NECA Convention 2009 Seattle: The Blog

NECA will kick off its 2011 Convention and Trade Show in San Diego with an all-new, one-day Energy Forum for the electrical construction industry on Saturday, Oct. 22. Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, will open the symposium with a keynote address, followed by panel and roundtable discussions on how electrical contractors can best help their customers meet their energy needs.

“Electrical contractors are the vital link between energy-efficient technology and cost-efficient construction,” said Stan Lazarian, President, Electric Service & Supply Co., Pasadena, Ca., 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.

Making sense of the range of opportunities in green energy will be the focus of NECA’s inaugural Energy Forum. Speakers and session leaders will discuss the many ways electrical contractors can enter this market and what questions they need to ask before doing so.

In addition to Jon Wellinghoff, Energy Forum participants will hear from industry on energy economic modeling, the electric vehicle market, and innovative energy storage technology. The 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?

NECA’s Energy Forum will be held at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 22, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The cost is $129 for NECA members attending the 2011 Convention and $249 for individual registrants.  Lunch will be provided, and Forum registrants are invited to the final judging of NECA’s Green Energy Challenge, the annual student chapter design competition, at the conclusion of the Energy Forum.  Register Now>>

The “Weekend Package” includes the Energy Forum on Sat., Oct. 22, and all Sunday, Oct. 23 events, including the  Opening General Session with General Stanley McChrystal, plus all management seminars and technical workshops, the grand opening of the NECA Show and the Showstopper Showcase, tradeshow lunch and Sunday daily prize tickets. For $100 more, weekender registrants can choose the package that also includes the Opening Reception on the USS Midway. Non-member pricing is also available; press and government employees can request complementary registration by emailing Beth Margulies,beth.margulies@necanet.org.

The three finalist teams from the University of Washington, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Youngstown State University are making their presentations for the final round of judging in the Green Energy Challenge at this very moment. The winner will be announced tomorrow at the NECA Student Chapter Summit. No word yet if last year’s winner University of Washington will be making a sweep, or if one of the two upstart teams will win this year.

by Russ Alessi, President, ELECTRI International

Competition is a great way to learn and focus student careers on electrical construction.  So it was a real a nail-biter when we convened the first round of judging for the Green Energy Challenge last month to select the three finalists teams that will present their designs at NECA 2010 Boston.

Last year, University of Washington took first place. UW will be returning as a finalist this year, but they will be joined by two teams new to the competition — Milwaukee School of Engineering and Youngstown State University.  We had 13 teams enter the competition this year — nearly double the number of teams that entered the 2009 Green Energy Challenge!

Teams were asked to conduct an energy audit of a local a manufacturing facility. They had to do provide information for everything from a PV analysis to a financing plan.

It’s so great to see the kind of work and attention to detail that the students put into their reports. I am fortunate to get to see first hand what kind of talent we have entering the industry.

Now that we know who the three finalists will be, I can hardly wait to hear what they have to share about their projects in Boston. The suspense and enthusiasm is great for the industry. I hope you’ll make plans to hear what these talented young people are planning for their future in it!

2010 Green Energy Challenge Finalists’ Presentations
Saturday, October 2
2 p.m.
Room 52A and B, BCEC

Following presentations from the three Green Energy Challenge finalist teams yesterday, the entry from the NECA student chapter at the University of Washington was selected as the winner. The results were announced at the NECA Student Chapter Summit today.

Oregon State University placed second, and The Pennsylvania State University was third.

UW team leader Joey Berger was also recognized for his excellent presentation skills.

“I have a great deal of admiration for all the work the student teams put into their projects,” said Challenge juror Tim Ehmann, a senior project manager with Rochester Solar Technologies. “They brought a fresh perspective to some of the major work going on in electrical construction today.”

A full report of the Green Energy Challenge submissions will be available from ELECTRI International soon. More information about the Green Energy Challenge can be found on NECA’s website.