30 Nov, 2008
Turner's Green Survey
The headline on the item (on the Building Design & Construction site) says "Turner: Credit Market Not Likely to Affect Plans for Green Buildings." But I've read the item three times now, and I can't find where the research says that, or where the quotes from Turner itself specifically make that claim.
30 Nov, 2008
Greenwashing: UL Enters Fray
30 Nov, 2008
Buffett's $37B Bet
Does anyone know what happens in 14 years? NO. But a new possibility (new info to me) is that Berkshire Hathaway will have to pony up $37B in 14 years due to the sale of a naked put . . . which I would call the ulitimate standard stupid derivative.
The logic is as follow:
All humans are imperfect.
Warren Buffett is a human.
Warren Buffett is imperfect.
Warren Buffett is a human.
Warren Buffett is imperfect.
30 Nov, 2008
Retail Blogger On Panic
30 Nov, 2008
Inflation Is The Threat
30 Nov, 2008
Could GE's Stock Collapse?
However, this article (with the title, "Could Ge Collapse?") is a rational, logical exploration of the very real possibility that this company could have a serious struggle ahead of it.
Wow!
30 Nov, 2008
Solar Trickle-Charging
Having experienced a dead battery in your vehicle is surely one of life’s moments where nearly all drivers know. The Coleman Solar Battery Charger will help prevent that from happening, sending a “trickle” charge to the battery as long as it feeds on sunlight. Just make sure you place it in a strategic spot.
(More)
28 Nov, 2008
Sprinklers In Homes: Code Appeal
28 Nov, 2008
8 Neat 'Best Practices'
Pay Techs for Being on Time
Liberty Bell Alarm & Home Theater was having a problem with its 20
technicians being tardy in the morning and with productivity being down.
The problem is made worse when you have two-man crews and one guy is on time, being paid, waiting for his partner.
Its solution is to pay technicians a $1 per hour bonus for being on time for the daily 7 a.m. meeting and for being out the door with the trucks fully loaded by 7:30 a.m.
This has resulted in productivity being way up.
(More)
The problem is made worse when you have two-man crews and one guy is on time, being paid, waiting for his partner.
Its solution is to pay technicians a $1 per hour bonus for being on time for the daily 7 a.m. meeting and for being out the door with the trucks fully loaded by 7:30 a.m.
This has resulted in productivity being way up.
28 Nov, 2008
PoE & Industrial Ethernet
IP convergence will drive Industrial
Ethernet from the enterprise to the factory floor. PoE is ready to be
introduced across the complete Industrial Ethernet. PoE+ removes the
power restriction on Industrial Ethernet controllers and network
topologies. In the future, Industrial Ethernet will migrate farther
down to the Fieldbus device level. PoE can only strengthen Industrial
Ethernet, positioning it to become the leading industrial network
standard.
28 Nov, 2008
Generating Power In The Gym
The concept is simple - you get rewarded for helping us make electricity and reduce our usage!
Every hour spent on Team Dynamo, a Spin Bike, or on a treadmill in Powerless Mode earns you a dollar.
Each time you earn $10, you'll get a gift certificate for products. For now, you'll be able to use it to buy a Green Microgym water bottle or T-shirt or Food at The Black Cat Cafe.
Every hour spent on Team Dynamo, a Spin Bike, or on a treadmill in Powerless Mode earns you a dollar.
Each time you earn $10, you'll get a gift certificate for products. For now, you'll be able to use it to buy a Green Microgym water bottle or T-shirt or Food at The Black Cat Cafe.
28 Nov, 2008
Coal Power Plant Cancellations
Between 2000 and 2006, over 150 coal plant proposals were fielded by
utilities in the United States. By the end of 2007, 10 of those
proposed plants had been constructed, and an additional 25 plants were
under construction. But during 2007 a large number of proposed plants
were cancelled, abandoned, or put on hold: 59 according to the list
below. Several conclusions can be drawn from this tally.
28 Nov, 2008
Copper Depression
Along those lines, TEDMAG.com recently posted Copper Depression, a look at market developments, including what's happened to copper ("the metal with a Ph.D. in economics") -- and much more.
26 Nov, 2008
Home Builders & Twitter
Twitter provides an easy, quick, and low-cost way to deliver both broad and narrow messages to customers, builders say.
That’s the allure of Twitter to Pulte, which is experimenting with the approach with its Chicago Del Webb and Pulte brand offerings. “How else can you speak to so many people for so few dollars?” asks Chris Naatz, vice president of sales and marketing for Pulte Homes in Illinois, who is working with the DC Interactive Group n Elgin, Ill., on Twitter and other social media outreach such as Facebook, blogs, and more. “It allows us to do targeted messages to buyers who like bike paths or want a playground in their community—narrow niches that we would otherwise miss” with traditional media because running an ad aimed at small numbers of people would not be cost-effective.
It also helps builders educate their buyers about the housing market in general and their product offerings in particular. Pulte, for example, recently posted tweets about the economy (“The Fed cut a key short-term interest rate by a half percentage point today. Find out what it means for you.”) as well as Pulte-specific information (“Take a look at this newly constructed, 1,981 sq. ft., 3-bedroom, end-unit townhome in North Chicagoland”). Meritage Homes and Lennar often post updates about sales specials or promotions happening in various markets.
If you click over, be sure to page to the bottom, a list of Twitters to Watch and "other housing-related Twitter users."26 Nov, 2008
Canadian Code News
26 Nov, 2008
GreenBuild 2008 Coverage
26 Nov, 2008
Initiative Against Counterfeit Products
26 Nov, 2008
Movement On EVs
There's more going on. Here's a DOE write-up of recent stuff.
