Energy efficiency is quickly expanding from just residential housing to agriculture, including storage, insulated workshops, dairy and livestock facilities and seed dealerships.

Morton Buildings started assembling its energy-efficient guidelines in 1975, which exceeded the government regulations that were released in the mid-1980s.

"We have exceeded the standards ever since," said Sean Marcotte, general manager, designBUILD, at Morton Buildings, Inc.

"Farmers had the need for workshops to work on equipment and wanted to do so with as little cost as possible. We have had power companies change meters on many buildings because they don’t believe what it reads."

Rich history

In 1949, Morton Buildings constructed their first machine storage building. From the smallest, specialized operation to the largest agricultural enterprise, they build everything from backyard sheds to multi-million dollar commercial facilities.

Morton, which started in Morton, Ill., is a 100-year-old...