Guide

Green roof funding in Berlin: IBB programmes for commercial buildings

If you're planning a green roof for a commercial property in Berlin, you don't have to carry the full cost yourself. Through its GründachPLUS programme, the state of Berlin funds green roofs and façades on existing buildings, explicitly including offices and commercial premises. The programme is run by IBB Business Team GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), the state development bank, on behalf of the Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility, Consumer Protection and Climate Action.

This article covers the funding rates, who can apply and what to watch out for as an owner or project lead when you apply.

Two routes: Regular Funding and Green Roof Lab

GründachPLUS has two modules, with different funding rates, eligible areas and project criteria.

Regular Funding

Regular Funding supports green roofs and façades on existing buildings in densely built-up parts of Berlin with little open space and higher environmental pressure. It covers up to 75% of eligible installation costs and 50% of planning costs. You can check whether your property is in an eligible area with the postcode checker on the IBB Business Team website.

Green Roof Lab

Green Roof Lab supports particularly high-quality, innovative or exemplary projects. Unlike Regular Funding, it is open across all of Berlin, and installation costs can be funded in full. A funding committee chaired by the Senate Department decides on eligibility and the grant amount. In justified individual cases, new buildings can also be funded.

Both modules also fund consultancy and planning costs at up to 50%, capped at €10,000.

Who can apply?

Owners, others entitled to use or control the property, and holders of a heritable building right (a long-term right to build on land owned by someone else) can apply. With the property holder's consent, community groups, associations, neighbourhood centres and care homes can apply too.

One point matters for businesses: this funding counts as state aid under EU rules. It is granted either as de minimis aid, which caps public support within a rolling three-year period, or as environmental aid under the General Block Exemption Regulation. For commercial properties, check your company's remaining de minimis allowance early, especially if it has received other funding in the current three-year period.

What your project needs to meet

• Green roofs need at least 100 m² of planting per building. That is also the threshold at which the green roof requirement under section 8 of the Berlin building code applies, which makes funding especially relevant for projects that have to provide a green roof anyway.
• For green façades, at least 50 m² of ground-rooted planting or 10 m² of wall-mounted planting.
• A multi-layer build-up following the FLL Green Roof Guidelines (the German national green roof standard), with a growing medium averaging at least 10 cm deep.
• Maintenance and long-term preservation of the planting must be secured.
• Green roofs on waterproofing containing asbestos or PVC are excluded, and these materials must not be used in the new build-up either.
• The project must not have started when you apply. Signing a supply and installation contract already counts as starting. Signing with your installer before approval puts your funding at risk.

How to apply

1. Check the eligible area. For Regular Funding, first use the postcode checker to see whether your property is in an eligible area. Green Roof Lab covers all of Berlin, so this step isn't needed there.
2. Apply before signing any contracts. Send your application by post to IBB Business Team GmbH, with all the required planning documents.
3. Wait for approval. IBB Business Team GmbH assesses Regular Funding applications. Green Roof Lab applications also go to the funding committee.
4. Appoint your installer only after approval. Don't sign the supply and installation contract until you have the formal funding approval.
5. Complete the work and provide evidence. Once the project is finished, send proof of the actual costs to IBB Business Team GmbH. Payment is based on this.

Combining with other funding

GründachPLUS is part of Investitionsbank Berlin's PLUS family of programmes, alongside schemes such as SolarPLUS for solar power storage. For a solar green roof, the practical approach is to fund the planting through GründachPLUS and, where eligible, the solar part through a separate programme. You can't receive funding twice for the same cost item, but funding different cost items within one building project is generally possible, provided you stay within EU state aid rules.

Checklist for commercial properties

• Use the postcode checker early to confirm eligibility for Regular Funding, or see whether your project could qualify for Green Roof Lab
• Apply before signing any contract with an installer
• Check your company's remaining de minimis allowance if it has received other public funding
• Build the minimum areas and FLL requirements into your plans
• For combined solar and green roof projects, check each part's funding eligibility separately

Frequently asked questions

Funding rates, eligible areas and requirements can change. IBB Business Team GmbH is the responsible body for binding information on the current funding guidelines and eligible areas. This article does not replace legal or funding advice for your specific case. Information as of September 2026.