When it comes to cramming large buildings into small spaces, no place does it better than New York City. Or, perhaps I should say no place does it more than New York City, for these days the word "better" should denote a sense of efficiency, should it not? Not to say that buildings in New York City are not efficient, but if we're talking about being more sustainable, which in essence, denotes a level of efficiency, well then, it would indeed appear that the majority of buildings in New York have a ways to go in being efficiently sustainable.

Introducing "One Year, One Thousand Green Supers" - a new program recently unveiled by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. At a recent ceremony with City Realty Advisor, Jim Berg, and 32BJ's Mike Fishman, at his side, Mayor Bloomberg said the program will train 1,000 New York City building superintendents in the laws of energy efficiency, thereby helping New York reduce the looming Carbon footprint generated by its buildings. Well, 1,000 buildings to be exact.

There was no word on exactly how the super's would be chosen, and consequently, which buildings would theoretically become beacons of energy efficiency, but it appears the program is open to any building owner/manager interested in the cause, not to mention the savings in energy costs.

Now, this doesn't mean simply turning off the heat in the dead of the winter, which anyone who lives in New York knows is a cardinal sin anyways. Yet, the question remains what green standards are the Super's going to be educated in, and how will the bridge between green super and green building be achieved?

The good news is that the program, which is a 40-hour certification class, has been approved by the U.S. Green Building Council and the Building Performance Institute. The curriculum will primarily focus on identifying and addressing inefficient energy usage and give super's the knowledge to perform cost-benefit analysis, as well as devise green operating plans that may cost money to implement, but will save money in the long run.

And that, my friends, is the same principle we should live by in our own homes. In other words, you too can become a green super yourself! For all the homeowners out there, you can receive a Home Energy Efficiency Report for just $15 at LEED accredited Home Efficiency Report. Also, receive a $100 coupon for an in-depth home efficiency energy audit, which is guaranteed to save you a minimum of $500 per year. That's right - a guaranteed return of investment in just one year.

On another note, ff you're a business owner and are looking for an accreditation and/or carbon offsetting program to join, give a visit to the Carbon Advice Group. For only $25 per month (free 15-day trial), your business can join the Carbon Offsetting Group's Partner Program, be able to calculate and monitor it's ongoing Carbon footprint, consequently receiving recognized and reputable credits and offset certifications. Furthermore, your business will get a customizable website that allows your customers and clients to purchase carbon offset credits directly from you, for which you will receive commissions and let the world know how green your business is.