Photos: Where the building is the network

Some people may think of Echelon as a maker of tools for smart homes, but more of its products are in office buildings. Its systems are also more advanced in parts of Europe and Asia that have paid more attention to energy conservation and automation than the United States.

Echelon technology in Oslo, Norway, for example, enables street lights to dim and brighten in response to traffic, weather, and available light. That's dropped energy use by 62 percent, according to the company.