(Bloomberg) -- Investment firm Aquarian Holdings has purchased a majority stake in PACE Equity, which hands out commercial property assessed clean energy, or C-PACE loans, to real estate developers and owners, according to a statement seen by Bloomberg.
Aquarian, led by founder and ex-Guggenheim Partners executive Rudy Sahay, will provide PACE Equity with up to $1 billion of capital, allowing it to scale its capacity to issue financing, according to the statement.
PACE Equity offers C-PACE loans to commercial building owners to help fund energy efficient upgrades and clean energy improvements in states that have approved C-PACE programs. The financing is generally long-term with low interest rates and can be transferred if a property is sold. Owners repay the loan through a special assessment lien on the property, put in place by local governments as a way to secure the loan.
Aquarian’s investment comes as lenders have scaled back exposure to commercial real estate, especially as office property values have fallen and defaults have risen. That has opened the door for other types of financing, like C-PACE, to make it easier on developers and owners struggling to find financing, while also encouraging a transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Demand for C-PACE financing is on the rise, Sahay said in an interview, as owners will seek ways to make older buildings more energy efficient.
“Real estate is a tale of have and have-nots, but landlords and developers can improve their properties with the use of these types of clean energy projects,” Sahay said.
States and cities across the country are pushing for buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through enabling programs that allow for C-PACE financing, including New York City. In 2019, the city passed a law to require most buildings over 25,000 square feet meet certain emissions limits by this year. That legislation opens the door for C-PACE financing to pick up, as landlords and developers will be inclined to seek out ways to ensure their buildings are in compliance.
“The way the product is being rolled out and the legislation is written — C-PACE is a win-win,” Sahay said.
In June, Aquarian, which has insurance and asset management holdings, said it had raised $1.5 billion from Mubadala Capital and other investors.
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