The City of Chicago Department of Environment is issuing grants for green roofs. Grants of up to $5,000 are available towards the cost of installing a green roof.

A green roof consists of plants and soil, or other light-weight growing medium, installed on top of a waterproofing membrane. It generally covers all or a significant portion of a roof.

Green roofs help building owners save money, while also contributing to a healthy city. Specifically, green roofs create energy savings for building owners by assisting with more efficient heating and cooling. They also work to lower surrounding urban heat temperatures. In addition, green roofs reduce storm water runoff, improve water quality, and create conditions for longer-lasting roof systems.

Green roof systems may be modular, with drainage layers, filter cloth, growing media and plants already prepared in movable, interlocking grids, or, each component of the system may be installed separately.

Economic Benefits - cost savings opportunities for the building owner include:

* Protection of roof membrane resulting in a longer material life span.
* Savings on energy heating and cooling costs, depending on the size of the building, climate and type of green roof.
* Sound Insulation. Soil, plants and the trapped layer of air can be used to insulate for sound. This is a great tool in metro, subway and L transit areas of the city of Chicago.
* Potential to reduce the size of HVAC equipment on new or retrofitted buildings (capital and operational savings).
* Potential to reduce the amount of standard insulation used.
* Potential to incorporate cooling and/or water treatment functions.
* Potential for local, regional, and national market exposure, depending on the uniqueness of the project.
* Potential to reduce or eliminate roof drains.
* Potential to meet regulatory requirements for storm water management.
* Potential to reduce community resistance to new developments.
* Provision of amenity space for day care, meetings, and recreation;
* Aesthetic appeal, increasing the value of the property and the marketability of the building as a whole, particularly for accessible green roofs. For example, American and British studies show that "good tree cover" adds between 6 to 15 per cent to the value of a home. Green roofs offer the same visual and environmental benefits.
* Satisfying the aesthetic needs of people looking down upon the roof from adjacent buildings.
* Potential to improve employee productivity.