"For several years, it has become increasingly evident to stakeholders in commercial real estate (CRE) that building energy performance can impact property value," the authors said in the report. "As a result, less energy efficient buildings are now viewed as having a competitive disadvantage in the market and may be in danger of accelerated obsolescence."

This type of shift in the market has promoted the idea of energy efficient buildings, as companies have started retrofitting projects in order to replace older technology in their structures. Green Buildings reported that these installations may not only lower operating costs, but could qualify for a tax deduction.

The lowered costs that exist for companies who retrofit their buildings was outlined in the BEPA News report, as even without government tax breaks or incentives, energy savings projects that result in lower energy use can have an excellent return on investment.

Though the benefits of energy efficient building technologies have long been touted, according to the report, the nature of the CRE market has prevented many building owners from making significant investments.

This was due to the high turnover that existed for many businesses in a structure, the lack of owner-occupation of these buildings and a shorter period for ROI than in other real estate markets.

To help overcome these obstacles, according to the report, commercially-attractive financing needs to become more readily available.

"To really move this market there is a clear need to make energy efficiency financing a mainstream financial asset class with a high degree of standardization, predictability and scale," the authors noted.

This type of effort to make improving structures more commercially viable for businesses is part of the motivation behind the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy Efficient Buildings (GPIC), a Department of Energy designated innovation HUB for the sector.

The GPIC is looking to motivate building owners in Philadelphia to make the shift to more efficient structures through presenting them with attractive investment ideas instead of forcing them to make the switch.

"You're not trying to penalize," Mark Alan Hughes, a member of the GPIC team, told Environment and Energy Publishing. "It's to incentivize the owners of those lousy buildings to improve — because we believe the improvements pay for themselves."

There is a "critical shortage of machinists," a common and crucial position for manufacturers, Rob Akers, the vice president at the National Tooling and Machine Associated told the news outlet. "Enrollment in this field in technical schools has been down for a long time."

This lack of qualified workers comes at a bad time for American companies, as domestic contract manufacturers – known as "job shops" – are seeing a boom in business.

Businesses across the U.S. have looked to adjust their manufacturing strategy by adding more workers to meet the increased demand, but the lack of qualifications in many job-seekers is troubling.

"I'm facing a real conundrum," one business owner told CNN Money. "There are so many unemployed people in the country. But I can't find the skill sets that I need. I would hire tomorrow if I could."

According to the news outlet, despite the number of high-paying jobs that exist for qualified machinists, they make roughly $60,000 a year and up to $100,000 with overtime and bonuses, there is a shortage of people entering the field. 

"This is also a highly technical craft," Mitch Free, CEO of MFG.com, told CNN Money. "It requires knowledge of computers, programming, even geometry. You can't hire someone off the street and turn them into a machinist."

The Washington Post reported that the lack of qualified workers has become one of the focal points for both President Barack Obama and many manufacturers. The number of jobs in the sector that are going unfilled is estimated to be 600,000 in the sector, according to a report by Deloitte.

"High unemployment is not making it easier to fill positions, particularly in the areas of skilled production and production support," the report states, according to the Post.

The manufacturing sector is recovering at a remarkable pace compared to the rest of the economy, but qualified workers are needed to support this expansion. Regions like Greater Philadelphia have seen robust growth, and the business owners in the sector in that area of the country remains optimistic about future gains, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia manufacturing activity report.

According to the news outlet, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's general economic index rose to 10.2, a number that was higher than projected and an increase of 2.9 points when compared to the data from January. Economists had forecast that it would only rise to 9, according to the median estimates from a survey.

Production is poised to continue expanding as companies will rebuild their inventories and invest in new equipment as part of their business strategy. The industry may also be propelled by faster job creation in the U.S., which will spur consumer spending.

"Manufacturing is still receiving good demand both domestically and from overseas," David Semmens, a U.S. economist at Standard Chartered Bank in London, told Bloomberg prior to the report. "You’re seeing stronger demand in the automobiles sector and reasonable demand for high-end capital goods."

MarketWatch reported that the new orders index rose from 6.9 to 11.7 and shipments mirrored this rise with an increase to 15.0 from 5.7.

