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Valuable Advice for the Green Electrical Contractor

Jun 122012

Green Construction Market Growth.011 300x289 Valuable Advice for the Green Electrical Contractor

The green construction market has grown 41% or $58 billion over the past five years. Graphic courtesy of blog.softwareadvice.com.

Software reviewer Derek Singleton of Software Advice is at it again—this time letting us know just how important green skills are to today’s electrical contractors. The market for green construction has increased exponentially in the past 5 years, by over $58 billion in revenue. Any savvy contractor should take advantage of this booming (and lucrative) opportunity.

In his article, Derek details the abilities necessary to transition from being an electrical contractor to what he calls an “energy contractor.” It’s important to know how to install green energy systems in new structures, and also how to increase an existing building’s sustainability.

He addresses how to adapt to working with the following:

Solar PV (or Solar Photovoltaic) Installations
Wind Turbine Installations
Energy Auditing
Building Management Systems (or BMS)
LEED

Here’s the link to Derek’s article: Green Skills You Need to Become an Energy Contractor

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LEED News: Changing Requirements for Federal Buildings

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Dec 152010

PinExt LEED News: Changing Requirements for Federal Buildings

leed federal LEED News: Changing Requirements for Federal Buildings The bar for green building standards has been raised.

Any new federal construction or major renovation will now be required to achieve LEED Gold Certification. (Previously, LEED Silver was the requirement).

Roger Peck, the commissioner of public buildings for the U.S. General Services Administration, said “This new requirement is just one of the many ways we’re greening the federal real estate inventory to help … increase sustainability and energy efficiency across government.”

LEED Certification is a standardized measure of energy efficiency that involves a number of evaluation categories. Projects receive credit for the lighting category by installing ENERGY STAR®- labeled light fixtures, lamps and ceiling fans.

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Pegasus Lighting Roundup for October 11 to October 22

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Oct 222010

PinExt Pegasus Lighting Roundup for October 11 to October 22

Homes are the most affordable they have been in 40 years.

In lighting news…

Starbucks is on a mission to become more eco-friendly – and despite exorbitant costs, they are forging ahead. They plan to “green” all newly built and renovated company-owned stores this year and achieve LEED certification for sites across the world.

A light festival in Singapore is raising awareness for energy efficiency. Running from October 15 to November 7, the event will feature LED light sculptures, performance-based displays, and other illuminated arts. One of the featured artists, Warren Langley, said, “I believe it is important to show that spectacular lighting effects do not necessarily require vast amounts of electric power.”

This isn’t quite lighting “news,” but a travel article in USA Today discussed the trend in hotel lighting to go dark … perhaps too dark. Reporter Barbara De Lollis discusses the pros and cons of staying in such a dimly-lit room, and readers weigh in on the comments. It’s an interesting debate! Continue reading »

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Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 31 to August 20

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Aug 232010

PinExt Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 31 to August 20

Empire State Building Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 31 to August 20

The Empire State Building: a new beacon for energy efficiency?

It’s been a little while since I’ve published a Roundup, so there’s a lot to catch up on. If you love interior design articles, don’t miss the “lighting tips” section! There have been some great resources in the last couple of weeks.

In lighting news…

The Empire State Building currently consumes the energy equivalence of 40,000 single-family homes. That is all about to change: in the next three years, the famous building is aiming to become the most energy-efficient skyscraper in the world.

A New Zealand study reportedly dispelled myths about eco-friendly light bulbs. In the study, consumers couldn’t tell the quality difference between eco-friendly bulbs and traditional light bulbs.

The Hearst Tower in New York recently became LEED Gold certified. Why is this a big deal? It’s the first occupied commercial building in NYC to achieve this rating, making it clear that retrofitting and remodeling existing buildings to green standards is very possible. Continue reading »

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The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 19 to July 30

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Jul 302010

PinExt The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 19 to July 30

restless nomad lg The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 19 to July 30

The fourth color palette in the 2011 Sherwin-Williams color forecast, released this week. (See "Other cool sites" for links!)

In lighting news…

TIME Magazine published an article called “OLEDs: The Light Idea” about the incredible light-emitting diode that has the potential to “revolutionize the world’s $100 billion lighting industry.” OLEDs are extremely energy efficient, thin, and flexible – making them applicable for lighting designs the world has never seen before. It’s a fascinating read.