Also: Another DOE news item (with many embedded links) talks about EVs and hybrids at the L.A. Auto Show.
26 Nov, 2008
China Power Use Plummets
The graph above came from U.S. Global Investors (I found it via the weekly Investment Postcards post). It's about CHINA. It means something, don't you think?
(More)
26 Nov, 2008
Construction Rebound?
The construction industry, beset by one of the biggest drops in employment in the current economic downturn, could be poised for a rebound under President-elect Barack Obama's expected stimulus package.
Mr. Obama hasn't offered details, but anticipating a surge in public-works spending, investors bid up construction and engineering stocks URS Corp., a San Francisco-based engineering and construction company, rose 34%, global giant Fluor Corp. rose nearly 17% and Granite Construction Inc., a domestic engineering company, rose 22%.
Steven Fisher, an equity analyst for UBS in New York, said that 11 engineering firms he tracks had lost, on average, two-thirds of their market value this year through Friday as big construction projects were delayed due to state and local budget concerns. But Monday, share prices for that group rose by an average of 16%, far outperforming the broader market.
and thisFrom highways to schools, state and local governments have been
postponing approved construction projects in recent months. Assured
funding would jump-start these projects. The American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials, a group of state and local
government officials, has a list of 3,109 "ready-to-go" highway
projects that could break ground in 30 days to 90 days worth $18.4
billion.
25 Nov, 2008
Emergency Lighting Article
Hines has a P.E. and a LEED AP after his name. Maybe this is worth your time!
25 Nov, 2008
S&S Electric
25 Nov, 2008
Coal Ban
In a major win for environmentalists, the U.S. EPA's Environmental
Appeals Board handed down a landmark decision on Thursday that
essentially puts a freeze on the construction of as many as 100 new
coal-fired power plants around the U.S.
Certainly, this is NOT an unmixed blessing. I count myself as a tree-hugger, so I feel like celebrating this move. On the other hand, I've done enough reading to feel that I know that we're going to need MORE power plants, and coal's cheap . . . so there's another feeling stimulated by this, and it adds to the gloom one might feel right now about the nation's future prospects.
25 Nov, 2008
Iceland
Easy access to 100% mortgages has seen a chance to the traditional pattern of young Icelanders living with their parents until their mid-20s. The suburbs of Reykjavik have grown by one-third in the past decade. New streets house young couples, many with children, most with two cards in the drive and furnished with the best that Ikea can provide. All bought with 100% loans, many in foreign currencies.
So, for the record: The financial insanity that struck the American population was not, it seems certain, unique to this country.
25 Nov, 2008
Shorter Showers
"If you sing in the shower, choose shorter songs."
25 Nov, 2008
Crippling Power Outages?
22 Nov, 2008
Industrial Ethernet
. . . these are the key elements that make TIA-1005 truly a design for the factory environment, where TIA-568-B is not:
Allows for 2-pair cabling systems;
- Defines an automation island;
- Defines automation outlets, cables;
- States that Category 6 or better cabling be used for the automation islands; and
- Defines environmental concerns in concrete terms with MICE tables (referenced in TIA-568-C).
The draft standards proposal ballot recently passed final review and will be released in 2009, which means plant engineers, automation professionals and electricians can expect a new tool for creating an interoperable infrastructure for voice and data communications cabling in manufacturing environments.
If you have something to do with factory Ethernet, you probably should read it.
22 Nov, 2008
Automation Fair Stuff
ControlGlobal.com offered "live" coverage from the event. It's stuff available.
Rockwell emitted a release on the thing.
The press room on the Automation Fair site offers "stuff," including a downloadable video.
22 Nov, 2008
GLOOMINESS & Worse
McGraw-Hill's monthly report for November (on October -- ignore the headline, which says September, and is an error). See the table on the bottom. Key facts:
Reed Construction Data's November newsletter ALSO has a 15% down number for total construction in the year's first 10 months.
The "work on the boards" numbers from the architects are out, in the AIA's 11/21 weekly newsletter. Ooooff, are these BAD BAD mega-awful-horrible.
OK. Assuming you're not suicidal, here's another thing: A column I just wrote, which posted this past week to TEDMAG.com, says the Dow Jones index is gonna hit 4,300.
1. Down 15% overall.
2. Nonresidential FLAT. I went back and checked; 5 months ago (in the report for May), nonresidential was up 13% for the year's first 5 months.
2. Nonresidential FLAT. I went back and checked; 5 months ago (in the report for May), nonresidential was up 13% for the year's first 5 months.
Reed Construction Data's November newsletter ALSO has a 15% down number for total construction in the year's first 10 months.
The "work on the boards" numbers from the architects are out, in the AIA's 11/21 weekly newsletter. Ooooff, are these BAD BAD mega-awful-horrible.
1. First, unlike the MHC and RCD numbers above, this is a look-ahead thing. Means things are gonna be worse.
2. The AIA's index dropped BIGTIME. Means things are gonna be a lot worse.
3. The subindex on "inquiries" took a BIG hit, too. Means things could be even worser.
2. The AIA's index dropped BIGTIME. Means things are gonna be a lot worse.
3. The subindex on "inquiries" took a BIG hit, too. Means things could be even worser.
OK. Assuming you're not suicidal, here's another thing: A column I just wrote, which posted this past week to TEDMAG.com, says the Dow Jones index is gonna hit 4,300.
22 Nov, 2008
CEDIA Chair Is An EC
And judging by this website, Erdmann Electric is an electrical contractor (with a heritage going back to 1916).
