Jump to content

City of Offenbach

Climate adaptation funding guideline

With the funding guideline for climate adaptation, the city of Offenbach is promoting measures on properties and buildings in the areas of green roofs, façade greening, surface unsealing and cisterns in order to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and the associated risks and improve the quality of life.

Examples of implementation

  • 27.12.2024 Environment & Climate

    Green façade provides cooling and quality of life

    An important part of this program is the greening of facades. A good example of this is shown by homeowner Helmut Blaufuß, who has planted a wall on his property.
  • 01.08.2024 Environment & Climate

    Subsidies help with the decision for green roofs

    The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly noticeable, especially in large cities. The city of Offenbach is therefore supporting private and commercial property owners in reducing the consequences of the climate crisis. The climate adaptation funding guideline launched in summer 2023 is now showing initial results.

Background of the funding program

The funding program provides financial support to private and commercial property owners to implement voluntary measures (i.e. not legally prescribed, such as through development plans) on their property in Offenbach in order to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and associated risks and improve the quality of life.

Why is this important?

The city of Offenbach am Main is affected by the impact of the man-made climate crisis. The support program described here refers in particular to two negative developments:

The number of hot days (maximum temperature of at least 30 degrees Celsius) and tropical nights (temperature does not fall below 20 degrees Celsius) is increasing, especially in densely built-up areas. Higher maximum temperatures are reached and hot spells last longer. This leads to significant health risks for humans, animals and vegetation. For humans, this means, among other things, the restriction of bodily functions and an increased risk of heatstroke and premature death.

The climate crisis also favors a change in water availability. In summer in particular, it will rain less often and droughts will occur more frequently. Instead, heavy rainfall will become more likely, with a lot of precipitation falling in a short space of time. The sewage system cannot absorb these amounts of rain during this time. There is therefore a risk that people will be endangered and property damaged.

In a growing city and in densely built-up areas, the effects are particularly noticeable. This is due in particular to the high degree of sealing by buildings and traffic areas. This creates heat islands in the city, water cannot seep away naturally and habitats for flora and fauna are lost.

As a climate adaptation measure, it is therefore necessary to mitigate the opposing extremes - drought and heavy rainfall - by retaining water on site and storing it for dry periods, using evaporative cooling and reducing high direct runoff.

Funding objectives

In particular, the funding program pursues the following funding objectives:

  • Reduction of heat development indoors through green roofs and façades, thereby reducing health risks.
  • Reducing heat development and increasing evaporative cooling outside buildings through unsealed surfaces and green roofs and façades, thereby reducing health risks.
  • Protecting roofs and façades from external climatic influences through greenery. This contributes to longevity and creates additional insulation, which also reduces heating and cooling costs for interior spaces.
  • Rainwater retention through green roofs and thus relief for the sewer.
  • Rainwater retention and storage in cisterns so that the stored water can be used to irrigate plants, for example.
  • Enabling natural infiltration and thus preserving the natural soil functions and feeding the groundwater.
  • Creating a habitat for flora and fauna.
  • Increasing the quality of stay.

What is funded and what funding levels are available?

Please note that the maximum funding amount per property (sum of all funding priorities applied for) is limited to €10,000.

Who is eligible to apply for funding?

The following are eligible to apply and receive funding:

  • Owners of private and commercial building and land areas
  • Condominium owners' associations with written declarations of consent from all owners (the resolution must be attached to the application)
  • Tenants, leaseholders and tenant associations with the written consent of the owners

Companies, non-profit organizations, religious communities, registered associations and cooperatives are also eligible to apply and receive funding if they belong to the above groups.

Public owners and their subsidiaries are not eligible to apply for funding.

Funding procedure

The funding procedure is divided into three sections, which are briefly described below. For more detailed information, please refer to the funding guidelines PDF-File 564,97 kB.

A checklist PDF-File 441,35 kB will help you to keep track of the necessary steps for each section.

Application documents

Advice and further information



Office for Environment and Climate

Stadt Offenbach am Main - Kaiserpalais
Kaiserstraße 39
63065 Offenbach

Notes on accessibility

S-Bahn lines 1, 2, 8, 9 (Offenbach Marktplatz stop) Bus lines 103, 104, 108, 551, 41 (bus stop Rathaus)

Further information

KOMM parking garage, IHK Offenbach parking garage, Rathaus parking garage, public parking spaces on the banks of the Main

Opening hours

Monday - Friday:
09:00 - 12:00

and by appointment

Explanations and notes

Picture credits