Interiors were characterized by the economical and innovative use of standard industrial products like aluminum pipe, factory lighting, and warehouse shelving with chemical and pharmaceutical glass and ceramic accessories. (You wouldn't want what your parents liked anyway.) The machine aesthetic of modernism was remade into an industrial arte povera of "found" components for the look that became known and celebrated as High Tech.

WSJ: When the Outrageous Became Mainstream

Now he employs 28 people and runs a factory that ships, each week, lighting systems as well as two tractor-trailers full of air filters.

FORBES: Magazine Article

And to the average consumer who has never been to a factory, the thought of one may imply dim lighting, dirt, grease and the smell of metal and plastic.

FORBES: An Eye-Opening Trip To The Motor City

For example, for the same capital cost and ROI, LED lighting may be beneficial in a New Jersey factory, while a new water management system may provide more bang for the buck in a similar factory in California.

FORBES: Apples to Apples: Comparing Sustainability Projects' Cost And Environment Benefits