$12,000 Available for Green Roofs
by Nora Shepard
DC Greenworks has begun the fourth and final funding round of the District Department of the Environment's (DDOE), Watershed Protection Division Pilot Green Roof Subsidy Program for eligible buildings in the Combined Sewer Overflow Zone (CSO) in Washington, DC.
The purpose of the project is to demonstrate green roof technology, encourage its use and illustrate the feasibility of green roofs to help manage stormwater. The grants are intended to partially defray the additional costs of a green roof. The subsidy will fund $3.00 per square foot of the green roof for each qualified green roof project with a cap of $12,000.00 per property. In areas of high-density development, where pervious surface make up 10% or less of total surface area capable of absorbing or diverting stormwater runoff, green roofs provide significant social, environmental and financial benefits. All buildings within the CSO zone, both new construction and retrofits, planning on incorporating a green roof into the building plans are eligible to receive a subsidy. To date the program, which began in July 2007, has awarded almost $80,000.00 to 13 different green roof projects in the District from residential to larger commercial projects. The program has $40,000.00 remaining to disperse as grant subsidies for qualifying green roof projects. For building owners interested in receiving a green roof subsidy for their project, the next deadline for applications is January 15, 2009. For more information about the program and to download an application please go to www.dcgreenworks.org and click on the DDOE Pilot Subsidy Grant Program link. DC Greenworks must receive completed applications by the deadline in order for a project to be considered for subsidy funding. DC Greenworks is a nonprofit 501c3 social enterprise that serves the Washington, DC community by providing training, tools and technologies that utilize, advance, and protect the environment. We have strategically partnered with DDOE to administer the Pilot Green Roof Subsidy Program. For further information about the DDOE Pilot Green Roof Subsidy Program or DC Greenworks, contact Nora Shepard at 202.518.6195 or nora@dcgreenworks.org. ###