When Gatski Commercial Real Estate Services decided to cut costs this year, it was important that those savings were not only passed on to their clients, but to the environment.

By creating more sustainable enterprises Gatski has found it can actually offer the best of both worlds.

"We are exploring many different environmentally friendly programs that save our clients money, save tenants money and make the properties more attractive to potential tenants," said Susan Cotton, vice president of property management.

Gatski Commercial Real Estate Services is taking the following steps to provide more eco-friendly and affordable services:

• The Cool Share program, offered through NV Energy, uses energy-efficient thermostats to help reduce demand and lower electricity costs during peak summer months. By replacing 400 thermostats in a 300,000-square-foot office building Gatski was able to save $25,000 in the building's electric bill over a five-month period.

• Nevada Sure Bet, another program from NV Energy, retrofits parking lot lighting fixtures at Gatski properties with long-lasting LED lights. This will result in rebates to property owners, in addition saving 144,333 kilowatt hours and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 206,396 pounds annually. That's the equivalent of taking 18 cars off the road, planting 7,797 trees and lighting 115 homes each year.

• Improved trash removal and recycling programs resulted in $18,000 savings.

Encouraged by the savings of these recent changes, Gatski Commercial Real Estate Services is committed to searching for even more non-traditional cost-cutting measures that will leave a lasting impact.

"We see it as an opportunity to better serve our clients, and to do the right thing," said Cotton.

Owned by Frank Gatski, CPM, CCIM, the Las Vegas-based Gatski Commercial Real Estate Services (http://www.gatskicommercial.com) is Southern Nevada's largest privately held, full service commercial real estate firm.

The company may be reached at (702) 221-8226