Policy Initiatives

Demonstration project
Demonstration Projects are green roof installations located in high-profile locations designed to increase public awareness of the benefits of this technology. Demonstration projects are usually implemented by municipal governments or other stakeholders as a first step in the green roof policy development process. Increased exposure to green roofs through municipal demonstration projects serves to dismantle misconceptions and familiarize the public with the technology. Demonstration projects can also be used to research technical performance data (e.g., rates of plant survival, storm water quality and quantity and energy savings).

Density bonusing
Density bonusing is a regulatory measure based on an exchange system carried out at the municipal level. The city adjusts zoning requirements while the developer provides amenities deemed beneficial to the community. For example, the developer may be allowed to increase the built floor area (density) of a project in exchange for the provision of a publicly-accessible roof garden. Density bonusing is an incentive rather than a regulation or requirement, and can accrue benefits to the public without spending tax dollars. This tool requires regulatory ceilings on density and strong market demand for commercial and residential space.

Energy efficiency initiatives
Energy efficiency incentives offer monetary incentives for projects that reduce energy consumption through the implementation of a minimum standard of energy efficiency in building design. Green roofs are one of many tools available for enhancing energy efficiency.

Fast-track permitting
Fast tracking the approval of development projects is a tool that governments can use to encourage the practice of green roofs and other green building technologies in the private sector. Projects that can demonstrate the use of green technologies receive approval in a shorter time frame than conventional projects. This reduced review time will save developers money with little public investment.

Feasibility Study
Since green roof infrastructure requires a substantial initial investment, cities are seeking ways to maximize their returns. A feasibility study helps to identify the areas of the city that have the greatest potential for green roofs (e.g., have buildings with large, flat roofs and that are structurally capable of handling the extra loads) and those areas where the benefits of green roofs will be most valuable (e.g., in areas affected by combined sewer overflows or with a deficit of green spaces).

Grants/ direct investment
Direct investments are monetary incentives used to encourage implementation of green roof infrastructure. Direct investments are usually grants given by a funding agency (e.g., governments, non-profit foundations) with the condition that certain specifications or requirements are met and maintained. There is a growing number of government and non-profit funds for which green roofs can now qualify.

Green space allocation
Green space allocation is a regulatory measure used by governments that sets a minimum green space requirement depending on the lot size or occupancy of a new building. Sometimes, due to restrictions on the location or design of a site, these minimum requirements cannot be met by creating green space at ground level. In these cases, the municipality may allow the builder to meet the green space requirement by adding a green roof or by contributing to a fund that will be used to support green roof development.

Low interest loans
The purpose of a low- interest (or interest-free) loan is to encourage investment in green roofs by lending the building money to help cover the extra costs involved in installing one. Such loans are usually made by the municipality, utility, or a non-profit foundation and the principal is repayable over a specified period, such as ten years.

Regulatory measures
Regulatory measures are laws instated by federal, state, and municipal governments to achieve various public sector goals, such as protecting the environment. Governments can use regulatory measures to ensure that both the public and private sector adhere to best practices that would not otherwise take place in the private sector market economy.

Stormwater feebate/ fee reduction
Increasingly, jurisdictions have begun to implement Storm Water Utility Fee charges, which help raise capital for improved storm water management. The fees assessed to each property owner are typically based on the impervious surface area of the property. For commercial and industrial buildings, the large amount of impervious surfaces often results in larger new storm water fees, which can be a significant cost over a twenty to forty year period. Storm water fee rebates or reductions can provide a monetary incentive for the use of best management practices. Green roofs offer one important method of reducing impervious surfaces and storm water runoff.

Tax credits
Tax credits are financial incentives that reduce the amount of tax owed if a building owner contributes privately toward certain public goals. New or renovated buildings that conform to a specific standard, such as installing a green roof or other green building technologies, may receive a credit for a portion of their property tax. Often, the credit size is larger in the initial phases of a program and tapers off as the builder reaches prescribed targets.

Technical assistance/ training programs
Technical assistance and training programs can be offered by municipalities or non-profit organizations to help officials, industry professionals, and the public understand technical issues related to a given program or technology, such as green roofs.