|
Bisbee’s
Buzz
Tuesday,
December 11, 2012
The ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine is reader-rated as the
best publication for automated buildings and electrical services in 2012.
Today we got the December 2012 issue of the ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
magazine. It's filled with goodies.
I
quickly scanned the issue with my handy pack of post-it
notes. When I was through, the magazine looked like it had flappy wings.
From the fabulous and creative cover to the last page, I found numerous
juicy ideas to help our business and improve our services.
To name a few of the goodies between the covers:
Jeff
Griffin’s dependable and informative update on portable testers and cordless
cutting tools is helpful. Jim Hayes, as always, gives us quite a bit to
consider when installing fiber optic cabling. Love his quiz too. Wayne Moore
has got the straight scoop on the codes and safety requirements. SAFETY FIRST
and ECMAG is always on target in that area.
The
Integrated Systems Contractor section is a strong signal on the new directions
that electrical contractors may be heading in their quest for expanding
revenues. ECMAG has some excellent article contributors working with the
tireless editors and publisher. Their efforts are reflected in the superior
editorial content. Unlike some other publications, this magazine is not a slick
“advertorial” sham.
Overall, the December 2012 issue of the ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine
wraps up a record-setting great year of powerful pages. No wonder many readers
rate this industry magazine as the best publication for automated buildings and
electrical services. The staff at NECA’s ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine are
going to be challenged to top such an outstanding record.
But
that’s just my opinion,
Frank Bisbee - Editor
"HOTS - Heard On The Street"
Monthly Column
www.wireville.com
Megladon
Announces Pre Qualification Test Results for US Military HLC® Termini
INCREDIBLE: A fiber termination that can handle the
shock and awe of the harshest conditions in the US military.
Austin, Texas, December 11, 2012 – Megladon
Manufacturing Group announced today a completed project for the US Military to
pre qualification test fiber optic termini processed with HLC (Hardened Lens Contact)
technology. The HLC process uses a laser to harden the entire mating
surface and maximizes coupling efficiency in fiber optic connections.
The termini, placed in a 38999 backshell, were tested
for shock and vibration, temperature cycling and multiple matings based on
military specifications. The results were extremely good and warrant additional
testing.
Vibration testing was done in accordance with
MIL-STD-810F, method 514.6. This test simulates some of the harshest conditions
in the US
military. The mated pairs were tested in both the X axis and the Z axis. Each
mated pair included a termini processed with HLC technology and an industry
standard termini. This method validated the durability gained by the HLC
process and also the interoperability of HLC termini with termini that
currently exist in applications.
Temperature testing consisted of a high temperature
soak at 165 deg C and a low temperature soak at -55 deg C. The duration of each
test was 24 hours. Each mated pair included a termini processed with HLC
technology and an industry standard termini. This method validated the
durability gained by the HLC process and also the interoperability of HLC
termini with termini that currently exist in applications.
Mating testing was designed to test the durability of
the HLC termination and to investigate its effects on industry standard
terminations when the pair is repeatedly mated and demated. The mated pair
included a termini processed with HLC technology and an industry standard
termini both placed in a 38999 backshell. Endface pictures and insertion loss
data was collected after each 100 mates.
“Megladon’s HLC technology was tested side by side
with the industry standard process and performed very well. We did not see any
evidence that would suggest the process would not complete full qualification
testing. The conditions were extreme and we were very pleased with the
results,” stated Daniel Hogberg RCDD, Megladon’s engineering manager.
Megladon® Manufacturing Group Ltd., a subsidiary of
TyRex Group Ltd.®, is recognized as a leader in the fiber optic marketplace.
Founded in 1997, Megladon made it their mission to provide customers with fiber
optic products that far exceed industry standards. As technology innovators,
Megladon created the HLC® (Hardened Lens Contact) termination, which has
changed the market and taken it to the next level. For additional information
on Megladon and their patented processes please visit the company’s website at www.megladonmfg.com.
For additional information regarding Megladon’s
variety of fiber optic products please contact John
Culbert at 512.615.4687 or by email at scratchguard@megladonmfg.com.
Internet
Moved to 100 Gigabit Technologies at Record Rate in the Third Quarter, According
to Dell'Oro Group
Cisco and Juniper Lead in 100 Gigabit Ethernet Port
Shipments in 3Q12
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
According to a newly published report by Dell'Oro Group, the trusted source for
market information about the networking and telecommunications industries, the
Internet is undergoing a major jump in transmission speeds as network operators
expand deployments of 100 Gigabit Ethernet technologies in their backbone
networks. The migration to 100 Gigabit Ethernet represents a significant jump
over the 10 and 40 Gigabit technologies widely deployed in Internet routers
today. The new high-speed technology enables operators to add network capacity
in larger increments and at lower costs, and is expected to see steady adoption
for at least the next five years. During the third quarter of the year, a
record number of 100 Gigabit Ethernet router ports were shipped.
"Shipments of 100 Gigabit Ethernet for
Internet-class routers have nearly tripled over the first nine months of the
year and are on track to generate about $500 million in router sales for
2012," said Shin Umeda, Vice President at Dell'Oro Group. "We expect
demand to almost double again next year, making for a very significant
opportunity for router manufacturers," added Umeda.
The top five vendors of the Service Provider Router
market that have shipped 100 Gigabit technologies, ranked by total revenue for
3Q12, are Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei Technologies
and Brocade.
About the ReportThe Dell'Oro Group Routers Quarterly
Report offers complete, in-depth coverage of the Service Provider Core and Edge
and Enterprise Router markets for current and historical time periods. The
report includes qualitative analysis and detailed statistics for vendor market
shares, revenue, average selling prices, and unit and port shipments. To
purchase this report, please call Julie Learmond-Criqui at +1.650.622.9400 x244
or email Julie@DellOro.com
About Dell'Oro GroupAs the trusted source for market
information about the networking and telecommunications industries, Dell'Oro
Group provides in-depth, objective research and analysis that enables component
manufacturers, equipment vendors, and investment firms to make fact-based,
strategic decisions. www.delloro.com.
General Cable
Corporation Completes the Acquisition of Alcan Cable China
General Cable Corporation (BGC) Highland Heights, KY.
announced that it has completed the acquisition of Alcan Cable China. Alcan
Cable China
represents approximately 10% to 15% of overall revenues of Alcan Cable.
“Alcan Cable China has a 430,000 square foot, vertically
integrated manufacturing plant in Tianjin,
China and ten
regional sales offices. Since its start-up in 2007, the business has matured in
a relatively short amount of time building a sales infrastructure and a premium
brand with a strong reputation in the Chinese market, which represents nearly
one-third of global wire and cable demand. We believe the synergies of this
acquisition coupled with an established platform from which to introduce and
grow other General Cable product lines further enhances the value proposition
to our customers. We are honored and proud to become part of General Cable,”
said Alex Tham, Managing Director, Alcan Cable China.
“We are pleased to have
completed the second and final step of the acquisition of Alcan Cable. We have
brought together two companies with more than 200 years of combined experience
in the wire and cable industry serving important markets in North America and
now China.
Alcan Cable China is highly
complementary to our two long-standing partnerships in China and
continues to generate positive momentum in the market. We are off to a fast
start executing on our integration plans in North America and expect to do the
same with the business in China,”
said Gregory B. Kenny, President and Chief Executive Officer of General Cable.
The Company estimates that
the overall Alcan Cable business will contribute approximately $650-$700
million in annual revenues at current aluminum prices, and over a cycle, the
operating margin profile is expected to be consistent with the Company’s
existing businesses as manufacturing, logistics, and purchasing synergies are
realized. The Company expects Alcan Cable North America to contribute
meaningfully in the fourth quarter of 2012 while Alcan Cable China’s contribution is expected to be de
minimis to fourth quarter results as step-up purchase accounting adjustments
offset the base earnings in the business in China.
General Cable (BGC), a Fortune 500 Company, is a
global leader in the development, design, manufacture, marketing and
distribution of copper, aluminum and fiber optic wire and cable products for
the energy, industrial, specialty, construction and communications markets. For
more information about General Cable products, please contact your local sales
representative or visit our Web site at www.generalcable.com.
Alcan Cable, the wire and
cable business of Rio Tinto plc (RIO.L),
a 100-year-old leader in the production of aluminum cable for the utility and
building industries, offers a wide range of bare and insulated conductors to
both the utility and distribution markets, supporting them with highly capable
resources to ensure the highest value application of our products. For more
information about Alcan Cable, please visit the Company’s Web site at www.alcancable.com.
Klein Tools® Introduces Innovative Adjustable Wrench
Extra-wide jaw 8” wrench
provides same capacity as a standard 12” wrench
December 12, 2012 (Lincolnshire, IL)
– Klein Tools (http://www.kleintools.com/)
for professionals since 1857, introduces a new Extra-Wide Jaw 8” Adjustable
Wrench. It features a full 1-1/2” jaw capacity, the same capacity as a
standard 12” adjustable wrench. The shorter handle makes it easier to
reach nuts and bolts in confined spaces.
The Klein
Tools Extra-Wide Jaw 8” Adjustable Wrench (Cat. No. D509-8) is designed
with a minimally protruding jaw shank that also provides greater capacity in
tight spaces. A unique 4-threaded knurl worm gear helps balance this
wrench for smoother operation and it allows the user to apply up to 30% more
force. It comes with standard and metric measurement scales for faster
adjustment and a wider handle for added comfort.
“Customers
have told us they are looking for compact and functional tools,” said Senior
Product Manager Gary Lalla. “This wrench provides a short 8” tool length
and enough jaw capacity to handle most electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and
maintenance applications.”
For more information visit
our website www.kleintools.com or
contact your local distributor.
Klein Tools is a registered trademark of Klein Tools, Inc.
Since 1857 Klein Tools, a family-owned and operated
company, has been designing, developing and manufacturing premium-quality,
professional-grade hand tools. Klein Tools are manufactured in nine plants
throughout the United States
and are the number one choice among professional electricians and
other tradespeople. For more information, visit www.kleintools.com.
AFL’s
LAZERMaster™ Laser Splicer and Glass Processor Finalist for Prism Award
12/4/2012
Spartanburg SC - AFL’s LZM-100 LAZERMaster glass processing and splicing system
has been selected as one of three finalists for the SPIE and Photonics Media Prism Award,
an international competition that recognizes companies that develop products to
solve problems and improve life through photonics. AFL’s application was
entered under the category of manufacturing.
Developed and manufactured by AFL in conjunction with Fujikura Japan, AFL’s
LZM-100 LAZERMaster is the first commercially available glass processing and
splicing system that uses a CO2 laser heat source to perform
splicing, adiabatic tapering and other glass-shaping operations. The LZM
possesses large diameter capabilities up to 2.3 mm and long tapering
capabilities up to 150 mm.
The LZM-100 patent-pending Laser
Power Stability feature allows for cleaner splicing.
Typical CO2lasers have an output power fluctuation of +/- 5 percent
which produces inconsistent splicing results and may cause irregularity and
ripple in a taper profile. The LZM-100 utilizes closed-loop power stabilization
techniques, resulting in an order of magnitude improvement in power stability
and enabling highly repeatable processes and smooth taper profiles.
Another unique feature is the Warm
Tapering Imaging (WTI) monitoring for precise control
of heating power. The WTI brightness level is captured in real time during the
tapering process. The WTI value is used to adjust the CO2 laser
output power in real time to a level appropriate for the decreasing mass of a
fiber as it is tapered to a smaller diameter.
AFL is the first to market a commercially available laser splicer, the
LAZERMaster, with unique features such as the CO2 laser heat
source and advanced feedback control and stabilization techniques. The
LAZERMaster is a unique customized solution that helps decrease costs by
improving performance and productivity. To learn more about AFL, its products
and services, visit www.AFLglobal.com.
About AFL
AFL provides industry-leading products and services to the electric utility,
broadband, communications, OEM, enterprise, wireless and transit rail markets
as well as the emerging markets of oil and gas, mining, nuclear, avionics,
medical, renewable and intelligent grid. The company’s diverse product
portfolio includes fiber optic cable, transmission and substation accessories,
outside plant equipment, connectors, fusion splicers, test equipment and
training. AFL’s service portfolio includes market-leading positions with the
foremost communications companies supporting inside plant central office, EF&I,
outside plant, enterprise and wireless areas.
Founded in 1984, AFL is proud to offer engineering
expertise, exceptional products and reliable service that help our customers
improve their critical and electrical infrastructure. AFL has operations in the
U.S., Mexico, Europe and Asia.
The company is headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more
information, visit www.AFLglobal.com.
CDC WARNS of
EARLY SEVERE FLU SEASON
Dec. 3, 2012, CDC officials
announced that the 2012-13 flu season has started nearly a month earlier than
expected, with influenza A(H3N2) being this year's dominant strain, and they
said this could be a bad year for flu. However, the influenza vaccine this year
is a 90% match for the samples examined by the agency, officials said. "My
advice is: Get the vaccine now," said infectious diseases specialist Dr.
James Steinberg of Emory
University. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
Treatment - Antiviral Drugs
General Information
Information
for Health Care Professionals
Other Important Information For
People Sick With Flu
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/antivirals/index.htm
Eaton
Corporation Plc Completes Acquisition of Cooper Industries
Published 11/30/2012 2:39:01 PM 
Eaton
Corporation plc (NYSE: ETN) and Cooper Industries plc (NYSE:CBE) today
announced that Eaton has completed its acquisition of Cooper. The acquisition
was announced on May 21, 2012 and combines Eaton and Cooper into a new, premier
global power management company named Eaton Corporation plc.
“The
$13 billion acquisition of Cooper, the largest in Eaton’s 101-year history, is
a transformational milestone that expands our market segment reach, broadens
our portfolio of products, services, and solutions, and strengthens our global
geographic footprint,” said Alexander M. Cutler, Eaton chairman and chief
executive officer.
“Cooper
adds proven capabilities in utility power distribution, smart grid, lighting,
lighting controls, wiring devices, and safety solutions to Eaton’s strengths in
power quality, power distribution and energy services,” Cutler said. “These
complementary technologies further accelerate Eaton’s growth as a global
integrated power management company focused on one of the most challenging
megatrends of our time: the rising costs and increasing environmental impact of
the world’s growing energy use.”
“The
acquisition of Cooper Industries represents a great opportunity for Eaton to
expand our product offering to better serve our end users,” added Tom Gross,
vice chairman and chief operating officer, Eaton’s Electrical Sector. “In
addition to growing our power distribution offering, we’ll now be able to offer
distributors a host of lighting and control products, mass notification and
safety solutions, and a broad range of wiring devices making Eaton an even more
valuable business partner.”
Combining
the results of Eaton and Cooper for the four quarters ending September 30,
2012, Eaton Corporation plc had pro forma revenues of $21.8 billion and EBITDA
of $3.3 billion.
Cooper
shareholders will receive the consideration to which they are entitled under
the scheme of arrangement within 14 days.
Trading
of Eaton and Cooper will continue on the New York Stock Exchange until the end
of trading today and the ordinary shares of Eaton Corporation plc will begin
trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ETN on Monday, December
3, 2012.
“We
will soon be announcing the organizational structure for the combined
operations,” Cutler said. “That leadership, working with a joint integration
team of leaders from Eaton and Cooper, will be responsible for achieving the
operational synergies we have identified. We anticipate the entire integration
process will take 24 to 36 months, depending on business conditions.”
The
new company, Eaton Corporation plc, has approximately 100,000 employees and
sells products to customers in more than 150 countries.
Indoor air
Quality IAQ & LEED Credits - Cut Energy Costs, Increase Indoor Comfort With
Touchscreen IAQPoint2 by Honeywell Analytics
Honeywell
Analytics introduces IAQPoint2, a customizable touch screen monitor with
ability to control three IAQ parameters (Carbon Dioxide or Volatile Organic
Compounds, temperature and humidity). The unit boosts energy efficiency,
fresh air comfort and building performance through on-demand ventilation
activation with relays triggering fans locally or via a building automation
system. Easy to use, easy to install, easy to maintain, the unit contributes to LEED
accreditation (up to three points) and green building practices, and complies
with ASHRAE 62.1, CSA-B52 and the International Building Code.
Call Honeywell Analytics, 800/ 563-2967, or visit www.iaqpoint2.com
Suddath
names new executive vice president and chief operating officer. Michael J.
Brannigan - Suddath's new EVP & COO
Wednesday, December 05, 2012 - The Suddath Companies announces a
key addition to its executive leadership team with the appointment of Michael
J. Brannigan to the new role of executive vice president and chief
operating officer.
With deep experience in the transportation and supply
chain industries, Brannigan will complement the existing executive team as the
company continues to focus on improving the overall operational effectiveness
of customer service, operations, technology and integrated services.
“Suddath has a rich history and impressive record as an
industry leader in global transportation and relocation, and I am really
looking forward to joining the organization at such a transformative time,”
Brannigan said.
Suddath welcomes Mike and wishes him every success in
leading the organization to achieve operational excellence. Suddath employs
Unified Communications with ShoreTel to maximize their service and efficiency. www.suddath.com
Why Business
Will Remain Punk: Ponzi Schemes Galore – Article by Joe Salimando
Special to Heard On The
Street
By Joe
Salimando
ecdotcom@gmail.com
If you listened recently to
executives – in the electrical/datacom industry, and many others – you may hear
(or read) that things just might be getting better. Heck, the residential
market is recovering already! And if those lunkheads in Washington can just get us over that fiscal
cliff . . .
As a reality-based person, however, what you should see/hear (albeit, using
your imagination) all over such statements are Asterisks. Footnotes.
Every one of these begins with “Yes, but . . . “
Let’s examine the reality-based exceptions we should take to any positive
assessment of the U.S.
economy at this point.
