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The security industry may have turned a corner on the road to recovery, and that is good news for electrical contractors (ECs) looking to broaden their offerings into residential security.
1 Interactive Display > Honeywell by Notifier’s ONYX FirstVision touchscreen navigational tool for firefighters and other emergency responders graphically displays critical information on the origin and spread of a fire, allowing firefighters to quickly locate and extinguish it.
Editor's note: The following is the last article Brooke Stauffer submitted to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR; we've been holding it for some time because of the uncertainty of his status.
When I was in college many years ago, my psychology professor said, “Every year, we give the same tests, but each year, the correct answers change.
It was just brought to our attention that WUSA 9 News, a local news station for the Washington DC area, posted a very good article about the correct way to dispose of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
It's our pleasure to announce Stephen Kolarik of Bishopville, Md, as the winner of the $100 Visa gift card awarded for participation in the user survey.
In an effort to keep you, the reader, up-to-date on every facet of the industry, we travel to almost every convention and special event we can, and a large part of going to all of these places and meeting all of those people (when we are fortunate, we meet readers like you) isn't included in the magazine.
NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace defines safe work practices for electrical construction and maintenance; the primary message of NFPA 70E is to turn off the power before working on electrical equipment.
Since May is National Electrical Safety Month, Frank Abagnale, the subject of the Steven Spielberg film Catch Me If You Can, starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, stopped by to help us remind you counterfeit electrical products are a danger, and we must remain vigilant and aware.
How many equipment grounding conductors (paths) are required to be installed for a branch circuit supplying patient care areas when the governing body of the healthcare facility specifies isolated grounding (IG) receptacles for specific medical equipment? This question comes up far too often in the field to be left without a thorough explanation.
Many of you are familiar with the Reader Service & Renewal Cards in the magazine; however, there's no longer a need to fill out the clunky "bingo cards.
A branch manager for an experienced cabling contractor with whom I have worked for years is known to get a special glimmer in his eye when he discovers extensive fiber optic cable in a project that he is bidding.
In 2002, responding to the consequences of continual updates in communications cable, the National Electrical Code (NEC) added a provision requiring the removal of abandoned cabling.
Charles Lindberg, the last surviving member of the patrol that raised the first American flag at Iwo Jima in WWII and an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) electrician for 40 years, died Sunday, June 24, 2007.
In 2002, the Smithsonian Institute’s National Air and Space Museum produced an IMAX film called “Straight Up: Helicopters in Action.
I’ve been creating these quizzes for almost 10 years now, but in reviewing my list of past topics, I realized I have never done one on the basics of fiber optics.
Update: More than a month after Brooke and Karen went missing, the update is that there still is no news; at this point, friends and family are presuming the couple dead.
This month, NECA CEO John Grau launched his new web blog, NECA Transmissions; "NECA Transmissions isn't just a blog about the association," he said.
Reed Construction Data (RCD) has announced a two-part effort, starting December 1st, to help stimulate local economies throughout Louisiana and Mississippi: areas still rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.
Security + Life Safety Systems Editorial Advisory Board members recently gathered for a half-hour roundtable phone discussion on the latest issues, trends and new products in the six markets that S+LSS covers.
For electrical contractors, architects, engineers, security and life safety system vendors and others, the prospects of working on government construction projects may seem challenging, but efforts in learning the process and submitting bid proposals can be rewarding.
Security+Life Safety Systems (S+LSS) magazine has named Ed Brown its new managing editor; a senior electrical engineer, Brown was most recently the managing editor of necdigest, a publication of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that covers the National Electrical Code.
In light of the recent tragic events taking place at Virginia Tech, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR and Security + Life Safety Systems magazines would like to weigh in on the topic of campus security.
It’s only temporary wiring, so what’s the problem? Ever get the feeling that temporary electrical wiring is treated as an afterthought, if even considered at all? Many electrical workers treat it as though it is less dangerous than permanent electrical installations and those associated hazards.
According to Daniel Feldman, Technical Chair of the Ethernet Alliance’s PoE subcommittee, the base definition of power over Ethernet (PoE) is, “a technology that allows for the powering of devices through Ethernet cables.
There’s a bright spot in the economy—security, and the burglar and fire alarm industry continues to grow, fueled by advancements in computing technology and Internet protocol (IP) devices, software, cellular and other systems and services.
