I would like to go on the record with my belief that electricians are the “gentlemen” of the construction industry. It is the electrician that is the first on the jobsite and the last to leave. In my opinion, electricians have the most pride in workmanship and the utter professionalism necessary to understand and deal with every aspect of the construction process. Those qualities make electricians the most elite of the trade.

I want to extend my complete gratitude to all electricians in the industry and for our employees at Harmon Electric for their outstanding abilities. It is through our industry that all growth is made possible. I have spent not only 20 years in the field; I now estimate and manage many projects to a successful completion.

I would like to express my pride in working for Harmon Electric as a previous Foreman in the field under Mr. Dick Harmon. It is also through my previous position of Project Manager that I have had the privilege to work with many general contractors and property owners as Arizona grows and prospers.

Arizona is a great state with a great future. It is my wish to see that prosperity continues as Vice President of Construction. This is a great company that is involved with the state’s growth and is on the cutting-edge of green technology.

Joe
Vice President of Construction

“Go Green!” That is the mantra that is heard all over these days. We would all love to do our part to help the environment, but in these tight economic times we all seem to have less money in our budgets and “going green” can seem to cost a lot. So what are we to do?

Lighting loads are one of the most efficient and cost effective systems that we can “upgrade” to greener technologies in order to save on the electric bill. There are many different ways that this can be done with varying costs.

Think about how many lights are left on in your office building whenever someone goes to lunch, or for a smoke break, let alone overnight. Installing motion sensors will eliminate wasted energy from lights being left on, and it’s easy to retrofit these to existing systems with minimal cost. Typically all you have to do is replace the existing wall switches with occupancy sensors.

A lot of commercial buildings in use today were designed and built a long time before energy efficiency standards were put in place. Consequently many buildings are still utilizing old lighting technologies that are not only inefficient, but also annoying (old fluorescent fixtures utilize T-12 magnetic ballasts that “hum” constantly). Replacing these old ballasts with new T-8 or even newer T-5 ballasts and lamps can dramatically save energy, and improve noisy working conditions, which will help to improve productivity.

Replacing entire fixtures can seem cost prohibitive, but lighting retrofits have the quickest payback in the savings created by less energy consumption and higher productivity. Noisy, and many times unflattering color rending, “high bay” light fixtures can be replaced with High Output (HO) T-5 2X4 fixtures that are much brighter, quieter, and use a lot less energy.

In these tough times we all want to spend our money wisely. So the next time you have to have your lighting system looked at, consider discussing how you can reduce your monthly power bill by replacing outdated technologies with newer, Greener technologies.

Jason
Estimator

A former naval base on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay and a planned green community in central Florida will be two of the initial sites for the Climate Positive Development Program. The new international effort will develop large-scale urban projects with negative greenhouse gas emissions.

Tragedies like fatal falls can happen even from a ten foot ladder. But you can prevent and avoid falls that can lead to injuries and death by choosing ladders carefully, inspecting ladders, using them properly, and keeping them in good condition.

Ladders are normally called one of two types; fixed (cannot be moved), or portable (movable). When choosing a portable ladder, consider type (step, straight, or extension), length, strength, and last, material (wood is nonconductive, heavy, hard to move and rots; metal is light, weather resistant, but conducts electricity; and fiberglass is light, long-lasting, and non-conductive). It is a good idea to inspect ladders before use, and they should be thoroughly inspected at least once a year. Don’t use a ladder that is damaged – repair or replace the ladder. Do not use other means to reach higher places (i.e., chairs, benches, boxes, ect.). If the job calls for a ladder, take the time to find the one that meets your needs.

Use ladders safely as follows:

• Don’t place ladder in a horizontal postion.
• Place ladder on sure footing (not boxes or blocks), securing when possible. Place ladder so that for every four feet up, the ladder’s base is one foot out.
• While using an extension ladder, raise extension ladder so upper section overlaps and rests on bottom section, and your extension ladder also should extend 3’ above the roof line.
• Keep metal ladders away from power lines.
• While climbing up or down a ladder you should always face the ladder, use both hands, and only one person at a time on a portable ladder. Hoist tools and materials up after reaching the top.

Remember, only you can prevent a ladder accident.

Len
Safety Director

DOE is preparing to offer nearly $4 billion in Recovery Act
funds for Smart Grid projects and has significantly raised the
maximum awards for Smart Grid demonstration projects.
DOE and the U.S. Department of Commerce have also
announced the first set of proposed Smart Grid standards.

Some computer servers will soon carry the Energy Star label,
and on average they’ll be 30% more energy efficient than
standard servers. But that raises a question: do
semiconductors and their use in electronic gadgets help or
hinder energy efficiency? Two new reports take opposing
views.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a part of the U.S.
Department of the Interior, will invest $41 million in Recovery
Act funds to reduce its backlog of applications for renewable
energy projects. The Interior Department is also establishing
four new Renewable Energy Coordination Offices to help cut
through the red tape.

Drawing in part on Recovery Act funds, DOE plans to invest
$777 million to support 46 new Energy Frontier Research
Centers for the next five years. The new centers will study
top energy challenges such as solar energy, biofuels,
solid-state lighting, hydrogen storage, and electrical energy
storage.

Clean energy is good for human health, so it makes sense for
healthcare leaders to want to use clean energy in their
hospitals. The new Hospital Energy Alliance will promote the
use of energy efficiency and renewable energy in hospitals by
bringing together national healthcare leaders and DOE.

In an update to the ,
DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that
the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act will provide a
near-term jump in renewable power generation and a
long-term reduction in residential and commercial energy use.

This year’s top ten examples of sustainable architecture and
green building design are located in six U.S. states, plus
Victoria, British Columbia, and Beirut, Lebanon. The buildings
combine energy-saving strategies with onsite energy
sources, including solar, wind, and biomass energy.

DOE launched the Commercial Real Estate Energy Alliance, a
partnership of commercial real estate owners and operators
that have volunteered to work with DOE to drastically reduce
the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of
commercial buildings.

By 2013, New York City’s Empire State Building should be
consuming 38% less energy while shaving its peak electrical
demand by 3.5 megawatts. But the real achievement of the
massive energy retrofit is the process used to devise it, a
process that can now be applied to other existing buildings.

Sometimes we take home electrical safety for granted, we forget how easy it is to practice electrical safety. Remember that electricity always takes the shortest path to ground. It will travel through wire, metal, wet objects, or even you. It’s invisible, but very, very real, so remember to treat it with respect.

Electrical wires run through and over our homes. Each year hundreds are electrocuted in their homes and thousands are injured in electrical related accidents – accidents that could have been prevented with just a little foresight and some common sense.

With summertime upon us, and with enjoying our back yards and pools, it’s extremely important to remember outdoor electrical safety. When using small appliances and electronics outdoors, make sure that the power outlet you are using is on a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) protected circuit, and always keep your small appliances and electronics away from water. Lets don’t forget the most important outdoor safety tip—WATCH YOUR KIDS AROUND WATER

Len
Safety Director