Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric current results that can be used as electricity.

Building owners and managers can use this tool from Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, to benchmark, monitor and reduce energy costs. A 2009 study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif., demonstrated that commercial buildings that use monitoring systems can yield savings as high as 30 percent.

Trane has built a reputation for legendary innovation and reliability and now the company has raised the bar by developing one of “The Year’s 10 Most Transformative Products,” as proclaimed by POPULAR MECHANICS. Trane was honored with the annual POPULAR MECHANICS Breakthrough Award at a ceremony Tuesday, October 5, at the Hearst Tower in New York City for its ComfortLink™ II Thermostat.