Historically, shock and electrocution have been seen as the primary electrical hazards to people, along with fires of electrical origin, but today, awareness is growing of two other electrical hazards: arc-flash and arc-blast.
Highlights from Security+Life Safety Systems (S+LSS) magazine's panel discussion at ISC East in NYC City; S+LSS explored the electrical contractor's growing role in integrated building systems.
Andrea Klee, editor of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine, and Edward Brown, managing editor of SECURITY + LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS, discuss their plans for 2009.
John Maisel, publisher of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine, discusses the Anti-Counterfeit Initiative, which is a joint campaign between ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR and TED magazines and has the support of the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED), the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), and Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
Over the past year, we’ve thought quite a bit about the content that should be included on a redesigned site, what we need to grow and how to make it more reader-friendly and visually pleasing.
As a continually growing school, Utah Valley State College (UVSC) looked to create a state-of-the-art network to accommodate the school’s remarkable growth and vision for the future.
The 2012 Green Energy Challenge is underway. Eighteen NECA Student Chapters across the country are already at work, getting ready to respond to the 2012 challenge. This year, teams will select a facility on their campus, conduct an energy audit of the building's power and lighting systems, and design and propose a retrofit for both systems.
NECA has released several new safety resources for electrical contractors to keep pace with NFPA-70E updates, lock-out/tag-out procedures, PPE and an all-new Supervisors Guide to Jobsite Safety.
Links to an article on how first-rate union linemen are produced at a training center in Forest Park, Illinois, and why union electricians see more work ahead with the development of the Smart Grid.
The Meritage Resort and Spa has a new amenity to offer its pampered guests — free electrical vehicle recharging onsite — thanks to the generosity of the Northern California Chapter, NECA, IBEW Local 180, and Graybar, a NECA Premier Partner.
The ELECTRI Council recently approved four research projects for funding in 2012, with topics ranging from working in the new energy economy to look-ahead scheduling.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program will present two different webinars on high-performance solid state lighting for parking lots and parking structures for federal facilities on January 24 and 25, 2012. They’re free but registering in advance is required.
2012 could be a great year to hire a military veteran, or a few. It’s the right thing to do — and it could earn you some substantial but short-lived tax credits!
President Obama recently announced that the Better Building Initiative will invest nearly $4 billion in combined federal and private-sector energy upgrades to buildings over the next two years.
Companies promising to deliver leads to contractors in exchange for an administrative fee may be part of a scheme to steal your money, and possibly your identity as well.
All NECA-member companies are eligible to apply for recognition in the NECA Safety Excellence and Zero Injury Award Program. Entry deadline: March 2, 2012.
NECA member company Advanced Electrical Systems Inc., was selected to install the lighting system that added both security and beauty to the Louisville, Ky. 2nd Street Bridge and streetscape.
Dennis Quebe became the 32nd president of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) on Jan. 1, 2012. Quebe is Chairman and CEO of Quebe Holdings in Dayton, Ohio, and has more than 30 years of industry experience. He served as NECA President-elect in 2011.
Trade Service and NECA invite you to join us for an informative webinar on Wednesday, January 25th at 11:00 am Pacific (2 pm Eastern). In 60 minutes, we'll show you how these business efficiencies can be applied within your organization through the internet-based TRA-SER® SX program.
Dennis Quebe became the 32nd president of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) on Jan. 1, 2012. Quebe is Chairman and CEO of Quebe Holdings in Dayton, Ohio, and has more than 25 years of industry experience. He served as NECA President-elect in 2011.
ROSSLYN, Va., — The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published ANSI C84.1 Electric Power Systems and Equipment – Voltage Ratings (60 Hertz).
ROSSLYN, Va.— NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions edged higher in January, rising to 54.2 from December’s reading of 52.
ROSSLYN, Va., —The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published NEMA PB 1 Panelboards and NEMA PB 2 Deadfront Distribution Switchboards.
ROSSLYN, Va., — The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published NEMA SB 7 Applications Guide for Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Detectors .
