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Around the Circuit
Construction Costs
Outpace Other
Inflation Measures
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS)
producer price indexes (PPI), the prices for materials used in all
types
of construction plus items consumed by contractors, such as diesel
fuel,
climbed 0.6% in February, compared to 0.2% for the PPI for finished
goods and 0.3% for the consumer price index (CPI), before seasonal
adjustment. In February, there were jumps in the PPIs for many
construction materials: 5.8% for copper and brass mill shapes; 3.5% for
hot-rolled bars, plates, and structural shapes for rebar and structural
steel; and 2.2% for diesel fuel. From December 2003 through February
2008, prices for construction inputs have spiked 31%, compared to a 15%
increase for the CPI.To read more on this topic, visit
EC&M's Web site.
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High Inventories
Decrease Housing Starts
High home inventories will cause housing starts to
decline 25% in 2008 from already depressed 2007 levels, according to a
recent Skokie, Ill.-based Portland Cement Association (PCA) Economic
Research report. PCA is predicting a 9.5- to 10-month supply of homes
to
be in "inventory" for sale by the end of 2008. The main contributor
to the large inventory will be the large number of foreclosures caused
by the sub-prime crisis, says Edward J. Sullivan, PCA chief economist.
"Typically, builders accelerate start activity when the inventory
supply reaches five months," Sullivan says. PCA is estimating that a
significant improvement in inventory won't occur until the second half
of 2009.To read more on this topic, visit EC&M's Web site.
BIM Contract
Provides Best
Practices Standard
Arlington, Va.-based Associated General Contractors of
America (AGC) recently approved the addition of the Building
Information
Modeling (BIM) Addendum to the ConsensusDOCS catalog. According to AGC,
the BIM contract is the first and only industry standard document to
globally address the legal uncertainties associated with using BIM.
Twenty-one leading associations representing owners, contractors,
subcontractors, sureties, and designers that are actively supporting
ConsensusDOCS have endorsed or are anticipated to endorse this standard
document.To read more on this topic, visit EC&M's Web site.
States
Approve Green Legislation
Washington, Oregon, and South Dakota are among the
latest states to encourage renewable energy development and the
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire
recently approved the Climate Change Framework/Green-Collar Jobs Act.
Oregon and South Dakota will offer tax incentives for renewable-energy
equipment and wind energy facilities, respectively.To read more on
this topic, visit EC&M's Web site.
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ILSCO Product Line Expansion
ILSCO has expanded its ACO line to include ACO-1000 with a wire range
of
1000kcmil — 750kcmil. The ACO-1000 wire range includes 900kcmil
compacted aluminum conductor and is manufactured from high-strength
aluminum alloy. The off-center pin allows connectors to be rotated for
parallel applications. The ACO line of aluminum offset pigtail adaptors
is UL listed and CSA certified with a wire range 1000kcmil — 2/0.
www.ilsco.com
Project Watch
Tenant
Improvements in Wisconsin
The Dane County Purchasing Department, Madison, Wis.,
is
seeking construction services for tenant improvements for the third
floor of the City-County Building. Scope of work includes electrical
and
plumbing, HVAC, flooring, ceiling, and drywall partitions. Submissions
are due April 3. For more documents, register at the Dane County Web
site.
Electrical
Systems Replacement
in Tennessee
The Tennessee Board of Regents, Nashville, Tenn., is
requesting proposals for Phase 1 of electrical systems replacement in
the Health & P.E. Building at Tennessee Technological University,
Cookeville, Tenn. Scope of work includes new power service, power
distribution system, and wiring devices. Proposals will be accepted
until 3 p.m. CDT on April 9. For more information, contact Harold
Damron, Vreeland Engineers, by phone at (865) 637-4451.
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Web Exclusives
Business Brief
Norwalk, Conn.-based EMCOR Group recently announced its
Las Vegas-based subsidiary, Dynalectric Company of Nevada, has been
awarded a contract to provide electrical construction services for a
natural gas turbine generator project at the Nevada Power Clark
Station,
Clark County, Nev. Dynalectric is installing all project feeder
cabling,
bus duct, and controls between 12 new natural gas-fired turbine
generators and the electrical control houses for each generator, in
addition to all controls from the control houses to the master control
room and three transformers for downstream power distribution. For
more Business Briefs, visit the EC&M Web site.
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 Great Prices on Cord Grips
Starting from only $1.33, elecDirect Cord Grip Connectors are always in
stock. Available with or without mesh grips in NPT, PG, or metric
threading. Choose from aluminum, steel, or stainless steel materials.
All connectors are UL listed and CSA.
elecDirect stocks more than 13,000 electrical products and tools. Use
Coupon Code EZONE308 at checkout to receive 10% off your next order. www.elecDirect.com
www.elecDirect.com - or call toll free 800-701-0975.
Eye on Safety
Electrical Worker
Dies in Trench Collapse
According to several reports, city-contracted
construction worker, Martin Samaniego, 37, of Hesperia, Calif., died on
March 25 after sand collapsed the trench in which he was installing an
underground power line to connect electrical substations in Banning,
Calif. A team of investigators from state Department of Occupational
Safety and Health and law enforcement agencies spent much of the
afternoon inspecting the scene to determine if there was adequate
shoring in the trench, official said. Last year, Samaneigo's
employer, Pouk & Steinle, was fined almost $50,000 by the California
Department of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
after
three people died as a result of a job-site accident, according to the
San Bernadino County Sun. OSHA cited the company for violations
that included failure to provide adequate safety instructions to new
employees and failure by the work crew to warn motorists and direct
them
past a nighttime project. The contractor's spokesman, Mark Hanson,
insists the firm follows safety standards.
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Call for Papers
Enlighten Americas
2008
The International Association of Lighting Designers
(IALD), Chicago, is seeking experts in their fields to present
workshops
and seminars at Enlighten Americas 2008, the IALD Annual Meeting and
Conference. This year, the conference will be held October 2-4 in
Cancun, Mexico.The theme of the conference this year is "The Power
of
Light," and the intent is to initiate and/or continue dialog that
evokes
and provokes thought associated with what lighting designers do as well
as why and how they do it. Who are lighting designers? What fuels
enthusiasm for lighting design? What tools do lighting designers need
to
have a successful career and business? IALD is looking for speakers and
seminars that will challenge traditional opinion about design, motivate
attendees to think outside the box and reinvigorate the passion for
lighting design. The deadline for submission is April 21. For more
information, visit the IALD Web
site.
Shows & Events
Electrical
Safety and Reliability Conference & Exhibition
The Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League
(PEARL) will present its 11th annual Electrical Safety and Reliability
Conference & Exhibition from May 3-6 in Costa Mesa, Calif. Conference
topics at this year's event include safety, electrical failure
diagnosis, testing standards and techniques, and government
regulations.
There will also sessions for hands-on training as well as round-table
discussions. For more information and to register, visit the
conference's Web
site.
Battcon 2008
2008 International Stationary Battery Conference and
Trade Show (Battcon) is scheduled for May 5-7 in Marco Island, Fla.
Presentations for this year's event include the effects of Hurricane
Katrina on battery lead times, battery recycling, permanent load
shifting and UPS functionality at a telecommunications site using the
vanadium flow battery, and long-term results of battery capacity
recovery processes for VRLA cells. For more information and to
register,
visit the Battcon Web
site.
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