I personally feel that the largest advancements in mechanical systems in buildings is what we are allowing to leave the tail pipe (so to speak).
With the new refrigerants (personally whole heartedly disagree with R410A "Puron") and low NOX technologies we are starting to see some of the cleanest buildings in the world.
I had the opportunity to service a zero carbon emission building in Silicon Valley. Cutting edge stuff.
Keep asking questions and you may just stumble on a better way do do things...
Just keep on mind that most people that can think outside the box learned to think inside it first...