Electrical Contractor magazine, the leading publication in the power and integrated building systems market, is pleased to announce Integrated Systems Contractor, a supplement serving a hot growth opportunity for the electrical construction industry.

As the market evolved, so did we.
In 2003, Electrical Contractor launched the bimonthly special report Security + Life Safety Systems (S+LSS) to address the shifting informational needs of the electrical contracting community. More electrical contractors had expanded into low-voltage systems, and S+LSS was designed to educate this information-starved market; no other traditional media outlets were talking to them.

S+LSS met those informational needs, but the market continued to change. So, starting with the February 2012 issue, S+LSS transformed into Integrated Systems Contractor.

This “integrated systems contractor” already exists.
More than 85 percent of our 85,000+ readers (67,900) are actively involved in low-voltage systems, according to the June 2011 BPA audit and independent market research studies that queried electrical contractors.

Why?
• Systems technology has evolved, becoming more cost- and energy-efficient, which enables building systems and controls to be totally integrated and intercommunicative. The overall building becomes the system, which differs from the traditional setup where each system operated in a silo format (i.e., each was individually optimized but unable to communicate with the other systems).

• Building owners are seeking single-source responsibility to handle every building system, including both electrical power and integrated low-voltage systems.

• Construction market players now prefer various collaborative design methods (design/build, BIM, integrated project delivery), strengthening the electrical contractor’s purview.

All of this has opened the market for electrical contractors that can do it all. And they are the only ones who can.

When we say “integrated systems,” what are we talking about?
And to what extent are our readers involved? Well, that’s easy. Take a look at these key findings from the 2010 Profile of the Electrical Contractor research study and a June 2011 BPA Audit:

• Low-voltage lighting (controls and/or ballasts) (90%)

• Building automation (74%)

• Communications systems/connectivity (62%)

• Voice-data/fiber optics/premises wiring (56%)

• Power quality systems (55.8%)

• Systems integration or data or telecom centers (41%)

• Building automation systems (55.1%, according to BPA)

• Fire and life safety and security systems (69.6%, according to BPA)

Almost all (96%) electrical contractors performed some type of low-voltage work in 2009. Altogether, electrical contractors do more than just security and life safety systems work these days.

Integrated Systems Contractor better reflects the current state of the market. Through this evolution from S+LSS, we continue to keep pace with the industry and lead the electrical construction market. We will help electrical contractors progress from the traditional model into one we call an “integrated systems contractor.”

For more on Integrated Systems Contractor, check out the February issue, which, if you're a subscriber, you should receive in the mail in the next couple weeks. If you are interested in advertising opportunities, see our media kit, which includes additional market information, what to expect from the supplement, our editorial calendar, rates, specs and more.