Social Infrastructure for Resilient Communities
We make deep retrofits investable, developing the financing tools, collaboration models, and coalitions that move projects from stalled to funded.
Proven in Los Angeles, designed to scale nationally.
For 20 years, we have worked at the forefront of building decarbonization and resilience, evolving from commercial and industrial buildings to focus on affordable housing in the communities that need it most.
The retrofit market is still fragmented, with no shared infrastructure to build pipeline or form capital at scale. We are on a mission to change that.
It's time to move from silos to systems.
Systemic Approach
Market Transformation
A Learn-By-Doing Approach to Aligning Policies, Programs, and Capital to Transform Markets
New Math
Catalyzing Transformative Partnerships
Where 1 + 1 = 100
Aspiration into Action
Enabling Collaboration Across Silos to Reduce Friction and Unlock Impact
building a $1B pipeline of resilience retrofits from the ground up and from the top down
What we Do
SUSTENTO is a social enterprise developing knowledge creation tools and building partnerships to amplify sustainable community development in the emergent ecosystem of systemic investment.
We understand that the path to sustainability requires transforming fragmented markets into organized, accessible ecosystems. We operate through two interconnected entities designed to address different aspects of this challenge:
LABORATORY
Our nonprofit affiliate works to catalyze a paradigm shift by generating and amplifying learnings at the intersection of climate resilience, health, equity, finance, policy, and economic development to make sustainability investable.
APPLICATION
Bridging the gaps from demand generation to project development and finance, we provide program design, capacity building, training and advisory services to navigate a complex and shifting market to drive results.
Creating Possibilities
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Market Transformation Platform for LA’s Best Buildings
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Influencing the system by demonstrating real-time solutions to real-world barriers.
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Leveraging Federal Funding to Access Private Capital
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Pioneering Project Development Standards
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Scaling a Best-in-Class Building Retrofit Resource Hub
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Securing Resources for Equitable Building Decarbonization
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District Energy to Catalyze Neighborhood-Scale Decarbonization
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Towards Resilient Infrastructure & Goods Movement
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Innovating Project Finance & Local Workforce Development
What Some Of Our Clients Say
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"Dave is able to shift between working with community advocates and major business players, and is trusted and sought after by both. it's a remarkable trait!"
— Lauren Faber O’Connor, City of LA
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"One of the biggest barriers to efficiency investments is communication. sustento group is able to simplify complex information to make it resonate with different audiences -- such a unique quality."
— Pegah Noori Khah, C40
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"It's rare to find a program that really understands the real estate business, climate policy, and buildings. sustento group is able to work across stakeholder groups to flush out issues and develop workable solutions. I can say from first-hand knowledge that without dave and the sustento team, LA's existing buildings energy & water efficiency ordinance would not be possible."
— Hilary Firestone, NRDC