Social Infrastructure for Resilient Communities  

Founded in 2011, we've spent 15 years creating the market conditions to make building retrofits possible.

The work has evolved, from commercial and industrial buildings to the affordable housing communities that need it most.

The retrofit market remains fragmented, without common standards to enable pipeline development or capital formation at scale.

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 and partnerships that amplify sustainable and equitable community development in the emergent ecosystem of systemic resilience investment.

We understand that the path to decarbonization 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 amplifying our learnings at the intersection of climate resilience, health, equity, finance, policy, and economic development.

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APPLICATION

Bridging the gaps from demand generation to project development and finance, we provide program design, capacity building, training and advisory services to help program managers navigate a complex and shifting market to drive results. 

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Creating Possibilities

  • 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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  • LACI logo

    Innovating Project Finance & Local Workforce Development

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Case Studies

What some of our clients say

  • "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

  • "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

  • "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