Rooftop Farming Business Plan

Whether you’re an aspiring urban farmer, an environmental enthusiast, or an entrepreneur looking to transform your rooftop into a vibrant green oasis to earn income, then you’ve come to the right place. We offer two editable rooftop farm business plan templates for free. One template involves a soil-based roof farm, while the other utilizes a hydroponic system. Both of them are comprehensive, professionally crafted and have all the necessary sections you need to facilitate the development of your own plan. All the elements in the presentation including charts are fully editable in PowerPoint. Use any of these free templates as a guide in developing your own rooftop farming business plan.

Global population has been growing exponentially over the past few decades. UN estimates that the current world population stands at 7.6 billion and could reach 8.6 billion by 2030. More than 50% of the current population are urban dwellers, which proportion is projected to increase to 60% by 2030. Growing population will continually drive demand for fresh agricultural products at a lower cost in the cities, providing the business case for establishing commercial scale rooftop farms.

Apart from its economic potential, there are also other intrinsic benefits of roof top farms. They make our cities greener and cooler by reducing carbon footprint and provide a place for those living in the urban areas to relax and commune. They also provide a sanctuary for urban wildlife.

Download our free editable rooftop farming business plan templates and embark your own commercial scale rooftop farming venture.

Hydroponics Rooftop Garden Business Plan

If you’re planning to establish a commercial scale rooftop farm using hydroponics system and needs a business plan, then download this template. From executive summary, financial analysis, sales and marketing strategies, establishment cost and timelines, and structural design principles and among others, we’ve got you covered. All you need to do is to tailor the plan according to your requirements.

Rather than just a PowerPoint template, we’re giving a sample business plan to facilitate the preparation of your own. Having a sample plan with realistic information and figures as a template will facilitate the development of your own as it helps you understand the flow and content required for each section. We carefully designed the template to give you a professional and aesthetically pleasing presentation.

If you’re still contemplating on what farming method to use for your rooftop farm, there are various reasons why a hydroponics system might be suitable for you. For one, it involves lighter components than a soil-based thus, it is suitable for less structurally sound rooftop. But before you start, however, make sure to engage the services of an engineering company to determine the weight bearing capacity of your roof to ensure safety.

Another advantage of hydroponics system is space efficiency. The system can be set-up vertically or more compact, enabling higher-density farming. It also uses less water compared to traditional soil-based agriculture because the system treats and recirculates the water.

Soil-Based Rooftop Farming Business Plan

The other Rooftop Farming Business Plan template we’re providing is soil-based. A soil-based rooftop farm uses containers such as pots, buckets, and raise-beds, etc. to hold the soil used as a growing medium. The soil (which can be a mixture of compost, wood chips, and topsoil) is heavy especially with the added weight from water and structures thus, it is a must to ensure that your rooftop can bear the added weight.

While a soil-based rooftop farm is generally more expensive than a hydroponics system, especially if retrofitting is required, the farming method offers various advantages. These include a more natural way of growing crops, which, unlike hydroponics, rely heavily on chemical-based nutrient solutions.

Another advantage is that it can be more environmentally friendly, especially if the farm sources its inputs such as compost, mulch, and manure from nearby residents. It also enables the production of more variety of crops, such as root vegetables and perennial crops, which are otherwise not possible in hydroponics systems.

Rooftop Farming Business Plan Contents

(1) Preliminaries

• Introduction – This slide introduces the benefits of rooftop farming which include providing fresh produce, sustainable production, profitability, and offering a place for urban dwellers to commune as well as habitat for urban wildlife.
• Guiding Principles – Provides a sample vision, mission, and values of a rooftop farming venture.  
• Institutional Support – With its intrinsic benefits to the environment and in the promotion of stable food supply, rooftop gardens could earn support from both state and non-state actors depending on your location. This slide highlights the potential incentives provided by the government, NGOs and the private sector for rooftop farms.
• Why Rooftop Farming is on the Rise – This slide provides the underlying reason why there is a growing number of rooftop farms. The benefits include promoting food security, meet demand for sustainably produced products, financial viability, and environmental benefits such as reducing heat island effect and increasing biodiversity.
• Rooftop Gardens Rationale – The slide details the rationale of rooftop farming ventures. It details the benefits of rooftop gardens to the building structure such as structural preservation, utilization of otherwise underused building rooftops and serving as insulator thus, minimizing energy used for air-conditioning. It also highlights other benefits such as reducing fuel and electricity needed to transport agricultural products considering the farms’ proximity to customers, contribution to cleaner air in the city and the aesthetic pleasure they provide.

