In December 2017, the Thomas Fire killed two people and burned 300,000 acres in the hillsides surrounding Santa Barbara, Calif. One month later, during a winter rain storm, the burnt slopes gave way to mudslides, which killed...
Every industry has its premier conference, and for electrical maintenance and safety professionals, it's PowerTest. From Mar. 11–15, the InterNational Electrical Testers Association (NETA) held its 2019 PowerTest Conference...
Using 10 years worth of photo and project data provided by Boston-based Suffolk Construction, image analysis firm SmartVid, using its artificial intelligence engine, was able to predict roughly one in five safety incidents...
Many creative forms of financing solar power have helped boost the technology and overcome challenges to widespread adoption. In Florida, one of the nation’s largest energy providers is embracing one of those innovative...
The latest report from USG Corp. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce confirm what contractors have known for a long time: It is difficult to find skilled labor. The "Q1 2019 USG Corporation & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial...
As more coal plants age out, Great Plains states—which are sunny, wide-open, and windy and have a lot of room for ethanol-producing cornfields—now have some of the highest percentages of renewable generation within their...
According to the newly released “2019 Energy-Efficient Home Design Trends Report," published by Fixr, a remodeling cost information firm, homeowners are becoming more motivated to introduce more energy efficiency technologies...
According to the most recent report from Dodge Data & Analytics , the Dodge Momentum Index lost 4.4 percent in February, falling to 146.9 from 153.6 in January. Both components of the index fell in February. The institutional...
Electrical safety is not just a priority for electricians and electrical contractors; there are professionals all over the world who have made it their business. This was evident at the IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop (ESW),...
Recently, two of the world’s biggest automakers—and two of its biggest consumers of fossil fuels—made major announcements concerning renewable power. GM and Ford will now power some their biggest facilities with wind power...
Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in the United States rose last year due to higher demand at power plants as well as greater energy use within the transportation sector, from industrial activity and in buildings—demand that...
It might sound like newfangled science-fiction tech, but China has plans to build the world’s first space-based solar power station by 2050, according to an article in Forbes . The solar power station, owned by the state’s...
Solar panels and windmills are powering up homes and businesses at a growing rate. However, they also are making an impact in some unlikely industries. According to a recent study by Navigant Research, the global mining...
According to a new report from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), while power generation, transmission and distribution in the United States tend to be predominantly alternating current (AC), an increasing number of...
A recent administrative law judge ruling in California may pave the way for more private-sector development of the state's mandated distributed energy storage system projects. In September 2016, the state passed Assembly Bill...
It's common in our business that almost every new fire alarm system we install is the final system to come online. However, a building does not get an occupancy permit unless its fire alarm system passes the acceptance test....
The most powerful—and complicated—instrument used for fiber optic testing is an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR). In the hands of an educated tech, the OTDR is a powerful testing and troubleshooting tool, but it can...
While many cities talk about smart streetlights or engage in small pilot projects to attach one or two devices to several of their streetlights, San Diego, Calif., isn't waiting around. As a result, many are now calling it...
If the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has its way, construction contractors and subcontractors working for the Department of Defense (DOD) may be subject to more safety performance scrutiny. In February, the GAO...
Solar and wind power are the leading sources of renewable energy generation. Combined with advanced battery storage technology, their effectiveness has only increased. Rarely, however, are all three utilized together in one...
