4 Reasons to Attend the 2011 NECA Energy Forum

There’s never been anything like the Energy Forum for the electrical construction industry that kicks off NECA’s 2011 Convention and Trade Show in San Diego. Making sense of the range of opportunities in green energy will be the focus of this all-new event which will be held on Saturday, October 22, 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Speakers and session leaders will discuss the many ways electrical contractors can enter this market and what questions they need to ask.

In addition to hearing an exciting keynote address from Jon Wellinghoff, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Energy Forum participants will hear from industry experts on energy economic modeling, the electric vehicle market, and innovative energy storage technology. An informational brochure is provided through the link to “Related Documents” at the end of this article.

Here are four good reasons to attend:

1. To Understand What the Opportunities Are

According to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine, alternative power and energy efficiency upgrades are the next boom market for contractors. We don’t want to lose what could be the largest game-changing trend to hit our industry in the past two decades. Right now, there is tremendous momentum and incentives for sustainable construction. With those new energy markets come services like installing and maintaining electric vehicle supply equipment, designing “net-zero energy” buildings with integrated systems, and energy storage.

Energy work is “counter-cyclical” — meaning, that in tough economic times, your customers want and need to save money on operating costs. Energy work is a revenue opportunity independent of the construction market. For building owners and operators, the savings and tax credits energy solutions deliver are very desirable. When an electrical contractor can help them save money, it doesn’t matter how healthy the rest of the construction market may be.

Whether it’s utility-grade wind power, solar PV installations or helping a customer save on his electric bill by swapping out old ballasts for energy-efficient LED drivers, NECA’s 2011 Energy Forum will cover all the options and opportunities in the new energy economy.

2. To Hear from Colleagues about the Different Ways They’ve Reached Out For Business in These New Markets

The good news is that many electrical contractors already have the technical knowledge to engage with these markets — but most don’t know how to integrate energy services into their existing businesses or market their capabilities to existing and potential customers.

There isn’t one right way to incorporate energy efficiency, conservation and renewable power into an electrical contracting company. Moderators and presenters at the Energy Forum all come from the front lines of the industry to help contractors answer when and how they can add new energy services to their traditional business models.

3. Because NECA’s 2011 Energy Forum Is the Most Comprehensive Energy Education Forum Available, at the Lowest Cost in the Least Amount of Time

These days, everyone is doing more with less. If you want to minimize the time and money you spend away from the office, while maximizing your education and experiences in San Diego, the Energy Forum will give you the biggest potential gain for your business.

4. Because NECA’s 2011 Energy Forum Was Created Specifically for NECA Contractors by NECA Contractors

The Energy Forum was proposed by NECA’s Energy Solution Task Force members who are electrical contractors just like you. And like you, we are each trying to determine what our place in the emerging energy solutions market can and should be.

The Energy Forum was developed to help contractors answer some of those questions. We understand that there isn’t a single path of entry for all NECA member companies to pursue this work. But we also know that if we don’t begin immediately offering our expertise and services, customers will go elsewhere to get their renewable and energy-efficiency needs met.

The Energy Forum will discuss concrete examples of how to become an energy solutions contractor by addressing some fundamental questions, such as:

• —Is there a tool I can use to show realistic projections for energy and cost savings to customers?
• —What types of financing are available for renewable energy projects, and how could financing be impacted by future regulations?
• –How do we integrate renewable energy and energy efficiency to ensure reliable power?

“Electrical contractors are the vital link between energy-efficient technology and cost-efficient construction,” said Stan Lazarian, President, Electric Service & Supply Co., Pasadena, California, and chair of NECA’s Energy Solution Task Force. “Our goal at the Energy Forum is to provide contractors and their customers with an opportunity to share what they’ve learned about working on renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency projects.”

“How and where we get our energy has become a serious question for building owners, government leaders and developers. Rising energy prices and energy inefficiencies have everyone thinking about what the smart alternatives could be, but those alternatives have to make financial sense, both for the customer and the electrical contractor,” said Rob Colgan, NECA executive director, Market Development.

Alternative power and energy efficiency upgrades are the next boom market for contractors, Lazarian said. “But it’s hard for electrical contractors to know when it’s the right time for them to add new services to their traditional business model,” he said.

DOWNLOAD THE 2011 ENERGY FORUM BROCHURE TO LEARN MORE! >>