• Photovoltaic costs are plummeting.Solar Panels image by alessbonaventura from Fotolia.com
  
  Green this, environmentally friendly that. Sustainability. Grass roofs. Gray water. LEED certification. Rain harvesting. These are just a few of the terms being tossed around related to sustainable buildings. Spurred by the world's interest in environmental protection and climate change reversal, many building owners and tenants have found sustainable practices save significant money that goes right to the bottom line.
  
  

Photovoltaics

• Meters run backward when solar power is added to a building.Solar energy image by lefebvre_jonathan from Fotolia.com
  
  Photovoltaic panels capture sunlight and convert it to DC power. An inverter in the building changes it to AC power. Significant increases in efficiency, reduced panel size, the ever-increasing cost of electric power, and tax credits all combine to increase the desirability for photovoltaic panel installation on commercial buildings. Some businesses find that the panels can return the cost on investment in a few years instead of the 10 or more years previously required. Another benefit is that photovoltaic power, combined with other energy-saving measures, results in power meters running backward. This means the power company has to pay the solar-power system owner.
  
  

Recycled Water

• Recycled water cuts costs.water computer image by RUZANNA ARUTYUNYAN from Fotolia.com
  
  Every time water goes down the drain, the demand for treated water increases, the capacity of wastewater treatment plants is consumed, and yet, more than half the water going down the drain is reusable. Recycled water, otherwise known as "gray water," is water that is mildly used in sinks, dishwashers, showers, tubs and washing machines. With the use of filters and low-phosphate soaps, the impurities are filtered while the water can be used for irrigation of decorative plants. Installing an effective gray water system replaces the need to use expensive drinking water for watering landscapes.
  
  

Passive Solar

• Smart shade use can help offset the carbon footprint.architecture bois image by Toanet from Fotolia.com
  
  Smart shade use can slash utility bills for commercial buildings. Overhangs can be designed to allow the warm winter sun to penetrate windows, warming offices and stores, while providing shade from the hot summer sun to reduce air conditioning demand. Whether they are decorative, functional or a combination, there are effective systems to reduce power demands, which helps offset the carbon footprint. Every little bit helps in both the operations budget and the betterment of the natural environment.
  
  

Greenery

• Not merely decorative, landscaping can affect your building's energy needs.layers image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
  
  Until recently, many thought that landscaping was merely decorative. Contemporary landscape architects and astute commercial building owners are finding that well-planned landscaping can be part of a sustainable energy-management system. Fields of grass---particularly in arid climates---are net consumers of water and return nothing to the building system. Using native vegetation in a mix of shrubbery, trees and ground covers helps reduce water demand through the use of metered drip irrigation. The greenery also decreases the heat-island effect. Greenery surrounding a building reduces exterior heat in the summer by as much as 10 or more degrees. The reflected coolness cuts down on air conditioning requirements. In four-season climates, snow-covered landscaping contributes to reflecting the sun into a building, cutting the interior demand for heat.