Debt
Lots of focus in the recent
election was on how much the U.S.
has added to its debt. It’s now around $16 trillion. Make no mistake, Keynes
was right: Borrowing from the future to spend today DOES create a better
business environment. However, there are several points about adding debt that
can’t be ignored:
1.
Debt
needs to be paid back – or rolled over – when it comes due. This means finding
a lot more money (to repay) or steadily increasing your borrowing (to roll over
the debt, as increasing amounts come due).
2.
Interest and principal payments can’t be legislated out of
the budget. The money has got to be repaid. This isn’t optional (like the Space
program, the Census Bureau, or the production tax credit for wind turbines). It’s
just NOT a political issue.
3.
The
more you owe, the less worthy of a borrower you become. When does the U.S. become
untenable, in the eyes of foreign countries, entities, and individuals that
loan us money? And what happens next?
Essentially, the U.S. runs
annual deficits. A prudent approach – instead of trying for the mooted “grand
bargain” that fixes everything – would be for the people in Washington to say:
“We’re going to balance the FY2014 budget, just to prove we can do it, and to
get a start on a more fiscally intelligent future.”
Do you hear that? You’ve not gotten even one whiff of such thinking.
Apparently, the idea is to keep rolling the debt over . . . to find buyers for
more and more debt – forever.
Think on all this. How does differ, in any way, from what Charles Ponzi sought to
accomplish?
Huge flood of new money
The world has allowed central
banks of major countries to print money hand-over-fist – and that has helped
them to keep a lid on interest rates. One recent assessment claimed that,
starting from around $3 trillion in currency in the world in 2000, we’ve gotten
– collectively – to around $16 trillion today. Yes, the number coincidentally
matches total U.S.
debt.
What this $16 trillion is, really: The total of big-country currency that’s
either in circulation or exists as zeroes and ones in computers. There’s been a
$13 billion increase in 12 years.
One reason to print and print and print is to buy bonds. In the U.S., for much
of the 2000s – after 9/11, and over the past four years – the Fed has held
interest rates way down. They’ve done it, recently, by buying government bonds!
Another reason is to buy dollars. Some central banks – like the one in Brazil, for
much of the 2000s – go into the market to sell their own currency (in this
case, the real) and buy dollars. This action keeps the dollar-real
exchange rate in a range that’s favorable to Brazilian exporters.
Inflation vs. your bond
purchase
At this point, the U.S.
Treasury 10-year bond yields 1.62%. The Consumer Price Index for the 12-month
period ending with October was at 2.2%. So buyers of bonds – most of them very
large organizations – are willingly accepting a decrease in the value of their
money.
Should 2.2% inflation persist for 10 years, and should you buy a T-bond
ylelding 1.62% and hold it for 10 years, you will get back 10 years from now –
in today’s real purchasing dollars – less than $90,500 (my back-of-the-envelope
figuring).
Why do this? If you thought about, you might figure it must be very
complicated. But isn’t that what you thought during the mortgage finance bubble
(“how can they offer 125% loan-to-value mortgages?”)
Obviously, the answer to the “why” is actually quite simple, as we all have
found out (from watching the financial companies create a crater – and they’re
still digging!).
What a reality-based person should know: There are people in the business of
managing money. They are filthy rich. They are sophisticated and smart. They
influence the government when they wish. BUT there’s no tomorrow for them.
As the head of Citigroup said
in 2007, “as long as the music is playing, you’ve got to get up and dance.”
Buyers of bonds include insurance companies and third-party organizations that
manage investments of pension funds. These organizations are figuring on
returns much higher than 1.62%. In fact, they promise such returns. Read the
fine print of a 10-K report from any company with a defined benefit pension
plan (a shrinking lot) . . . you’ll find they “assume” annual returns (forever)
of 6.5% on up.
What we have here is a very sophisticated Ponzi-type scheme. Who’s going to
pay, in the end? The taxpayer, the pensioner, cities and towns that have
promised pensions (of any size) – and investors in some corporate stocks.
Could rates go up some
day?
What’s potentially worse, at
some point – maybe not tomorrow, but some day, and soon – interest rates will
rise.
Historically, there’s been a 2% or higher “premium” over the reported inflation
rate on the “long” bond (used to be the 30-year, now it’s the 10-year). So if
the CPI comes in a 2.2%, you might expect to see the 10-year Treasury bond
yielding 4.2% . . . maybe even 4.7%.
Perhaps this doesn’t fit the “Ponzi” idea that’s in your head. Think again –
answer these questions:
What happens to a pension fund that’s invested in T-bonds at 1.6% when prevailing
market interest rates rise by 300 basis points? The asset loses a great deal of
value.
What happens to a big national government that owes $16 trillion when interest
rates rise by 300 basis points? It’s a fiscal disaster. And, as noted above:
Paying the interest is not a discretionary item.
The Fed’s balance sheet
Lost in all of today’s
optimism is a simple question: What happens to the trillions of dollars of
securities – those issued by the U.S. government, and those backed
by mortgages – that the Federal Reserve Board has bought, and continues to buy?
At one point, not long ago, Ben Bernanke, the Fed head, spoke in public about
how the Fed would “unwind” all of these purchases. I don’t believe he’s spoken
on that subject in at least two years.
Why not? Quite simply – like Charles Ponzi before he was in handcuffs –
Bernanke does not want to give away the game. Let’s look at what’s happening as
a result of the Fed’s purchases:
A.
The
Fed gets interest payments on its holding of Treasury paper. At the end of the
year, the Fed turns over its “profit” . . . to the U.S. Treasury. If this
strikes you as someone taking $11 out of the pocket in his jacket and putting
it into a pocket in his pants – well, you’ve got the picture in focus.
B.
As
the amount of U.S.
government debt continues to rise, our nation has to sell $50 billion to $70
billion of debt every week. That total includes NEW debt (to help fund
the current year’s deficit) and REPLACEMENT debt (to pay back people whose
T-bills and T-bonds expire next week). Now, add to that equation whatever the
Fed would have to do to get rid of $2 trillion-and-more in securities, and put
it in a situation in which interest rates are not capped. Quite simply, this
can’t happen – not in reality. The fact that it can’t happen and that Bernanke
isn’t asked about it, and that our leaders (civic, business, political, and
otherwise) NEVER talk about it . . . should tell you all you need to know. Yet,
as anyone who is older than 22 probably knows – there will be a Future. We are
creating that Future now, by avoiding pain in the short term. A legit
description of that kind of behavior is “worthy of Ponzi.”
C.
There
has been a lot of discussion about the fact that the value of the U.S. dollar
has NOT plummeted as the Fed has printed these trillions – and as it has
announced plans for open-ended printing of more and more money. Yet at the same
time, banks from England to
Europe to Brazil and China are
printing money. THAT is what is keeping the U.S. dollar afloat. Can the other
banks print and print and print, to keep up with the U.S. Fed? Yes. Does this
sound like a Ponzi scheme to you?
Cliff dwellers
The bottom line is fairly
obvious: “Ponzi schemes” are the answer that our nation (and, in fact, much of
the developed world, including China)
has adopted to every single crisis or challenge.
Consider “the fiscal cliff:” It was an arrangement Congress put in place to
force itself to DO SOMETHING. Then it did nothing. Now that the
“cliff” is approaching . . . Congress is acting . . . not to do something
responsible, but instead to make the “cliff” go away.
It would be tough for the country if we “went over” this thing – but it might
help motivate all of us to push on Congress to act responsibly. Maybe, even, we
could stop collectively re-electing 90% of the incumbents?
The bottom line
Whatever recovery we’re now
experiencing, or will experience, is totally tainted. And: There are
some people who know this, or at least sense it – and are acting on this
knowledge.
How many? I don’t know. But when you see surveys of business owners (like the
NFIB monthly emission) . . . what the numbers communicate is reluctance,
hesitation . . . unease. Consumer confidence communicates essentially the
same thing.
My core reality-based conclusion is that more and more of those surveyed are
aware of what’s explored above (and what’s shown in those two graphics).
If they don’t know all the specifics – and even if most could not or would not
file all of it under “Ponzi schemes” – there is something, in the back
of each mind, that says “Something BIG is not right here.”
Salimando’s EleBlog (www.electricalcontractor.com),
updated frequently, contains content about the electrical & datacom
industries, contracting companies, green issues, how economic developments
could affect business owners, and much more. The site had more than 320 posts
in October & November 2012.
Starting as a copyboy on the Binghamton
Sun-Bulletin in 1974, Salimando has worked as a reporter, writer,
columnist, editor, and publisher for various publications (over 38 years). He
served as Publisher of NECA’s Electrical Contractor magazine from July
1990 to April 1998.
A freelance writer/editor
these days, he’s the managing editor of CapitalTristate
Now, a publication of the mid-Atlantic unit of electrical distributor
Sonepar. He posts regularly to NECA’s
Energy Solutions blog.
JOSEPH
SALIMANDO - e-mail WORDSMITH@VERIZON.NET
BOMA
International and RICS Collaborate to Advance International Property
Measurement Standards
(WASHINGTON, D.C.
– December 6, 2012) Two of the principal global real estate bodies, the Building
Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International and the Royal
Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding to drive the creation of International Property Measurement Standards.
The two bodies have come
together to support the creation of International Property Measurement
Standards to address the lack of consistency in the way property is
measured, and therefore valued.
Currently, measurement
standards exist nationally and regionally, typically varying from market to
market, hindering cross border real estate comparison.
Widespread market adoption of
these new standards will provide the building blocks for well-functioning
global real estate markets and will be complementary to International Financial
Reporting Standards and International Valuation Standards: two layers shaping
the global financial system.
Johnny Dunford, Global
Commercial Property Director for RICS, said: “Real
estate is a global industry, and transparent, well-regulated markets depend on
a globally consistent understanding of valuation principles. Measurement is
fundamental to the valuation process and helping to advance industry-owned
standards is an essential part of our public interest remit.
“BOMA International is a
well-respected association across numerous markets in which we operate. We are
delighted to work with them, alongside a number of other partners, to deliver a
principles-based standards suite which is ultimately recognized and adopted by
markets around the world.”
Joseph W. Markling, Chair of
BOMA International, said: “For the real
property industry to be truly global, we need a global standard of measurement
to provide a true basis for cross-border comparison, transparency and self-regulation.
Since 1915, BOMA International has served as the secretariat of the property
measurement standards used in the United States,
and is pleased to join with RICS, the promulgator of the property measurement
standard predominantly used in Great
Britain, to develop a set of measurement
standards for real property that will be recognized and adopted throughout the
world.”
The emerging coalition, which
is not restricted to BOMA International and RICS, will shortly begin the
standard setting process and look to involve further partners around the world,
governments, companies and academia to develop standards owned and adopted
across world markets.
About BOMA International
The Building Owners and
Managers Association (BOMA) International is a federation of 93 BOMA U.S.
associations, BOMA Canada and its 11 regional associations and 13 BOMA
international affiliates. Founded in 1907, BOMA represents the owners and
managers of all commercial property types including nearly 10 billion square
feet of U.S.
office space that supports 3.7 million jobs and contributes $205 billion to the
U.S. GDP. Its mission is to advance the interests of the entire commercial real
estate industry through advocacy, education, research, standards and
information. Find BOMA online at www.boma.org.
About RICS
RICS is the world’s leading
qualification when it comes to professional standards in land, property and
construction.
In a world where more and
more people, governments, banks and commercial organizations demand greater
certainty of professional standards and ethics, attaining RICS status is the
recognized mark of property professionalism. 100,000 property professionals
working in the major established and emerging economies of the world have
already recognized the importance of securing RICS status by becoming members.
RICS is an independent
professional body originally established in the UK by Royal Charter.
Since 1868, RICS has been
committed to setting and upholding the highest standards of excellence and
integrity - providing impartial, authoritative advice on key issues affecting
businesses and society. RICS is a regulator of both its individual members and
firms enabling it to maintain the highest standards and providing the basis for
unparalleled client confidence in the sector.
The RICS Valuer Registration
program was launched in the UK
and Europe in late 2010 and 2011 as a response
to the global financial crisis. RICS has been meeting with stakeholders in the Americas to
discuss next steps on launching this program, as a result of market demand for
additional quality assurance for banks, governments and other end users.
Brady
launches updated S-32 Safety, Facility and Equipment Identification Catalog
Updated Brady catalog offers
expanded product information
Milwaukee, Wis. (December 7, 2012) – Brady announced today the release
of its new S-32 Safety, Facility and Equipment Identification catalog. The new
436-page catalog offers the latest information on Brady’s complete line of
safety products and solutions.
Catalog enhancements
include expanded sign and printer sections
The largest update to the
S-32 catalog is the addition of more than 13,000 sign part numbers, which includes
new listings for a variety of sign
parts and custom signs offering. The catalog makes it easy to match signs
to proper applications with easy-to-understand guides and a complete sign
index.
Three new printers have also been
added to the catalog, including the BBP®33 industrial label printer, BMP®51
portable label printer and BMP®53 portable label printer. The labeling systems
section includes expanded printer information on accessories, materials,
ribbons and starter kits, in addition to a portable and benchtop printer
comparison guide.
Catalog showcases variety
of new product offerings
Brady’s Safety, Facility and
Equipment Identification catalog offers 150 new product pages of several
expanded product lines, including visual
workplace solutions, such as red tag products, ToughStripe® floor marking
tape and ToughJet® durable adhesive sheets. Other new products include the
Butterfly Valve lockout device, procedure writing and safety consulting
services, spill containment products, GHS labels and more.
The catalog is designed to
provide a variety of safe and compliant solutions for key areas, such as lean
manufacturing and maintenance, lockout/tagout, arc flash, hazard
communications, slips, trips and falls, spill containment, voice/data
communications, emergency egress and hospital facility safety.
For More Information:
The Safety, Facility and
Equipment Identification catalog (#Y2761258) is available
for digital download on BradyID.com. Contact a Brady representative
at 1-888-250-3082 to request a hard copy.
About Brady Corporation:
Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC)
is a trusted & dependable international
manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect premises,
products and people. Its products include high-performance labels and
signs, safety devices, printing systems and software, and precision die-cut
materials. Founded in 1914, the company has millions of customers in
electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction,
education, medical and a variety of other industries. Brady is
headquartered in Milwaukee and employs 6,600
people at operations in the Americas,
Europe and Asia/Pacific. Brady’s
fiscal 2011 sales were approximately $1.3 billion. More information
about Brady Corporation is available at www.bradycorp.com.
Hendrix
Spacer Cable Systems Ideal For Upgrading Existing Distribution Infrastructure
Milford, N.H. - Hendrix,
a premier provider of high quality overhead and underground power distribution
products, announces that Hendrix Spacer Cable is an excellent solution for
saving money, and improving reliability when upgrading distribution
infrastructure. Whatever the challenge posed by your existing infrastructure,
including upgrading circuits in alleyways, road widening projects, backlot bare
wire services, or reconductoring existing circuits, Spacer Cable can offer
lower project and operations costs, a shortened timeline, and improved
reliability. Additionally, these solutions can satisfy Public Utility
Commission (PUC) requirements for distribution infrastructure improvements.
Spacer
Cable’s compact configuration and versatility make it the ideal solution for
reconductoring alleyways, where trenching or directional boring for underground
circuits can be cost-prohibitive, and required clearances for conventional open
wire systems pose significant problems. For road widening projects, Spacer
Cable’s compact configuration and the ability to build the spacer cable circuit
on either side of the pole can eliminate right-of-way challenges when
relocating distribution circuits.
For
backlot bare wire service in older neighborhoods, Spacer Cable addresses all
the issues associated with potential power quality deterioration due to
backyard planting interference with distribution lines, restriction of trimming
for aesthetic reasons, and access concerns. Spacer Cable can withstand
temporary contact with branches without flickers or outages, improving both
aesthetics and access, as tree trimming can be less frequent and less
extensive.
For
reconductoring distribution lines, new Spacer Cable circuits can often be
installed under existing energized circuits. The original circuit can be left
in service or a double Spacer Cable circuit installed, saving time and money
while providing continual service.
All
Spacer Cable projects are supported by Hendrix complete engineering services,
which provide technical assistance from design through inspection and
preventative maintenance. To learn more about the power quality and versatility
offered by Hendrix Spacer Cable systems, please visit www.hendrix-wc.com.
About Hendrix Aerial
Cable & Systems
Hendrix Aerial
Cable Systems is one of five operating divisions of Marmon Utility LLC, a
provider of high-quality overhead and underground power distribution products
located in Milford, NH.
Spacer cable, the division’s
benchmark product, has been used by utilities for many years to improve the
reliability and power quality of primary distribution systems, while making
them more resistant to storm damage and providing options for areas
difficult to engineer with standard bare wire systems. Hendrix Aerial Cable Systems provides complete support
services, from project planning stages to system operation, making it easy to
use spacer cable.
SignalTEK II
Named to List of Top Thirty Technology Innovations of 2012 by Security Sales
& Integration Magazine
SAN DIEGO, CA, December 10, 2012 -- IDEAL Industries Networks, the
networking technology division of IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC., announced today that
its SignalTEK II Qualifier has been named one of the Top 30 Technology
Innovations of 2012 by Security Sales &
Integration magazine.
"IDEAL is proud to be recognized as an innovative
company that is making a meaningful difference in the experience of video
surveillance technicians as they fulfill their important missions," said
Richard Jones, Director of Sales &
Marketing-Networks US, IDEAL Industries Networks. "Everyone at
IDEAL Industries Networks continuously challenges themselves to find better
ways to connect people to information; our SignalTEK II being named to the Top
30 list is proof that those efforts are paying off for our customers."
Products named to the coveted Top 30 awards are handpicked
by Security Sales & Integration
experts as the most noteworthy devices introduced that year, resulting in an
industry-leading list of ingenious hardware designs, cutting-edge software and
labor-saving installation tools.
