Texas PACE Authority urges Richardson to educate businesses about PACE financing

Valerie Shoop, a representative of Texas PACE Authority and Heritage Institute of Sustainability, spoke during the public comment portion of the Richardson City Council meeting to encourage the city to let Texas PACE Authority present to local businesses and to post information about the program on the economic development website.

Shoop said Texas PACE Authority, founded in 2015, uses a “PACE in a Box” model to enable property-assessed clean energy (PACE) districts in Texas. She described PACE as a voluntary program that allows property owners to finance energy- and water‑related improvements through a property assessment repaid over up to 20 years. “This program levels the playing field for businesses that previously had financing barriers to upgrade their buildings,” Shoop said.

Shoop told the council PACE projects can be financed using expected energy savings, depreciation and tax incentives, and that the program aims for a savings‑to‑investment ratio of 1 so businesses “realize no out‑of‑pocket expenses.” She said the program can help local contractors and lenders participate and that participating businesses can reduce energy consumption, which she argued would support grid reliability in Texas.

Shoop also proposed a low‑cost next step: a breakfast presentation for chamber members and business representatives. “What cities typically do is arrange for a breakfast — the city provides a space, and Texas PACE brings in the coffee and donuts,” she said, and asked the city to consider hosting that outreach and linking to Texas PACE Authority on the economic development website.

The remarks were delivered during the meeting’s public comment segment. No council action or vote on the request was recorded in the transcript; the presentation was informational and the council and staff did not respond substantively on the record during the public comment segment.