Youngstown State University Takes Top Prize at 2012 Green Energy Challenge

Students from Youngstown State University took top prize at the fourth annual Green Energy Challenge, sponsored by the National Electrical Contractors Association and ELECTRI International – The Foundation for Electrical Construction.

Winners were announced from the four  finalist teams following team project presentations at the conclusion of NECA’s Energy Forum on Saturday, Sept. 29. Youngstown came in second at last year’s competition, and the students were thrilled by their first win.

The University of Washington team came in second, and Iowa State University was third. Georgia Tech came in fourth. This was the first year four teams were included in the finalists’ presentations. Christian McCuen from the University of Washington was recognized as Best Presenter. The winners were announced at the annual NECA Student Chapter Summit on Sunday, Sept. 30.

For the 2012 Challenge, teams selected a facility on their campus, conducted an energy audit of the building’s power and lighting systems, and designed and proposed a retrofit for both systems. Teams were encouraged to use NECAWORKS^™ in their proposals.

Finalist proposals can be viewed online.

Congratulations to Youngstown State University and their NECA chapter affiliate, Mahoning Valley Chapter, NECA!

 

Riley Recognized as 2012 NECA Industry Partner

NECA’s Board of Governors recognized Dr. David Riley as the association’s 2012 Industry Partner Award winner during their annual meeting today.

The NECA Industry Partner Award recognizes organizations or individuals who are not NECA members, yet have significantly contributed to the electrical contracting industry’s success through their decisions, actions, or cooperation with NECA.

Riley, an associate professor of architectural engineering at The Pennsylvania State University, has been a regular contributor to NECA’s education programs for several years, urging the association to reach out to students to promote electrical contracting and using his own research talent through ELECTRI International to help NECA members improve their business.

“The first research grant award I won from NECA changed my life,” Riley remarked when he accepted the award today. “It enabled me to pursue something I believe in – learning outside the classroom. NECA has been a true education partner and supported this mission for over 10 years.”

Riley described Penn State’s entry into the 2006 Solar Decathlon, when funding had tried up and the student team was struggling to overcome design and technical challenge. Several NECA chapters and ELECTRI International came through with financial support to help complete the team’s project, and IBEW members personally helped the students with the final construction of their solar-powered green house for the Dept. of Energy competition. “Our successes have been shared with NECA,” Riley said.

Riley currently serves as the executive director of the Penn State Center for Sustainability, which is focused on the engagement of students in sustainability challenges. He is also leading the development of multiple initiatives at Penn State funded by the U.S. Department of Energy that address the integration of commercialization, workforce development, and education programs in the fields of energy efficiency, solar, wind, and smart grid technologies, and he spoke about how his connection with NECA has made these advances possible.

Riley has led many ELECTRI studies related to energy efficiency and green building power systems, and he was the first faculty member to champion ELECTRI’s Student Talent Initiative and Green Energy Challenge, a design competition for NECA student chapters. He has also worked with NECA’s Management Education Institute to develop and deliver in-depth courses reflecting these findings in order to help contractors succeed in new and emerging green electrical construction markets.

“Multiple partners are necessary to make this kind of innovation possible,” Riley said. “NECA has been a true partner for me.”

Meet the 2012 Green Energy Challenge Finalists

A highlight of recent NECA conventions, the annual ELECTRI International Green Energy Challenge student design competition will feature four finalist teams in Las Vegas —  Georgia Tech, Iowa State University, University of Washington, and Youngstown State University

The teams will make their presentations in Las Vegas on September 29 immediately following the 2012 NECA Energy Forum. Each team is made up of construction management and engineering students who participate in their university’s student chapter of NECA. This year marks the first time four finalist teams have been chosen, as opposed to three.

“Energy Forum participants enjoy finishing the day hearing about the students’ visions of the industry’s future,” said Rob Colgan, NECA executive director, market development and Energy Forum organizer. “The Forum focuses on electrical contractors learning from each other, sharing how different companies are incorporating a variety of energy solutions work into their businesses. Then we can see how the next generation is using that information to create real changes for buildings on their campuses.”

More information about the 2012 Green Energy Challenge >>

Welcome to San Diego! Video Highlights – Day 1

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! >>

Stan Lazarian Wants YOU to Attend NECA’s First Energy Forum

When he’s not busy with his duties as NECA District 9 Vice President  and Chairman of NECA’s Energy Solutions Task Force, Stan Lazarian is running his company, Electric Service & Supply Co., in Pasadena, CA.  ESSCO was founded in 1949 by Stan’s father, Steve Lazarian, who had served as an electricians mate in the Navy during WWII. Throughout its history, ESSCO has performed a variety of construction projects including commercial, industrial and design build. A large percentage of ESSCO’s work has been public works contracting and public buildings.