SIGNALTEK II
The IDEAL SignalTEK II Qualifier is a cost-effective
alternative to traditional cable certifiers. Perfect for small- to medium-sized
LANs, SignalTEK II qualifies that copper or fiber cabling is capable of
supporting bandwidth-heavy Voice, Data, Video (VDV) and IP-based video
surveillance applications over 10/100 Megabit or Gigabit Ethernet. SignalTEK II
then generates documentation verifying network connectivity and job completion
to initiate customer payment.
Being a multifunctional device for both fiber and copper,
SignalTEK II offers major cost savings, as it eliminates the need to purchase
separate testers for different media. Also, because it troubleshoots throughput
problems in existing installations, a separate transmission tester isn't
required, presenting more savings for the contractor.
For more information about IDEAL Industries Networks
SignalTEK II, visit
http://www.idealindustries.com/products/datacomm/testers/signaltek2.jsp
Light Brigade
2013 highly informative Catalog in print and online NOW
“I just received the newest
Fiber Optic Training catalog from the Light Brigade and it appears to be one of
the most informative catalogs they have created. It gives me a great
description of the classes they offer, but what I liked best was their chart
that shows the various Certifications that are available and which classes I
should attend to prepare for my next test. Now if I could just convince
my boss to take advantage of their training DVD special that was offered.”
Frank Bisbee, Editor HOTS.
www.lightbrigade.com
Master
Distributors Offers E-Switch’s Latest Illuminated Tact Switches
Master
Distributors, a leading distributor of electromechanical, interconnect and
passive components, announces that it now carries TL3240 Series and TL3210 Series illuminated tact switches from E-Switch. Both series are
surface mount (SMT) switches that offer LED illumination in a variety of colors
for applications such as the audio/visual market, computer peripherals,
consumer electronics, instrumentation, telecommunications, and medical
equipment.
The TL3210 series
measures only 5.6mm x 3.5mm, making it the tiniest illuminated tact switch in
E-Switch’s product line. It is available with LED illumination in blue, red,
green, yellow, white, and a bi-color red/green option. This tact switch comes
in tape and reel packaging at 2,500 pieces per reel. With an operating
temperature of -20°C to 70°C, the TL3210 features a contact rating of 50mA at
12V DC, a maximum contact resistance of 500mΩ, and an insulation
resistance of 100 MΩ min at 100V DC. Its mechanical parameters include
tactile travel of 0.2mm ± 0.1mm, an operating force of 160gf ± 50gf, and a long
life expectancy of 100,000 cycles.
The TL3240 series
offers LED illumination in blue, red, green and yellow. It is also
available with square or rectangular cap options in black, red, blue, ivory,
green, or yellow. However, the caps cannot go through the reflow soldering
process and are ordered and shipped separately. The TL3240 has an insulation
resistance of 100 MΩ min at 500V DC, a contact rating of 50mA at 12V DC,
and a maximum contact resistance of 100mΩ. With a long life expectancy of
200,000 cycles, it provides travel of 0.2mm ± 0.1mm at an operating temperature
of -25°C to 70°C, with available operating forces of 100gf ± 50gf, 160gf ±
50gf, and 260gf ± 50gf.
E-Switch has been
delivering quality switches for the electronics, telecom, high tech, instrumentation,
audio/visual, medical equipment, appliance, industrial controls and consumer
markets for over 30 years. Master has been an authorized distributor of
E-Switch since 2008, and has most of the company’s products in stock in their
most popular configurations.
About Master
Distributors
Master
Distributors is a leading electronic component distributor, dedicated to
stocking breadth of part numbers offering customers over 350,000 part numbers
for immediate delivery. Master Distributors has over 40 years of industry
experience and has 12 stocking branches in North America.
Master Distributors is franchised for over 230 suppliers, including ebm-papst,
Honeywell, ITT Cannon, Omron Electronics, Panasonic, and TE Connectivity. For
more information, visit www.masterdistributors.com.
Mike Holt
Safety NEWS - The Last Text - Texting While Driving
The Last Text
Is it worth a life? Yours or anyone else’s? The 6 seconds
that your eyes are off the road to text could kill. IT CAN WAIT!
How important was the last text that you sent or received?
Do you even remember what it was? Chances are the answer is “No”. People who
text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident. The
consequences impact more lives than just yours.
Click
here or on the image to view the YouTube video that AT&T produced as a
somber reminder of the life-changing effects of TXTNG & DRIVNG.
Mike
Holt Comment: If you still
texting while driving I hope that this video will change your mind about that
this holiday season. Now is the time to make the commitment to never again send
another text message while driving. WWW.MIKEHOLT.COM
I recommend
everyone watch the video….NO EXCEPTIONS.
Thanks Mike.
Frank Bisbee,
editor HOTS
New Siemon
Intelligent PDUs help reduce power consumption in data centers
Siemon, the global
infrastructure specialist, has introduced a new line of intelligent power
distribution units (PDUs). With the ability to distribute power to critical
network equipment while providing real-time monitoring, the new intelligent
PDUs are ideal for reducing power consumption and maximizing uptime in the data
center.
Siemon intelligent PDUs are
available with varying degrees of monitoring and control to meet specific
customer needs and preferences, including metered, monitored, smart, switched
and fully managed PDUs for everything from simple device-level monitoring to
full outlet-level monitoring, control and switching.
With a robust, data-center
quality construction, the new PDUs offer superior reliability and powerful
built-in capabilities to support various sensors that monitor critical cabinet
parameters like temperature, airflow and humidity. Siemon’s intelligent PDUs
can be used as standalone units that are easily accessed through an intuitive
web browser, or they can interface with third-party software through common
open networking protocols. The easy-to-read LCD display on each networked PDU
can be fully customized through the web browser for local cabinet-level
viewing.
“With data center energy
and downtime costs at an all-time high, the ability of intelligent PDUs to
monitor and control power is vital for optimizing efficiency and identifying
potential problems,” says Robert Carlson, vice president of global marketing at
Siemon. “Data center managers can easily view the status and track ongoing
performance of PDUs and their devices to fully understand usage. With this
vital information, they can identify high power or erratic power consumption,
insufficient cooling areas and underutilized equipment, which allow them to
make informed decisions and take the proper steps to reduce power consumption
and quickly resolve problems to ensure uptime.”
Siemon intelligent PDUs
versions allow them to be mounted horizontally in a standard EIA 19-inch
configuration or vertically in zero-U applications. They are available with
NEMA or IEC plug interfaces and with single- or three-phase voltage. Various
available cord lengths offer added flexibility, and reliability is assured with
comprehensive test data provided with each unit.
For more information on
Siemon’s intelligent PDUs, visit http://www.siemon.com/us/datacenter/pdu/
Follow Siemon on
Twitter: http://twitter.com/siemoncabling/
Join Siemon on Facebook: http://www.siemon.com/go/facebook
About Siemon- An
American Icon in the network cabling world
Established in 1903, Siemon
is an industry leader specializing in the manufacture and innovation of high
quality, high-performance network cabling solutions. Headquartered in
Connecticut, USA, with global offices, manufacturing and service partners
throughout the world, Siemon offers the most comprehensive suite of copper
(unshielded and shielded twisted-pair) category
5e, category 6 (Class E), category 6A (Class EA)
and category 7/7A
(Class F/FA), and multimode and singlemode optical fiber cabling systems available.
With over 400 patents specific to structured cabling, from patch cords to patch panels, Siemon
Labs invests heavily in R&D and development of industry standards,
underlining the company's long-term commitment to its customers and the
industry. www.siemon.com
Pre-Order
your copy of CABA's Impact of Smart Grid on Connected Homes Landmark Research
Study Now...
You
will receive the Executive summary today and don't pay until February 14, 2013
The Impact of Smart Grid on Connected Homes
Landmark Research investigated the current and future direction of the market
and the opportunities smart grid represents for participants in the value
chain. The study examined the concept of connected home desirability for
consumers and the perceived benefits of controllability and energy savings that
homeowners may derive. Other key objectives guiding the research were to
identify future opportunities within grid-enabled energy efficiency, device and
systems integration, and the development of a universal platform within the home.
Further to this, the research gauged the impact of future smart technology
adoption rates, the desirability of quantifying energy savings and reducing
operating costs, and the types of solutions likely to be developed to serve
emerging needs over the long run.
Ultimately, the research provided the foundation
for potential next steps for industry participants in terms of:
product/services research and development, business decision recommendations,
optimal vertical market strategies and strategic alliances, education and
training, and providing information on product demand into other parallel
market segments and other business areas.
CABA and the following
CABA members sponsored this research project: CableLabs, ClimateTalk Alliance, Comcast Communications,
Consolidated Edison of New York, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA),
Energent Incorporated, Hydro One Networks Inc., Hydro-Québec
, IBM, IEEE, Intel
Corporation, Landis+Gyr, Microsoft Corporation, MTS Allstream Inc., Niko
Group/fifthplay, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Pella Corporation, Philips
Lighting, Qualcomm Incorporated, Samsung Telecommunications America, Sigma
Designs, Southern California Edison, Sykes Assistance Services, TELUS, Tridel
Corporation, TRLabs and Z-Wave Alliance.
CABA commissioned Frost &
Sullivan (www.frost.com), an independent market
research and consulting firm, to conduct this 2012 landmark research study.
For a copy of the Executive Summary or to order the full
report contact:
George Grimes,
CABA's Business Development Manager, at
613.686.1814 x226 or Grimes@CABA.org
Your
Information Source for Home and Building Automation
www.CABA.org
AFL Expands
Portfolio of NOYES® Fiber Optic Connector Cleaning Products
Lowell, MA and Spartanburg, SC – December 12,
2012 – AFL enhanced its NOYES fiber optic connector
cleaning product line with the addition of these new products:
·
AFL CleanConnect 500, a refillable cassette-type cleaner
·
NTT-AT NEOCLEAN-E series, refillable push-type cleaners
· OPTIPOP-C, refillable card-type cleaners
·
Fujikura One-Click D-LC, a revolutionary push-type cleaner
· KimWipes, optical grade cleaning wipes
· CleanWipes™ optical grade cleaning wipes
AFL’s broad selection of cleaning
products enables engineers and technicians to choose the products that match
their current and future needs, and also comply with established cleaning
procedures. These products are designed for ease-of-use in a wide variety of
environments.
“Whether building and installing a
high-performance data communications or telecom network, or experimenting with
high power laboratory optics, properly cleaning fiber optic connectors prevents
the most common causes of performance degradation, network and component
failure and down time,” explains Kevin Haddock, product line manager for AFL’s
NOYES Test and Inspection division. “By providing the widest choice of fiber
optic cleaning products in the industry, we are better serving our growing
customer base.”
AFL offers a full selection of AFL cleaning
products. To
learn more about AFL, its products and services, visitwww.AFLglobal.com.
About AFL
AFL provides industry-leading products
and services to the electric utility, broadband, communications, OEM,
enterprise, wireless and transit rail markets as well as the emerging markets
of oil and gas, mining, nuclear, avionics, medical, renewable and intelligent
grid. The company’s diverse product portfolio includes fiber optic cable,
transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectors,
fusion splicers, test equipment and training. AFL’s service portfolio includes
market-leading positions with the foremost communications companies supporting
inside plant central office, EF&I, outside plant, enterprise and wireless
areas.
Founded in 1984, AFL is proud to offer
engineering expertise, exceptional products and reliable service that help our
customers improve their critical and electrical infrastructure. AFL has
operations in the U.S., Mexico, Europe and Asia.
The company is headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more
information, visit www.AFLglobal.com.
FTTH Council
Americas Elects New Board Members
(WASHINGTON,
DC) - The Fiber to the Home (FTTH)
Council Americas, a non-profit organization of nearly 300 companies and
organizations dedicated to expanding the availability of ultra high speed
broadband, has elected three industry executives to its board of directors for
2013.
In recent voting, the Council elected Walt
Donovan, Vice President of Telecom Business Development for Quanta Services,
and Scott Jackson, Business Development Manager-Smart Grid for Graybar Electric
Company, to three-year terms on the nine member board. Re-elected to a
three-year term on the board was Kevin Morgan, Director of Marketing for
ADTRAN.
Serving as chairman of the board in 2013 will be
Kevin Bourg, Senior Director of Global Market Development for Aurora Networks,
who has more than 17 years of industry experience in system engineering,
software development and sales in the telecommunication industry. He has
been active in the FTTH Council over the years serving on the technology and
planning committees as well as chairperson for the 2012 FTTH Conference &
Expo in Dallas, TX.
Board member Dave Kiel, Director of Global
Marketing for Corning Cable Systems, was chosen by the board to serve as
chair-elect for the 2014 board and chair of the 2013 FTTH Conference &
Expo.
Stepping down from the board after not running
for re-election are Doug Dowling, Director for Telecom Network Products at TE
Connectivity, and current chairman Kyle Hollifield, vice president of marketing
and business development at BVU Authority in Bristol, VA.
The recent board elections were the first to be
held under the FTTH Council's transition to a new board structure in which the
terms of service were increased to three years, and the number of board seats
coming up for election each year being reduced to three.
Previously, the nine board members served two year terms with five or four
seats coming up for election in alternating years. The Council also
limited board service to two consecutive terms before requiring retiring board
members to wait at least one year before again seeking election.
Information on the board members elected for
2013 is provided below:
Walt Donovan, Quanta Services - With 35 years in the
telecommunications industry, Walt Donovan has served since 2006 as Vice
President of Telecom Business Development for Quanta Services, which provides a
complete turnkey solution for FTTH providers, including planning and equipment
selection, engineering, construction, marketing and sales, and installation
services at both the central office and the customer premise. Previously,
he was President and Founder of Spectrum Project Management Services, Inc.,
which performed various management and construction projects for the
telecommunications industry. From 1996 to 2002, Walt was a Vice
President for Qwest Communications. He has been active in the FTTH
Council for five years, serving on the Planning and Technology committees.
Scott Jackson, Graybar - As Business
Development Manager-Smart Grid for Graybar, Scott has been actively involved
with the FTTH Council for several years including as chair of the technology
committee for three terms. He is also a member of the Council's Smart Grid
Initiative. Scott has more than 14 years of technology and business modeling
experience in IT and telecommunications applications for telephone, CATV and
utility entities. In his current role at Graybar, Scott focuses on
service solutions for utility smart grid deployments spanning electrical and
IT/telecommunications along with the smart facility home/building area (H/BAN)
network. Before joining Graybar, he served as Midwest
territory manager for Phillips Communications and Equipment Company,
comptroller and sales manager for CORE Telecom Systems and as an accountant for
Tele/Systems Inventory Management.
Kevin Morgan, ADTRAN - As Director of
Marketing for ADTRAN, a leading global provider of networking and
communications equipment, Kevin is a seasoned telecom professional with more
than 25 years of experience in the industry. He joined ADTRAN in 1996 as a
product manager and since that time has worked in product management, product
marketing, international marketing and customer advocacy. Prior to joining
ADTRAN, he worked in the Science & Technology department for several years
at Bell South. He has served in leadership positions with the FTTH Council
since 2009 as Marketing Committee chair, Government Affairs Committee chair,
Board Member and Secretary.
About the FTTH Council Americas
Now in its 12th year, the Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Council is a
non-profit association consisting of companies and organizations that deliver
video, Internet and/or voice services over high-bandwidth, next-generation,
direct fiber optic connections - as well as those involved in planning and
building FTTH networks. Its mission is to accelerate deployment of all-fiber
access networks by demonstrating how fiber-enabled applications and solutions
create value for service providers and their customers, promote economic
development and enhance quality of life. More information about the Council can
be found at www.ftthcouncil.org.
Thomas Starek of Diebold joins CABA Board of Directors
December 4, 2012, The Board
of Directors of the Continental Automated Buildings Association is pleased to
announce the appointment of Thomas Starek of Diebold, Incorporated to the
Board.
The appointment was ratified at the latest CABA Board
meeting, hosted by IBM, on November 9, 2012.
CABA is an international not-for-profit industry association
dedicated to the advancement of intelligent home and intelligent building
technologies.
"I am pleased that Tom Starek is joining our Board of
Directors," stated Ronald J. Zimmer, CABA President & CEO. "His
expertise in market intelligence will strongly complement and provide direction
to CABA's enhanced focus on providing high-quality market research to its
membership."
Starek currently serves as Director of Market Intelligence
Services at Diebold, Incorporated. He and his team provide market and
competitive intelligence to various constituencies throughout the organization
as well as customers. His background includes manufacturing, product
management, market research and competitive intelligence.
Starek joined Diebold in October of 1993 where he has served
in numerous strategic capacities. He has been conducting market analysis
and competitive intelligence for 12 years. Starek holds a Bachelor of Arts in
Management from Cleveland
State University.
"I am delighted to join the CABA Board at this exciting
juncture in the organization's history," stated Starek. "On the eve
of CABA's 25 anniversary, the organization continues to provide incredible
value to the industry through industry forums, market research opportunities
and cross-industry initiatives. I look forward to using my industry experience
to help CABA realize significant opportunities ahead."
About
CABA
The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) is a leading industry association
that promotes advanced technologies in homes and buildings in North
America. More information is available at http://www.caba.org
CERRO WIRE Unveils New Iphone® And Ipad®App For Electrical Contractor Calculations
Convenient Mobile App Calculates Conduit Fill, Voltage Drop, and
Amperage
Cerro
Wire LLC, a leading manufacturer of copper electrical building wire and cable, is pleased to introduce its powerful new electrical
calculations app for the iPhone® and iPad®, which gives
electrical contractors instant access to an easy-to-use, all-in-one tool for
computing field measurements.
