Going Green in the Commercial Industry

It seems that everyone is interested in the green solution and the green build way.  Most designs that are coming into play these days have all the correct terminology but most are missing the best, easiest way to make those projects green. By bringing in natural daylighting with skylights and translucent wall panels in place of expensive lighting plans and allowing the most powerful tool in the green spectrum, the sun, to work its magic. I have to ask the question, why then are skylights being passed over as soon as the budget is put together? More and more schools, shopping centers and commercial buildings are looking for that LEED certification and the label of Going Green, but then cut out the best way to achieve that goal.

It seems to me that if we truly desire the ‘green’ effect, we should harness the only tool that will never need recharged, reset or reprogrammed.

Bringing the natural daylight into otherwise closed off commercial buildings remains top of the list to those who work in those places. If not, then why do all these buildings have a mass exodus into the outdoors for lunch on a nice cloudless sunny day?