The Texas PACE Act (2013, 83R, SB-385, Carona/Keffer) promotes private sector energy and water saving measures to free up Texas’ natural resources in response to population growth and drought. A Plug and Play Model program, PACE in a Box (TX-PACE), was established in 2014 by over 130 volunteers (business organizations, local governments, contractors, property owners, lenders).

These volunteer stakeholders looked at best practices and lessons learned in other states and designed a turn-key solution (program, process, standards & documents) with a high bar of program design, underwriting, and technical standards protections while protecting local governments (no cost or liability) and minimizing impact on staff. This effort, the equivalent of a modern day barn raising, resulted in a flexible, free market PACE model that other states are copying.