At the
touch of a finger, electrical contractors can calculate conduit fill, voltage drop, and amperage all within
a simple mobile app. Using the conduit fill calculator, users can enter the
type of conductor, the size of each conductor, the type of conduit being used,
and the length of the conduit run, and the calculator will return the
recommended conduit fill. For voltage drop calculation, users simply
enter the length of the conduit run and the type of conductor, and the
calculator will return the recommended conductor size based on NEC-recommended
amperages. The amperage calculator simplifies an NEC amperage chart into a
convenient calculator. Combining all three of these calculations in a single
app, Cerrowire’s
Voltage Drop, Conduit Fill and Amperage Calculator is a must-have for
electrical professionals.
The app can calculate voltage
drop for 120V, 208V, 240V, 277V, and 480V voltages, as well as 277/480V and
120/280V 4-wire voltages. Calculations work for THHN/THWN, XHHW, or USE copper
or aluminum conductors. The conduit fill calculator applies to 14 AWG through
750 MCM conductor sizes, and works for EMT, ENT, FMC, IMC, PVC, Type EB
PVC, LFNC-A, LFNC-B, LFMC, and RMC conduit types. The amperage calculator can
handle 14 AWG through 1000 MCM conductor sizes.
The
app has been successfully launched and is now available on iTunes. It is available for dual download for the iPhone®
and iPad®. Cerro Wire hopes to expand the app to Android at a later
date.
Cerro
Wire LLC, a leading manufacturer of copper electrical building wire and cable,
supplies its products to wholesale electrical distributors and retail home
improvement centers across North America.
Cerrowire’s Electrical Distribution Division offers building wire for
residential, commercial and industrial use. Our operating philosophy focuses on
customer service, low cost operations, simplification and innovation. Our
employees operate manufacturing and distribution facilities around the United States.
Cerro
Wire is a Marmon Wire &Cable/Berkshire Hathaway company. www.cerrowire.com
BREAKING
NEWS: ECMAG.com - The popular website for NECAs ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
plans to unveil a major upgrade to the website in December 2012
Insiders at the NECA (National
Electrical Contractors Association - www.necanet.org)
told us that we may see the new site upgrades by Christmas or at least by New
Year’s Day.
Over the past 4 years, the
web traffic (Pageveiws) to ECMAG.COM has
soared from about 75,000 per month to more than 2,200,000. We also learned that
the average time on the site per visit is an AMAZING 16 to 20 minutes. On the
Internet, that is incredible.
The content on the site is
perhaps the best available synopsis of the current events in the electrical
industry and the developing trends. The expanding coverage on building automation,
security, communications, energy management, and safety include all the latest
and greatest offerings, designs, and applications. The BEST is getting
BETTER. Check it out after the upgrade and give us your feedback.
Personally, I think
this site has more value and information than I have ever seen in one place
online for our industry.
But that’s just my opinion,
Frank Bisbee – Editor “HOTS – Heard On The Street” monthly column on www.wireville.com
Siemon adds
Interconnect capability to its MapIT G2 intelligent infrastructure range
Siemon, the global
infrastructure specialist, has launched the MapIT G2 Copper Interconnect
System. This network management innovation is an extension and enhancement to
the MapIT G2 Intelligent Infrastructure Management (IIM) solution and offers a
more cost-effective option, which simplifies installation. This system gives
complete visibility and control of the entire physical layer network, enabling
the tracking and monitoring of ports in real time and management of network
documentation.
With the MapIT G2 Copper Interconnect, both material costs and installation
time are reduced by 17 per cent, when compared with a cross-connect
configuration. In this interconnect topology, switch ports are connected from
the switch directly to the smart copper patch panel, eliminating the cost of a
second copper patch panel and the related patch cords used in a traditional
cross-connect configuration.
The Interconnect Control Module (ICM) is an important part of the Interconnect
solution: This hand-held Ethernet device creates a software-based link between
the switch port and the smart patch panel port. The ICM discovers the switch
side of the patch connection and, through a few simple steps, recognises the
successful connection to the smart panel, verifying the data on the LCD
display. This device is used by technicians during initial installation and
when making subsequent moves, adds and changes (MACs).
Commenting on the launch, Robert Carlson, vice president of global marketing at
Siemon, explained, "The MapIT G2 system is designed to help network and
data center professionals to manage, monitor and secure their physical IT
infrastructures. It provides a host of capabilities to help optimize the
network, to safeguard it and maintain it at peak performance. With the new
Copper Interconnect system, we provide the option of a more cost-effective
topology that simplifies installation. We expect it to be equally welcomed by
those designing systems and those responsible for the management of the
network."
In addition to dramatically improving network management, MapIT G2 radically
reduces power consumption, using 75 per cent less power than other IIM systems
for a clear 'green' advantage. This lower power consumption also significantly
cuts heat generation, improving the energy efficiency of data center thermal
management systems.
To learn more about the MapIT G2 Interconnect system, visit http://www.siemon.com/us/MapITG2
Established in 1903, Siemon is an industry leader specializing in the
manufacture and innovation of high quality, high-performance network cabling
and data center infrastructure solutions. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, with
global offices, manufacturing and service partners throughout the world, Siemon
offers the most comprehensive suite of copper (unshielded and shielded
twisted-pair) category 5e, category 6 (Class E), category 6A(Class EA) and
category 7/7A (Class F/FA), and multimode and singlemode fiber cabling systems
available. With over 400 patents specific to structured cabling, from patch
cords to patch panels, Siemon Labs invests heavily in R&D and development
of industry standards, underlining the company's long-term commitment to its
customers and the industry. www.siemon.com
Tool Trends
2012 - Article by Jeff Griffin from Electrical Contractor magazine (November
2012
Technological advances
push innovations
by Jeff Griffin
Published: November 2012
Serious concerns may remain
about the U.S. economy and
how economies and events in Europe, the Middle East and Asia
affect Wall Street and American business. However, electrical and data
communications toolmakers seem positively bullish.
The lithium-ion revolution
continues to add more cordless tools to a growing list of categories;
manufacturers are introducing new manual hand tool designs and improvements;
thermal imagers continue to infiltrate the electrical market; and power and
datacom testers are doing more while becoming more user-friendly.
Rexel’s take on
trends
Major electrical distributor Rexel
reported a very good year and, boosted by the acquisition of Platt Electric in
July, is on a record growth pace, said Jeff Baker, vice president.
Rexel offered a major
electrical distributor’s perspective on this year’s trends in tools. Several
Rexel representatives contributed information, which Baker consolidated.
Rexel’s observations did not mention brand names or specific models.
According to Baker, the year has brought higher demand for compact, lighter
weight cordless power tools and multifunction hand tools, and there has been an
expansion in the types of cordless tools with lithium-ion batteries.
Fifty percent of all power
tool users report that they would like a smaller, lighter tool that can get the
job done, even if the tool may complete the job at a slower pace. In one year,
sales of manufacturer cordless power tools under 18 volts (V) jumped more than
1,000 percent.
The new “brushless” tool
motor design reverses the windings and magnetic field, increasing motor life by
10 times over conventional motors with brushes and providing more power and
longer run times.
Regarding multifunction
hand tools, buyers understand that reducing the number of tools they have to
carry at any one time lessens the load in tool bags. Multifunction tool
examples include 10- and 11-in-1 multifunction screwdrivers, built-in conduit
reamers, and wire strippers.
A significant change:
manufacturers introduced corded power tools with 15-ampere (A) motors, which
capacitor banks made possible. Using a 15A motor plugged into a 15A outlet
without a capacitor bank to store power would trip the circuit breaker every
time. Previously, 13A motors were the acceptable tradeoff between power and
good user experience. Other changes in corded tools are ergonomic.
The market for electrical
testers recently has become very crowded with many companies entering and few
making significant strides. Demand for laser measuring and layout tools is
stable without major recent changes, a status quo category from Rexel’s
perspective.
Meanwhile, thermal imaging
cameras have become an attractive market for manufacturers. There are few
competitors, and municipalities will eventually require thermal imaging on
electrical services. The thermal imaging camera fills a dual role. It can be
sold as a new item to increase business and customer satisfaction, and it can
be presented as a safety item.
Tools used for copper and
coaxial voice/data/video (VDV) cabling have made few breakthroughs. Many
buyers’ biggest concern has been the cost of tools and needing specific
accessories for terminations. Multifunction tools that can be used on a
multitude of connectors or terminations are winners here.
Tools for fiber optic
installations fall in a heavily preference-guided market.
Installers who get good
results with a particular tool tend to stay with that tool. For instance,
testers for VDV networks follow changes in equipment—coaxial versus Category 5
or 6, fiber versus Internet protocol.
Customers must comply with
industry safety-related standards and, thus, must purchase safety products;
therefore, manufacturers are entering or broadening tool lines to include such
products. Protective equipment—such as safety vests, hard hats, flame-resistant
clothing and gloves, including vibration-resistant and cut-resistant gloves—is
in high demand.
There have been suggestions
in recent years that the needs of an aging electrical work force are
influencing tool designs. As a result, manufacturers continue to promote
ergonomic features as a marketing strategy.
Older workers represent a
declining market. Aging workers who have been in the industry for 30-plus years
have spent that time collecting tools. The bigger market is the 25- to
45-year-old group. They have the money to spend, they want the latest and
greatest, and they do not have a lifetime’s worth of collecting tools under
their belts. The aging work force does appreciate some of the same
features—ergonomic, lightweight, multifunction—just on a smaller scale.
The trend continues for
toolmakers to expand tool offerings into areas outside their traditional product
lines as manufacturers are attempting to diversify revenue streams, mitigate
dips in the economy and gain market share. Through its subsidiaries, Rexel Inc.
and Gexpro, Rexel is a large U.S.
electrical distributor. Operating from nearly 300 branches across the country,
Rexel provides products and services to commercial, industrial and residential
markets.
Tools of interest
Rexel’s overview of the 2012 tool market focused on trends, not specific
products. Some representative trendy tools are listed here.
Hand tools
Klein Tools introduced a nonconductive
fiberglass fish tape with permanent laser-etched markings in 1-foot increments,
allowing installers to instantly and accurately measure lengths of cable runs
by reading the amount of remaining tape. Added to Klein’s VDV tool line is a
combination radial stripper that works with both utility and standard cable
sizes and removes the outer jacket and dielectric in one step.
Knipex installation pliers strip, cut, deburr
and widen grip and crimp-end sleeves. The design reduces the effort needed to
cut through cables, and a locking mechanism protects the cutting edge.
Testers
The Extech MG300 two-in-one
insulation tester and multimeter with wireless data logging combo meter
includes a digital insulation resistance tester and full--function, true rms
digital multimeter, which features useful extras, such as duty-cycle
measurements and milliamp readings for analog 4–20-milliamp current loops in
industrial analog process controls. The CAT-IV-rated meter’s wireless data
streaming enables safer troubleshooting and maintenance on dangerous moving
equipment and one-person operation of remote safety switches.
The Fluke Networks OptiFiber Pro optical
time-domain reflectometer for enterprise fiber testing has a smartphone
interface that supports gesture-based commands and technology enhancements that
simplify testing in data center environments. A simplified data center mode and
project-management tools record test results and quickly archive and access
data.
The Ideal Industries SignalTEK II
multifunctional handheld cable and network qualifier is marketed as an
alternative to certifiers and is ideal for small to medium-sized local area
networks. SignalTEK II will validate that copper or fiber cabling is capable of
supporting bandwidth-heavy VDV and IP-based video surveillance applications
over 10/100 megabit or gigabit Ethernet. SignalTEK II generates documentation
verifying network connectivity and job completion to initiate customer payment.
Thermal imagers
Thermal imagers are a valuable diagnostic tool for electricians to inspect
electrical and electromechanical equipment and components.
Flir offers three categories of thermal imagers
for the varying requirements of electrical contractors: point-and-shoot
entry-level infrared cameras, midlevel professional grade, and high-performance
grade.
The Fluke Corp. Ti series contains
three thermal imager models that differ by degree of infrared resolution, focal
plane, refresh rate and IR fusion capability.
Other models are available
for different applications. http://www.ecmag.com/index.cfm?fa=article&articleID=14011
GRIFFIN, a construction and tools writer
from Oklahoma City,
can be reached at up-front@cox.net.
Reprinted with permission
from the ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine - Published by the National Electrical
Contractors Association (NECA), Electrical Contractor magazine reaches 85,300+
electrical contractors and more than 68,000 electrical contracting locations,
more than any other industry publication. Contact: (301) 657-3110 / www.ecmag.com.
CABA
NewsBrief December 6, 2012 - Continental Automated Building Association
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Large Building Automation
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Strong
green building outlook for all sectors in the U.S.
The U.S.
green building market continues to accelerate, according to McGraw-Hill
Construction's 2013 Dodge Construction Green Outlook report. The value of green
building has seen growth from US$10 billion in 2005 to US$78 billion in 2011.
In 2012, the total market "non-residential and residential" is
expected to be worth US$85 billion, and by 2013, overall new green building is
projected to rise to between US$98 billion and US$106 billion. By 2016, this
number is expected to reach US$204 billion to US$248 billion. building.hk
(11/19)
§
California
gets $2.75B to green its schools, public buildings
California
will have $550 million a year until 2018 -- a total of $2.75 billion -- to fund
green-improvement projects at its schools and public buildings thanks to voters
who passed Proposition 39. Upgrades are aimed at energy efficiency and include
weatherization, replacement of leaking windows and adding insulation. San
Jose Mercury News (12/1)
§
GE
sets tech sights on energy management
General Electric says the path to greater energy efficiency for
enterprises lies in "the Industrial Internet" and technologies such
as the smart grid. "We estimate that the technical innovations of the
Industrial Internet could find direct application in sectors accounting for
more than $32.3 trillion in economic activity," a GE report says. The
Register (11/27)
§
EPRI
reports industry has little understanding of electric utility customers
Despite over 10 years of pilots and experiments, surprisingly
little of what we need to know about customers and alternative program
offerings has been affirmatively and credibly established, according to a new
report from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Metering.com
(11/30)
§
Video:
How to partner with vendors for energy savings
Here is an educational video from this year's NFMT show that look
at energy use in existing buildings. This short video , less than five minutes
long, delivers advice and ideas on how to partner with vendors in order to
reduce your energy costs. NFMT is managed by ROC Exhibitions, a CABA member. Building
Operating Management (11/30)
§
Lynxspring
announces availability of JENEsys® Harmony
Lynxspring, a leading manufacturer and distributor of building
automation technology and device-to-enterprise integration solutions announced
a revolutionary software enhancement to their JENEsys® product line called
JENEsys® Harmony, the only embedded software tool that automates the
integration of any discoverable BACnet® or LonWorks® building control device. Equities.com
(11/17)
§
Staying
ahead of the U.S. green building curve
While interest in formal LEED certification may be down in the US, interest in
green building is higher than ever, which more and more businesses showing
confidence in the sector. In catering to this new wave of green building
enthusiasts, the US Green Building Council has released the Green Building
Information Gateway (GBIG), a tool that encourages transparency in the sector. US Green
Building Council is a CABA member. DesignBuild
Source (11/13)
§
IBM
targets Big Data talent shortage with research center
IBM is teaming up with Ohio
State University
to launch a research center to address the lack of analysts for the Big Data
sector. Big Blue plans to hire 500 consultants and researchers during the next
three years to staff the center, and work with the university to develop curriculum
in business analytics and mathematics and to bring Big Data professionals into
the classroom. IBM is a CABA Board member. New
York Times (11/29)
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ASHRAE
and NASEO held congressional briefing on net-zero schools
NASEO and ASHRAE hosted a High Performance Building Congressional
Caucus Coalition (HPBCCC) briefing on "The Promise and Proof of Net-Zero
Energy Schools" in Washington, D.C. The event highlighted the benefits
that local communities and school districts gain from high-performance and
zero-net energy capable schools, including reduced and stable energy and facility
operating costs, improved stewardship of public resources, and enhanced
facility resiliency. ASHRAE is a CABA member. Commercial
Buildings Consortium (11/14)
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Oracle
releases smart grid gateway for utilities
As the Smart Grid evolves, utilities will gather an
ever-increasing volume of data from an ever-expanding list of devices. Oracle
Utilities Smart Grid Gateway (SGG) provides a single point of connection that
links all devices to all the applications that use their data. SGG dramatically
reduces the cost and complexity of enhancing Smart Grids with new devices, data
streams, and business processes. ESNA
Newsletter (12/1)
§
Mannequins
fitted with cameras to track shoppers
Taking consumer tracking creepy-ness to a whole new level fashion
brands are deploying mannequins equipped with camera technology from Almax, an
Italian manufacturer of mannequins. The EyeSee mannequin looks normal enough,
but includes a camera embedded in one eye which is feeding data into facial
recognition software. InAVate
(11/27)
§
NRC-IRAP
and Wavefront partner to support Ontario-based SMEs
The Wavefront Acceleration Program with support from the National
Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
offers SMEs access to a variety of fundamental services, including business
advisory support from experienced wireless industry professionals, state of the
art wireless product development and testing infrastructure, international
market linkages, and wireless training programs and events. The National
Research Council of Canada is a CABA Board member. Wavefront
(11/5)
§
Tellabs
appoints Dan Kelly as new CEO, president
Tellabs' board of directors named Dan Kelly as its new CEO and
president. Kelly, a 25-year Tellabs veteran, has served as Tellabs acting CEO
and president since June 27, 2012. He was serving in that interim role for Rob
Pullen, a 27-year veteran of Tellabs, who was being treated for cancer. Pullen
passed away on July 2 this year. FierceTelecom
(11/22)
§
Fall
edition of ASHRAE High Performing Buildings magazine released
ASHRAE recently published the fall edition of High Performing
Buildings. The articles include several case studies on high-performance and
zero-net energy buildings, including Adobe Systems' headquarters in San Jose,
California; the NREL Research Support facility in Golden, Colorado;
Richardsville Elementary School in Richardsville, Kentucky; and the Tanimura
and Antle Family Memorial Library in Monterey Bay, California. Free digital
copies of the publication are available on the High Performing Buildings
website. ASHRAE is a CABA member. ASHRAE
(11/9)
How
do you think the world will look like in 2050?