So: The contention I've been making (since the early 1990s) that electrical contractors CAN play a key role in the home automation, networking, home entertainment, etc., etc., etc. and etc. markets . . . may have actually been correct!!!
20 Nov, 2008
Occ Sensor Commissioning
20 Nov, 2008
Wind Status Report
20 Nov, 2008
Automation & Electronics
M2M and A&E signed a deal that will see the contractor supply hardware to M2M "used for the monitoring and management of remote assets." A&E also will do installation and integration.
Note: M2M means "machine to machine." M2M is one of the next BIG THINGS -- see M2M magazine (which has nothing to do with the company referenced above).
20 Nov, 2008
Saving Watts - Computers
Discovery: A program called "ondemand" was designed to save power "by checking the computers CPU for activity and reducing power consumption when activity was low.
SOUNDS like a good idea, doesn't it. Nope.
"The researchers discovered that it was contacting the CPU several hundred times a second, which was enough to make the CPU more active than it would have been without ondemand running at all."
In other words, the software that was meant to save energy was "actually wasting power."
Jeepers!
20 Nov, 2008
Kill Watts @ Lunch!!!
20 Nov, 2008
China & Green Energy
The article, dated 8/1, claimed that China "is poised to lead world production of solar cells, wind power turbines, and low-carbon energy technology" and that the country "is already the world's largest renewable-energy producer as measured by installed generating capacity . . . is also the world's top manufacturer of solar cells" and, by the end of 2009, will be "the leading exporter of wind turbines."
In searching for it, I found this on Wikipedia -- "Renewable Energy in China." It's actually a more comprehensive read than the Bloomberg.com article.
20 Nov, 2008
Electrical Specs & Sustainability
Most electrical construction materials, however, have not kept up with
the greening of the industry. While electrical engineers and
contractors may approach projects with sustainable design directives
and construction methods, many of the materials they specify have not
been created with sustainability in mind. Unfortunately, there’s little
incentive to do so: LEED guidelines, for example, do not include
electrical (or mechanical) recycled materials as part of the
calculation to achieve points in that category. As a result, product
manufacturers have not felt the pressure from the industry to create
earth-friendly alternatives.
AND
Another example: On the surface, fluorescent and HID lighting are
clearly more sustainable choices over incandescent lamps for their
longer life and energy-saving characteristics. However, fluorescent and
HID lamps contain mercury that’s harmful to the environment and
challenging to recycle. In fact, there is only one fluorescent lamp
recycling company in Washington state.
It's worth your time to read the entire thing.
19 Nov, 2008
GE Wind Delivery Delays
``We haven't seen any cancellations but we have had discussions with some customers on the financial situation,'' said Steve Bolze, who runs GE's power and water unit, in a telephone interview today from Belfort, France. ``Some are looking for delays in delivery because there may be some uncertainty about renewable energy incentives or questions about how they will get financing for projects.''
That's from a Bloomberg news item (today).
18 Nov, 2008
Where Do The Cables Go?
18 Nov, 2008
Seniors + 'Connected Care'
18 Nov, 2008
Videos From The Solar Show
Day One -- http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53857
Day Two -- http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53867
Solar Perspectives Roundtable -- http://blogs.renewableenergyworld.com/solarpower/ -- there are MORE videos on this page, on which you'll find the REW blog from the event.
18 Nov, 2008
Lighting & Jet Lag
Among the amenities in Westin's Concept Room are Philips’
new blue-light ActiViva lamps, which provide phototherapy and help
people feel more alert, awake and energized. (In Philips’ field tests,
participants reported an increase of 10 percent or more in their
performance after using these lamps, the company says.)
18 Nov, 2008
Eliminating Wires For Lighting
Imagine, if you will, the ability to eliminate home-runs, circuits,
panels, j-boxes, and time and installation costs. What does that do to
the first cost of building a new building?
Recent accounting examples demonstrated by the DOE state that if done properly, it equates to a first-cost savings of 40%. Continuing this train of thought, what if the need to rewire for moves, adds, and changes disappears altogether — what’s that value equate to in terms of costs? What’s that value equate to in terms of time and savings?
The deep-dive realization that comes to mind in choosing a wireless lighting control system is that wiring a building based on traditional home-runs can be eliminated.
Recent accounting examples demonstrated by the DOE state that if done properly, it equates to a first-cost savings of 40%. Continuing this train of thought, what if the need to rewire for moves, adds, and changes disappears altogether — what’s that value equate to in terms of costs? What’s that value equate to in terms of time and savings?
The deep-dive realization that comes to mind in choosing a wireless lighting control system is that wiring a building based on traditional home-runs can be eliminated.
Bottom line: Reduced need for an electrician, at the beginning (in constructing the building) -- and especially over time.
17 Nov, 2008
Presentations - IEC Convention
17 Nov, 2008
LED Lighting
17 Nov, 2008
Rosendin's Wind Work
Why that's important:
1. Hey, it's an electrical contractor with a Wind Division. There probably are a few of those, but not many (at least, not yet).
2. Rosendin in 2007 was the 4th-largest (in sales volume) electrical contractor in the U.S., according to Engineering-News Record, with $554 million in sales (up 51%).
2. Rosendin in 2007 was the 4th-largest (in sales volume) electrical contractor in the U.S., according to Engineering-News Record, with $554 million in sales (up 51%).
The article from which the wind # came, by Jim Hawk, EVP of pre-construction services, also included this: "More and more projects we bid have a goal of Silver, Goal, or Platinum LEED certification."
