Our industry is always talking aboutdeveloping and operating better buildings or making buildingsbetter than they were 10 or even 20 years ago. But, what, exactly,does it mean for a building to be "better?" The traditional answermight include amenities that appeal to prospective tenants such aslocation, ample parking, high-speed elevators and the latest trendsin technology. From a building owner or manager's perspective,"better" may include technologies that provide optimum operationalperformance, reduce expenses and increase the net income of thebuilding. All are great examples of better buildings.

Every few years, market shifts redefine what it means to bebest-in-class. Most recently, we responded by retrofittingbuildings with more efficient lighting and operating systems. Weincorporated sustainable, energy-efficient technologies andpractices and started measuring ourselves accordingly throughcertifications such as Energy Star and LEED. We have realizedshorter paybacks on capital expenditures through lowered energy andwater consumption and reduced operating expenses. Next, we hang theplaques and certificates and congratulate ourselves for making ourbuildings better.

But, an interesting thing has happened. Installing newtechnologies, along with collecting the data to support and measuresuccess, has created the heightened awareness that there is stillmore to be done. If minor adjustments to HVAC controls, forinstance, result in a 10% reduction in energy consumption, how muchmore savings could be achieved with a little more fine-tuning? Justas we hone our professional skills throughout our careers, weshould sharpen the performance of our buildings through consistentmonitoring and application of the latest strategies.