We help organizations create our shared future that equally values people and planet.
The examples below show how we are:
- Accelerating the transition to clean energy and clean vehicles,
- Strengthening resilient communities and their connection to nature, and
- Dismantling systemic injustice.
We do all this in partnership with clients and collaborators to model the collective action we seek.
Accelerating the Transition to Clean Energy and Clean Vehicles
County of Santa Barbara — Planning for a Clean, Reliable, Resilient and Community-Powered Energy System
Climate change, building and transportation electrification, and accelerating decarbonization goals are challenging the California electric grid. Because the climate is changing faster than the electric grid and communities are adapting, the County of Santa Barbara Sustainability Division hired Terra Lumina to develop a first-of-its-kind Energy Assurance Plan to outline ways that the County and community members can reach their clean energy and climate goals while maintaining a reliable and resilient local energy system.
City of Austin — Heat Pump and Climate-Friendly Refrigerant Market Research
The City of Austin Office of Sustainability engaged Terra Lumina to better understand local residential HVAC contractors’ awareness, limitations, and opportunities to help transition Austin’s residential heating and cooling market to high-efficiency heat pump technology and low-carbon refrigerants. Terra Lumina designed a research study that included an English and Spanish survey, small group discussions, and interviews with Austin area HVAC professionals, training providers, and national industry stakeholders. The Office of Sustainability and Austin Energy are using Terra Lumina’s findings and recommendations (see report) to update programs and policies to align with the Austin Climate Equity Plan.
Secretly Affiliates — Sustainability Advising
Terra Lumina helped leading independently owned music company Secretly Group and Secretly Distribution develop their first sustainability plan in 2021. Terra Lumina continues to support both companies and their affiliates in implementing the plan, collaborating with music industry partners to amplify their climate impact, and measuring their progress with an annual carbon footprint assessment. Terra Lumina advises Secretly on topics such as onsite solar energy options; building electrification; and lower carbon and lower environmental impact options for vinyl pressing, packaging, and shipping; and carbon offsetting and insetting.
County of Santa Barbara — Grant Writing and Project Management
Terra Lumina has helped the County of Santa Barbara Sustainability Division and General Services Department secure and manage a number of federal, state, philanthropic, and corporate grants to help realize their climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. Recent examples include: a $4.75M California Energy Commission grant to install 150 charging ports to electrify the County’s fleet, a $400,000 U.S. Department of Energy prize for the Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN) and Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) to integrate vehicle electrification assistance into the RENs’ multifamily building decarbonization programs, and $185,000 in foundation and corporate grants to kickstart a community resilience hub network.
City of Dallas — Solar Energy Planning
Terra Lumina was part of a consultant team led by Ameresco to guide the City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability in evaluating the feasibility of solar energy options for City properties in support of Dallas’ Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan and Racial Equity Plan. The team identified ten priority sites that were recommended for solar energy development to either reduce the City’s electricity costs or serve as a potential community solar facility that could benefit Dallas residents (see summary presentation). Terra Lumina led community engagement–including an English and Spanish community survey, social media and newsletter content, and in-person and virtual community meetings. Terra Lumina also evaluated the social and carbon reduction benefits of proposed solar energy projects.
Strengthening Resilient Communities and their Connection to Nature
California Energy Commission — Grant Writing and Project Management
The California Energy Commission (CEC), thirteen Tribes, and a host of clean energy and workforce development partners applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for a $470M Tribal clean energy program to support Tribes across California in growing energy resilience and sovereignty through the deployment of clean energy microgrids that serve the specific needs of Tribal communities and their critical facilities. Terra Lumina, as part of a partnership with Prosper Sustainably, supported the CEC in managing the grant application development across a network of dozens of partners statewide to ensure a timely, effective, and inclusive process.
City of Austin — Regional Climate Action Planning
The City of Austin Office of Sustainability is using a $1 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to collaborate with regional governmental agencies and community organizations to create Central Texas’ first multi-agency Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. The City of Austin selected Terra Lumina for its breadth and depth of Central Texas knowledge and relationships to cast a wider net in seeking community and stakeholder input to shape the plan. Terra Lumina is coordinating with the Office of Sustainability and a community advisory group to host multilingual surveys, roundtable discussions, technical workshops, and town halls to inform the plan and activate climate action across the five-county region (Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties). The plan will be published in late 2025.
City of Austin — Food System Planning
The City of Austin Office of Sustainability and Travis County collaborated on the creation of a first-ever comprehensive food plan that aims to transform Central Texas’ regional food system from production through consumption. The City and County selected a consultant team that includes Terra Lumina. Terra Lumina led data and climate strategy to provide connectivity between the food plan and the food-related provisions of the Austin Climate Equity Plan that Jen helped create prior to founding Terra Lumina. We also facilitated an advisory group and helped draft the plan and supporting materials based on the community’s vision.
Dismantling Systemic Injustice
Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute — Leadership Transition and Coalition Support
The Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI) is a collaborative focused on equitable energy access that tests new models, programs, and policies that can scale for widespread impact. TEPRI engaged Terra Lumina to provide capacity during a leadership transition. Terra Lumina helped TEPRI navigate the transition with strategic guidance, research, analysis, network building, and stakeholder facilitation related to grassroots-led clean energy education and job training and energy justice.
Environmental Nonprofit — Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training
Terra Lumina, with partner The Inclusion Practice, helped grow diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) capacity for an environmental conservation organization through leadership coaching and advising, workshop facilitation, and co-creating tools to put DEI practices into action. We supported the nonprofit in writing its DEI story in ways that inspire employees, partners, funders, and others to emphasize the connection between people and place when it comes to conservation and climate action.