Author: Bart Jan Davidse; Hanna Bornholdt

Category: City Finance Policy

Published/Created by: Hamburg/Climate-ADAPT

Link: https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/metadata/case-studies/four-pillars-to-hamburg2019s-green-roof-strategy-financial-incentive-dialogue-regulation-and-science#:~:text=The%20Hamburg%20Ministry%20for%20Environment%20and%20Energy%20is,to%20cover%20up%20to%2060%25%20of%20installation%20costs

Hamburg is the first German city to have developed a comprehensive Green Roof Strategy. The Hamburg Ministry for Environment and Energy is providing financial support for the creation of green roofs to the sum of € 3 million until the end of 2019. Building owners can receive subsidies to cover up to 60% of installation costs. Additional benefit stems from lower maintenance costs due to the longer lifetime of green roofs, lower energy costs because of improved building insulation and a 50% reduction on rainwater fees thanks to the rainwater retention function of green roofs. Hamburg has a growing number of residents leading to an urban expansion policy requiring a great number of additional housings. To maintain Hamburg’s compact urban structure, the objective is to improve the quality (rather than the quantity) of open green city spaces. In this context, Hamburg’s objective is to be greener – on top. The Green Roof Strategy for Hamburg aims to green at least 70% of both new buildings and suitable flat or gently pitched roofs that are being renovated. This equals to plant a total of 100 hectares of green roof surface with plants and flowers in the metropolitan area, the equivalent of double the surface of ‘Planten un Blomen’ city park (45 hectares).