The Department of Energy released a second fact sheet offering more information about the use of LED T8 replacement lamps in ceiling fixtures. According to the DOE, LED T8 replacement lamps are not yet considered viable replacements for fluorescent T8s.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has updated the LEED checklists they have available on their website, in response to complaints from many users. The new checklists will hopefully better inform project managers about LEED documentation.

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The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 5 to July 16

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Jul 162010

PinExt The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 5 to July 16

In lighting news…

Toshiba has signed a contract to provide LED lighting for the Louvre (free of charge). The Pyramids, the Napoléon Court, and the Cour carrée will all be outfitted with LED lights by 2012.

Three women in southwestern Kenya have engineered solar lighting for two remote villages in rural Kenya. The story is really incredible.

The Green Savings Network blog wrote about a current trend in the green construction industry: certified general electricians are transitioning into energy contractors because of the booming market for retrofitting.

Houston’s Toyta Center, home of the Houston Rockets (NBA), has just been awarded with LEED EB Certification. Joining the ranks of Portland’s Rose Garden, Miami’s American Airlines Arena, Atlanta’s Philip’s Arena, and Minnesota’s Target Field, the news points to a surge in popularity of major sports arenas seeking LEED certification. Continue reading »

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The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for May 21 to June 11

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Jun 112010

PinExt The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for May 21 to June 11

Solar lantern The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for May 21 to June 11

Two companies will distribute 10 million LED lamps in rural India over the next 3 years.

In lighting news…

Journalist Tim Conneally wrote an informative, humorous take on LED technology in his article I left a light bulb on for one year straight, or: Why LED bulbs are about to change your life. He discusses his experiment comparing LEDs with CFLs for a year and talks about the implications of Philip’s new LED “replacement bulb.”

MIT is investing millions in a ‘living lab’ initiative to cut electricity usage by 15 percent in the next three years. About half of the reductions will come in the form of more efficient LED lighting systems.

John Bullough from the RPI Lighting Research Center in Troy wrote a great article on The Science Behind LED Technology. He explains the basics of LEDs and how they can be incorporated into homes. Continue reading »

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LEED Certification for Commercial Interiors

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Feb 242010

PinExt LEED Certification for Commercial Interiors

iStock 000009190656XSmall LEED Certification for Commercial Interiors Last week, we provided an overview of LEED Certification and described the process of certifying a home as an example. We wanted to provide an example of performance standards in a commercial building as well.

LEED for Commercial Interiors can be used to certify the design and construction of tenant spaces for office, restaurant, healthcare, hotel/resort, and education buildings of all sizes, both public and private.

This system was designed for those who want to create sustainable spaces but don’t have control over the entire building’s operations. Certification requires a minimum of 40 points from a specific checklist. 50 points and above earn an additional LEED Silver accreditation; 60 points and above, Gold; 80 points and above, Platinum.
Continue reading »

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Ronald McDonald is Going Green

Lighting News 3 Responses »

Feb 222010

759 McDonald s.embedded.prod affiliate.29 Ronald McDonald is Going Green A McDonald’s in Cary, NC has more in mind than making great hamburgers. In early 2009, the franchise in the Saltbox Village shopping center demolished its building in hopes of starting from the ground up to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

The store now saves on energy by using 78 percent less electricity for lighting. It is 97 percent lit with LED lights, covering the kitchen, hallways, restrooms, dining areas, entryways, and even the drive-thru. It also conserves water with low-flow toilets and planned landscaping with native plants.

The U.S. Green Building Council granted LEED certification in January, making the Cary franchise the first McDonald’s in North Carolina that has “gone green.” In fact, there are only two other LEED-certified McDonald’s in the country, located in Savannah, GA and Chicago, IL.

In a recent Lighting Roundup, we mentioned a few articles predicting 2010 will be the year for LEDs to explode on the commercial and residential market. Perhaps restaurants seeking LEED certification with more energy-efficient lighting will become a trend as well.

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What is LEED Certification?

Lighting Tips 2 Responses »

Feb 182010

LEED is an international green building certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): a non-profit organization with a mission to transform the building environment. It’s one of the few standardized measures of energy efficiency. Both commercial and residential buildings can obtain LEED Certification. The process takes into account strategies used throughout the building process: from the first designs to maintenance and repair.

Essentially, it’s a points system. Depending on the type of building, i.e., school, retail, home, healthcare, etc., a project must earn a certain number of minimum points for certification. To give you an example, I’ll go through the process of gaining LEED certification for a home.
Continue reading »

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