by Rebecca Walker — August 9, 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. 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. The profiles are conducted every two years.
Among the findings of the most recent research, about 35 percent performed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system and non-LEED energy upgrades; and 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.
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, with availability and price as 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.
