Urban Earth Consulting · Essen 2026
NEUE
BRAUN­FELS
A PHI-Certified Passive House
Live/Work Development
in the Heart of German Texas
New Braunfels, Texas · 2.6 Acres · Climate Zone 2A
A Development Partnership Opportunity
"Hier bauen wir
nicht nur Häuser —
wir bauen Heimat."
"Here we don't just build houses —
we build a sense of home."
David Komet, CPHC
Founder · Urban Earth Consulting
San Antonio, Texas
01 / Die Gelegenheit — The Opportunity
THE
MARKET
MOMENT

The U.S. Sun Belt is experiencing an acute shortage of high-performance, certified mixed-use space. Professionals, creatives, and retailers relocating to the I-35 corridor are finding a market that grows fast but builds cheap.

Passive House has the answer. But the expertise to deliver PHI-certified mixed-use development in Climate Zone 2A — where latent load and heat are the governing design forces — is extraordinarily rare. No one has done it at community scale in Texas.

New Braunfels sits at the intersection of Texas's fastest growth corridor and its deepest German heritage. The case for this project is not just financial — it is historical.

#1
Fastest-growing city in Texas · 2023–2024
30 mi
North of San Antonio · 45 mi south of Austin
4
For-sale units · 2 retail/professional + 2 residential
0
PHI-certified passive house developments in CZ 2A today
02 / Das Programm — The Program
LIVE / WORK
Four for-sale condos. Two over two. Shell delivered. Buyer finished.
Upper Floor — Residential
Unit 3
Residential Condo
PHI-certified passive house shell. Buyer specifies all interior finish-out — flooring, kitchen, fixtures, layout within envelope.
Unit 4
Residential Condo
PHI-certified passive house shell. Buyer specifies all interior finish-out — flooring, kitchen, fixtures, layout within envelope.
Ground Floor — Professional / Retail
Unit 1
Professional / Retail
Office, studio, medical, or retail use. PHI shell delivered. Buyer directs tenant improvement specifications.
Unit 2
Professional / Retail
Office, studio, medical, or retail use. PHI shell delivered. Buyer directs tenant improvement specifications.
"Der Rohbau ist unser Versprechen — der Ausbau ist Ihre Vision."
"The shell is our promise — the fit-out is your vision."
03 / Das Grundstück — The Land
THE PARCEL
Controlled. Entitled. Ready to develop.
2.6
Acres
Single parcel · New Braunfels, Comal County
R+C
Zoning
Broad residential, commercial, and mixed-use allowance
4
For-Sale Units
2-over-2 · Ground retail/professional + Upper residential
CZ 2A
Climate Zone
Hot-humid · The untapped frontier of Passive House
"Zwischen San Antonio und Austin — genau dort, wo Texas wächst."
"Between San Antonio and Austin — exactly where Texas is growing."
04 / Die Geschichte — The Story
180 YEARS
IN THE MAKING
1845
Der Adelsverein — a German noblemen's colonization society — founds New Braunfels as the first planned German community in Texas. German craftsmanship, Baukultur, and the Ausbauhaus tradition take root in the Hill Country.
1991
The Passive House Institut is established in Darmstadt by Dr. Wolfgang Feist. The world's most rigorous building performance standard is born from the same engineering culture that settled New Braunfels.
2024
New Braunfels is named the fastest-growing city in Texas. Demand for quality mixed-use space outpaces supply. There is no certified Passive House answer in this climate — yet.
2026
This project. The first PHI-certified Passive House live/work development in German Texas — built to European performance standards, shell-delivered in the Ausbauhaus tradition, designed for the Texas climate.
05 / Warum Jetzt — Why Now
THREE
CONVERGING
FORCES
01
Texas Growth
New Braunfels is growing faster than any city in Texas. Professionals, creatives, and small businesses relocating along the I-35 corridor are absorbing quality mixed-use space as fast as it appears. Certified, high-performance product commands a meaningful premium.
02
European Capital
ESG pressure on European institutional and family office capital is accelerating demand for U.S. energy-performance assets. PHI certification provides the third-party standard European investors already understand and trust. The live/work typology is deeply familiar.
03
The Ausbauhaus Model
Shell delivery with buyer-directed fit-out reduces developer risk, shortens the decision cycle, and gives buyers an unprecedented degree of control. A model with deep roots in German building culture — applied here for the first time to a PHI-certified U.S. project.
06 / Der Wettbewerbsvorteil — The Competitive Moat
CLIMATE ZONE 2A
The frontier that stops most Passive House developers cold
100°F
Peak Design Temp
Summer dry-bulb
~70%
Mean Summer RH
Moisture is the governing load
2,500
CDD · Base 65°F
Cooling dominated — not heating
CZ 2A is the climate that separates Passive House theory from Passive House practice. We hold the technical knowledge, the certified credentials, and the on-the-ground track record to deliver what no one else has — a PHI-certified development in the American hot-humid climate.
07 / Die Struktur — Deal Structure
THE TERMS
Indicative framework · Open to partner discussion
Parameter Description Notes
Product 4 for-sale condos in a 2-over-2 configuration. Ground floor: 2 professional/retail units. Upper floor: 2 residential units. Live/work typology · Mixed-use zoning in place
Delivery PHI-certified passive house shell delivered at closing. Buyer specifies and directs all interior finish-out. Envelope performance is guaranteed regardless of interior choices. Ausbauhaus model — reduces developer risk and timeline
Land 2.6-acre parcel, New Braunfels TX. R+C zoning. No entitlement risk. Contributed as equity or at agreed valuation. Controlled and development-ready
Structure Joint venture. Partner brings capital, balance sheet, and development management. UEC leads design, PHI certification, and technical authority. Equity split and governance TBD
Certification PHI Classic certification target. First PHI-certified mixed-use live/work development in Climate Zone 2A, Texas. Publishable case study · Sun Belt template
Timeline Development-ready. Feasibility and schematic design begin within 90 days of LOI execution. No entitlement delay — zoning in place
08 / Die Partnerschaft — The Partnership
WHAT EACH
SIDE BRINGS
Urban Earth Consulting
David Komet, CPHC · San Antonio, Texas
  • Controlled land position · New Braunfels
  • PHI Certified Passive House Consultant
  • CZ 2A-specialized expertise — hot-humid climate design
  • German language fluency — technical and investor-grade
  • Design authority from concept through PHI certification
  • Harvard Graduate Certificate · Green Building & Community
  • Shell delivery methodology and buyer coordination
Development Partner
Experienced developer · European or U.S.-based
  • Balance sheet and capital structure
  • Development management experience
  • Track record delivering mixed-use or live/work product
  • Access to European capital or ESG investor base
  • U.S. market expansion intent or existing presence
  • Commitment to PHI standards and long-term asset quality
"Wir suchen einen echten Partner —
mit Erfahrung, Kapital und Vision."
"We are looking for a real partner — with experience, capital, and vision."
"Das Land ist da.
Der Markt ist bereit.
Wir suchen den richtigen Partner."
"The land is there. The market is ready.
We are looking for the right partner."
DAVID KOMET
CPHC · PHI Certified Passive House Consultant
Urban Earth Consulting · San Antonio, Texas
New Braunfels · Climate Zone 2A · German–English
International Passive House Conference · Essen 2026