But Lazarian is also looking towards the future of electrical contracting – and he sees energy efficiency and alternative energy moving from the industry’s fringes to its center.

“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,” he said.

Lazarian and members of the Energy Solutions Task Force proposed  a one-day event to introduce NECA contractors to the opportunities available in this growing market. The result is the NECA 2011 Energy Forum.

“As electrical contractors, we are each trying to determine what our place in the emerging alternative energy solutions market can and should be,” Lazarian said. “The Energy Forum can help NECA contractors answer some of those questions. We know there isn’t a single path of entry for all NECA members to pursue this work. But we also know that if we don’t begin immediately offering our expertise and services, our existing and potential customers will go elsewhere to get their renewable and energy-efficiency needs met.”

>> Learn more about the NECA 2011 Energy Forum and register now!

2nd Annual 2010 Green Energy Challenge Winner Announced!

The winners of the 2nd Annual Green Energy Challenge were announced yesterday at the NECA Student Chapter Summit. First-time participants from the Milwaukee School of Engineering were selected by the judges as the top winners of this year’s student design competition.

The entry from the University of Washington won second prize, and Youngstown State University came in third. The judges were effusive in their praise of all the teams innovative solutions and especially on their work with clients in their respective communities to determine their projects’ energy efficiency needs.

“This really is the absolute best experience for any student thinking about a career in electrical construction, or really any sort of electrical technology,” said judge Tim McBride, Southern Contracting, San Marcos, Calif. McBride’s company donated additional prize money for the finalist teams.

The Green Energy Challenge invites teams of students studying electrical construction, engineering, design and management to conduct an energy audit of a nearby commercial or institutional facility in need of energy-efficiency improvements. Based on their energy audit findings, teams then submit a preliminary design of an energy retrofit that could include alternative energy sources.

YSU student team member Brittany Stillwagon lead off the team’s presentation yesterday, describing their client’s energy needs and the retrofits the team recommended. “We really wanted to find solutions that fit M-7’s requirements and offered opportunities for integrated growth.” The YSU project focused on the M-7 Technologies manufacturing facility, which has significant energy demands in manufacturing and repairing large-scale industrial products through the application of advanced digital measurement equipment and database technology. The students devised a plan for M-7, which is located just a few miles off campus, that incorporated lighting retrofits along with new wind, photovoltaic and hydroelectric power systems.

Prizes, Prizes, PRIZES!

In addition to the usual fun stuff you find at the NECA Show, we’ve got some great speaking drawings and raffles this year. We’ll still have the daily drawings and grand prize drawing for the event, but there are some great chances to take some an awesome souvenir from the 2010 NECA Show!

ELECTRI International’s Talent Initiative for the flat-screen TVs in the fabulous Construction Zone networking lounge. You could be enjoying your next Red Sox game from the comfort of your living room on a brand-new television, plus your raffle ticket purchase will directly help NECA’s student chapter initiatives!

ECPAC will bring its popular regional meeting prize-raffle-with-your-contribution to NECA’s national convention for the first time. This year’s daily prize will be a new iPad, the hottest tech device going these days. Take advantage of BCEC’s wi-fi on your brand new iPad!

And there will be special games and prizes for making the rounds to all of NECA’s special Energy Solutions exhibitors. Just get your card stamped by these featured “green building” exhibitors to take advantage of these new opportunities – and you’ll probably see some of the coolest smart building products on the market.

The real prize hook-up will be the technical workshops, however. Panduit will also be giving away a raffle prize for attendees at their technical workshop, too. A brand new iPod Touch could be yours just for taking advantage of the great training offered at their session, Sunday, Oct. 3 at 3:30 p.m. on Next Generation GBPS Network.

Osram Sylvania will be raffling off a  32 inch Sylvania flat screen TV at their technical workshop, Energy Saving Fluorescent Lighting Systems Technology Update, on Monday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m.

And finally, we just learned that High Voltage will be giving away an Amazon Kindle Electronic Book Reader with Wi-Fi & 3G connectivity, that will be given away during the following Technical Workshop, Very Low Frequency (VLF) AC Cable Testing, on Monday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m.

Prizes plus education … a winning combination at the 2010 NECA Show!