17 Nov, 2008
Group Promotes DC Power
17 Nov, 2008
Solar Deal
First Solar (traded on NASDAQ -- FSLR) will put $25 million into SolarCity.
SolarCity will obtain 100 mW of modules over the next five years from First Solar.
SolarCity will obtain 100 mW of modules over the next five years from First Solar.
EleBlog take: All of the news isn't necessarily good. FSLR's stock price (according to Yahoo! Finance) closed out trading in the week of May 12 above $300. It poked its head above the $300 level in the first week of July. It closed @ $207 on Sept. 26. Last Friday (11/14) the final trade took place below $117.
17 Nov, 2008
One Opinion On Lighting Controls
For many engineers and building owners,
integrating lighting control with the BAS has been a game of chance
with very poor odds. Those disappointing results are supported by an
industry survey that reveals less than 6% of all BAS installations
include control lighting.
The primary reason for these meager results is fragmentation. Fragmentation in the field leads to the growth of uncertainty in the design and bid process. As the electrical contractors and BAS control contractors developed their bids, they were unlikely to know in advance which two systems would be awarded the contract. This uncertainty, which normally fostered the best deal for standalone systems, actually encouraged each participant to add a risk premium to their price to cover integration uncertainty costs.
AND, two paragraphs later (I've bolded the sticky part)
Using the Accountegration methodology of specification, the BAS control
contractor chooses a lighting control system proven to interoperate
with the existing equipment and includes that system in the bid,
effectively eliminating integration uncertainty. Likewise, the
electrical contractor develops his bid knowing that he is clearly
responsible for installing the lighting control system and ensuring
electrical power and connectivity to the lighting. The designer can
easily, confidently, and clearly specify that the lighting control
system is provided by the BAS control contractor and is installed by
the electrical contractor. The owner gets an integrated EMS that is
sustainable and maximizes the return on their investment.
17 Nov, 2008
Copper Price To Fall?
Copper is an indicator for the world economy and sets the pace for other industrial metals because an average 400 pounds (181 kilograms) are used in homes and 50 pounds in cars, according to the Copper Development Association. Prices collapsed after rising as high as $8,940 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange July 2. The International Monetary Fund in Washington said the U.S., Europe and Japan will fall into a recession simultaneously for the first time since World War II.
China is the key to commodity prices because the country is
the largest user of iron ore, aluminum, zinc and copper. The
nation's economy may grow 7.5 percent or less next year, Morgan
Stanley and Credit Suisse Group AG say. That would be the
slowest pace since 1990, data compiled by Bloomberg data show.
Demand from China helped copper prices more than double in
the past six years. Now, the price may fall 37 percent from the
Nov. 14 close to $2,400 a metric ton next year, said Andrew Keen, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. in London, the second
most-accurate forecaster in the weekly Bloomberg copper survey.
Explanation: A metric ton is 2,205 pounds. At $2,400 per MT, that drives copper's price below $1.10 per pound. Today's price is $1.60.
14 Nov, 2008
Energy Harvesting
Energy harvesting is an important emerging area of low power technology
that can provide energy not only for large-scale needs through wind and
solar systems, but also for smaller-scale needs such as sensor
networks, utilizing the vibrations inherent in structures, vehicles and
machinery to create power, or harvest energy, that can drive sensors
while eliminating the need for wires and batteries. For example,
Joule-Thief-enabled sensors could harvest energy from the rumbling
vibrations created by traffic on a bridge, then send that data from all
the wireless sensors on the bridge to a collection point where it would
be analyzed to monitor structural soundness.
It's a simple idea; Harvest energy from a structure's vibrations.
14 Nov, 2008
Copper Theft Video
14 Nov, 2008
Eco-Club
The dance floor is designed to harness the energy of the people
stomping on it based on a principle called piezoelectricity. Piezo,
Greek for pressure, uses crystals or other materials that, when
compressed, give off a small amount of voltage. So as clubbers dance on
the spring-lined floor, the crystal blocks beneath it acquire a charge
and generate a current that can charge nearby batteries.
14 Nov, 2008
Efficiency As Advantage
14 Nov, 2008
Wachter Uses BIM
-- "cut time in the field by 60% by pairing BIM with . . . [a system in which] the contractor prefabricates materials for delivery to the jobsite."
AND
BIM "furthers [Watchter's] focus on becoming a more sustainable business. More accurate dimensions mean less waste. Employees also use laptops on-site to access plans" (instead of paper blueprints).
14 Nov, 2008
100 Years
Today, Kelso-Burnett has four offices in the Chicago metro and 400+ employees. According to the story, there is an ESOP, with 65 employee owners in possession of 79% of the company.
14 Nov, 2008
Feeding Cable Thru Walls
07 Nov, 2008
Rifkin Speaks
I regretted coming in late. I missed all kinds of context. What I heard was interesting, but it was like watching the last five pitches of an 11-8 baseball game!
Fortunately, the GridWeek sponsors have posted a 17-page white paper by the way, "Leading The Way To The Third Industrial Revolution and a New Distributed Social Vision for the World in the 21st Century."
Yeah, it's a long title, and 17 pages isn't a brief! I've had this in my reading pile, and haven't gotten to it. So -- here it is, untarnished by an EleBlog take. I don't necessarily agree with Rifkin on everything (I've heard him speak and read his stuff b4) -- but -- he's got a brain between his ears, and it's going to be worth reading what he had to say on this subject, and thinking about it.
07 Nov, 2008
Schools, USGBC + Hillary
"Top 10 No-Cost Ways to Lower Your School's Utility Bills" -- held yesterday, 11/6.
