Aug 6 2010
The nation’s electrical contractors have dramatically increased their role in specifying products, the design/build process and their work in green building projects since 2008, according to Electrical Contractor magazine’s 2010 Profile of the Electrical Contractor at http://www.ecmag.com/?fa=article&articleID=11688.
Almost 60 percent said that some portion of their 2009 sales included projects with green or sustainable building elements, a marked increase from 46 percent in 2007.
“Electrical contractors around the country are embracing green building in great numbers, along with their growing influence as trusted partners in the overall electrical design or specifications with building owners or the design team,” said Electrical Contractor Publisher John Maisel, whose Profile is conducted every two years offering the most in-depth industry research.
Key findings include:
- About 35 percent performed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system and non-LEED energy upgrades
- Three types of alternative energy projects increased since 2008: LEED projects jumped from nine to 19 percent; solar/photovoltaics increased from 11 percent to 16 percent and wind generation rose from three percent to five percent
- 83 percent reported receiving plans and specs that were incomplete (where their firm is responsible for completing the design documentation)
- More than 80 percent reported having a “medium” (about half) or “high” (about a third) ability to influence the overall electrical design or specification with building owners or design team members
- On average, a single brand is specified about 25 percent of the time
- Availability and price are the top reasons for original brand selection, chosen by 73 percent and 67 percent respectively; fewer than 20 percent chose energy efficiency as a top reason
- 70 percent preformed design/build or design/assist work in 2009, with 20 percent getting involved earlier in the process
- About 60 percent expressed high concern about counterfeit electrical products, however, most electrical contractors now report confidence that they’re not encountering counterfeit products most likely to do increased industry awareness campaigns
A tougher economy since the 2008 Profile expectedly lowered annual revenues based on the drop in new residential and commercial construction, forcing alternative revenue trends such as utility projects, systems integration and data center work.
The typical electrical contractor surveyed (70 percent) has less than 10 employees and an annual revenue of less than $1 million.
Source: http://www.ecmag.com/