Do you want to create your own vision of how the world will look
like in 2050? Would you like to read other people's visions and vote on how
desirable and likely they are to happen. Would you want to link scientific
evidence to your visions and policy ideas and announce events? Then join
Futurium to animate debates on fascinating futures. Futurium is the European
Commission's online laboratory where you can develop visions and ideas for
future European policies. Europa.eu
(11/30)
§
First
ASHRAE standard enters smart grid Catalog of Standards
The first standard from the building technology society ASHRAE,
ASHRAE 135 BACnet, has been voted into the smart grid Catalog of Standards.
BACnet, the ASHRAE building automation and control networking protocol, has
been designed specifically to meet the communication needs of building
automation and control systems for applications such as heating, ventilating
and control, lighting control, access control, and fire detection systems. Both
ASHRAE and BACnet International are CABA members. Metering.com
(12/3)
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Prefabricated
net-zero hotel built in Chinese desert
China's existing cities are bursting at the seams, so developers
are building new cities as far afield as the vast and formidable Xiangshawan
desert. PLaT Architects' Lotus Hotel is a prefabricated desert development that
can be built without the use of water or concrete. The building is designed to
be made from locally-sourced materials, and it generates its own electricity
and water. inhabitat
(11/23)
Click here for CABA's Industry Events Update
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Home Systems
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Verizon
seeks to take ad targeting to new level
Verizon is seeking a patent for technology that would be able to
serve ads based on TV viewers' moods, conversational topics and whether there
are animals near the set. The technology would use infrared cameras and
microphones to determine ads appropriate to a couple having an argument (a spot
for marriage counseling) or a couple embracing (spots for a romantic getaway,
contraceptives, flowers or romantic movies), according to examples listed in
the filing. Verizon is a CABA Board member. FierceCable
(11/30)
§
Apple
unveils upgraded iTunes service
Apple has debuted the newest version of its iTunes Media Service,
a rollout originally planned for last month. The service is now more closely
aligned with Apple's iCloud storage service, to make it easier for users to find
and access content on a variety of devices. All
Things D (11/29)
§
Microsoft
said to plan next Xbox for 2013 holiday season
Microsoft Corp. will release the next version of its Xbox
video-game machine, the top-selling console, in time for the holidays next
year, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. Microsoft is a
CABA Board member. Bloomberg
(11/30)
§
Ultra
HD TV tech is still in development, firm says
While leading manufacturers are already putting Ultra HD
television sets on the market, some of the critical supporting technology for
the higher-resolution video format is still in development, according to
Futuresource Consulting. Bandwidth is another potentially limiting issue, it
notes. ipTVnews
(11/30)
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LG
Smart TVs, Blu-ray players use FiOS TV app without an STB
FiOS TV subscribers who also use Verizon's FiOS Internet service
soon can access HBO, Food Network, NFL Network, TBS, VH1 and up to 70 other
cable channels on their LG Electronics Smart TVs and Blu-ray players through a
new application, without requiring the use of a set-top box. They will also be
able to see video-on-demand titles through Verizon's Flex View service. LG
Electronics is a CABA member, while Verizon is a CABA Board member. Telecompetitor.com
(11/28)
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Accenture:
OTT video pushes second-screen growth
Half of U.S. consumers surveyed by Accenture report they are
watching over-the-top video content streamed over the Internet on their
televisions in addition to their customary cable and satellite TV programming.
Some 49% of consumers in the U.K.
and the U.S.
are subscribing to various video delivery services, up from 8% in March of last
year, according to Accenture. MediaPost
Communications/Marketing Daily (11/27)
§
Will
Intel's moves bring an end to the desktop?
New chip and circuit board designs from Intel could put a virtual
end to the desktop, Brooke Crothers writes, citing others' reporting. The
chipmaker has not issued any statement, but a source said the reports
"have taken a lot of liberties" regarding Intel's plans. Intel
Corporation is a CABA Board member. CNET
(11/27)
§
What
to look for in purchasing an HDTV
Budget and screen size are prime considerations in purchasing a
high-definition television for the holidays this year, this article notes. It
lays out the various types of HDTVs available and offers advice on features,
such as 3DTV and Internet streaming. HD
Guru (11/26)
§
Analysis:
Smartphone fueled the Internet of Things
Connected cars, connected homes and other aspects of the
burgeoning "Internet of Things" owe their realization to technology first
embodied in the smartphone, Stacey Higginbotham writes in this analysis. The
Android operating system and Wi-Fi connectivity helped LG Electronics develop
smart appliances for the home, she notes. LG Electronics is a CABA member. GigaOm
(11/26)
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CEA:
Holiday weekend shopping totals $43.7 billion
Consumers spent an estimated $43.7 billion on holiday gifts during
the Thanksgiving/Black Friday weekend, according to the Consumer Electronics
Association. Smartphones and tablet computers were leading categories in
electronics purchases, CEA said. E-tailers rang up more than $1 billion in
sales on Black Friday alone, a 26% rise from last year, according to comScore,
which also estimated that online spending on CE products has increased by 18%
so far this year, when compared with 2011 figures. The Consumer Electronics
Association is a CABA member. Dealerscope
(11/26)
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How
to upsell clients from multiroom audio into home automation
Two integrators explain how inexpensive home control options allow
them to upsell clients who originally just wanted multiroom audio into full
whole-house automation. CEPro
(11/16)
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Are
connected toys the next big CE playground?
Toy companies believe machine-to-machine technology will move their
new generation of products across generations: They have begun investing in
connected toys that would link to Wi-Fi networks. For example, Meccano has
developed a surveillance robot that users control via a Wi-Fi connection.
"Mobile devices and smartphones are giving children more ways to play than
ever before," said Scott Jochim, the founder of Digital Tech Frontier,
whose POPAR Toys unit is making augmented-reality technology a major part of
its product line. ConnectedWorldMag.com
(11/21)
§
Analysis:
Tech giants just don't seem to get TV business
The rise of Internet-based companies over the past decade and a
half has taken its toll on newspapers, magazines, publishing, music and radio,
but has not been able to conquer TV, writes Dave Morgan, CEO and founder of
Simulmedia. Among TV's strengths are that it still functions as a medium; its
business is dominated by relationships, not technology; and automation isn't
necessarily the best way to address its problems. Advertising
Age (11/15)
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More
than half of U.S. pay-TV homes have DVRs, survey says
In a survey of 1,300 U.S. households, 52% of homes with
cable/satellite television services now have a digital video recorder,
according to Leichtman Research Group. This represents about 45% of all
households, the firm noted. Meanwhile, the big broadcast networks say their
lower ratings are partly due to increased use of DVRs and video on demand. CEDMagazine.com/Associated
Press (11/20)
§
Video:
Cox VP speaks on leveraging cross-device viewing in the home
Mark Greatrex senior vice president and chief marketing officer at
Cox Communications talks about content, platforms and device choices to
understand why consumers make the decisions they do. CTAM
(11/20)
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G.hn
faces competition from MoCA, HomePlug networking standards
While G.hn, the catch-all wired/wireless home networking standard,
is on the verge of becoming part of the home networking reality following a
number of service provider trials, the reality is that it lacks the clout of
established home networking standards such as Multimedia over Coax Alliance
(MoCA) and HomePlug. HomeGrid Forum (G,hn), MoCA and HomePlug Alliance are CABA
members. FierceTelecom
(12/3)
§
Video:
Nokia launches mobile with projection-mapping and light show
Projection mapping joined stunning visual effects and a Deadmau5
DJ set to transform a London street when Nokia launched its Lumia mobile phone
in the UK on November 28, 2012. Bluman Associates provided projection
requirements and oversaw technical production for a live webcast and post event
video. Projectors, concealed within the upper rooms of a pub, spanned five 40m
wide buildings. InAVate
(12/3)
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Member Press Releases
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QA
Graphics Offers Partner Resources with BAS Graphic Services
QA Graphics, leading provider of design services for the building
automation industry, is pleased to announce that they are providing partner
resources for clients utilizing their BAS graphic services. QA Graphics is a
CABA member.
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Other CABA Member Items
ON
World publishes wireless sensor networking report
New Entry Level Energy Dashboard Pricing
QA
Graphics Partners with NEC Display Solutions
EMerge
Alliance Completes New Data/Telecom Center Standard at Greenbuild 2012
AMX
Dealers Big Night at 2012 CEDIA Awards
QA Graphics Develops Custom Trane System Graphics
QA Graphics develops 3-D graphic library for Tridium’s NiagaraAX
Framework® 3.7
EMerge
Alliance Releases Version 1.1 of Occupied Space Standard: Progress continues
toward integrated standards for DC microgrids in buildings
Lucid and Green Schools Alliance Partner to Bring Energy Monitoring and
Electricity Reduction Competitions to Thousands of K-12 Schools Across North
America
Lucid and Enmetric Systems Partner to Motivate Commercial Building
Occupants to Reduce Plug-Level Energy Consumption
CABA
members can post their media releases by logging into the CABA Web site.
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CABA Research Spotlight
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Using
TV Everywhere to Drive Premium TV Services
This whitepaper, developed by Parks Associates for Irdeto, reviews
the current market for video services and details how service providers can
shift their strategies to drive adoption of premium services and create new revenues.
Topics include consumer research on cord cutters and cord shavers, refocusing
TV Everywhere strategies to drive revenues, analysis of different TV Everywhere
and VOD business models, and keys to success — role of content, interfaces,
connected CE, and ease of use. Parks Associates is a CABA member.
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Education & Training
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Webinar:
Roadmap to Energy Efficient Buildings, Part III – Advanced Technologies
Part III of CoR Advisors' Roadmap webcast series, to be held on
December 7 at 12:30 ET, will present advanced energy management technologies
that take building operations to another level. We'll demonstrate new software
applications that collect and analyze operational data from thousands of points
in a building in order to detect issues, patterns, and faults in real time.
Learn how to gain detailed visibility into building systems and set rules that
allow your building to run automatically and intelligently, based on your own
performance and energy usage criteria. Also, learn about new fuel cell power
solutions and on site sources of energy that reduce costs, add reliability, and
support business continuity when the grid goes down. CoR Advisors is a CABA
member.
§
Webinar:
HomePlug Update
HomePlug Alliance, a CABA member, will provide a technology update
on its exciting new developments on December 6 at 8:30 am PT. The webinar will
examine HomePlug technology in today's market; the future of home networking;
and will provide an update on the Netricity PLC (IEEE 1901.2) standard for
Smart Grid to meter connectivity.
§
Webinar:
2013 Predictions: Mobility at a Crossroad
As the mobile ecosystem--devices, networks, applications, video,
mobile transactions and more--grow to match global demand, what does the future
hold in store? What companies and trends will be the winners and losers of
2013? Join Yankee Group on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 at 11 am ET for an
interactive webinar where the firm predicts the big moves and changes in
mobility for the coming year.
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CABA News
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§
Be
part of CABA's 25th Anniversary at CES and AHR in January
CABA is hoping you will be a sponsor of CABA's 25th Anniversary
Celebration Receptions, to be held at the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas, NV and AHR
Expo in Dallas, TX. These are two great opportunities to
network with CABA members and have your organization highlighted not just at
the events, but also on CABA's Web site and in the CABA NewsBrief. To view the
sponsorship opportunities click
here. For more information or to order your sponsorship package contact
George Grimes, CABA Business Development Manager at 613.686.1814 x226 or grimes@caba.org.
§
Thomas
Starek of Diebold joins CABA Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of the Continental Automated Buildings
Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Starek of Diebold,
Incorporated to the Board. The appointment was ratified at the latest CABA
Board meeting, hosted by IBM, on November 9, 2012.
§
CABA
continues to gain, maintain industry support
The Board of Directors of the Continental Automated Buildings Association
would like to thank and recognize the following CABA members that renewed their
CABA Research Subscription/Membership. Your continued support of CABA is
greatly appreciated.
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§
Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition
(DRSG) (Member since 2006)
§
Canadian Wireless Telecommunications
Association (Member since 1999)
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FIATCH (Member since 2003)
§
Healthy Indoors Partnership (Member since
2003)
§
The Construction Specifications Institute
(Member since 2008)
§
1394 Trade Association (Member since 2001)
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ZigBee Alliance
(Member since 2002)
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Sustainable Resources Management Inc. (Member
since 1995)
§
Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) (Member since 2010)
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The WiMedia Alliance (Member since 2010)
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As
CABA is an international not-for-profit industry association, this support
enables CABA to provide networking opportunities, research programs and
information to the industry in regards to the advancement of connected home and
intelligent building technologies.
For information about CABA Research Subscription/Memberships, please contact
George Grimes, CABA Business Development Manager at grimes@caba.org or 613.686.1814 x226. To
view a listing of 300+ CABA members go to: www.caba.org/members.
Continental
Automated Building
Association www.caba.org
Fiber-optic
testing: Keeping it simple in the field – Article from CI&M magazine
Making sense of one of the most confusing and
misunderstood phases of fiber-optic system installation.
By Clay Franklin and Mike
Fuller, Corning
Cable Systems
In the telecommunications industry
today, testing is one of the most confusing and misunderstood phases of
installing a fiber-optic system. While misunderstood, optical-fiber testing is
one of the final and most important procedures in installing optical networks.
There are so many questions.
Should I understand and comply with the new encircled flux standards? Is
encircled flux compliance the responsibility of the installer or the
test-equipment manufacturer? Should I be performing Tier-1 or Tier-2 testing?
Should I use a two-jumper method (Method A) or a one-jumper method (Method B)?
Answering these questions does require some research and education from all
involved. Coming from an installer background, we prefer to use the KISS method
as much as possible, which is to keep it simple. This article provides an
overview of the industry standards for testing a fiber-optic system, some
general recommendations and guidelines, and how the KISS Method applies.
When you begin to consider
optical testing, you must know where to begin looking for information. You can
start with component and equipment manufacturers that follow industry-standard
recommendations for manufacture of products used in fiber-optic systems.
Standards from organizations such as the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) are used both in
factories while manufacturing components and in the field where those
components are installed. The standards organizations aim to create consistency
and best practices for optimum system performance. The two standards reviewed
in this article are TIA-526-14-B (multimode) and TIA-568-C.0, C.0 Addendum 2
and C.3, which provide testing recommendations and guidelines for fiber-optic
testing.
Encircled flux multimode testing
Let’s start by discussing one
of the industry’s most-debated topics. The future of testing multimode fiber is
going to change with TIA’s adoption of IEC 61280-4-1, the encircled flux
testing procedure. As transmission speeds have increased on multimode fibers from
1-Gbit/sec to 10-Gbits/sec and beyond, allowable loss budgets have decreased
significantly, allowing little room for error.
Launch conditions during
testing varied wildly and therefore created inconsistent test results that
could potentially result in poor performance or failure of optical systems.
Encircled flux launch conditions were created to produce much-needed
consistency during this testing phase, which would more accurately predict
capabilities of networks operating at these higher transmission speeds.
Industry leaders agree that encircled flux is the most accurate method to test
multimode fiber, as it controls the launch conditions coming from the optical
sources.
Whether achieved outside the
source through a conditioned jumper or by using an out-of-port solution
(managed inside the source), the responsibility falls on the test equipment
manufacturers to bring a reliable solution to market. Until very recently,
conditioned jumpers were the sole means of achieving this launch and they were
both costly and difficult to manage in the field. Test equipment manufacturers
have now made it easier for the installers to achieve standards compliance by
having an out-of-port solution. It is understood that the source, as supplied,
has been verified by the test equipment manufacturer to produce the specified
launch without the use of external jumpers. With this type of solution, the
multitude of external mandrels or conditions will be a thing of the past, which
will create one less thing an installer needs to do their job correctly. Keep it simple: Because test equipment that
meets the encircled flux standard will provide the most consistent and accurate
test results, installers should seek to update their test equipment when
feasible to EF-compliant sources.
Standards overview
TIA-568 is the primary
standard for field testing, and it answers most of the questions at hand.
Unfortunately, most of us do not have a copy of this standard in our
briefcases, let alone our toolboxes. Let’s start with the basics by identifying
the three major factors (events) that introduce loss into a fiber-optic system:
cabled fiber loss, connector loss and splice loss.
Within TIA-568, you will find
that fiber loss will vary by fiber type and is measured in decibels (dBs) per
kilometer (km). This fiber-type-specific loss value per kilometer is provided
within the standard, but can also be found on cable data sheets shipped with
cable from the manufacturer. In addition, you can go to most manufacturer
websites to gather that information.
In contrast, TIA-568 is more
prescriptive with connector and splice loss: 0.75 dBs per mated connector pair
and 0.30 dBs per splice (mechanical or fusion). The table represents an example
of how a system link loss budget can be calculated. These are the components
needed to build a loss budget and can be acquired through knowledge of the
system route diagrams. If neither is available, an optical time domain
reflectometer (OTDR) can be used to get a signature trace of the fiber link.
Keep in mind that events on an OTDR can be a misrepresentation of the real
events and introduce user variability. For example, a bad mechanical splice
could appear to be a connector pair.
With this understanding of
events and their associated loss, we can explore the types of testing used in
the fiber-optic industry. TIA-568 categorizes testing into Tier 1 and Tier 2.
TIA-568-C.0 mandates Tier 1 testing to ensure system performance and integrity.
The Tier 1 tests consist of link attenuation testing, link length and a polarity check. During the
attenuation testing, each link is measured for attenuation with an optical loss
test set (OLTS) or a light source and power meter (LSPM). This most accurately
characterizes total system capability. Fiber length measurement can be achieved
optically (OLTS or OTDR) or calculated by using cable sheath markings. Polarity
is verified either with an OLTS/LSPM or a visible fault locator (VFL).
