AAFES provides commercial facilities for the United States military throughout the world. Referred to as “Post Exchanges” they are all-purpose stores providing American goods and services to military personnel and their families. Of late the “PX’s” have encountered competition from private discount retailers and have faced rising costs of maintaining their facilities. Our directive was to design a facility which reduced utility costs, provided open uninterrupted flexible space, efficiently constructed and was adaptable to many different sites. Our solution was to reinvent the factory spaces of the 19th century when all energy was precious. The structure was of light steel, easily and quickly fabricated and able to be prefabricated for stores not yet on-line. The long structural spans of the light steel allowed for open uninterrupted floor space for flexible merchandising and use. We incorporated a roof of monitor skylights to draw in a maximum of natural light, block direct heat-generating sun and induce natural ventilation. This system allowed a 50% reduction in lighting cost, electrical usage, and air-conditioning load; a substantial saving.