The inventory index fell to -12.9 from -6.3 in January, which is good news, according to Millian Mulraine, an analyst for TD Securities, who noted that this points to further upside momentum for production activity in the coming months, according to the news outlet.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Philadelphia manufacturers remain optimistic about future economic activity, as the index may have lost some ground in this regard but stayed above the line for contraction.

"Firms that plan to increase capital spending noted that they expect to spend more on noncomputer equipment, software, and computer hardware, and they most frequently cited expected high sales growth, the need for replacement capital, and an improved cash flow or balance sheet position as the reasons for their increased capital spending plans," the Philadelphia Fed report said, according to the newspaper.

Reuters reported that the survey covers manufacturing sites in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. This data gave economists confidence about the sector, especially  in terms of future activity.

"Metric after metric, uniformly, is doing better, and barring any unforeseen problems from Europe it appears we're in a self-sustaining cycle of growth," Jim Awad, managing director at Zephyr Management in New York, told the news outlet.

The news source reported that the "Smart Energy Act" is a bill that is aimed at leveraging the federal government's 445,000 buildings to act as a "first adopter" of new and innovative energy efficiency technologies as a model for the rest of the country.

This idea of using existing building stock to promote and test energy efficient buildings and technology is what the U.S. Department of Energy had in mind when it designated an innovation HUB in Pennsylvania for this sector.

The Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy Efficient Buildings (GPIC) is an effort that relies on the brightest minds in the region and the energy sector to design and develop technologies to help reduce energy consumption for commercial buildings. These would eventually be implemented and used on the sufficient building stock that exists in the area.

The Energy Collective reported that once innovative technology is developed, tested, piloted and demonstrated, one thing usually remains an issue. The obstacle that usually exists is finding a customer to take the initial risk.

The federal government can enact programs to help spur this type of change, as the GPIC and "Smart Energy Act" are examples of how a push by Washington can help to support innovation.

"Improving energy efficiency is a vital part of reaching our goal and strategy to achieve energy independence and security, and providing more opportunities for private industry to utilize energy efficient technologies and systems will spur advancements in this field while at the same time cutting our energy costs," said Bass, according to a release by Ingersoll Rand in support of the act. "Starting with the federal government as a 'first adopter' of these practices will help to encourage new investments and save taxpayer money. I thank Ingersoll Rand for their support of this critical legislation and their efforts to promote effective energy policies in our nation."

The release noted that the nation should consider the adoption of energy efficient buildings and technologies paramount to growth, as these structures can account for as much as 40 percent of the overall energy consumption in the U.S.

The Energy Collective reported that the bill is complimentary to what President Barack Obama said in the State of the Union address. 

The news source reported that PennFuture has withdrawn its petition to the commission asking to begin the process of extending the law, due to an assurance from PUC leadership that the programs will continue.

Commission Chairman Robert Powelson said that the PUC is supportive of the programs outlined in Act 129, and is eager to receive feedback regarding the success of the initiatives.

"Well I think the message was that we want all interested parties to have a seat at the table as a part of our stakeholder process, and I think PennFuture, to their credit, was very aggressive in wanting, obviously, an opportunity to meet with myself and my colleagues to talk about these issues," Powelson said in a statement.

PennFuture showed concern about the extension of the program due to the fact that if the PUC does not take action before the expiration date for the law, there will be a "blackout period." This would entail a suspension of energy efficiency programs by electric companies.

According to the news source, this would also result in an indefinite period of job losses, consumer confusion and a reduced return on investments in the sector.

PennFuture has noted that Act 129 has significantly cut electricity usage and air pollution, and is saving the state roughly $278 million annually. Essential Public Radio reported that the PUC has already started an extensive internal review and will set new savings goals for the program.

Pennsylvania has been one of the leading states in terms of energy efficiency, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is looking to motivate other regions of the country to reduce consumption levels.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu outlined the budget request from President Barack Obama for the DOE, noting that it includes critical investments in innovation, in job-creating clean energy technologies and consumption reduction.

The DOE has designated several innovation HUBs to help create jobs and reduce energy consumption, and one of these is located at the historic Philadelphia Navy Yard in Pennsylvania.

The Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy Efficient Buildings (GPIC) is an effort that looks to reduce the total consumption of America's structures by using innovative research techniques to create energy efficient buildings and technology that can be disseminated around the U.S.