"Top 10 Low-Cost Ways to Lower....." -- to be held 12/3
"Top 10 Investments to Lower....." -- set for 1/21/09.
Why send out a release 11/5 on a webinar to be held the next day? I don't know. The first one was free. The next two cost $15 each ($10 each if you are a member of USGBC). See the info here.
07 Nov, 2008
Did U Know About Juneau?
. . . electricity customers suddenly faced a 500 percent
rate increase. That got their attention, according to Jason McLennan,
CEO of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council.
“It was a big social experiment in change,” said McLennan, who spoke last week at the Northwest Construction Consumer Council’s annual conference in Seattle. “People began turning off lights and unplugging items such as TV’s when not in use. They began looking at how to use energy differently.”
As the cost of electricity rose in Juneau, so did sales of clothespins and compact fluorescent bulbs. The Juneau “experiment” shows that people can quickly change behavior, especially when there is an economic incentive.
The bulk of the article is about "building greener," by the way.07 Nov, 2008
Conference Room Considerations
His August NL included these "Ten factors critical to conference room design" -- lots of ELECTRICAL/DATACOM stuff to think about here:
1. Large electrical floor boxes to accommodate both data and audiovisual connectivity
2. Conduit sized for HD video, audio and data cabling
3. Millwork designed to allow easy connection of microphones and computers to audiovisual presentation and conferencing systems
4. Enclosures for loudspeakers and projector cabling
5. Proper light for video conferencing
6. Acoustical treatment
7. Isolation from external noise
8. Control of mechanical noise levels
9. Mechanical systems designed to handle additional cooling requirements
10. Space allocated for audiovisual and conferencing equipment cabinets and racks Buildings (May 2008).
JEFF ADDED THIS (i.e., this is NOT from the EleBlog) -- I would like to add a few more key items to consider – drop-down projection screen, flexible dimmer switches for lighting, if interior glass, blinds if privacy is important. One of my clients just installed a very cool (and expensive) system where the conference doors and interior glass turn opaque at the flip of a switch, using some new technology that does something electronic to the molecules in the glass. Also, consider where to locate conference rooms to proximity of main reception (do you want visitors walking through your office space on the way to the meeting?), restrooms and coffee bar or lunchroom (closer is better unless you already have coffee-colored carpeting). Lastly, if you occasionally bring lunch in for conferences is there a set-up area for the caterer or a counter to put out the food?
07 Nov, 2008
Begley Jr. Goes Electrical
04 Nov, 2008
Utility Shutoffs
Digital meters allow power companies to do things remotely that previously required sending out work crews. For example, utilities can take meter readings wirelessly and switch a customer's power off or on without having to send a crew to a house. They also can use a "service limiter" feature to cut power flows to a trickle until customers pay up. Utilities are installing millions of these meters across the U.S.
Southern California Edison . . . currently disconnects late-paying customers owing as little as $30, but that could drop lower in the future. That usually would be a money-losing proposition, because it requires a crew to be sent out to disconnect service manually. But the company is in the process of installing 5.3 million digital meters, at a cost of $1.63 billion, which will allow remote, wireless shutoffs, making it economical to take action even for tiny amounts owed. In a recent filing with regulators it said it could adopt "rigid enforcement" of payment rules in the future for those owing less than $30. It hypothesized it could cut off an additional 129,000 people a year.
Lynda Ziegler, senior vice president of customer service at SoCal Edison, said the utility doesn't have enough wireless meters to support a policy change yet. She added that notification requirements mean it still could take nearly three months to sever a delinquent account. But she said the utility may seek authority from the Public Utilities Commission in the future to act more quickly or to convert certain customers to prepaid service because "one of the struggles people have is catching up when they get behind."
I've read a great deal about "the smart grid" and the first fruits of that these days -- automated meters. Here's a side I don't usually get to read much about: Turn-offs can be faster and made on those owing the utility VERY LOW AMOUNTS OF MONEY.Why is this good?
04 Nov, 2008
Unpaid Utility Bills
I found the article interesting for at least two reasons. Here's the first --
- - - - -
Electric power is NOT a "right," but it's pretty close to an essential. Think for a moment about the despair of the people who CAN'T afford to pay their electricity bills -- and go so far down the line that they have their power SHUT OFF by the local utility. This is happening. According to the article:
PPL Corp. of PA "increased shutoffs by 78% in the first three quarters of the year."
In Memphis, the city-owned utility (supplies electricity, natural gas, and water) "cut off 38% more people in the first eight months of the year , or 69,743 accounts." The city's population in 2007, according to the Census Bureau, was 674,000. Figure 2.2 people per household, and you've roughly 306,000 units. If my math is correct, that means shut-off orders went to maybe 20% of city households. I know, I know, that seems WILD. But that's the math.
"In New York, the amount of money utilities are owed or accounts at least 60 days past due, jumped 22%, to $611.3M in September."
"Michigan has experienced a nearly 39% increase in electricity disconnections this year."
Northeast Utilities has $15M in unpaid bills right now. At this time in 2006, the figure was $8M.
In Memphis, the city-owned utility (supplies electricity, natural gas, and water) "cut off 38% more people in the first eight months of the year , or 69,743 accounts." The city's population in 2007, according to the Census Bureau, was 674,000. Figure 2.2 people per household, and you've roughly 306,000 units. If my math is correct, that means shut-off orders went to maybe 20% of city households. I know, I know, that seems WILD. But that's the math.
"In New York, the amount of money utilities are owed or accounts at least 60 days past due, jumped 22%, to $611.3M in September."
