Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) has  the distinction of being the first property owner in Travis County, indeed in Texas, to close a PACE project authorized by the Property Assessed Clean Energy Act (PACE). As a result, the oldest Jewish congregation in Austin will receive an energy overhaul and save more than $35,000 in utility costs annually. The Way Companies, a Houston-based performance contractor, developed the project and will retrofit the mechanical systems infrastructure to reduce spending in utilities, and owning & operating costs.

The PACE Act, passed by the Texas legislature in 2013, removed many barriers business property owners face when confronted with an aging infrastructure. It opened up low-cost, long-term financing for water conservation, energy-efficiency improvements, and renewable energy retrofits. Travis County followed soon after by establishing Texas’ first local PACE program and selected the Texas PACE Authority to administer the program.

PACE financing enables CBI to finance the upgrade without diverting its charitable dollars from its core mission.  Bruce Elfant, the Tax Assessor Collector signed the contracts with the county that place a long-term assessment on the property in exchange for the up-front funding for the retrofit.

One of CBI’s guiding principles is known as Tikkun olam, a concept of Judaism that translates into mending the world. For the past 10 years, CBI has worked to cut its carbon footprint. This PACE project, offered by the Way Companies, enables CBI to fulfill its core values.  

CBI’s mechanical equipment was outdated, obsolete and plagued with operational ineffectiveness. The cost of maintaining the machinery had steadily risen, and replacement parts are becoming increasingly difficult to find. In fact, certain parts were no longer manufactured and—at last check—only 50 replacement burner tubes for CBI’s boiler exist worldwide. The Way Companies offered a solution.  CBI and Way Cos. entered into a co-authored Project Agreement financed by Petros. The installations include the replacement of two air-cooled chilled water machines, two heating water boilers, application of window films, and an extension of building automation and control system to the new equipment being installed.

For additional information, please visit http://www.thewaycompanies.com