Downtown Denver development automatically qualifies for CIRRUS financing rate using LEED certification
MILWAUKEE, Wisc., Sept 2, 2025 – PACE Equity, the leader in Commercial PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing, delivered on its relationship with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), closing its first LEED certified project in the CIRRUS portfolio.
PACE Equity provided $11.6 million in recapitalization funding to the Park Central Plaza, a 600,000 square-foot office building in downtown Denver. Park Central Plaza automatically qualified for the CIRRUS C-PACE reduced financing rate for the recapitalization of its stack because it was LEED Platinum certified.
The multi-tenant development underwent significant renovations and boasts a LEED Platinum certification, as well as local recognition as the recipient of an Energize Denver Award. This project is using CIRRUS C-PACE financing to recapitalize following significant upgrades to common areas and property amenities, plus tenant improvements.
“PACE Equity has partnered with the USGBC, allowing LEED certified properties to automatically qualify for our CIRRUS C-PACE program,” said Beau Engman, president and founder of PACE Equity. “The Park Central Plaza is our first LEED-certified project that automatically qualified for our reduced CIRRUS financing rates, thanks to our unique partnership.”
“By working with PACE Equity and offering favorable financial terms that incentivize developers to deliver high-performing buildings, we are able to accelerate the adoption of green building practices,” said Paul Matthew, senior fellow, USGBC. “We continue to see a demand for programs like the CIRRUS C-PACE that drive measurable environmental benefits, economic returns, and the creation of healthier, more resilient communities.”
CIRRUS C-PACE, which financially rewards building owners when they build, renovate, or refinance a property with a high efficiency design, has been in the market for over 3 years and has funded over $160 million for projects across the U.S. and in a variety of asset classes. With the CIRRUS program, total financial benefits — interest savings, energy savings, and property value — outweigh any incremental costs by a factor of 18 to 1 over a 10-year period, saving an average of over $1 million of interest over the financing term.
Building on this momentum, PACE Equity also announced the launch of CIRRUS Zero Carbon—the nation’s first whole-building performance-based initiative targeting Embodied Carbon Intensity (ECI). The CIRRUS Zero Carbon program includes a compliance path for USGBC’s LEED Zero. A project that is pursuing or has been certified as LEED Zero automatically qualifies for the CIRRUS C-PACE lower financing rate.
PACE Equity’s CIRRUS Low Carbon and Zero Carbon programs help developers realize higher returns when they create efficient and marketable green buildings.
For more information on C-PACE financing and capitalizing on lower rates for lower carbon buildings with the CIRRUS C-PACE program, visit: www.pace-equity.com.