"Michigan has experienced a nearly 39% increase in electricity disconnections this year."
Northeast Utilities has $15M in unpaid bills right now. At this time in 2006, the figure was $8M.
To me, this is a WOW when one talks about the economy. I knew things were bad, but I wasn't aware that they were this bad. Refer to the Memphis numbers above. Are things really that bad? Remember, we're not talking about skipping a few payments on a credit card here. To my way of thinking, there is no way one pays his/her mortgage and then lets the electricity get turned off. What's the point of being "home" . . . in the dark?
-- Find the WSJ article here.
04 Nov, 2008
Phone Seminar - Solar + NEC
The National Electrical Code® (NEC) is updated every
three years, most recently in 2008. States and local jurisdictions
change to new versions of the code on different schedules, but many are
now beginning to use the 2008 NEC, which contains a number of
updates related to proper installation of PV systems. During this
seminar, you will learn about changes in the 2008 NEC that relate to PV installations. John Wiles from New Mexico State University will lead the seminar.
THE THING IS FREE. I have to admit, from the promo, it's not clear how you register. But you can find out!
04 Nov, 2008
Solar Electricity
Even without all the new technologies coming online, the existing
equipment is highly reliable.
It’s been through 25+ years of field installation debugging so it’s just a matter of sizing the equipment for the home load and average sunlight.
It’s been through 25+ years of field installation debugging so it’s just a matter of sizing the equipment for the home load and average sunlight.
Hit the link and read what Evans has to say. He's talking to home automation installers, custom electronic design/installation firms, and networking company execs on the HomeToys.com site. What he says goes, too, for electrical contractors!
04 Nov, 2008
Green - Utilityish POV
Will green bring green returns?”Today, the sector is admittedly small, and fat with hype and fluff—the
numbers show that.
There was $5.18 billion in global investment in cleantech last year, according to the Cleantech Venture Network.
There was $4 billion in energy company research and development for last year.
There was $7.5 billion for the U.S. Federal government for 2007. T
here was a scattering of multibillion carbon hedge funds, with most green hedge funds relatively small. And the list goes on. While carbon trading reached $64 billion last year, those are not investment dollars. I size the market at around $25 billion and growing.
One major uplift in the market last week was the extension of the ITC for solar for eight years. That gives renewables a longer-term runway in the United States, finally. One analyst stated that this stroke of the pen created a $500 billion solar industry in America.
NOTE: "ITC" = investment tax credit (federal), extended for 8 years in the same legislation that created the $700B bailout fund. There was $5.18 billion in global investment in cleantech last year, according to the Cleantech Venture Network.
There was $4 billion in energy company research and development for last year.
There was $7.5 billion for the U.S. Federal government for 2007. T
here was a scattering of multibillion carbon hedge funds, with most green hedge funds relatively small. And the list goes on. While carbon trading reached $64 billion last year, those are not investment dollars. I size the market at around $25 billion and growing.
One major uplift in the market last week was the extension of the ITC for solar for eight years. That gives renewables a longer-term runway in the United States, finally. One analyst stated that this stroke of the pen created a $500 billion solar industry in America.
Fusaro also references "the need for $2 trillion in energy and water infrastructure" in the piece. It's short (not necessarily sweet) -- worth your time.
04 Nov, 2008
Contracting -- How It Works
A potent combination.
Here's a slice from the recent conference, which printed out @ 14 pages single-spaced -- found here at SeekingAlpha.com:
EMCOR is in the business of charging a premium for sophisticated
technical services and most of the customers who will pay us for those
services in a way that would enable us to gain a profit on our major
product, which is trained technical labor . . .
He went on from there to talk about parts of the world. But that short sentence is the essence of how an electrical contractor SHOULD see his/her/its business.
- - - - -
There was another part that was interesting -- an answer from Tony Guzzi, president.
in 2002 about 35% of our profits came from New York City and if you
took the broader north east, it did approach 40, 45%. Today, although
still very important to us, New York City is less than 10% of our
profits. Now, one is our base has grown and the characteristics of our
New York City business has changed, especially it was very data com and
focused on the telecom part of that very extensively back then.
- - - - -
Incidentally, EMCOR stock (symbol EME) seems like a screaming bargain to me. The company has very little debt and no pressing need to borrow (which is very good right now, isn't it?). It has an established business. It has a big backlog. Very little of its core business (if any) can be moved off-shore. When you talk about "outsourcing" . . . well, EMCOR is in the outsourcing business!
According to Yahoo! Finance, EMCOR closed yesterday at $17.58, about half of its all-time high. At the nine-month mark, the company's earnings were $1.82 per share. It's possible the earnings will be around $2.40/share when the year ends, or thereabouts . . . which means it's trading at a price-earnings ratio of 7x. With almost no debt.
- - - - -
. . . SO WHY DON'T YOU BUY IT, JOE? I have a rule against buying the stock of companies I have to write about. It's a rule I've stuck with. No one imposes it on me, I do it to myself. It's simple common sense -- how can anyone reading anything I write put any credence in what I say if I'm enthusiastic not about a company, or a simple industry trend . . . but my investments?
03 Nov, 2008
Factory-Built Schools
I don't know.
Here's a story from Seattle -- "Factory-Built Schools Save Money." The folks quoted in the article (and the woman who wrote it) are at pains to differentiate "modular" schools from those miserable portable classrooms which have sprung up in many places --
"I love it," said Warden Superintendent Sandra Sheldon, after touring the secondary campus Friday. "The thing that's really hard to express to people unless they see it, is that it's modular, but it's not like the old portables. Everybody thinks of modular as the old portables and everyone knows that's not the best teaching space."
