Electical Contractor

In its first official step to implement the Green Communities Act, NSTAR, a Massachusetts electric and gas utility, filed a plan to expand its energy-efficiency programs that are aimed at helping residential heating customers in time for the upcoming winter season.

Energy efficiency, as a driver for building upgrades or alternative energy adoption, has never been stronger.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency David Rodgers announced the launch of DOE’s Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative (CBI) with establishment of the National Laboratory Collaborative on Building Technologies Collaborative (NLCBT).

A perfect storm is heading for the building industry. Energy prices continue to rise due to worldwide demand that increases both the cost of construction and building operation for owners and developers.

Watkins Glen International (WGI), one of the nation’s most historic auto racing tracks, signed a contract with Juice Energy to become the first U.S. motorsports facility to use renewable energy to fulfill all of its energy needs.

According to USA Today, a growing number of American cities and states are adopting energy-efficient building codes to offset rising energy costs. Almost three times as many counties and cities passed green-building policies in 2007 as they did in 2004, according to the U.S.

In February's column, I said you can expect the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) to step up, providing education, training and credentialing programs for green contractors and their employees now that our association has become an official member of the U.S.

"There's so much misinformation about mercury in compact fluorescent lighting [CFL], American consumers are being discouraged from using them. In fact, use of CFLs will result in far less mercury in the environment rather than more,” said John P.

According to the Alliance to Save Energy, the Maryland General Assembly passed the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Initiative (Senate Bill 205 and House Bill 374) in 2007, which sets one of the most ambitious energy-efficiency goals in the country.