Through the Oakland County Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, a new local hotel has incorporated approximately $13.9 million worth of improvements to make its building more energy efficient. The Comfort Inn and Suites, located at 6874 Sashabaw Road in Clarkston, was a participant in Oakland County’s PACE program, which assists local commercial property owner's in securing private financing to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to their properties. The project was recently completed, and highlights include air purification systems and electric vehicle charging stations.
“This project is a great example of a private-public partnership Oakland County offers to help local businesses,” Oakland County Commissioner Karen Joliat (R-Waterford) said. “With these improvements, the Comfort Inn will reduce its expenses while increasing its property value – it’s a win-win collaboration.”
The hotel incorporated energy efficient windows and glass, electrical systems, wall insulation, HVAC, building envelope, plumbing and roof. It is estimated that these improvements will save the hotel $1.3 million over 25 years. To provide a safer environment for their guests and staff, the hotel’s management decided to install a bi-polar ionization air purification system, which is more efficient than similar technologies. They also chose to install four electric vehicle stations on the property, embracing and assisting in building a more electric vehicle-friendly local infrastructure.
“We were excited to use PACE to finance our hotel's energy saving installations, which has positively benefited our cash flow,” Stephen D. Barker, developer at Catellus Group LLC, said. “Additionally, knowing that we were able to use PACE to finance bi-polar ionization indoor air circulation technologies and new electric vehicle charging stations, really piqued our interest in this program. We were able to design a truly environmentally efficient state-of-the-art hotel under the program.”
The Oakland County PACE program is a long-term financing tool facilitated through local governments, which allows commercial property owners in Michigan to make energy efficiency, water efficiency, and renewable energy upgrades. Property owners receive 100 percent of funding upfront, and local governments assist in PACE financing by allowing commercial property owners to repay private lenders via a voluntary special assessment on their property tax bill. To administer the PACE program, Oakland County partners with Lean & Green Michigan.
“This project will lower energy costs, and the financing tool helps create this energy efficiency,” Oakland County Board Chairman David T. Woodward (D-Royal Oak) said. “In turn, this project helps Oakland County achieve our climate change goals by measurably reducing carbon emissions. This is a great example of how our county is working with our local businesses to achieve create great results for everyone.”
For more information about the Oakland County PACE program, visit http://www.oakgov.com/boc/Programs/Pages/pace.aspx.
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