A personal device charging pad, cordless headphones, a wireless television … the list goes on. People rely on these things as they become increasingly mobile. But does a wireless world mean that we, as electrical contractors, are soon out of a job?

Nothing could be further from the truth. As we all know, a wireless device needs to get its power and connectivity from somewhere, and that comes from our cabling and infrastructure installations. The world continues to seek a simpler and more efficient way of living. As the experts, we are designing and delivering the very thing people need to power their lives. I have said many times, “it takes a lot of wire to make it wireless!”

But just as past innovations have deemed it necessary, we must continue to adapt. This new technology-driven world requires more system integration. The various components of a corporate office building, hospital, stadium, airport or a shopping center all need to be integrated, whether they connect in the traditional sense or not. Intelligent technologies on a converged network platform will provide monitoring and control of all systems providing services to the building, and that greatly expands our marketplace. The internet of things might have been a new phrase just a few years ago, but today it is a driving force behind the most innovative and advanced approaches to building design, construction, operations and maintenance. What we might call a market disruption is almost always an opportunity— and that is precisely the case for us today.

A timely example of this kind of integration is at NECA’s new headquarters, set in the heart of our nation’s capital and due to open this August. Our new office space will feature some cutting-edge, innovative industry offerings and among them, a variety of collaborative meeting spaces and other features that will make the NECA office the space of the future. I am pleased to extend to all NECA contractors an invitation to meet and work with national staff. I’m looking forward to welcoming our members to the new NECA headquarters later this summer.