Henry J. Kaiser, a 20th century hero of American industry, coined a memorable expression that continues to inspire wannabe innovators in every walk of life: “Find a need and fill it.”

While he built a formidable business reputation with a vast collection of industrial enterprises including construction, cement, magnesium, steel, aluminum and even automobile manufacturing (featuring a car model eponymously branded the “Henry J.”), in the post-World War II era, Kaiser most notably came to be known as the “father of American healthcare.”

It was something of a coincidence, therefore, when in 2012, Collin Weiner first saw a need—and a way to fill it—while working as a foreman for the installation of new electrical lighting control systems in a number of Kaiser Permanente healthcare facilities in California.

The labyrinth of California state regulations and requirements that cover every step in the specification, installation and commissioning of state-of-the-art lighting control systems presents a daunting challenge to many electrical contractors encountering them. Because Weiner­—on his own initiative—had exhaustively studied and carefully obtained all certifications required, he recognized he was in the enviable position of being able to professionally advise and support electrical contractors wrestling with lighting controls projects.

That’s when he formed CalEnergy Corp., Pleasanton, Calif., and became, as it were, “a contractor’s contractor.”

Years later, now that CalEnergy has a well-established reputation throughout the industry, we stopped for coffee with Weiner to get his take on the latest in the realm of lighting and, better yet, what he expects to see emerging next.

You got a head start in this line of work by taking the initiative to study California’s Title 24 requirements and acquire certifications to deliver on them.

Luckily, I foresaw opportunity early on. I enrolled in the state-sponsored advanced lighting controls training program and then the lighting controls acceptance test technician course. Those two curriculums provided me with the technical knowledge to support electrical contractors from initial design through systems commissioning.

Today, the centerpiece of your company’s business model—a unique version of service and maintenance—continues to provide assistance to other electrical contractors as they wend their way through the complexities of technical and regulatory requirements for lighting controls.

That’s right. The greatest advantage we bring as a “contractor’s contractor”—to use your expression—is a matter of simple economics. After investing time and money in developing their own in-house capability to do all that is required from A to Z in lighting controls, if the electricians in whom they have put their faith to handle this work suddenly leave the company, the EC might have to start from scratch to find and train replacements. On the other hand, at CalEnergy we are always prepared to supply talent to support that contractor.

While you are focusing on lighting controls, you must have the advantage of further insight into where the world is going next, with lighting systems and building automation in general.

Let me put that another way: at CalEnergy, we believe that electrical contractors can (and should) leverage advanced lighting controls to gain a “foot in the door” toward capturing all other building automation systems. We can easily foresee how all of the so-called “BA” systems will converge. We envision internet of things solutions with virtually everything networked via power over ethernet cabling. Long-term, we see a future in which DC-powered buildings will dominate the landscape.

Every EC should be concerned with the kind of commentary we so often hear from self-appointed critics forecasting the future of DC-powered buildings, claiming that those buildings will not require most of the services traditionally provided by “high-priced electricians,” for either new construction or service and maintenance.

Those critics are wrong. At CalEnergy, we believe that, in future years, we will need fully-trained, highly qualified electricians more than ever, given the complexity of all the converged systems. As a consequence, it’s important that we start preparing now for the challenging opportunities in the electrification of everything that lies ahead.

collin weiner