The widening public debate over what the U.S. should do to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) and other "greenhouse" gas (GHG) emissions is creating welcomed awareness about how important it is to use energy more efficiently.

Getting the most use out of every therm of natural gas and kilowatt-hour of electricity a home or a business buys can help the country to lower its GHG emissions. And as every successful hotel company knows, it can improve the bottom line as well.

Advanced, energy-efficient technologies are the key for cutting emissions and saving money. With Congress now drafting legislation to reduce the country's GHG emissions, we are urging it to adopt a technology-driven approach that is economy wide and keeps energy affordable, which will benefit both consumers and the nation's competitiveness alike.

We also encourage you to specify energy-efficient technologies whenever you are building, remodeling, or just replacing light bulbs. Besides their cost savings and environmental benefits, energy efficient climate-control, water heating, cooking, and lighting systems will also create a building that is more comfortable and productive for guests and employees alike.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), if you incorporate energy- and resource-efficient technologies from the start of a building project, you ...