(2) Rooftop Farm Structural Design

• Structural Design Principles – The slide provides the design principles that can be used when designing a rooftop farm. These include the following:
  • Systematic layout design which optimizes space for growing plants and relaxation
  • Implementing a green roofing system or eco-roof (a foundational layering system incorporating structures and vegetation that improve structural integrity of the building and energy efficiency)
  • Optimal plant selection and placement that maximize profitability and aesthetics
  • Precision irrigation system that minimizes water wastage

(3) Key Products

• Key Products – The slide provides a sample crop that can be cultivated in a rooftop such as herbs, salad greens, tomatoes, lavender, sunflowers, and marigolds. It also explains the underlying reasons why these plants are chosen focusing on demand and profitability.  

(4) Financials

• Rooftop Farming Initial Investment Requirements – Provides a list of expenditures required to establish a rooftop farm. These include structural assessment, waterproofing, irrigation infrastructure, safety measures, utilities setup, and permits required.
• Monthly Operational Expenses – The slide provides sample charts on how to present monthly operational expenses including both direct and indirect cost. Direct costs cover labor, water, electricity, plants and plant materials, pest control, maintenance and waste disposal while indirect cost includes marketing and promotions, administrative expenses and miscellaneous expenses.
• Monthly Revenues – A sample slide showing how to effectively present monthly revenues. The table provides the total revenues by product, the price per unit and the quantities sold per unit.
• Cashflow Analysis – A slide showing a sample year-by-year cashflow analysis of a rooftop garden which include the initial investment requirements, annual revenues, annual expenses and net cash flow. It shows how to neatly present cashflow projections and the underlying assumptions.

(5) Marketing and Promotions

• Marketing Strategies – The slide provides sample marketing strategies to promote the rooftop garden and its products. It covers digital marketing, local marketing (i.e. participation in local farmers’ weekend markets, collaboration with local restaurants, hosting gardening workshops and events, community engagements, establishing partnerships with schools and civic organizations in the vicinity. 
• Sales and Promotions – The slide shows how to entice and retain customers for the agricultural products. These include such as subscription services, bundle packages, seasonal promotions, and referral programs.

Major Things to Consider When Establishing a Rooftop Farming Business

(1) Building Structure Integrity

The foremost consideration when establishing a rooftop farm is ensuring that the building and the roofing system can withstand the pressure of additional weight from the soil, water, and structures needed by the farm. Safety should always come first.

As such, the first thing to do is to seek advise from an established engineering firm to evaluate the structural condition of the building. Especially if you’re planning a commercial scale rooftop farm, they can design the farm itself and determine the retrofitting, electrical and mechanical requirements. They can also provide cost estimates, depending on your agreement. While engaging an engineering firm may sound like an additional upfront cost, their expertise can help ensure the safety of your farm. In addition, they can advice on optimal space and water usage as well as sunlight exposure which help minimize cost in the long run and ensure efficient farm operations. They can also help you in meeting regulatory requirements such as building codes and safety standards, which facilitate the establishment of your farm.

(2) Initial Investment Requirements

Among the most common prohibitive factors when establishing a rooftop farm is the relatively high upfront cost especially when compared to traditional ground-level farms. Most of the time, retrofitting and reinforcing a building is necessary to support the weight of commercial scale rooftop farms. Structural modifications are costly as it involves the services of engineering/construction companies and may require specialized equipment such as cranes or scaffolding. The difficulty in transporting materials to the rooftop can also increase cost and construction time.

(3) Farming Method

The choice of farming method, either soil-based or hydroponics system, should be done at the onset as it influences structural design and choice of crops. For instance, hydroponics systems typically involve lighter weight components while soil-based system require stronger structural support to bear the weight of soil containers and raised beds. They also require different water management and drainage systems to prevent water accumulation and potential damage to the building structure. Deciding on farming method early ensures that the structure can accommodate the chosen method as modifications can be costly.