Optional but equally
important Tier 2 testing is a supplement of Tier 1 testing with the addition of
an OTDR trace of each fiber link. OTDRs provide in-depth signature traces
(pictures) of fiber links, which show normal cable/fiber attenuation, insertion
loss and reflection at the connectors, splice points, and unanticipated loss
events, such as bends and breaks, for example. Tier 2 testing has traditionally
been seen on longer-length outside-plant systems greater than 100 meters, which
contain multiple loss events. OTDR traces are a great documentation tool for
the end user, enabling them to see the quality of the installation while also
serving as a potential reference for future troubleshooting.
The next standard to
understand, TIA-526, takes a more comprehensive look into attenuation testing
than TIA’568’s Tier 1 testing. Again, attenuation testing is the most
misunderstood and error-filled area of fiber-optic system testing. TIA-526
characterizes referencing processes into three different procedures: one-jumper
reference, two-jumper reference, and three-jumper reference. These were
formerly known as Method B, Method A and Method C, respectively. The naming
convention was updated in 2010 to make it easier for installers to understand
how many jumpers should be used in the referencing procedures when testing.
One-jumper reference (Formerly Method B)
The one-jumper reference
procedure is the most commonly used and preferred method in the industry today.
Due to the old nomenclature, most installers err by using the two-jumper
reference (Method A) as their standard procedure. Keep it simple: Use the one-jumper reference when the system under test
is electronics to a patch panel to a fiber-optic cable to a patch panel to
electronics (as shown in the figure titled “One-jumper reference system
layout”).
Another scenario in which the
one-jumper reference should be used is when the system under test does not have
any available documentation, and an OTDR is not available to shoot a signature
trace. The one-jumper reference is the TIA-preferred test method, as it does
not introduce additional loss into the system, therefore ensuring that the test
results show tip-to-tip results.
Two-jumper reference (Formerly Method A)
Many installers today
improperly use the two-jumper referencing procedure on all systems due to the
former Method A nomenclature and a general lack of understanding of testing
fiber-optic systems. It is easy to understand why someone might believe it is
appropriate to use a two-jumper reference when using two jumpers to test a
system (one in the source and one in the meter).
This unfortunately is
incorrect. Consider that if two connector pairs are needed to be tested within
a system, then zero connector pairs should be referenced out. By using the
two-jumper reference for these most common applications, a connector pair is
improperly referenced out, providing false power readings that may impact
short- and long-term performance of the system. Keep it simple: Reference out a connector pair by using a two-jumper
reference when the system under test is electronics to a fiber-optic cable to a
patch panel to a fiber-optic cable to electronics.
Three-jumper reference (Formerly Method C)
Unlike the other two
referencing procedures, the three-jumper reference rarely is mistaken for
another referencing method. Keep it
simple: When the system under test is electronics to a fiber-optic cable to
electronics, use the three-jumper reference.
With the increased deployment
of higher transmission speeds (40- and 100-Gbits/sec) MPO-style connectors are
required. Therefore, this three-jumper reference procedure should be used to
test MPO-to-MPO trunks. Also, when testing reference jumpers used in all three
procedures, the three-jumper reference is the proper method for testing
jumpers.
Multimode fiber mandrel wrapping
Now that the confusion over
the three referencing procedures is cleared up, let’s discuss mandrel wrapping.
Small-diameter mandrels on the launch reference jumper were and are many times
used to remove higher-order modes that could negatively impact consistent test
readings. This was a standards-based method prior to the newly adopted
encircled flux standard. However, all mandrel wrapping requirements have been
removed from TIA-526-14-B. If you choose to continue to use mandrels without
the use of an encircled flux-compliant tester, ensure you know the proper size
of mandrel to be used when testing the different types of multimode fiber. Keep it simple: If using mandrels today,
ensure with the manufacturers of both your test equipment and reference jumper
that proper-sized mandrels are used and/or required.
In addition, if using
bend-insensitive 50-micron fiber in your multimode reference jumpers to test
your system without the use of an encircled flux-compliant tester, contact the
cable manufacturer regarding mandrel recommendations.
Troubleshooting fiber systems
While testing a fiber-optic
system, what happens when a fiber link does not pass the link-loss budget?
Standards do not provide any details and/or guidance on troubleshooting
installation issues. Troubleshooting is most often aided by tribal knowledge
and prior experience, which can save significant time and money. The leading
cause of failure of fiber-optic systems today is still dirty connector
endfaces. Over the last five years, the industry has benefitted from several
new cleaning products and video-inspection systems enabling the installer to
see images of the connectors under test or during the installation. Details on
connector endface inspection can be found in TIA OFSTP-14B with pass-or-fail
criteria. Keep it simple: Start with the
obvious—check the cleanliness of your connector endface first.
Troubleshooting can be
simplified through the use of basic information/tools, such as system route
diagrams, cable sheath marks and the installation test results. Times like
these are when the OTDR and VFL are the best tools an installer can have at
their disposal.
Summing it all up
It is certainly ironic that
testing is the most critical and most misunderstood component of installing
optical-fiber systems. The introduction of the encircled flux standard is aimed
at creating consistency, accuracy and simplicity of testing multimode fiber
systems. Test equipment manufacturers are rapidly developing solutions to make
field measurements more practical and reliable. You should look to move your
testing procedures to encircled flux compliance when feasible. This will ensure
the greatest longevity and reliability of your optical fiber systems.
Furthermore, proper
understanding of the appropriate test methods and referencing procedures using
reference jumpers meeting standard specifications will play a great role in
testing accuracy for both legacy and future systems. In general, choose Tier 1
testing when possible. And when in doubt, use the one-jumper referencing
method.
Also, remember that the
industry standards are recommendations and guidelines. Contact your component
or equipment supplier with questions. So the next time you need to test your
optical-fiber system, remember these three words: Keep it simple.
Clay Franklin is program manager and Mike Fuller is
marketing manager with Corning
Cable Systems (www.corning.com/cablesystems).
Reprinted with permission
from Cabling Installation & Maintenance magazine www.cablinginstall.com A PennWell publication
PennWell Corporation
1421 South Sheridan Road
Tulsa, Oklahoma
74112 USA
www.pennwell.com
PennWell Corporation Market Sectors Served: Oil and
natural gas, Electric power generation, Electric power
delivery, Hydropower, Renewable energy, Water and wastewater treatment, Waste
management, Electronics and semiconductors, Optoelectronics and photonics,
Imaging and machine vision, Fiber optics and communications, Aerospace
and defense, Cabling installation and maintenance, LEDs and lighting,
Firefighting and emergency services, and Dental.
NECA NEWS –
National Electrical Contractors Association
www.necanet.org
NECA
Predicts 2013 Estate Tax Scenarios
12/10/2012
There
are about four weeks left for Congress to broker a deal to avoid steep tax
hikes and deep automatic spending cuts. One of NECA’s priorities is to ensure
that the current estate tax policy with a 35 percent rate and a $5 million (per
spouse) exemption are extended. If Congress fails to extend the current policy,
the estate tax will increase to a 55 percent rate with only the first $1
million exempted. However, these are not the only two options on the table.
more
NECA-supported
Members of Congress Named to Energy and Commerce and Transportation and Infrastructure
Committees
12/10/2012
The
U.S. Congress committee chairmen have announced several NECA allys as new
members of their committees for the 113th Congress.
more
NECA
Supports Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Legislation (S. 3591)
12/10/2012
On
December 3, NECA and several stakeholder groups sent a letter supporting
the Commercial Building Modernization Act (S. 3591) to key staff in the offices
of each Senator who sits on the Finance and Energy & Natural Resources
Committees on Capitol Hill.
more
ConsensusDocs
Offers Select Contract Documents Free For NECA Members
12/10/2012
ConsensusDocs
is making available a new free package of standard contract documents to make
the design and construction bidding process easier for all involved parties.
more
Call for
Member Project Photos to Boost NECA Business Development Aims
12/10/2012
If you
have pictures of projects completed by your company, we'd like to feature them
on NECA's website and future publications.
Published graphics will credit your company. By submitting the photos, you are
giving us permission to display them under the above terms.
more
OSHA Seeks
Recommendations to Update Construction Standards
12/08/2012
February
4 is the deadline to recommend which OSHA construction standards should be
removed or revised.
more
NECA/IBEW 48
Honors Pearl Harbor and Union's Historic Work
12/07/2012
The
Oregon-Columbia Chapter, NECA, shared aspecial video tribute today marking the
71st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
more
Wide Range
of Research to be Considered by ELECTRI Council for 2013
12/04/2012
When the
ELECTRI Council meets in January, members will face a difficult task:
determining which of seven finalist proposals the Council will commission for
the Foundation’s 2013 research agenda.
more
Smith
Electric Vehicles Announce Plans for EV Factory in Chicago
12/03/2012
Smith
Electric Vehicles will open its third manufacturing plant in Chicago was welcome news to the city. It’s
also good news for NECA contractors who are ready to service the electric
vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) market.
more
NECA Joins
S-Corp Effort to Pursue Comprehensive Tax Reform
11/30/2012
NECA
joined more than forty organizations in a powerful letter to Congressional
leadership calling for action to pursue comprehensive tax reform that
lowers rates on all forms of business income while still addressing entitlement
spending.
more
Help Build
the NECA Benchmarker! Final Deadline for Survey Response: December 7
11/29/2012
Several
weeks ago, you received an invitation to complete the 2012 NECA Financial Survey for Electrical Contractors.
If you haven’t responded yet, we really
need you to complete the confidential online survey by Friday, December 7.
more
Estate Tax
Repeal Essential for Electrical Construction Industry
11/27/2012
NECA
has urged all Members of Congress to support tax reform legislation that
includes a full and total repeal of the estate tax.
more
Digger
Derrick Exemption Granted for Subpart V Related Work
11/26/2012
Aiming
to resolve a court challenge to portions of the construction cranes and
derricks standard, OSHA issued a direct final rule that would clarify
requirements for digger derrick trucks and crews used by electric utility
companies to install poles and transformers.
more
NECA Gives
Thanks
11/21/2012
This
holiday season, NECA gives thanks to our members.
more
Andy Berg
Speaks Out in Favor of San Diego School District Maintenance
11/19/2012
Andy
Berg,
executive director of the San Diego Chapter, NECA, was interviewed by
NBC7 on Nov. 14 about passage of Proposition Z.
more
NEIS®
Revised – NECA/AA-104 Receives ANSI Approval
11/19/2012
NECA/AA 104-2012, Recommended Practice for Installing
Aluminum Building Wire and Cable has been re-affirmed by ANSI and published by NECA.
This newly revised standard is an amendment of the 2006 edition that describes
installation procedures and design considerations for aluminum building wire
and cable in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial applications
not exceeding 600 volts.
more
Cupertino
Electric Wins AGC 2012 Safety Honors
11/17/2012
NECA-member
Cupertino Electric has earned recognition for its safety innovations from AGC
of California for the second year in a row. Now, the company qualifies to move
on to the AGC nationals. Congratulations!
more
House Passes
Bill to Enforce Davis-Bacon Act
11/16/2012
On
November 13, the House passed by a 361-3 vote H.R. 6371,
the Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act.
more
Four States
Pass Initiatives for Construction Programs
11/16/2012
Alaska, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Rhode
Island passed ballot initiatives that support
construction programs in their state. Millions of dollars will be invested in
transportation, building, and water infrastructure projects.
more
NECA Urges
President, Congress to Avoid Fiscal Cliff
11/16/2012
In a
recent letter to President Obama and Members of the 112th Congress,
NECA urged all parties to take all necessary steps to avoid the “fiscal
cliff." NECA's letter was also cited by the House Ways and Means Committee.
more
ESFI Honors
NECA CEO with 2012 Outstanding Service Award
11/14/2012
The
Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) honors NECA CEO John M. Grau
for having gone above and beyond the call of duty in expanding the Foundation’s
interests in promoting electrical safety through steadfast involvement and
effective leadership.
more
NECA
Professional Development Offerings For December 2012
11/13/2012
Listing
of December 2012 Management Education Courses
more
ESFI Honors
John M. Grau with 2012 Outstanding Service Award
11/12/2012
The
Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) has named NECA CEO John M.
Grau as the 2012 recipient of the Foundation’s Outstanding Service Award.
more
2012 Chapter
Executives Leadership Institute —The Best Ever!
11/12/2012
This
article recaps the highly successful 2012 NECA Chapter Executives Leadership
Institute (CELI), which took place October 23-25 in Chicago and attracted 43 participants.
more
NECA
Contractors Advance Recovery from Super Storm Sandy
11/10/2012
NECA
members E-J Electric and O'Connell Electric are among the contractors that
brought in additional crews to deal with the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy and
the fierce nor’easter that dumped additional misery on the already hard-hit
region a few days later.
more
Watch for
Your Economic Census Form
11/09/2012
You
will soon receive your 2012 Economic Census form from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Please fill it out as accurately and thoroughly as possible and respond by the February 12, 2013, deadline via the
Internet or on paper, as required by law. There's a lot riding on your response
to this survey which is conducted every five years!
more
NECA
Statement on 2012 Election Results
11/07/2012
Congratulations
to President Obama and the newly elected and re-elected Members of the 113th
Congress. NECA members are counting on your leadership in solving complicated
issues affecting our businesses and the economy ...
more
Resources
for Electrical Safety During Flooding, Including Generators
11/05/2012
Floods
affect more people than almost any other natural disaster. Because flood waters
can have such a devastating effect on electrical systems and devices, NECA has
gathered several resources for staying safe around electricity, including
portable generators, during flooding disasters.
more
Dan Divane
to Chair ELECTRI Council
11/01/2012
Daniel
J. Divane IV has been selected by ELECTRI International to serve as 2013-2014
Chair of the ELECTRI Council.
more
Staying Safe
During Power Restoration
10/31/2012
In the
aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, NECA's outside line contractors are
among the disaster response teams helping to bring power back to communities
and infrastructure. Learn what you can do to keep safe from electrical hazards
following a disaster, too.
more
NECA
Disaster Relief Fund Ready to Assist Electrical Contractors Affected by
Superstorm
10/30/2012
The
NECA Disaster Relief Fund is now available for those wishing to help NECA
electrical contractors affected by Hurricane Sandy. Members whose operations
were hurt by the storm can also request assistance.
more
Electric
Highway Initiative: The New York Way
10/27/2012
New
York Governor Andrew Cuomo laid out his plans for the installation of an
electric highway to be built with the help of both the public and private
sectors.
more
Johnston
Addresses CSST Bonding in EC&M
10/26/2012
NECA's
own grounding and bonding expert Michael
Johnston was interviewed for a
recent article on the potentially dangerous gray area of responsibility for
corrugated stainless steel tubing bonding.
more
Marco
Giamberardino Interviewed About "Fiscal Cliff" on The Inner Loop
10/26/2012
NECA's
government affairs guru Marco
Giamberardino spoke out the looming fiscal cliff and how NECA
is responding to hardened stances from Congress to the White House during the
Oct. 25 broadcast of
The Inner Loop.
more
ELECTRI
Foundation Releases 2013 Research Priorities, RFP
10/24/2012
ELECTRI
International issued its annual RFP for research projects on Oct. 23. Proposals
will focus on two labor relations topics identified by the Foundation.
more
NECA Member
Eldor Contracting Leads Massive $65M Solar Project in NY
10/17/2012
Eldor
Contracting is keeping busy as construction manager, general contractor and
electrical contractor on a 17-megawatt solar project that calls for the
construction of solar carports across seven sites owned by Suffolk County, New York.
The rooftop solar panels will be connected to the Long
Island electric grid to provide electricity to Long Island Power
Authority (LIPA) customers.
more
NECA
Releases Digital NEIS Yearbook
10/16/2012
NECA
has released the digital compliation of its National Electrical Installation
Standards (NEIS) in the NEIS
Yearbook CD, Vol. 8. Get over 40 NEIS for one low price, including new and
revised standards published this year.
more
New Study
Finds Nearly Three of Every Four Contractors Use BIM
10/16/2012
The
percentage of construction companies using BIM technology has increased to 71%
this year, from 17% in 2007 and 49% in 2009, according to a study from
McGraw-Hill Construction. The study also found that 74% of contractors are
using the technology compared to 70% of architects
more
NECA Members
Top ENR Specialty Contractor List
10/12/2012
NECA
members topped ENR'stop specialty contractors, with electrical work making up
the largest share of revenue for electrical contractors. Find out who's on this
year's list!
more
NECA 2012
Las Vegas Breaks Records for Electrical Industry Event
10/09/2012
Over
5,000 attended at NECA's annual convention and trade show, featuring more than
300 exhibitors, innovative technology and inspiring speakers, all in one great
location.
more
Get Ready
For National Fire Prevention Week (October 7-14)
10/05/2012
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
highlights National Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 7-14)
Did you know? Having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a
reported fire in half. Learn more about the importance of home smoke alarms, and
be sure to check your batteries in honor of next week's National Fire Prevention Week >>
more
National
Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee Announces New Platinum Training
Partner: Lutron
10/05/2012
Long-term vision for education and support of the
next-generation of electrical workers
more
NECA's
Washington DC Chapter and IBEW Local 26 Help Local Kids Install Electrical Wire
at Big Build
10/01/2012
Area
children bent conduit and decorated light switches with the Electrical Alliance
more
UL’s PV
Installer Certification Earns Formal Endorsement from IBEW-NECA
10/01/2012
Certification
Available to Association Members Creates Upskilling Opportunity
Leveraging Nationally-Recognized Credential
more
Proposed
Hiring Quota for Disabled Garners More Criticism
09/28/2012
America's Top HR officials express concerns
about the DOL Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' proposal that
would require federal contractors to include people with disabilities as at
least 7 percent of their labor force.
more
ABOUT NECA
NECA’s Vision
NECA
is a dynamic national organization serving the management interests of the
entire electrical contracting industry.