When designing the schools, Marysville administrators tried to create spaces that didn't seem like manufactured housing. One-third of the public school students in Marysville attend class in the district's 110 portables, said Jim Baker, executive director of finance. Administrators wanted the secondary campus to feel different, he said.
They upgraded from the standard materials and designed portables that fit together to make schools with open spaces, bathrooms and locker rooms. The four buildings on the campus are made up of a total of more than 200 portables. Like traditional schools, they are expected to last 30 years before they need a major renovation, Baker said.
03 Nov, 2008
Greenwash Columns - U.K.
On clean coal:
This phrase "clean coal" has developed a life of its own thanks to
remorseless commercial propagandising. This year a coalition of US coal
mining companies and electricity utilities called Americans for
Balanced Energy Choices (and recently renamed the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity)
is paying the advertising agency R&R Partners $35m (£22m) to
promote "clean coal" through advertising and other promotional activity.
On green electricity: . . . we are usually subsidising the power companies to do
what they are required by law to do already. Worse, despite us paying
through our green noses, they still can't meet their targets. Then they
rub our noses in it by selling what "green electricity" they do produce
over and over again.
This is all within the law, of course. But that is because the government's green laws are a mess. In many cases, buying green electricity is not so much greenwash as a full-scale green con.
This is all within the law, of course. But that is because the government's green laws are a mess. In many cases, buying green electricity is not so much greenwash as a full-scale green con.
Pearce's comments are specific to Britain, which is appropriate, of course. But they are sharp and, in the EleBlog's judgment, mostly correct. I provided the link above to the "Pearce" page on the Guardian site - so, if you are of a mind, you can go back and follow what this fellow has to say in the future.
03 Nov, 2008
Power Quality Q+A
These problems can manifest themselves in many ways - a really common
way is the circuit breaker that trips occasionally but there doesn’t
appear to be a clear reason why it happened. Another example is where a
particular piece of equipment keeps failing, you might suspect the
equipment is faulty and replace it only to have another failure. And a
particularly annoying symptom is where equipment resets and causes a
process failure.
These are just a few of the symptoms, there might be other variations of these that aren’t clearly recognized as being caused by poor power quality.
These are just a few of the symptoms, there might be other variations of these that aren’t clearly recognized as being caused by poor power quality.
03 Nov, 2008
Economy Is Sound?
I'll take Jack's word for it.
McCausland says McCain was right (in his inane, stupid, and WRONG comments on 9/15) -- that the fundamentals of the U.S. economy are strong. There's more to it, which you can read here.
EleBlog take:
1. The economy has been weak all year -- that's why unemployment rose in every report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics during calendar 2008. What makes that more important is that BLS overestimates the employment numbers. I don't believe you can trust government figures on unemployment, inflation, or GDP. In the case of 2008 unemployment figures, I believe the situation is A LOT WORSE. Where's the "fundamental strength" in that?
2. Our economy -- other than the export end -- has grown from the 1990s to today on the back of one heck of a lot of debt, especially consumer debt. I think you can (and should) make a serious case that the "fundamentals" of an economy that uses excessive amounts of debt to grow are Seriously HORRIBLE.
3. What's worse is that we're not going to see that kind of consumer debt growth in the future. People will have to save money. That will take a huge bite out of demand. Fundamentally, that's GOING to make us strong. But at this moment, the fact that folks will have to cut back and save will NOT make us strong.
2. Our economy -- other than the export end -- has grown from the 1990s to today on the back of one heck of a lot of debt, especially consumer debt. I think you can (and should) make a serious case that the "fundamentals" of an economy that uses excessive amounts of debt to grow are Seriously HORRIBLE.
3. What's worse is that we're not going to see that kind of consumer debt growth in the future. People will have to save money. That will take a huge bite out of demand. Fundamentally, that's GOING to make us strong. But at this moment, the fact that folks will have to cut back and save will NOT make us strong.
McCausland's comments, as quoted by Keough, slam various people in the investment community (and you'll probably agree with him). I'm not here to defend those stinkers. That's not the point. McCausland says folks who predict a depression are wrong.
I'm not sure we're going to have a depression. But I am certain that we have a fundamentally WEAK economy, we had one before these idiots began monkeying around on Wall Street, and that what they have done is going to make us weaker. If you've been following what the U.S. government is doing with billions of your tax dollars -- in shoring up AIG, bailing out Fannie Mae + Freddie Mac, pumping money into the money-market fund industry and backstopping the commercial paper market -- it's all about transitioning the country to a future in which Borrowing Survives.
I don't think it will work. But the fact that there has been so much stress on making sure we can take on more debt should tell you something. These are not the actions of a country that is fundamentally strong, economically or any other way.
03 Nov, 2008
2 Economists From NAHB Event
You can find a summary of what they said here.
Anger? Yes. see this EleBlog post from 8/3/08, in which I noted that a Fannie Mae economist -- speaking at a previous fall NAHB forecast conference -- had titled his presentation "Housing Prices -- Is There A Bubble?"
The guy said there wasn't. The year was 2002.
03 Nov, 2008
Financial Crisis + Electricity
Someone has to finance it. Who?
Exactly how much is it going to cost? Here's a 4/21/08 press release that claims "growing demand will require investment on the order of $1.5 trillion between now and 2030." That's not an estimate for global costs. Read into the short release, however, and you see an estimate that "transmission and distribution together will require nearly $900B by 2030, under current trends and policies."