Strong auto sales and growing business investment in machinery and other equipment are helping the economy grow and keeping manufacturing plants busy. The Federal Reserve announced that total production for the sector increased 0.7 percent in January, along with a revised 1.5 percent rise for December, according to the news outlet.

This revised number marked the biggest one-month gain for the sector since December 2006, and business strategy may begin to shift toward increased production to meet a growing demand.

The AP reported that overall industrial production remained flat in January, but this reading was due to the fact that Americans used less energy during an unseasonably warm winter.

Bloomberg reported that manufacturing strategy may be affected by a rise in business investment for the production of new equipment and the need to rebuild inventories, as this is expected to keep assembly lines rolling in 2012.

"Manufacturing is doing pretty well," Tom Simons, an economist at Jefferies & Co. Inc. in New York, told the news outlet. "It will continue to play a driving roll in the economy. Global demand is holding up pretty well, we’re still rebuilding inventories and autos remain a significant leader in the factory recovery."

Bloomberg reported that the Fed's national report for January showed that output of motor vehicles and parts jumped 6.8 percent, and manufacturing excluding autos and parts rose by a margin of 0.3 percent following the 1.3 increase posted for December.

Production of business equipment rose 1.8 percent, boosted by a higher output for computers and transportation gear.

Economist Jonathan Basile told the AP that the positive numbers for the sector would likely continue for the next several months, as he noted the regional surveys may show a continued rise in hiring and output.

"It looks like we’re set up for a little faster growth in the coming months," Basile noted.

The AP reported that factory output has risen 16.7 percent from its low point during the financial crisis, and is closing the gap on the numbers posted during its December 2007 peak.

"The manufacturing sector is on a tear," Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, penned in a note to clients. 

Reuters reported that the chase for lower-paid workers drove the migration, leading to a drop in employment in the U.S. manufacturing sector. However, big companies, including Boeing Co. and General Electric Co. are now finding that business strategy is shifting, as the benefit of lower wages can be offset by higher logistics and materials costs.

"We, lemming-like, over the last 15 years extended our supply chains a little too far globally in the name of low cost," Jim McNerney, chief executive of Boeing, said at the event. "We lost control in some cases over quality and service when we did that, we underestimated in some cases the value of our workers back here."

The event was organized to promote the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Reuters reported that a major theme, as noted by high-level executives for major corporations, was that American companies needed to focus on generating jobs domestically.

"You are going to see more (manufacturing) come back to the United States, and that's in part for business reasons and in part because we want to be good citizens," McNerney said at the event.

CEOs said they were looking for workers in the U.S., as some 600,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs are going unfilled because companies are unable to find applicants with the skills needed to perform them, according to a study by the Manufacturing Institue and Deloitte.

The study noted that there needed to be a renewed investment in educating Americans in the appropriate fields to help fill these jobs.

President Barack Obama emphasized the need for education of workers for the sector, as he outlined a new manufacturing strategy in his administration's FY2013 budget, according to The Boston Globe.

The newspaper reported that the President proposed a 19 percent increase in manufacturing research, and the budget would also provide tax incentives for manufacturers to keep jobs from going overseas. This would help to encourage investment in communities that were initially affected by plant closures.

According to the report, an increase in the capital investment into the energy efficient buildings sector would help to create green jobs and other potential benefits including energy savings, environmental, national security and financial advantages.

These benefits for the Greater Philadelphia region have been outlined by an innovation HUB that was designated by the Department of Energy.

The Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy Efficient Buildings (GPIC) is headquartered at the historic Philadelphia Navy Yard, and the effort relies on some of the brightest minds from the private, public, energy and financial sectors to design and develop energy efficient buildings and technology.

Efforts for more energy efficient buildings are focused on limiting the total energy consumption that is attributed to commercial structures in the U.S., which, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, account for 36 percent of the total energy use and 65 percent of electricity consumption in the country.

"Affordable, proven technologies exist for dramatically increasing the efficiency of existing buildings, yet building owners are investing relatively little in these technologies given the scale of the opportunities for improvement," the report from the Mayor's Office of Sustainability noted.  "Efforts to overcome this market inertia have been in place for decades, previously in the form of programs targeted at low income households and more recently, programs targeted at all income brackets as well as mandates placed on the electricity utilities in Pennsylvania."