More About NECA
The
National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is the voice of the $130
billion industry responsible for bringing electrical power, lighting, and
communications to buildings and communities across the United States.
History
NECA
traces its origins to the birth of modern electricity. In 1901, a group of
electrical contractors met at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, NY,
where a major display of electric power had been installed. These contractors
joined together to foster trade and reform abuses within their fledgling
industry. Today, NECA continues their work, building on a legacy of protecting
the public and making innovation possible.
Members
Electrical
contractors perform specialized construction work related to the design,
installation, and maintenance of electrical systems. Whether high-voltage power
transmission or low-voltage lighting, electrical contractors ensure these
systems work in a safe, effective, and environmentally-sound manner.
NECA
represents electrical contractors from firms of all sizes performing a range of
services. While most NECA contractors qualify as small businesses, many large,
multinational companies are also members of the association.
Organization
NECA’s
national office in Bethesda,
Md., four regional offices, and
119 local chapters across the country support the electrical contracting
industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. NECA
chapters are independently chartered organizations who work with national field
representatives to develop effective labor agreements and market initiatives.
NECA Programs and Services
NECA
is dedicated to enhancing the industry through innovative research, performance
standards, progressive labor relations, and workforce recruiting and training.
NECA offers the most comprehensive educational opportunities of any electrical
association, as well as the industry’s premiere trade show and management
training. NECA also publishes ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine, the industry’s
top source of information on electrical construction.
Industry Expertise Benefits the
Customer
NECA
contractors strive to be true construction partners with building owners,
developers, and general contractors. A NECA contractor is the best resource for
any and all electrical needs, including power supply, fiber optics,
telecommunications, security systems, wireless networks, and lighting. NECA
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NECA’s Labor Partnership
Ensuring
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International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the world’s oldest and
largest union of electrical workers. Peaceful settlement of grievances and
jurisdictional disputes are implemented at NECA’s national and local levels
through cooperative forums.
Electrical Construction and the
Environment
NECA
members have practiced environmental stewardship and conservation throughout
the electrical industry’s evolution. They see the move towards sustainable
construction, alternative energies, and building “green” as an important next
step in the process. “Green” projects do a great job of giving back to the
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Buildings
today are defined by their electrical and mechanical systems as much as by
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www.necanet.org
NFPA NEWS –
National Fire Protection Association
www.nfpa.org
The
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is an international nonprofit
organization that was established in 1896. The company’s mission is to reduce the
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With
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Codes
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NFPA is responsible for 300 codes
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installation in the United
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more than 200 technical code- and standard- development committees are
comprised of over 6,000 volunteer seats. Volunteers vote on proposals and
revisions in a process that is accredited by the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI).
Plan To
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Registration for the 2013 Winter Conference & Exhibition
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to download a PDF registration form.
Mark January 20-24
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at the Tampa Convention Center! This conference will
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As a leader in information technology systems (ITS) education, BICSI can offer
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- The Annual Awards Banquet, featuring
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- The Annual Business Meeting, with inauguration of
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- Sixth Annual Cabling Skills Challenge
- Special 40th anniversary festivities
Please join us for this very special event! www.bicsi.org
INTERTEK
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Intelligent
Infrastructure and Its Impact on Regional Sustainability by James Carlini
as presented by James Carlini at the 61st Annual
International Wiring & Cabling Symposium in Providence, RI.
INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND ITS IMPACT ON REGIONAL
SUSTAINABILITY
By James Carlini
As a certified Infrastructure Consultant, James
Carlini has been involved with applying advanced business practices, planning
mission critical network infrastructures and reviewing new real estate
developments. He pioneered the concept
of Measuring a Building’s IQ in 1985 and has written many articles and white
papers in various trade publications on infrastructure, technology, intelligent
buildings, regional sustainability, and Intelligent Business Campuses. He is also an expert witness on mission
critical network infrastructures in both civil and federal courts and has
served as an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University
at both the Executive Masters and undergraduate levels for two decades. He can be reached at 773-370-1888 or
james.carlini@sbcglobal.net
Introduction
Over
two decades ago, Intelligent Buildings were talked about as a new concept to
add technology to a building to make it more effective and efficient in the
areas of communications, information technologies and building automation.
Many
in real estate have yet to understand this paradigm shift to intelligent
amenities that include broadband connectivity, diverse power sources and other
communications-based applications in single commercial properties, let alone
newer campuses of synergistic businesses and functional operations where
intelligent buildings have now been clustered instead of built in a stand-alone
environment. These next-generation
industrial parks are called Intelligent Business Campuses.
Some
of these concepts were ahead of their time by the virtue of price, performance
and acceptance in the 1980s. Today,
these concepts are being used to develop clusters of buildings in
next-generation campuses and parks. They
are also being applied to sports stadiums and other entertainment venues with
wireless networks focused at providing new services through Smartphone
applications.
More
municipalities and regions are trying to establish centers for economic
development, global trade and job growth.
They are concerned about creating and maintaining regional
sustainability. This is a phenomenon
occurring globally, not just in the United States.
The old real estate adage of
“location, location, location” must be updated to “location, location,
connectivity” because the importance of broadband connectivity has
become a baseline amenity requirement, and not an option for selecting the
right corporate site.
The Platform for Commerce
A
framework defining infrastructure and its 5,000 year evolution was developed as
part of a whitepaper entitled, “Intelligent Infrastructure: Securing Regional
Sustainability” for the US Department of Homeland Security. It has been updated since then with more
definition. (See Chart 1)
This framework depicting Infrastructure is critical
because it provides a more universal look at what encompasses the
infrastructure for today’s global economy rather than what many people hold as
the traditional definition of infrastructure (roads, bridges, railroads, and
maybe the power grid). Economic
development decisions affecting regional sustainability must include all facets
of infrastructure in order for them to be viable.
CHART 1: INFRASTRUCTURE: THE PLATFORM
FOR COMMERCE
“FIVE THOUSAND YEARS IN THE MAKING”
|
LAYER
|
LEVEL
|
DOMINANT INITIAL DRIVER OF
IMPLEMENTATION IMPORTANCE
|
|
SPACE
(INTERPLANETARY)
(FUTURE)
|
8
|
JUST BEGINNING TO BE BUILT ((Space shuttles, space station, satellite
networks) Future: mid-21st
century, 22nd century?
US, RUSSIA,
JAPAN, CHINA?)
|
|
BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY NETWORK
(CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE)
|
7B
(wireless)
7A
(wired)
|
CHINA, JAPAN,
S. KOREA, NETHERLANDS,
US
(beginning 21st Century, IBCs
and IIPs)
|
|
AIRPORTS
|
6
|
EUROPE, UNITED STATES (mid-20th Century)
|
|
POWER
(GRIDS, NUCLEAR POWER, OIL)
|
5B (Nuclear)
5A
(everything else)
|
UNITED STATES (beginning/ mid 20th Century)
|
|
TELEPHONE NETWORK (ANALOG VOICE ONLY)
|
4
|
UNITED STATES (beginning/mid 20th Century)
|
|
RAILROADS
|
3
|
UNITED STATES (mid-1800s)
|
|
ROADS/BRIDGES
|
2
|
ROMAN EMPIRE (500BC- 476AD)
|
|
PORTS/ DOCKS/ WATER
|
1
|
PHOENICIANS (1200BC-900BC)
EGYPTIANS (3000BC-1400BC)
|
Source: JAMES CARLINI, 2009, 2012. All Rights Reserved
The Layer of Broadband Connectivity
One
of the key ingredients of intelligent infrastructure is broadband connectivity
(defined as One gigabit per second (1Gbps) speed or greater) and the ability to
add this concept upfront along with power requirements as part of the overall Master Planning of a new
campus environment.
Traditional real estate and
property managers might ask, “Is having broadband connectivity a
differentiating amenity?” The answer is
“Yes.”
Ten years ago, site selection
teams did not have “Broadband Connectivity” in their Top 20 issues for choosing
a location. In the last couple of years,
it has risen to being one of the top three criteria. Areas that do not have adequate access to
connectivity are starting to feel the loss of interest by companies that are
locating or re-locating their facilities.
To a property manager trying
to lease up the building, having broadband connectivity as part of the
supporting infrastructure creates a clear market differentiation that will
attract a higher caliber tenant, a lower turnover rate and hence more
profitable building.
In one example that was
researched, 60 Class A buildings had available space in a county just outside Chicago. If you require broadband connectivity as a
necessary amenity, the available buildings offering that capability, drops to
five. To a potential tenant, that lowers
the choices dramatically. To a property
owner, it eliminates over 90% of the competition. All of a sudden the traditional practice of
cutting price per square foot does not need to come into play.
In soft markets, the
availability of intelligent amenities like broadband connectivity will
circumvent, or at least impact, the traditional approach of dealing with
competition by lowering the price per square foot and giving away a year’s
worth rent on a five-year lease. Space
is a commodity, intelligent amenities are not.
The bottom line is that broadband connectivity is becoming a major
differentiating amenity for sophisticated business tenants choosing one
location over the other. More and more
corporate site selection teams are looking for this as a given amenity and not
a hoped for. A higher level of
network infrastructure coupled with a redundant power grid is desired by
tenants. Property management companies
and commercial real estate agents cannot get away from this fact and this must
become part of Master Planning for new developments.
Traditional Amenities Versus Intelligent Amenities
Traditional amenities have
been defined as those amenities that people expect to see in modern office
buildings. Elevators, HVAC (Energy
Management Systems) Parking, Security, and Maintenance, have long been regarded
as traditional amenities that business tenants expect to have. What are not traditional, but are becoming
more and more regarded as “must-haves” are broadband connectivity, automated
security and surveillance, and other capabilities like Uninterruptible Power
Supplies (UPS) and redundancy built into mission critical systems like power,
communications, and other intelligent amenities.
As
global restrictions are lifted on trade, new business centers must emerge to
handle the transition to new businesses. Global restrictions that may include tariffs
and other regulatory limitations. Real
estate developers must morph traditional land developments that have
traditional amenities into architectural platforms with high-speed connectivity (1Gbps or more) and upfront redundant power
capabilities that fully support this transition.
Power for organizations, as well as network
connectivity, has become more of an upfront issue for Master-Planning instead
of an afterthought once the tenants have moved in. Any new construction should have serious
upfront consideration and implementation for power requirements and network
connectivity. These attributes should be
addressed as part of the pre-built infrastructure.
As for commercial and industrial real estate that is
already built, the need to review and assess these attributes is essential
especially in appraisal processes. If
they are overlooked, they can become huge detriments for the property owner and
manager. New rules-of-thumb have to be
created as well as adopted by all real estate professionals: property managers,
leasing agents, site selection teams and everyone else.
What is the value of having dual power grids as a
building amenity versus the liability of having a single power grid creating a
single point-of-failure within a property?
How do you adjust the leasing when amenities like this are lacking? How do you adjust the total value of the
property?
Those who have a single
disciplinary focus, such as real estate development, architecture, technology,
or engineering must adapt to get a strategic multi-disciplinary focus in order
to understand the broad convergence of real estate, infrastructure, technology,
and economic development which make up the platform for commerce.
This RITE© approach to real
estate projects include four elements that are critical in relation to
understanding every layer of the platform for commerce which supports
businesses as well as government and residential structures. Understanding all the financial
interrelationships is also critical for financial reviews and comparative
assessments of various layers of the infrastructure.
THE “RITE” APPROACH TO REAL ESTATE
PROJECTS
|
ELEMENTS
|
ATTRIBUTES
|
|
R EAL ESTATE
|
LAND
|
|
I NFRASTRUCTURE
|
IMPROVEMENTS
(WITHIN & SURROUNDING THE LAND)
|
|
T ECHNOLOGY
|
INTELLIGENT
AMENITIES
|
|
E CONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
|
MARKETING/
PROMOTION/ FINANCING/ PACKAGING
|
Source : ©James Carlini,
Copyright 2012
Each element’s specific
attributes will determine the shape of the project:
REAL ESTATE:
What and where is the land that the project will be on? Is it the best use of the land? Are there any issues/obstacles to be aware
of?
INFRASTRUCTURE:
What is in-place/ available/ accessible to that piece of land? Access to transportation? Rail?
Airports? Power and network
communications?
TECHNOLOGY:
What extra intelligent amenities have been added onto the infrastructure? Redundant network carriers providing
Multi-Gigabit connectivity? Redundant
power suppliers? Wireless networks to handle high capacities of
Smartphones? Other cyber/connectivity
intelligent amenities?
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: How is this project being positioned within the
region? How is it being packaged to
prospective corporate tenants? How is it
being funded in both its initial and operating phases?
Streamlined Development Process
Besides specific amenities,
the concept of “one-stop shopping” and fast-track build-out capability
facilitated by a streamlined development process from the municipalities
and master developer working together
are also concepts that have traction with those making corporate site selection
decisions in the United States. This
also includes having a Menu of
Intelligent Amenities that business tenants can select from including a Common Campus Response Team which
provides “one-stop supporting”. (See Charts2A and 2B)
CHART 2A: SAMPLE MENU OF INTELLIGENT AMENITIES
|
AMENITY
|
DESCRIPTION
|
ACCEPTANCE
|
|
POWER
& TELECOM
|
ELIMINATION
OF SINGLE FAILURE POINTS
|
BECOMING
MORE OF A GIVEN AND NOT A “HOPED FOR” AMENITY
|
|
Broadband
Connectivity
|
High bandwidth (1Gbps or
more, today 10Gbps, tomorrow 40Gbps), multiple carriers, multiple access
points
|
More and more want
this. For technology campuses besides
speed, diversity in carriers, and connectivity into NLR via Starlight
|
|
Power
|
Pre-planned layouts and
capabilities, multiple providers and power grids
|
This is becoming part of
the upfront Master Planning process instead of an afterthought.
|
|
Alternative
Energy Source
|
Besides power from another substation
or grid, a third-party provider or an on-campus alternative. Peaker Plant or Windmills (Wind turbines
generating power)
|
Diversity of Power source
has become a critical issue from several standpoints: Security as well as Compliance issue. Also from a Green Building
perspective for renewable energy capabilities.
|
|
SERVICES
& SUPPORT
|
DESCRIPTION
|
ACCEPTANCE
|
|
(MASTER
PLANNING)
Upfront
Coordination
|
Quick development process
.that includes coordination of all municipal planning issues, adherence to building
codes, etc.
|
New concept but effective
in selling to tenants wanting a rapid development process not hindered by
municipal issues.
|
|
(MASTER
PLANNING)
“Network
Tailor” instead of a “Network Jailor”
|
Custom-tailored network
infrastructure. Not an “off-the-rack solution” or a “one-size-fits-all”
approach.
|
A new concept of tailoring
bandwidth and broadening choices of carrier services to the demands of
tenants.
|
|
(CONTINUAL
SUPPORT)
Common
Campus Response Team Services
|
Group of diverse service
providers including power and network carriers as well as companies like
AT&T, CISCO and other support services
|
A new concept gaining
ground as well as popularity. The
concept of “one-stop shopping” being morphed into “one-stop supporting” after
the tenant is in place and is part of the campus.
|
Source: James Carlini, certified
Infrastructure Consultant. All Rights
Reserved.
CHART 2B: IMPACT OF INTELLIGENT AMENITIES
|
AMENITY
|
ACCEPTANCE
|
BUSINESS
IMPACT
|
|
POWER
& TELECOM
|
BECOMING
MORE OF A GIVEN AND NOT A “HOPED FOR” AMENITY
|
ELIMINATION
OF SINGLE FAILURE POINTS. CREATES A
STRONGER BASE
|
|
Broadband
Connectivity
|
More and more want
this. For technology campuses besides
speed, diversity in carriers, and connectivity into NLR via Starlight
|
Acceleration of network
traffic provides faster access and dissemination of huge documents, drawings
and video images.
|
|
Power
|
This is becoming part of
the upfront Master Planning process instead of an afterthought.
|
Power issues are a major
concern of businesses today.
Eliminating this concern creates higher productive environment.
|
|
Alternative
Energy Source
|
Diversity of Power source
has become a critical issue from several standpoints: Security as well as Compliance issue. Also from a Green Building
perspective for renewable energy capabilities.
|
Savings on power provides
a positive impact on environment and
also creates more reliable infrastructure.
|
|
SERVICES
& SUPPORT
|
ACCEPTANCE
|
IMPACT
|
|
(MASTER
PLANNING)
Upfront
Coordination
|
New concept but effective
in selling to tenants wanting a rapid development process not hindered by
municipal issues.
|
Faster ramp-up speed from
decision to build to move-in date.
Saves time to get productive.
|
|
(MASTER
PLANNING)
“Network
Tailor” instead of a “Network Jailor”
|
A new concept of tailoring
bandwidth and broadening choices of carrier services to the demands of
tenants.
|
More cost-effective
solution and wider selection of services.
|
|
(CONTINUAL
SUPPORT)
Common
Campus Response Team Services
|
A new concept gaining
ground as well as popularity. The
concept of “one-stop shopping” being morphed into “one-stop supporting” after
the tenant is in place and is part of the campus.
|
Faster response to complex
problems that impede productivity.
Accelerated response equals no loss in global competitiveness due to
business support issues.
|
Source: James Carlini, certified
Infrastructure Consultant. All Rights
Reserved.
Economic Development Equals Broadband Connectivity
Real estate development and
its subsequent marketing have to adapt in order to fit the dynamic demands of
prospective tenants dealing with the global economy. In some parts of the United States,
there is a multi-level
government concern for regional sustainability and job growth. This has created a new unity in some places
in community development between municipalities, counties and the developers of
business and industrial parks.
Based on activities by some
local governments in the United
States, it appears that smaller cities are
realizing these issues and acting upon them faster than the larger ones.
