Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “tool” as “a handheld device that aids in accomplishing a task” and “something (as an instrument or apparatus) used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a vocation or profession.” We like to think that ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR fits both of those descriptions.
As in past Novembers, we focus this issue on tools and equipment. Our tool expert Jeff Griffin writes about technology at your fingertips in “Going Mobile.” He also covers when and why renting tools and equipment makes sense in “Cool Tools.” Claire Swedberg explores how you can manage your inventory from your smartphone or tablet in “Finger on the Pulse.” Tools and accessories are the featured products this month.
In “Cradle to Cradle,” Jeff Gavin educates us on circular design, about manufacturers that develop products with materials that retain value and can be “upcycled.”
Susan Casey takes us on a tour of the most recent addition to the Mall in Washington, D.C.: the National Museum of African American History and Culture. You’re actually lucky to read about it and get a peek inside, because the wait for tickets—while free—is months-long.
William Atkinson introduces us to a few electrical contractors who are giving back to the community in a different way. You’ll find profiles of elected and volunteer public servants in “Electrician to Elected Official.”
Chuck Ross previews the 2016 version of California’s Title 24 energy code—also known as The Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. Get the lowdown on specifying and installing nonresidential electrical panels and submeters in “Measuring to Manage.”
Don’t forget about our subscriber research panel. You can sign up for it at ECmag.com/2016-panel-signup.
Bill Gates, who may be biased, said, “Personal computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created.” So you can read this issue on that device as well as hold this magazine in your hands, and you can put your tools on a belt or in a box or on your phone. We hope that, after reading this issue, you will have gained some valuable information and will be well-prepared for upcoming gift-giving opportunities.
About The Author
Julie Mazur
Managing Editor, Electrical Contractor magazineJulie Mazur is the managing editor of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, Safety Leader and Line Contractor magazines. Before coming to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, she was an editor at Knight-Ridder/Tribune newspapers and the Los Angeles Times and taught English as a foreign language in Egypt and Japan. As managing editor, Julie oversees the whole publishing arc. She plans and assigns the stories for every issue, works with writers and designers and interacts with the printing plant. She has a mass communications B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. Go Bears!
Permanently retired from ziplining, Julie is an enthusiastic sports spectator and radio listener. She likes to read, exercise and cook.
JOHNSON is a writer and editor living outside Washington, D.C. He has worked in magazine, web and journal publishing since 2006, and was formerly the digital editor for ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine. Learn more at www.tjfreelance.com.