$900B over 22 years. That's $41B a year -- sustained, year after year, for two decades. I'm not sure this was likely before the financial crisis hit, but it sure seems a lot less likely at this minute.
02 Nov, 2008
The Connected Kitchen
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) — Radio-frequency identification enables various products to “talk” to each other and share information.
- Touchscreen Computers — Computers with touchscreen control
capabilities give home owners easy and convenient access to information
from their kitchen counter or table.
- Westinghouse PT-16H610S Flip LCD — This and similar high
definition televisions are designed to be installed on kitchen
countertops or to hang beneath kitchen cabinets. This particular model
can swivel 180 degrees, has built-in speakers, weighs 7.7 pounds and
can display photos.
- Whirlpool Centralpark Refrigerator — Featuring a Wifi
digital photo frame, iPod dock, hidden power port and
Internet-connectivity, this refrigerator not only can eliminate the
clutter of refrigerator magnets, it can upload and display photos and
recipes and enable home owners to enjoy daily weather, sports and news
updates with their morning coffee.
- Concierge Services — AMX, Crestron, Control4 and Criteria
are connected products that enable home owners to order concierge
services, such as ordering groceries or making restaurant reservations,
or having a car waiting or washed. Concierge services are becoming
popular in communities with multi-dwelling units.
- Miele's RemoteVision — This module features a small chip
with wireless WLAN technology that can link appliances to a monitoring
center that can notify the home owner via e-mail, a text message or
phone call ― when the refrigerator is open, the oven is on or other
mishaps.
- TMIO Intelligent Oven — This oven can be controlled remotely over the Internet and has the capabilities to keep food refrigerated during the day and enable the home owners to start cooking it before they get home.
02 Nov, 2008
Smart Kitchens
v A digital calendar. A calendar on a large screen that is easy to see and use and can be accessed remotely.
v A recipe-projection system. A wireless system that allows a cook to ask for a recipe or look one up online and have it projected onto a surface in the kitchen.
v Energy monitoring and control, so the homeowner can monitor peak energy use, diagnose waste and calculate costs.
v Home control, a system that manages heating, cooling and security.
v Universal charging station. Enough said.
v Wireless access. Nearly half of the respondents who were remodeling their homes said they will use a computer in the kitchen.
02 Nov, 2008
Cable Extraction
The Kabel-X system injects a proprietary fluid through a length of coax; the company will not disclose the chemical makeup except to say it’s not hazardous material. That breaks down the inner dielectric insulation material underneath the outer metallic shield, and allows the inner portion of the cable to be extracted.
“This was designed to find a pathway for fiber without tearing up streets or yards,” said Darin Clause, Kabel-X USA’s executive vice president in charge of sales and marketing.
Kabel-X USA claims the system can extract 600 to 1,000 feet of coaxial core in two or three hours, with a three- or four-person crew. It works on direct buried, ducted underground and aerial cable, according to the company. New cable or fiber can be blown through every 600 to 1,000 feet using separate equipment.
02 Nov, 2008
Wood As Fuel
There were 196 wood burning electricity plants in the United States as
of January 2007, including 72 with 40 megawatt capacity or larger,
according to the Department of Energy. The bulk of today's wood power
comes from plants that mainly serve the onsite lumber or paper mills
that supply their fuel.
02 Nov, 2008
Electrical Testing - 10 Dumb Things
02 Nov, 2008
System Integration
Service and repair companies have started offering pre-installation as well as post-installation assistance. Software houses, especially programmable logic control (PLC) programmers, are installing hardware, while panel builders are moving into the programming business. Some electrical contractors who have traditionally run the wires and hooked up the electrical equipment specified in the project's design have also begun building the required control panels, too.
Why? The reasons vary, but most relate to better serving a client's needs or providing more competitive pricing. Most distributors and panel builders have engineers on staff anyway, so with some additional training and specialized equipment, it's relatively easy to get into the system integration business for clients who want to outsource their automation projects to a single company.
Conversely, traditional system integrators have typically subcontracted their control-panel work to independent panel builders. When business is steady, many integrators establish or acquire their own in-house panel shops to profit from the extra work and reduce the overhead for the project. Lower overhead often translates into lower costs for the client.
01 Nov, 2008
Technology + Senior Housing
An article on the National Real Estate Investor magazine site talks about what's going on at the MIT AgeLab and the U. of Southern California. Among other stuff in here:
" . . . the Wii video game system, a useful and fun way to engage residents in activities."
"Sensors strategicalliy placed in the corners of a room" can track the movements of residents [with dementia] who tend to wander."
"High-resolution video conferences will enable the family [of a resident] and building staff to make decisions together about resident care."
"Sensors strategicalliy placed in the corners of a room" can track the movements of residents [with dementia] who tend to wander."
"High-resolution video conferences will enable the family [of a resident] and building staff to make decisions together about resident care."
There's also stuff about a smart spoon, a smart shirt, and a robot that interacts with senior housing residents.
01 Nov, 2008
Green & Insurance Companies
In reading the thing, I became award of Green-Gard, a risk management program from Fireman's Fund for existing buildings. It's explained on this web page.
EleBlog take: Interesting concept. If the building owner obtains a premium discount on "certified green building coverage," he/she/it gets an additional return on the initial investment in the expense of "greening" an existing building.
ALSO OF NOTE: On slide #3, Cohen says that "the biggest risk of all" for the owner of an existing building in NOT going green is -- ob? By 2010, he said, there will be 100,000 LEED-certified commercial building. His question (on the slide): "Will the value of a 'traditional' building fall?"
01 Nov, 2008
Pre-Fab Wiring Assemblies
Release here.
Photo here.
