April 2020

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Construction Employment Drops 975,000 Jobs in April

A new report from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) does not paint a good picture of employment in the industry as a result of the growing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey of its...

Green Building

Apr 15, 2020

Virginia Warms Up to Solar

Rick Laezman

Renewables are gaining ground in places where fossil fuels have been the backbone of the economy. Now, even in Virginia, coal is not the only game in town. Last month, Salt Lake City-based sPower, a renewable energy...

Your Business

Apr 15, 2020

Executive Order Has Major Ramifications for Utilities

William Atkinson

An executive order signed by President Donald Trump on May 1 has sweeping implications for electric utilities across the nation. Namely placing restrictions on the foreign-supplied components installed on the nation’s...

Your Business

Apr 15, 2020

Paycheck Protection Program Helping Contractors

William Atkinson

According to a new report from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program is allowing construction firms to add and retain employees, despite declining demand for...

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Integrated Systems

Apr 15, 2020

Is a Fire Alarm System Too Loud?

Wayne D. Moore

Is the fire alarm too loud? If you’ve ever been asked this question, you may have wondered whether the questioner had a point or not. First I reviewed the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed horn available on the market...

Your Business

Apr 15, 2020

Philadelphia Offers Discounted Solar to Residents and Businesses

Rick Laezman

Public support for solar power is strong and growing, but it’s not always strong enough to overcome the high upfront costs of installation. To help home and business owners make that initial investment towards utilizing solar...

Safety Leader

Safety

Apr 15, 2020

NECA 2020 Safety Professionals Conference Postponed Until October

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, NECA has postponed the 2020 NECA Safety Professionals Conference (NSPC), presented by WESTEX by Milliken, which was to take place in Scottsdale, Ariz., May 18–20. The NSPC will now be held Oct. 5...

Safety Leader

Safety

Apr 15, 2020

Safety Events Update: Postponements and More

Katie Kuehner-Hebert

May is National Electrical Safety Month The theme for this year’s National Electrical Safety Month is Smart Home. In May, the Electrical Safety Foundation International will showcase resources focusing on the lifesaving...

QUIZ: You’re Grounded

Grounding methods can vary and include solid grounding, impedance or resistance grounding, grounding through surge arresters and grounding through an inductor. The method is not always a matter of choice or a design consideration because, in many cases, it is required by the NEC.

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QUIZ: Know Your Documentation

Chapter 7, “Documentation,” was added in the 2013 edition of NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. New requirements were added and some of the information was relocated from other chapters. Without documentation, there is no proof that requirements were met. How well do you know the documentation requirements?

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April 2020

Table of Contents

Bridging the Distance

Paving the Way Toward LEDs

Be Our Guest

A Matter of Health

Weighing Your Options: Should ECs retrofit LEDs or buy new?

The Rhythm Behind Design

Featured Products

Smart dimmer

Smoke alarm

Garage door opener

Sprinkler controller

Fan

Smart thermostat

Smart dimmer

Lamp

More Stories From This Issue

Construction Employment Drops 975,000 Jobs in April

Virginia Warms Up to Solar

Executive Order Has Major Ramifications for Utilities

Paycheck Protection Program Helping Contractors

Is a Fire Alarm System Too Loud?

Philadelphia Offers Discounted Solar to Residents and Businesses

NECA 2020 Safety Professionals Conference Postponed Until October

Safety Events Update: Postponements and More

April 2020

Table of Contents

Featured Products

More Stories From This Issue

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