Oregon and Washington are among the top three states when it comes to USGBC LEED certification, an indication of the region’s dedication to the environment. LEED certification has long been held as a symbol of a building’s commitment to sustainability, not to mention a means of satisfying local regulations requiring compliance, such as Seattle’s Sustainable Building Policy enacted in 2000. Photo: Optimum Energy The property managers for Aventine, a business complex in La Jolla, Calif., used ENERGY STAR to assess energy usage, revealing that upgrades to the HVAC system would result in significant energy savings with minimal investment. +Image Upgrading