Texas PACE Authority Recognized with Two National Awards at PACENation Summit
Texas PACE Authority Recognized with Two National Awards at PACENation Summit
Texas PACE Authority (TPA), alongside its partners, was honored with two national awards at the 2026 PACENation Summit, the industry’s premier annual gathering of PACE leaders held in New York City. The Summit convened top stakeholders from across the country to collaborate, share best practices, and recognize excellence in advancing the PACE market.
These recognitions underscore not only the strength of individual projects and leadership, but also the critical role TPA plays in building, scaling, and stewarding one of the most active and innovative PACE markets in the nation. Through its work as a program administrator and market facilitator, TPA continues to enable private capital to flow efficiently into high-impact energy and water infrastructure projects across Texas.
This year’s awards reflect both the foundational leadership that established TX-PACE as a national model and the continued evolution of the program through complex transactions and forward-thinking financing structures.
Charlene Heydinger Receives Lifetime Achievement Recognition
Charlene Heydinger (pictured above), founding president of Texas PACE Authority, was awarded the PACESetter Award for Legacy & Lifetime Achievement in PACE.
Upon her retirement at the end of 2025, Charlene was formally recognized by the Texas Senate for her decade of leadership, including a proclamation honoring her impact on energy policy, sustainable investment, and community development across Texas.
Charlene played a central role in advancing the Texas PACE Act (SB 385) in 2013, helping build the coalition and momentum needed to pass the legislation in a single session. That effort laid the foundation for a financing model that enables private capital to support energy and water efficiency improvements in commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings.
Under her leadership, TPA grew into the nonprofit backbone of TX-PACE implementation, supporting more than 100 local programs that now serve approximately 75 percent of Texas residents and have facilitated hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment.
She also helped establish national best practices through the “PACE in a Box” toolkit, providing local governments with a standardized, efficient framework to implement programs responsibly.
This recognition reflects Charlene’s lasting impact not just in Texas, but across the national PACE landscape.
Innovative Financing Recognized: The Meuse Project in Fredericksburg
Petros PACE Finance received a PACESetter Award for its innovative financing structure supporting the Kimpton Hotel at The Meuse development in Fredericksburg, Texas, an achievement made possible through close coordination among Texas PACE Authority and local program stakeholders.
As detailed in the project case study, this transaction reflects not only creativity in capital structuring, but also the strength of the TX-PACE framework and the collaborative role TPA plays in bringing complex deals to fruition:
https://www.texaspaceauthority.org/kimpton-hotel-at-the-meuse-secures-first-tx-pace-financing-in-fredericksburg/
Petros structured a $53.2 million PACE financing using a multi-tranche approach, an innovation in the Texas market. Rather than deploying the full capital amount at closing, the financing is distributed across three tranches aligned with the construction timeline.
This structure significantly reduces interest carry and improves overall project economics for the developer, DC Partners, while ensuring that energy- and water-efficiency measures are fully integrated into the project.
TPA worked alongside Petros, the capital provider, and the local government to guide the transaction through program requirements, ensure compliance with TX-PACE statutes, and facilitate coordination among all parties. This role is central to advancing projects of this scale, helping translate innovative concepts into executable and financeable structures within the TX-PACE framework.
The first tranche closed in August 2025, with additional tranches scheduled as construction progresses. The structure is expected to deliver millions in savings while advancing high-performance building design.
This project highlights how TX-PACE is not only a source of capital, but a platform for innovation where lenders, developers, and TPA work in tandem to expand what is possible in commercial real estate finance.
Continued Momentum for TX-PACE
Together, these recognitions highlight the full spectrum of TX-PACE’s impact, from the visionary leadership that established the program to the sophisticated transaction shaping its future.
TPA’s role extends beyond administration. As a trusted, neutral facilitator, TPA brings together local governments, capital providers, developers, and service providers to ensure projects are structured effectively, executed efficiently, and aligned with statutory requirements. This collaborative approach is what enables TX-PACE to scale while maintaining consistency, transparency, and market confidence.
As the market continues to mature, TPA remains focused on expanding access, supporting innovation in deal structuring, and ensuring that TX-PACE continues to deliver meaningful economic and resource benefits across Texas communities.
About Texas PACE Authority
Texas PACE Authority (TPA) is the nonprofit administrator of more than 100 local TX-PACE programs. TPA empowers commercial, industrial, and multifamily property owners across Texas to make energy and water-saving upgrades that reduce costs, benefit the environment, and support local communities. Working alongside local governments, lenders, and service providers, TPA has facilitated over half a billion dollars in new investment statewide. Learn more at www.TexasPACEAuthority.org.