In June, nearly 90 professionals from across the real estate, lending, and sustainability sectors gathered at San Antonio’s Phil Hardberger Park Urban Ecology Center Hall for a powerful session on sustainable development strategies—highlighting the role of Texas PACE financing and the CARE Tool in transforming commercial buildings.

The event, hosted by ULI San Antonio and the City of San Antonio’s Office of Historic Preservation, showcased how public-private collaboration can drive energy and water efficiency upgrades, particularly in aging and historically significant buildings.

Dr. Teresa Smith, Director of Transactions at the Texas PACE Authority, opened the session with a clear, concise overview of the TX-PACE (Texas Property Assessed Clean Energy) Financing Program—explaining how it works, the step-by-step process, and what it takes to bring a project from concept to close.

Following her presentation, Jack Belt, Program Liaison, Texas PACE Authority, moderated a dynamic panel discussion titled “Doing a PACE Deal,” featuring seasoned professionals who have navigated PACE projects from different angles:

• Andrew Ozuna, Senior Vice President and Director of Commercial Real Estate Lending at Broadway Bank
• George Wommack, President and CEO of Headwall Investments
• Brian Adams, Director of Originations – Texas, for PACE Equity
• Dr. Teresa Smith, Director of PACE Transactions  - Texas PACE Authority

The conversation offered attendees a front-row seat to the real-world experience of executing a successful PACE deal—from financing and design to energy modeling and closing.

George Wommack shared firsthand insights from his recent redevelopment of The Allen, a two-story boutique office project just north of downtown San Antonio. His experience using Texas PACE financing helped bring critical energy efficiency improvements to life while preserving the character of the property.

Andrew Ozuna gave an invaluable look into the decision-making process of a senior mortgage lender when considering a PACE transaction. He described the challenges, risks, and internal evaluations Broadway Bank undertook before consenting to layer a PACE loan onto the existing mortgage for The Allen. Notably, Ozuna not only approved the structure—he encouraged Wommack to use PACE.

Brian Adams rounded out the discussion with a lender’s-eye view of how PACE Equity works with clients throughout the project lifecycle—from early-stage conversations and energy assessments to closing the loan and confirming the performance of installed systems.

Throughout the panel, Dr. Smith brought clarity and expert context to each of the perspectives, connecting the dots for attendees and offering practical takeaways for anyone considering a PACE project.

Takeaway:
This event reinforced what many already know–Texas PACE is more than just a financing mechanism. It’s a powerful tool that unlocks capital, improves building performance, and fosters sustainable economic development. When paired with planning tools like CARE, the opportunities for revitalizing San Antonio’s historic and underutilized buildings grow even stronger.

A big thank you to ULI San Antonio and the City of San Antonio’s Office of Historic Preservation for bringing this important conversation to the forefront.

About Texas PACE Authority:

Texas PACE Authority (TPA), the nonprofit administrator of more than 100 local TX-PACE programs, is leading the charge for energy and water efficiency in Texas.  TPA is on a mission to empower commercial, industrial, and multifamily property owners across Texas to make energy and water saving upgrades that save money, benefit the environment, and help their communities. We work with local governments, lenders, service providers and all other stakeholders to make businesses more profitable, save natural resources, and revitalize communities across Texas. To date our efforts have facilitated more than half a billion dollars in new investment in Texas.

Learn more at www.texaspaceauthority.org