Finance Options for Green Roofs

Written-by

Richard Burdett

Reviewed-by

Richard Burdett

Updated on

Apr 21, 2023

Finance Options for Green Roofs

Unlike renewable energies such as solar panels, wind turbines and biomass boilers, green roofing projects do not currently benefit from any government grants, funding or incentives. The main options for owners of domestic properties is often to fund it themselves or take out a loan with the bank. The cost of a small green roof is not prohibitive but larger ones may require you to find additional sources of money. For commercial buildings it might be a good idea to contact your local council to see if there are any schemes running that will reward installing a green roof, particularly in a city centre. There are quite a few initiatives in major cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and London that are being rolled out to improve offices and residential blocks.

Financing your own Green Roof

If you have the savings then you could pay for the green roof instalment yourself. The benefits you will get from it in the long term will be a reduction in fuel bills due to the better insulation, and the greener impact you have on the environment around you. Taking on a DIY instalment of a small roof can also help you to reduce the cost. Find out more about the cost of green roofing here.

Taking out a loan

If you don’t have the finances readily available then the next option is to take out a loan with your bank and building society. Many now offer competitive rates for green improvements and, particularly if you are getting a designer in, it can help you afford a better garden roof. There may also be an opportunity for larger properties to incorporate the cost into a re-mortgage.

Financing for Commercial Premises

Businesses may well have a good chance of attracting local government funding if they are helping to improve the environment, particularly if they have a decent sized roof top that is suitable for development. For commercial concerns, having a green roof installed can also provide other benefits such as:

• Giving a place where people can go and relax.
• Lowering the Urban Heat Island temperature of the local area.
• Lowering heating costs in the office.
• Demonstrating your company’s green credentials.

Crowdsourcing and Other Funding Options for Green Roofs

It’s not beyond imagination to find other options for financing your green roof. You can make it a community priority by getting your neighbours onside and run fund raising events. Or you can latch onto the craze for crowdsourcing and get contributions from like-minded people all across the world as this US couple are by signing onto Indiegogo have tried to do.

Can I get a loan off the Green Deal Scheme?

Unfortunately, the Green Deal doesn’t stretch to living roofs at the moment and neither are there plans for it do so in the future. The Green Deal provides loans for improvements such insulation, microgeneration technology and better and more efficient hot water provision and the loan is only agreed if the assessment says it is necessary and financially viable. Find out more about the Green Deal.