In Fort Wayne, Indiana
which has a population of 252,000, they have been quietly upgrading their
infrastructure since 2000 with the motto “Wired and Inspired”. They have worked closely with their incumbent
carrier, Verizon, and have gotten them to invest over $100 Million that has
been used to connect 128,000 homes and businesses with fiber optic.
Fort Wayne already has remote office packages for those that
work at home and the current offerings are 30Mbps and 50Mbps with a short-term
goal of offering 1Gbps to the home. This
is where the average household should be, but this is the exception and far
from the norm.
This upgrade to Fort Wayne's network infrastructure opens up new doors for
companies like Raytheon and ITT to expand their operations in Fort Wayne, creating new jobs instead of
relocating somewhere else.
The importance of being in
the right location now includes being connected at a high-speed access point to
communicate with global customers, clients and suppliers. Just like locations were important for
centuries based on their proximity to good transportation, seaports and roads,
they now must also be adjacent to high-speed information highways and have both
wired and wireless network infrastructures that tie buildings and communities
together.
Restricting any layer of
infrastructure is the wrong economic and political decision. It has been proven in the past. The best example that I have come across is
the decision that the city of St. Louis made
back in 1865 when influenced by riverboat owners to restrict the railroads into
establishing St. Louis
as a hub.
At that time, St. Louis was a larger city than Chicago by about 30,000 people. With the restrictive laws impeding them in St. Louis, the railroads went to Chicago and the growth that took place in a
25-year span exemplifies that infrastructure is the platform for commerce and
growth. Inhibiting or restricting
infrastructure will only detract from regional growth and sustainability.
As depicted by the chart, St. Louis stagnated while Chicago more than tripled in size in the next
several decades. St. Louis never recovered from that bad
decision to restrict infrastructure.
Good infrastructure provides the platform for commerce which equals good
jobs.
Broadband Connectivity Equals Jobs
Today’s business tenants want
to be connected to the internet and other broadband-based network services that
may support their various business as well as research and development
applications. From this, the concept of “economic
development equals broadband connectivity and broadband connectivity equals
jobs” becomes clearly evident.
This applies to both communities as well as the traditional industrial
parks.
Network infrastructure that
includes broadband connectivity issues, redundancy, diverse routing and other
telecom issues has to be viewed as being part of the initial Master Planning
for any intelligent multi-building campus or intelligent industrial park
facility.
The industrial parks of the past did not have these upfront commitments to power
and connectivity. Developers did not have to worry about this issue in the past
but, if they do not adapt to current market demands today, their developments
will become technologically obsolete and will only be able to attract second or
third-tier tenants. The same goes for
cities and municipalities that do not have an aggressive plan to upgrade their
network infrastructure to attract and maintain businesses within their
community.
When there is a focus on new
network services and higher speeds, this gets the attention of the businesses
as well as the common residential subscribers.
More are looking at new network services and its infrastructure as
critical to add to their core business.
They are looking at it as an investment, rather than an expense.
PROJECT PERCEPTION WHEN IT IS AN
INVESTMENT VERSUS EXPENSE
|
Positive
|
Negative
|
|
Asset
|
Expense
|
|
Incorporates payback
|
No payback perceived, a giveaway
|
|
Part of Infrastructure
|
Throwaway cost
|
|
A must to expand business
|
A cost of doing business
|
|
Residual value
|
No residual value
|
Source: James Carlini © 2012
A “one-size-fits-all”
approach has been used by many who do not understand that what works in one
organization may not have any positive results in another.
Throughout the years, many
selling technology sold from a “if it works over there, it should work here for
you” strategy that fell short on many systems that had to be customized in
order to provide maximum performance.
Cross-pollenization of technology is great when you can do it, but in
reality, most systems and applications need specific tweaking and customization
for each customer.
International Trend for Intelligent Business Campuses
In several countries
experiencing heavy growth in global trade, the current trend is to move from
constructing single intelligent buildings to clusters of buildings in a campus
setting that focus on providing new amenities and infrastructures including
high-speed broadband connectivity (10Gbps and above).
There is a definite trend in
development of Intelligent
Industrial Parks (IIPs)
and Intelligent Business Campuses (IBCs) that focus on having a specific theme
that provides a commonality of capabilities to the tenants as well as a
creating a synergistic environment. The
branding of a facility to reflect a distinctive value proposition and amenity
mix to the prospective tenant is crucial to help distinguish a facility from
other comparable real estate choices.
From
an Asian Pacific perspective, there are many well-funded campuses and
intelligent industrial parks under various levels of development by various
governmental agencies. Some would argue
that they are more advanced than their counterparts in the United States.
In Hong Kong, there is a multi-billion dollar campus funded
by the government called CYBERPORT that has been developed to cater to the IT
industry. There are also parks going
into various provinces of mainland China including one in the Hunan Province
focused on the construction industry as well as several IIPs in Taiwan that are
also focused around supporting a specific theme or common goal.
It
has been pointed out by several that the need for a specific theme or park
“signature” is important for success.
Developing successful Intelligent Business Campuses does not include a
cookie-cutter approach to replicating one park just like the next. Depending on tenant mix, theme focus (i.e.
Bioscience, IT, construction industry equipment, etc.), and other factors, the
IBC or IIP will take on a unique configuration.
Taiwan's
Intelligent Industrial Parks Initiative
Taiwan’s
Intelligent Industrial Parks(IIP) initiative was launched in 1999 and discussed
in their The GLOBAL LOGISTICS DEVELOPMENT PLAN by the Council for Economic Planning and
Development by Executive Yuan(Cabinet) of the Republic of China, that was
published October 4, 2000. - FN3. Within
it, the plan discusses the establishment of 19 Intelligent Industrial Parks(IIPs):
The government has promoted
the establishment of 19 intelligent industrial parks, among which applications
for 12 of the parks have already been approved. Construction work has begun on
the Tainan Science-based Industrial Park, stage 3 of the Hsinchu Science-based
Industrial Park, the Yunlin and Tainan
technology parks, and the Nankang
Software Park.
Applications from private investors have been approved for the development of
the Acer Intelligent
Industrial Park, Lungkang
Intelligent Industrial
Park, Hua-Ya Technology Park, and Taoyuan 21st Century Intelligent Industrial Park.
Taiwan has made great strides in refining the concept of
Intelligent Industrial Parks (IIPs) and actually implementing the
concepts. The reasons that they wanted
to establish the more sophisticated parks are very evident:
The Far Glory Park FTZ ( Free
Trade Zone) developed in Taiwan
developed by the Taiwanese government is a later realization of that original
1999 initiative of the Taiwanese government.
It combines several industries at a strategic location close to an
airport as well as rail and highways for logistical support. It plays on Taiwan’s recognized strength a
“strong grasp of technology production and research”.
The Far
Glory Park
in Taiwan
is also adjacent to an airport and high-speed rail. It focuses on logistics and centralized
location in relationship to seven other major Asian cities as well as providing
connectivity rates of 10Gbps.
The DuPage National
Technology Park
Even though it was planned in
a very different perspective, in some ways the Far
Glory Park
parallels the DuPage National Technology Park (DNTP) endeavor in the United States.
We can take two examples of
this new campus approach: the Far Glory Park
in Taiwan and the DuPage National
Technology Park
in Illinois
and discuss some of the new strategic approaches. Both have been master planned to provide
value-added amenities and a fiber-optic based network infrastructure in order
to support businesses that are dependent on high-speed access as well as other
non-traditional amenities that distinguish these intelligent business campuses
(IBCs) from other traditional industrial parks.
The DuPage National
Technology Park (DNTP) is an 800-acre development in Illinois that is focused
on high tech industries and supporting logistics within a very sophisticated
setting that is serviced by multiple carriers and power grids.
The current connectivity for
the DNTP is 10-40Gbps and it is adjacent to an airport. It is a combined endeavor of both public and private
enterprise. With no model to follow or
emulate, the DuPage Airport Authority which owns the DNTP land basically
created its own approach. . [THIS seems a bit colloquial and detracts from your
point.
The goal of the
public/private endeavor is to create a cluster of intelligent buildings that
provide a center for economic development and the creation of jobs.
One of the key concepts that
was learned in the development of the DuPage National Technology Park (DNTP),
was that the upfront planning was very critical and that there was no real
model to follow according to its former executive director, Jack Tenison. The DNTP does not fit into the traditional
“University Model” (which means the Park (or Campus) is wholly owned by a
University) or, the standard business park approach which is owned by the
private developer or land owner. Their
model is more focused on a private/ public partnership that looks like it will
become another approach for Intelligent Business Campuses.
In the beginning, the DuPage
planning team did not know that the model they were developing was fairly
unique compared to what was built prior to this endeavor. Looking back at the path that they took, they
saw that they actually blazed a new trail.
Creating some of the infrastructure
upfront provides a much better platform to build buildings on. This includes a sophisticated power and
network connectivity infrastructure as well as adding some ideas that
streamline the development process.
Not all of the new approaches
focused on technology and power. Better
planning upfront with ideas like a shared detention pond and total government
agency/municipality coordination lets future building developers focus on just
their building and saves money on the development as well as the length of time
to complete the project.
These approaches are proof
that the need to re-think real estate and its supporting infrastructure design
is becoming more universal and not just from a unique national or regional
perspective. The old real estate adage
of “Change is great – you go first” must be re-thought by replacing the
attitude of “Routine is Tradition” with “Change is Tradition”.
Developers must be flexible,
adaptive, and creative as well as understand the importance of technology while
working together with local government agencies to address developing
Intelligent Business Campuses to attract and maintain corporate tenants which
can only add to the viability of the regional economy.
Adapting to a Changing Market
Just as real estate
development and master planning of commercial and scientific campuses must
adapt to a changing market, so must traditional network carriers. They must focus on providing the fastest
access as well as redundant access. All
connectivity within intelligent industrial parks and business campuses must be
redesigned to the standards of providing business continuity and not disaster
recovery.
The new approach of a
public/private venture will probably be replicated as more municipalities and
regional areas become more aware of maintaining regional sustainability.
The need to work as a
cohesive consortium is very apparent as more and more areas are hit with
economic instability and the solution is to re-invent the region to attract and
maintain new businesses. This is not a
quick fix approach and the whole process can easily take several years to even
a decade of planning, designing and implementing. A cohesive consortium is comprised of local
and state agencies as well as private developers
INCORPORATING SMARTPHONES INTO THE FABRIC OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE
With more consumers getting
Smartphones, you can see the impact of their use in sports stadiums and other
entertainment venues where consumers are looking for an enhanced
experience. They want the ability to
look up player information, statistics, download videos, and other information
as well as be able to order concessions and team merchandise.
This is an explosive area for
growth and the commitment to providing wireless capabilities are being supported
by more and more stadiums as well as professional sports leagues.
A next-generation IREC
Complex is beginning to appear. IREC
stands for Intelligent Retail/ Entertainment/ Convention center. It is focuses on maximizing the applications
used in Smartphones including the purchasing apps as well as looking at
demographics for cross-marketing venues and target marketing of consumers.
It is a multi-level approach
to developing these wireless networks and Smartphone applications for
IRECs. A good framework defining the
work needed is described below. (See
Chart 5)
CHART 5: MULTI-LAYER FRAMEWORK FOR SMARTPHONE APP
SUPPORT
|
LEVEL
|
DESCRIPTION
|
RESPONSIBILITY
|
|
VENUES’ SOFTWARE
|
Applications for
reservations, tickets, purchasing merchandise, concessions, customer
services, etc.
|
VENUE SOFTWARE
DEVELOPERS, MCX
|
|
APPLICATION LAYER
(APPS)
|
SOFTWARE THAT IS THE
INTERFACE BETWEEN THE CONSUMER (Venue guest/ attendee)
|
APP DEVELOPERS, MCX
|
|
TRANSPORT LAYER
|
CARRIERS’ NETWORKS
|
CARRIERS
|
|
PHYSICAL LAYER
|
ANTENNAE, NETWORK
EQUIPMENT
|
SYSTEM INTEGRATOR,
ROSEMONT
|
Source: James Carlini, © Copyright 2012
The MCX (Merchant Customer
Exchange) is the latest strategic initiative being undertaken by the leading
retailers (WalMart, Sears Holdings (K-Mart), Shell, Lowe’s Best Buy and others)
to create a “mobile wallet” application to make it easier for doing purchases
and comparison shopping.
With all these retailers
supporting more development of Smartphone applications focused on “mobile
wallet” purchases and real-time product comparisons through a common
“exchange”, the need to understand these new uses of Smartphones and the
necessary network infrastructure that is needed to support these devices is
critical.
Those who master this
next-generation approach and understand the importance of Intelligent
Infrastructure will take giant leaps forward in the way they design
infrastructure that provides the platform for commerce to sustain regional real
estate viability and regional sustainability.
Intelligent
Infrastructure and Its Impact on Regional Sustainability
by James Carlini
as presented by James Carlini at the 61st Annual
International Wiring & Cabling Symposium in Providence, RI.
http://iwcs.omnibooksonline.com/data/papers/2012/1-5.pdf
Reprinted with permission from:
James Carlini, President
&
Certified Infrastructure Consultant
CARLINI &
ASSOCIATES (since 1986)
Strategic Infrastructure Consultants
773-370-1888
New Prep
Tool for LMR-195 & LMR-200 Low Loss Coaxial Cables Now Available From Times
Microwave Systems
Times Microwave Systems has
recently introduced the new CST-195/200 All-In-One Combination Prep Tool for
use with both LMR-195 and LMR-200 low loss coaxial cables. The new tool
provides the following features and advantages:
- Combination feature allows
preparation of both LMR-195 and LMR-200 cables for either straight or right
angle crimp connector attachment
- Suitable for use with all
LMR-195 and LMR-200 connectors
- Provides consistently sharp
cut of dielectric for best VSWR performance
- Rugged, lightweight
construction
- Lanyard attachment included
- Requires use of separate
debur tool (DBT-U)
The CST-195/200 (3192-102)
All-In-One Combination Prep Tool has a list price of $110.00.
About Times Microwave Systems
www.timesmicro.com
Times Microwave Systems has
over 60 years experience in designing innovative, high-reliability, coaxial
cables and assemblies for demanding interconnection problems. An engineering
oriented organization, the company specializes in the design and manufacture of
high performance flexible and semi-rigid coaxial cable, connectors, and cable
assemblies for RF transmission from HF through microwave frequencies as well as
lightning and surge protection products.
D-Tools SIX
SP1 Upgrade Now Available
Latest Service Pack of award-winning
software makes it easier than ever to design, estimate, and document
integration of low voltage systems
CONCORD, CA – DECEMBER 13,
2011 — D-Tools, Inc., the worldwide leader in system integration software, today
announced the release of SI SIX Service Pack 1. D-Tools System Integrator is
currently used by over 4,400 companies to streamline the estimation, design,
and project management processes associated with the installation and
integration of low voltage systems. The company recently debuted it’s latest
version of award-winning software, System Integrator SIX.
SI SIX SP1 continues D-Tools
commitment to deliver powerful sales, design and productivity tools to the AV,
IT, and Security System Integration markets.
In addition to software enhancements, D-Tools has also developed an all
new Knowledge Base and Documentation Wiki for SIX. This is continuing to be
developed but already features a significant number of information, videos, and
tutorials to help users get started with SIX.
“We’ve been thrilled with the
success of SIX and the positive feedback it’s received from our users since the
launch,” said Adam Stone, President and CEO of D-Tools, “We are committed to
the forward mobility of SIX by continuous development and SP1 is the first step
in this process. Our team’s whole focus is to create and deliver powerful
solutions that provide companies with a solid business foundation to increase
their bottom-line and these recent enhancements highlight that focus.”
SI SIX SP1 includes the
following enhancements:
Offline work: Create and edit projects and drawings when
offline (no SIX server connection)
Custom Layouts : Create custom grid layouts on catalog and
project views
Excel Reports: Multi project
MS-Excel reporting and built in MS-Excel reports .
Resource Calendar: Read only
allows views of Work orders and install tasks
Many Productivity
Enhancements: Improved project editing, product and package updates, and more.
A complete list of SP1
features, enhancements is available at http://d-tools.mindtouch.us/SIX_Guide/002_Installing_SIX/005_Updating_to_SP1
Please click here to visit the all new SIX Wiki.
Please click here to visit the Getting Started with SIX videos.
About D-Tools, Inc.
D-Tools, founded in 1998 and
based in Concord, California, is a worldwide leader in
accessible, highly accurate system design and documentation software. The
company’s -flagship product, System Integrator™ (SI), is a total design
solution that utilizes Autodesk® AutoCAD and Microsoft® Visio for comprehensive
system design, documentation and project management. D-Tools SI allows
residential and commercial integrators to streamline their business processes
to increase overall revenues while reducing the time and costs associated with
the installation and integration of low-voltage systems. Over 4,400 leading
companies use D-Tools software to reduce time and costs and streamline the
system integration process. D-Tools is a three time recipient of the Consumer
Electronics Association’s Mark of Excellence Award, multiple recipient of
Custom Retailer’s Excite Award (2007,2008,2009,2010,2011), Multi-Room Audio
Video Awards – Best Installation Aid, National Systems Contractors Association,
Sound and Video Contractor’s Innovations in Technology for Business
Productivity Award and CE Pro’s High Impact Award for Design Software. www.d-tools.com
Incredible
Time of Change
You have lived through an Incredible
Time of Change:
·
1/1/1
·
2/2/2
·
3/3/3
·
4/4/4
·
5/5/5
·
6/6/6
·
7/7/7
·
8/8/8
·
9/9/9
·
10/10/10
·
11/11/11
·
12/12/12
What’s next?
What are the most
remarkable changes that you have seen during this period?
Please send us your thoughts.
HAVE A MERRY
CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Frank Bisbee -
Editor
"HOTS - Heard On The Street" Monthly Column
www.wireville.com
(904) 442-2741 DIRECT
frank@wireville.com
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