ROSSLYN, Va.,— The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published NEMA HP 7 Electrical and Electronic PVC, PVC/Nylon, and PE/Nylon 105ºC Hook-Up Wire, Types B, C, D, BN, CN, and DN (600, 1000, and 3000 V), and Types J and JN 75ºC (600V).
ROSSLYN, Va.— Results from NEMA’s latest business conditions survey show the flagship Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions exceeded 50 points in December—with more respondents reporting conditions improved relative to the previous month than reporting they declined—for a third consecutive month.
NEMA’s shipment index for sodium vapor high intensity discharge (HID) lamps increased 7.1 and 2.0 percent on a quarterly and year-over-year basis, respectively, during Q3 2011.
NEMA’s incandescent lamps shipment index for Q3 2011 decreased 1.2 percent from the previous quarter, but was up 21.5 percent compared to the same period last year.
Omnibus Bill Restricts DOE Funding on Enforcement ROSSLYN, Va.—The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), representing more than 95 percent of the U.S. lighting manufacturing industry, remains committed to and supportive of the lighting standards established in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007).
ROSSLYN, Va— The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published NEMA LSD 56 Compatibility of Forward Phase Control Dimmers and Dimmable Self-Ballasted Compact Fluorescent Lamps and Frequently Asked Questions Regarding CFLs and Dimming.
ROSSLYN, Va.—The NEMA Surge Protection Institute (NPSI) has launched an updated website that informs users about surge characteristics, how surge protective devices (SPDs) work, and how to specify and apply surge protection.
ROSSLYN, Va — The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published NEMA AB 5 Establishing Levels of Selective Coordination for Low Voltage Circuit Breakers.
ROSSLYN, VA,— The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published ANSI C136.11 Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment—Multiple Parallel Wired Sockets.
Measure would authorize $3.35 billion a year through 2015 for Airport Improvement Program construction grants, the same amount already appropriated for 2012.
It is unlikely that work will finish by March 1, the average date for Great Plains winter snowmelt to start showing up in the river where more than 500 miles of levees need repair.
Progress Energy Florida denied a Jan. 26 Tampa Bay Times report that it plans to cancel an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Shaw Group for a proposed nuclear plant project in Levy County, Fla.
Haiti's second largest university is planning to start a master's in earthquake engineering, jumping off a series of seminars that trained some 500 local designers in the fundamentals of seismic design. An American manufactured homebuilder expects to get approval to construct a plant to build earthquake-resistant structures in Haiti.
Despite anticipated backlog growth in 2012, firms see concerns over government deficits, risk management and slow inertia on infrastructure investment.
An old Chinese proverb sums up several projects that mark the dawn of seismic-resistant design and construction in earthquake-devastated Haiti: "If you give a person a fish, you feed that person for a day. If you teach a person to fish, you feed that person for a lifetime."
The AIDS Memorial Park organization, Architectural Record, and Architizer have announced the winner of a competition to design a memorial for victims of AIDS and an education center in Manhattan’s West Village, across from the now-closed St. Vincent’s hospital.
Norberto López Amado and Carlos Carcas' documentary How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster?, currently playing in New York City, is a starry-eyed, unabashed love letter to one of the world's leading starchitects. It's also soulless hagiography.
Today, the Miami City Commission is expected to give a nonprofit group the green light to rehabilitate Miami Marine Stadium, an abandoned Modernist landmark designed in 1963 by then 27-year-old Cuban-American architect Hilario Candela.
For decades, Havana has charmed foreigners who visited the Caribbean city well-known for its sultry music, world-class cigars, and cacharros, the vintage American automobiles imported to the country prior to the 1959 revolution.
If architecture embodies a culture’s history and values, perhaps no project better represents Cuba since the 1960s than the National Art Schools in Havana.
Divide and Conquer: In a district plagued by years of bond failures and overcrowding, a high school initiates a fresh start with collegiate learning tracks and a complementary campus.
Situated on a tree-lined street on the Drexel University campus in West Philadelphia, a stone-clad dwelling circa 1872 served as the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity house for three-plus decades.
The architect discusses winning this year’s Driehaus Prize, which honors classical architecture and traditional urbanism, and how he plans to spend the $200k award.
In 2010, just after Haiti was devastated by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, RECORD's Jenna M. McKnight visited the country to find out how architects were responding to the disaster. This week, she returned to see how their efforts have progressed.
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