Lean & Green Michigan

08/31/2026

In case you missed it...
It's been a busy summer here at Lean & Green Michigan! Since June, we have welcomed FOUR new PACE districts to Michigan. With the addition of our newest partner, Berrien County, PACE now serves 86% of Michigan's population! PACE benefits both commercial property owners and the municipalities that host them by providing access to premier financing for projects which reduce utility costs, mitigate hazards, or minimize carbon emissions. Visit our website to learn more about how we can serve you: https://leanandgreenmi.com/

09/04/2025

Excited to be part of this new collaborative effort!

A new initiative, the Michigan Climate Investment Hub, fosters collaboration and innovation to accelerate clean energy investment in Michigan.

06/26/2025

Big news from Barry County!

The Hastings Riverwalk Lofts are now one of Michigan’s most substantial multifamily redevelopments using PACE financing — and it’s the county’s first-ever PACE project!

📍Located at 420 E. Mill Street, this project brings:
• 135 new residential units
• A new commercial market space
• Major energy upgrades

💰 $4.39 million in PACE financing, facilitated by Barry County and Lean & Green Michigan, is funding improvements like HVAC, lighting, and water conservation.

💡 Year one savings: $155,469.01 in utility costs
🌱 25-year impact: 21M+ kWh saved = 14,115 metric tons of CO2 avoided — the equivalent of 1.58M gallons of gasoline!

👏 Huge shoutout to CopperRock Construction, Inc. for leading the development, Bolder Energy Engineers for providing their expertise, and to Peachtree Group for providing the PACE financing that made this all possible.

A true win for the community, the environment, and energy efficiency.

The Barry County PACE Program is now home to one of Michigan’s most substantial multifamily housing redevelopments using Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing: the Hastings Riverwalk Lofts. Located at 420 East Mill Street, the project brings new residential and commercial space to Hastin...

06/12/2025

Throwback Thursday | June 12, 2019

In recognition of mission-driven community development, Lean & Green Michigan is proud to spotlight the Battle Creek YMCA 🏫. This project is a powerful example of how energy upgrades can deliver long-term value to nonprofits and the neighborhoods they serve.

The Battle Creek YMCA became Calhoun County’s first PACE project when it partnered with Lean & Green Michigan to take on major energy efficiency upgrades that would have otherwise been cost-prohibitive. With the help of Petros PACE Finance💼, the YMCA received $1.37 million in 100% upfront financing to modernize aging infrastructure.

This comprehensive project included pool dehumidification units, HVAC, building controls, rooftop units, and lighting upgrades, resulting in a projected 47% reduction in electrical use.
But this isn’t just about energy savings. It’s about impact:

💰 $3.2 million in total projected savings over 22 years
🔒 A safer, well-lit perimeter for YMCA members and staff
🌍 The environmental equivalent of eliminating 37.8 million vehicle miles

As CEO Jill Hinde put it:
“PACE provided an affordable opportunity for the Battle Creek YMCA to replace our aging infrastructure in order to be able to continue serving our members and the community.”

This project shows what’s possible when public-private partnerships and clean energy finance meet community purpose🤝.

We’re grateful to our partners at Petros PACE Finance and Calhoun County for making this milestone possible. This is the kind of forward-thinking investment that strengthens both buildings and the people they serve.

The Battle Creek Michigan YMCA marks Calhoun County’s first PACE project, and the second nonprofit PACE project for Lean & Green Michigan.

02/18/2025

Check out this recently released video, which tells the story of an inspiring Detroit project financed through Lean & Green Michigan’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program.

The Beltline Center was the first PACE project in Michigan to incorporate a green roof, and it is among the largest green roofs financed with PACE in the United States! It set a new benchmark for environmental impact and energy and water efficiency. It shows the ability of PACE financing to help restore buildings in low income neighborhoods. And the video just looks cool.

The Beltine project came together under the Wayne County, Michigan PACE Program administered by Lean & Green Michigan. Wayne County is the leading PACE jurisdiction in our program. How effective is Wayne County at partnering with us to drive economic development and sustainability within its borders? Let’s just put it this way: If the county was a state, it would be the 16th biggest in the U.S. for PACE financing!

Hats off to Nathan Griswold of Inhabitect, LLC, who is truly the pied piper of green roofs. The video speaks of the many benefits of spending a little more to save big in the long run by creating a living roof. You can reduce stormwater runoff; extend your roof’s lifespan; increase your building’s energy efficiency; make it more comfortable; gain a cool new place to hang out; and even save on stormwater fees in Detroit and other jurisdictions that have them.

Thanks also to PACE lender Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate which provided the financing for this project working hand-in-hand with Inhabitect.

At Inhabitect, we design and install high-performance green roofs that reduce stormwater runoff, enhance energy efficiency, and extend roof lifespans—all whi...

10/15/2024

Come see us at the Oakland County Showcase! We can’t wait!

Investors and developers can engage directly with local leaders and talk about exciting new projects in communities during our annual Community Showcase & Development Opportunities event Friday, Oct. 18. Learn more: bit.ly/4h5NEC6.

We will host the event at Oakland Schools - Michigan from 7:30-10 a.m., attracting economic development teams from 21 municipalities, along with investors, bankers, developers, brokers, real estate agents, homebuilders, business and property owners and site selectors.

Attendees will also have the chance to meet with Lean & Green Michigan representatives about the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, and connect with county representatives from Advantage Oakland business development, planning, redevelopment, , and Neighborhood & Housing Development.

Register in advance to attend this free event at AdvantageOakland.EventBrite.com. For more information, contact Jim Schafer at 248-858-2033 or [email protected].

09/19/2024

We are proud of Wayne County’s commitment to sustainable development through the use of PACE. We look forward to many more projects in the future!

04/24/2024

The Flats of Acme Village, a currently vacant lot, is the first project to close under the amended statute and PACE 3.0 program guide through Lean & Green Michigan. This lot is set to be transformed into a 60-unit luxury apartment complex within Grand Traverse County. The complex will be 10 one-story buildings with a mix of two and three bedroom units and comes at an exciting time for new development and sustainability goals in Grand Traverse. Learn more here: https://business.traverseconnect.com/news/details/news-release-4-17-2024-04-17-2024

Interested in more happenings in your community? Discover the latest news and events from a variety of member businesses in the Grand Traverse Region. Click the link for this week's News Releases: https://business.traverseconnect.com/news

11/08/2023

We are proud to serve the City of Mount Pleasant!

Owners of commercial and industrial property in Mt. Pleasant who are looking to reduce their carbon footprints can now take advantage of a program that allows for specific improvement loans to be p…