Office of Sustainability announces cool roof rebate program

The Louisville Metro Office of Sustainability has announced a cool roof rebate program, an initiative designed to combat urban warming as identified in the Urban Heat Management Study released last year. The Office of Sustainability is offering a rebate at a rate of $1 per square foot of cool roof, in an effort to incentivize at least 100,000 square feet of new cool roof installations.

Metro Council Districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 14 and 15, identified as high heat areas in the Urban Heat Management Study, will receive at least 60% of the available funding. Applications will be accepted beginning on March 20 and the program will continue until funds are depleted. 

Roofs made with reflective materials and lighter colored roofs reflect sunlight and heat away from a building, reducing roof temperatures and utility costs. Cool roofs absorb less heat and stay up to 50–60°F cooler than conventional materials during peak summer weather. 

“Using cool roof materials makes economic sense because cool roofs reduce energy usage and save home and building owners money on utilities,” Maria Koetter, Director of the Office of Sustainability, said. “In addition to managing urban heat, this program supports energy conservation, which is an important sustainability metric for the city.”

Louisville Metro Government began integrating cool roof standards into government-sponsored programs and utilizing cool roofing materials on Metro-owned buildings in 2016.

Under the Cool Roof Rebate program, property owners may apply to receive $1 per square foot up to $2,000 for a residential cool roof replacement. Commercial building owners may apply to receive up to $5,000 for new or retrofit flat or low-sloped roofs and up to $10,000 for steep-sloped roofs. All roofing products must be certified by the Cool Roof Rating Council or ENERGY STAR.

To be eligible for funding from the Office of Sustainability’s Cool Roof Rebate program, the subject property must be located in Jefferson County, shall not be subject to any Louisville Metro liens, and shall be current in payment of property taxes. Rebate funds are limited and will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis. Applications may be submitted before the project is completed, but funds will not be dispersed until project completion.

For more information and to find the program application, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/sustainability/incentives.