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The increasing development of worldwide green building projects, especially those related to the Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design (LEED) standard, provide the contextual basis for the implementation of water conservation strategies. As access to clean water continues to be a source of concern in many areas of the world (including the U.S.), water efficiency strategies in green building practices are becoming paramount to new and existing construction efforts.

The advent of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in sustainable business practices led to the implementation of social, environmental, and economic awareness in operational processes. The increasingly competitive market coupled with diminishing natural resource availability has forced companies to devise methods to transcend their business beyond the traditional operational confines, toward a more structured approach: the Triple Bottom Line.

Last week, investors, business leaders, environmentalists, and sustainability professionals came together in San Francisco for the annual Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres) conference. Ceres is an advocacy group focused on building a healthy global economy by accelerating the adoption of sustainable business practices through investor and business leadership.

More and more, companies are developing plans to use more green power in their business efforts. There are companies like Intel who receive more than 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources, and even Whole Foods has offset 100 percent of its energy for four years running. Companies like these are all part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s voluntary program known as the Green Power Partnership.

The Green Power Partnership

As states continue to set aggressive energy-saving targets, utilities and other program administrators are challenged to deploy new technologies and design new programs to advance energy efficiency within their customer base. A new report released January 9, 2103 by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) indicates that there is potential for a 27% savings in forecasted electricity use by 2030. The report makes some points about the components of energy efficiency programs that will be critical to achieving and maintaining a high level of savings.

There are countless ways in which one can live a more sustainable lifestyle, and one of the simplest methods is available right in your own backyard. OK, it may not be there yet, but with a small investment, mostly in time and energy, you can turn a small section of your yard into an environmentally friendly recycling center that reduces waste and greenhouse gas emissions, saves money, and nurtures the garden. By managing the natural decomposition of organic materials, such as yard and food waste, you can produce compost to enrich the soil without chemically enhanced fertilizers.

Earth Day began April 22, 1970 as a day to promote a healthy, sustainable environment around the world. Specifically, it served as a way to highlight the potential environmental problems America’s current lifestyle created. Now, in 2013, Earth Day can seem to be nothing more than a hay day for marketing departments. You see campaigns that highlight the “numerous” sustainable practices of their company.

Since 2005, Walmart has implemented several renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives in its business operations. With a current estimated 1.1 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy, Walmart seeks to establish itself as a corporate leader in renewable energy production and carbon footprint reduction. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Walmart is the leader in onsite and offsite renewable energy and has more solar power capacity and systems than any other company in the United States.

When it comes to rooftop solar, the space, the sun, and the technology are readily available to deploy. But, when it comes to raising the capital to fund projects, progress often stalls. Projects that are too small to pursue traditional financing through a bank often cannot overcome the cost barrier, especially in an economic climate where financial institutions are more hesitant to lend.

In March 2013, the solar industry made history. For the first time, all new utility electricity generation that was added to the U.S. grid in March all came from solar energy. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) “Energy Infrastructure Update,” more than 44 megawatts of solar energy were brought online from seven projects across the U.S. These states include California, Nevada, New Jersey, Hawaii, Arizona, and North Carolina.

The Report