Electical Contractor

Camera surveillance for facility and security control continues to go mainstream as existing technology is refined and networking innovations are introduced.

Access control is nothing new. Locks on doors and windows are a rudimentary form of shutting people out. While not the most effective means of control, plenty of facilities use it as their only means of security. ID cards are nothing new either.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is used to track, identify and record people and objects. First introduced during the 1970s, the technology has evolved as new uses are discovered. But it was Wal-Mart's announcement in summer 2003 that pushed RFID into the spotlight.

It's really happening. Integration is starting to take hold in every vertical market and business operation. It has been a long, tough road.

If you blink, you may miss something. That's how fast the closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance market is moving these days. But capturing surveillance activities is something CCTV cameras won't miss.

In August 2004, Northeast financial sectors were alerted to possible terrorist activities focused on five specific buildings and areas: the International Monetary Fund and World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C.; the New York Stock Exchange and Citigroup Center in New York; and the Prudential Fi

There's a growing urgency in the development of “green” or “smart” building, and learning to install its energy infrastructure-which is called integrated building systems (IBS) and involves tying together HVAC, electrical, security, lighting and fire alarm systems-could well be a boon to contractors

It took just minutes for the 2003 nightmare at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., to reach its climax. The blaze was Rhode Island's most devastating fire in decades and the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history.

When Mass Electric Construction Co. (MEC) signed on to do a comprehensive electrical package at the new Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), they became a part of the city's history.