Forget about saving the planet or appeasing environmentalists for a minute. Constructing a new manufacturing facility without energy efficiency in mind makes as much sense as designing a school today without accommodating high-speed Internet connectivity. You'd have to be Rip Van Winkle to not know that energy costs are spiraling out of control and that legislative mandates will likely require manufacturers to control their utilities usage.
Source: Industry Week, http://industryweek.com