It’s incredible how mankind is truly working toward improving the quality of our environment, even in major cities. I just learned that in Chicago, every new building must pass LEED certification. Such a cert means the building must strive to maintain the absolute lowest carbon footprint possible. One of the ways in which they can accomplish this is through a building automation system. This system can allow the building to maximize the use of its resources such as water and sunlight. The building automation service can utilize solar energy in order to run the the electrical aspects of the building. The building automation system can also work to turn lights off automatically once a room is well-lit enough by natural light. That means no individual would ever accidentally leave a light on when they shouldn’t have it on at all. Integrated building automation can also take advantage of natural rainfall through the use of a water recycling system. Commonly known as grey water harvesting, this LEED certified technology allows a building to use rainwater for non-potable water–like flushing toilets, for example. This means that less water is wasted…and it even lowers the corporation’s water bill. Integrated building automation can even be accompanied by a smart thermostat device. This supplement would ensure the offices are always comfortable for employees no matter what the weather may bring. Smart thermostats also work to find the most energy-efficient settings, so the corporation is heating as well as cooling the building while being environmentally responsible. The right building automation system can truly help a corporation save money as well as do good things for the environment.