More Green Roofs for Michigan?

More Green Roofs for Michigan?

Green roofs-roofs covered with soil, grasses, and plants rather than shingles or metal-could soon become a more common sight in Grand Traverse County and other parts of the state.

Easy Loan Brings Clean Energy to Prominent Southfield Building

Easy Loan Brings Clean Energy to Prominent Southfield Building

Ari Kresch, CEO of 1-800-LAW-FIRM, likes to brag that his Southfield company is the first in the country to use its phone number as its actual name. Perhaps more significantly, though, he may be the first attorney in the country to use an innovative, new financing mechanism called PACE, which stands for property assessed clean energy, to make major, money-saving, clean-energy upgrades to his building.

Grand Traverse County adopts PACE resolution

Grand Traverse County adopts PACE resolution

Grand Traverse County is now one of just seven counties and two cities in Michigan to adopt the local ordinance, known as Property Assessed Clean Energy. PACE allows local governments to place private business efficiency loans on local tax rolls, collect repayment via special assessments on property tax bills, and foreclose on properties that default.

Andy Levin: ‘Lean & Green’ Can Help Efficiency, Clean Energy Soar

Andy Levin: ‘Lean & Green’ Can Help Efficiency, Clean Energy Soar

Andy Levin urges local leaders to adopt an ordinance he designed based on a 2010 state law, known as PACE, that would put tradesmen to work on efficiency and renewables projects for local businesses to boost their profits without spending public dollars. “PACE” means Property Assessed Clean Energy. It allows local governments to raise bonds to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for local firms-and use special property tax assessments for paying off the loans.