Susan Bloom

It’s common knowledge that electrical contractors are under increasing pressure in today’s competitive business landscape—from labor shortages and an influx of new technology to the drive for greater efficiency and more. The...

Contractors are well aware that LED upgrades can improve lighting quality while significantly reducing energy consumption and costs. What they may not know, however, is today’s smart lighting systems can deliver a broad range...

If you think there is no cost to skimping on safety, think again. In 2018, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued 29,416 citations and $87 million in penalties in the construction industry. Resulting...

If you’re convinced the cabling process involves only the wire and cable, think again. A range of cabling components, tools and other support products play a critical role in a quality installation. Here, manufacturers in the...

Electrical contractors are a civic-minded group, and the evidence is in the range of community causes and programs they support nationwide. The following are just some of the ways electrical contractors are giving back to...

With more electricians currently exiting the workforce than joining, the electrical construction industry faces a well-documented shortage of skilled labor—to the tune of an estimated 85,000-plus unfilled positions by 2024,...

Mobile apps provide users with similar services to those available on computers for quick, easy access anywhere on smartphones and tablets. Below, electrical contractors from across the country discuss a range of popular apps...

Philip Green, British businessman and chairman of global retail giant Arcadia Group, put it plainly when he said, “Good, bad or indifferent—if you’re not investing in new technology, you’re going to be left behind.” In today...

By all measures, 2017 was one of the most destructive weather years in American history. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), last year’s natural disasters—including catastrophic hurricanes...

The numbers are shocking and well-publicized. As fewer electricians enter the electrical contracting industry than exit it, a net deficit of skilled labor will potentially leave contracting firms struggling to fill an...

According to data from the National Electrical Contractors Association, 7,000 new electricians join the industry each year, but 10,000 retire from it, leaving contracting firms and their customers struggling to manage a net...

The nation’s late summer flurry of hurricane activity was unprecedented. Within days of the record downpours from Hurricane Harvey that overwhelmed the Houston area for nearly two weeks in late August, Hurricane Irma roared...