Roof improvements are critical to building health and efficiency. But they can also be expensive. Fortunately, C-PACE can finance roof improvements made in tandem with ongoing building improvements, roof work on new construction projects, and rooftop projects like solar and green roofs.
There are a variety of roof improvement projects that can increase a building’s energy efficiency or renewable power generation, thereby making them eligible for C-PACE financing. These projects include:
- High-efficiency membranes and coatings
- Sealing and other building envelope improvements
- Increased insulation
- Green roofs
- Solar panels
- Ancillary costs – Additional structural or electrical work needed to accommodate a solar or other clean energy generation project
In general, roof improvements must fall in-line with the definitions of an Energy Efficient Improvement or Renewable Energy Project, per the C-PACE Program Guidelines. However, if you are considering a roof improvement not listed above and not included in the Program Guidelines, PEA will review proposed measures on a case-by-case basis.
What if you want to do a roof project on a mixed-use building with commercial spaces on the ground floor and residential units on the higher floors? Under current law, residential and multifamily properties are not eligible for C-PACE financing, which means using C-PACE on mixed-use developments requires a few additional steps. If the commercial entity in a mixed-use building wants to use C-PACE to finance an energy-efficient roof project (including a replacement, green roof, updated insulation, etc.) but the commercial entity is not directly connected to the roof itself (e.g. the residential floors are above the commercial floors), the commercial and residential portions of the building must be separately titled. This could be accomplished by a subdivision of the building or creation of a condo. C-PACE financing may then be applied to the commercial portion of the building. If the roof is titled in the commercial portion of the building, C-PACE financing may be used for roof projects.
For solar projects only, the property owner may choose to separately title the commercial and residential portions of the building as described above. Or they may have the commercial portion of the building enter into an appurtenant easement agreement (that runs with the title of the commercial portion) with the residential portion of the building giving the commercial portion full rights and access to the roof, preferably for the life of the building, or in any event at least the useful life of the equipment, and for no shorter than the term of the C-PACE financing.
Are you managing a building in Philadelphia and thinking about making roof improvements?
Contact us at CPACE@philaenergy.org to see if C-PACE is a good fit for you!