Heck we have all watched how energy costs have been rising in recent years and realize that new taxes and or regulations are on the horizon, so every business has good reason to become more efficient.

The timing is right to begin ASAP as opportunities to save energy and thus money is here. Some of the green tax incentives enacted as part of the recent stimulus bills expire in a year or two. Plus an investment now will yield cost savings for your business in the future, as Green buildings are more efficient, more comfortable, which essentially improves morale, boosts productivity and lowers your turnover.

The Greenbaroness will tackle a few of these practices from a practicality perspective of "payback" time.

Frankly the first step in helping your organization save energy is to change the habits of your people. Sorry it's not a new iphone application, but the way your building is managed and operated can have a huge impact than the actual technology of a building. So before you move ahead on any large renovations etc, drill into your day-to-day operations for some substantial savings.

However, in order to adequately measure your consumption, you need a benchmark as a starting point. The EPA's Energy Star program www.energystar.gov offers a set of tools called portfolio manager to help you set your benchmark relative to energy and water usage as well as offering spreadsheets that allow manufacturers in certain industries to judge their own consumption.

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