The report noted the importance of the GPIC, as this initiative is looking to transform the building retrofit industry from serial fragmentation to integrated systems methods, along with improving design tools, building systems, public policies, market incentives and workforce skills that are needed to achieve a 50 percent reduction of energy use in buildings.

According to the report, the size, scope and prominence of the GPIC allowed the Office of Sustainability to focus solely on the residential market. Key findings from the research include how the market needs to be shaped more by private investment, reliable sources within the industry and motivation that is provided by a wider knowledge of energy efficient benefits.

According to the news source, the Navy Yard can be easily reached by Philadelphia residents, as they merely have to walk down South Broad Street, under I-95 and into the site.

"Clearly you're in a different place," Mark Sanderson, whose architecture firm DIGSAU is busy on two Navy Yard projects, told the Inquirer.

The news source reported that the Navy Yard is the one place in Philadelphia that is a boomtown of commercial real estate, as the rents are up and cranes are flying. The technological innovation, high design and progressive urbanism of the site are helping residents see the potential for the city.

The increasing quality of the development, and quickening pace at which it is occurring, is raising the stakes for architecture and design, and this growth is heightening the likelihood that a Broad Street subway extension will be one day approved.

According to the Inquirer, almost everyone who is at work at the site is part of an effort to construct more energy efficient buildings and technology.

Known as the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster for Energy Efficient Buildings (GPIC), the effort is headquartered at the Navy Yard and was designated by the Department of Energy as a national innovation HUB for the development of these structures and sustainable building technology.

"You can see that this place could be a model," James Freihaut, technology and operations director for the GPIC, told the news source.

According to the Inquirer, the goal of the GPIC is no less than to reinvent the building industry using an integrated systems approach that is demonstrated on structures in the Navy Yard. This will be accomplished due to the ability of the staff for the project.

"The amount of prime-time, high-design talent in this space is incredibly impressive," Brian Berson, Liberty Property Trust's director of leasing and development at the Navy Yard, told the news source.

Mondaq reported that the GPIC effort could help to make a positive change in the construction sector, as the technology that is developed may begin to substantially alter how building owners think about energy efficiency in relation to their structures.

According to McClatchy Newspapers, Michael W. McLanahan, the owner of a manufacturer that concentrates on mineral processing and farm equipment, said that his company experiencing a boom.

"It was our best year ever," McLanahan told the news source during a tour of his company's facilities in Pennsylvania. This may illustrate why the sector is growing twice as fast as the broader economy.

McLanahan noted that his company, and other manufacturers in the U.S., are benefiting from a revival in exports. The entire sector added more than 287,000 new positions over the past 13 months and is experiencing more growth in recent months, according to McClatchy Newspapers.

Despite the ongoing problems in Europe, U.S. exports to the region rose 3.6 percent in December, and 2011 saw the total exports from America rise 14.5 percent over the numbers that were reported for 2010.

"We can build here and ship into Australia for cheaper than they can make it there," McLanahan told the news source, adding that his business used to only export 10 percent of its product, but this number is now 70 percent. "I knew that the future of our company depended on a robust export effort."

This increased level of exports, according to McClatchy Newspapers, is only a piece of the good news for the sector. Although the number of firms who are bringing operations back – known as in-sourcing or re-shoring – is contested, there is sufficient evidence of the trend emerging.

"It's a hard number to quantify — the notion of out-sourcing and in-sourcing. There's a hype to both of those numbers," Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers, told the news source. "We have a lot of foreign companies that are locating here. It's a global decision-making process right now."

China, the country that is the main manufacturing competition for the U.S., has seen rising wages and recent scandals hurt the image of its sector. According to SlashGear, Apple recently requested an "ethical manufacturing" check of its assembly suppliers in the Asian nation.

The Huffington Post reported that labor conditions in Asia, to which many Americans are now being exposed to following the Apple scandal, are not new and may eventually help companies in the U.S. A conversation is underway in the sector about whether to bring work back to the U.S., as the brutal working conditions and rising costs to produce overseas may provide sufficient motivation.