work of the institute is strongly oriented towards the needs and challenges of municipalities.
• Non-Profit Orientation: As a non-profit research institute, the Difu focuses on promoting the public good.

The Difu is actively committed to sustainable development and climate protection:

• Sustainable Municipality: The institute develops and implements the reporting framework for Sustainable Municipality (BNK) to measure and manage the progress of sustainable development in municipalities.
• Climate Protection: It advises on the alignment of energy research policy and supports municipalities in accounting for and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Social and Ecological Aspects: The Difu examines and advises on the social consequences of urban developments, such as the impacts of rising land prices and support for homeless assistance.

• Participation Structures: The institute supports the further development of participation structures in municipalities to promote citizen participation.
• Innovative Mobility: It researches and advises on topics such as climate-friendly mobility and the development of sustainable transport systems.
• Urban Planning and Development: The Difu works on projects to utilize vacant buildings and promote innovations in urban value chains.

The Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik is thus a central partner for municipalities to shape future-oriented, sustainable, and social cities.

• 1 - https://www.difu.org
• 2 - https://difu.de/institut/leitbild-aufgaben
• 3 - https://difu.de/institut/organisation-gremien
• 4 - https://difu.de
• 5 - https://difu.de/sites/difu.de/files/difu-endbericht_standortfaktoren_und_fisk_entwicklung_1.pdf