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Manufacturers Test AI-Translation Tech to Improve Worker Communications

William Attardi on April 7, 2026

To more effectively communicate with workers who speak little to no English, a growing number of U.S. manufacturers are leveraging translation technologies driven by artificial intelligence. They are also using real-time translation tools to improve safety and compliance with regulatory standards. Manufacturers employ roughly 1 million foreign-born workers, representing about 20% of the industry, according to 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data. Manufacturers test AI-translation tech to improve worker communications | Manufacturing Dive

ADP: Private Sector Employment, Pay Increased in March

William Attardi on April 3, 2026

Private sector employment increased by 62,000 jobs in March and pay was up 4.5 percent year-over-year according to the March ADP National Employment Report® produced by ADP Research in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab (“Stanford Lab”). For additional information about the ADP National Employment Report, including historical files, employment and pay data, methodology, and a calendar of release dates, please visit https://adpemploymentreport.com/.  ADP: Private Sector Employment, Pay Increased in March

ABC: Construction Employment Rebounds by 26,000 in March

William Attardi on April 3, 2026

The construction industry added 26,000 jobs in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 57,000 jobs, an increase of 0.7%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 12,200 positions, with gains in all three subcategories. Nonresidential building added the most jobs, increasing by 4,500 positions. Nonresidential specialty trade and heavy and civil engineering added 3,900 and 3,800 jobs, respectively, in March. The construction unemployment rate was 6.7% in March. Unemployment across all industries dropped to 4.3%, but is still 0.1 percentage points higher than one year ago.  ABC: Construction Employment Rebounds by 26,000 in March – tEDmag

Manufacturing PMI® at 52.7% – March 2026 ISM® Manufacturing PMI® Report

William Attardi on April 3, 2026

US manufacturing activity expanded for a third consecutive month in March, with the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing PMI measuring 52.7, up slightly from 52.4 in February. New orders dropped from 55.8 to 53.5, while production rose 1.6 points to 55.1. Supplier deliveries increased 3.8 points to 58.9, and employment contracted 0.1 points to 48.7. Institute for Supply Management

Batteries on Wheels: How Your EV Could Also Power Your Home

William Attardi on April 1, 2026

Vehicle-to-home technology is gaining traction, with over 630,000 bidirectional electric vehicles on US roads, allowing owners to use car batteries to power homes during outages and save on energy costs. General Motors plans to make all new EVs bidirectional by this year, and a UK trial found that 78% of V2H users saved at least approximately $525 on their energy bills.  Batteries on wheels: How your EV could also power your home | Reuters

 

2026 DLC Summit Registration is Now Open

William Attardi on March 31, 2026

Registration is now open for the DesignLights Consortium’s (DLC) two-day Summit in October. Taking place October 26 – 27, 2026 at The California Endowment in Los Angeles, “Next Gen Lighting: Controls, Integration and the Environment” will gather energy efficiency specialists, lighting and controls manufacturers and distributors, decarbonization advocates and other industry stakeholders to discuss the latest trends and technologies to maximize energy savings, enhance building operations and protect the environment through lighting. Co-hosted by the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, the 2026 DLC Summit will feature panels and small group discussions. See the full meeting agenda here. Interested participants can register here.  An Early Bird rate is available through August 1, 2026.  Visit the DLC website for more information

LEDucation Changes 2027 Event Dates

William Attardi on March 31, 2026

The LEDucation Trade Show and Conference for 2027 has moved its dates from April 6 and 7 to April 13, 14, and 15. The event will still be held at the New York Hilton Midtown, but will expand from a two-day event to a three-day event. Light + Intelligent Building (previously known as Lightfair) is scheduled for Las Vegas March 16, 17, and 18 in 2027. Since many of the exhibitors and attendees want to be at both events, it can create some issues. LEDucation will remain a yearly event in New York City, which Light + Intelligent Building is every other year, and will move to Philadelphia in 2029. LEDucation Changes 2027 Event Dates

Microsoft to Build Dedicated AI Factory Campus in Texas

William Attardi on March 30, 2026

Crusoe, the AI factory company, announced the development of a new, dedicated AI factory campus in Abilene, Texas. Supporting large scale AI workloads for Microsoft, the 900 MW site includes two new buildings and an onsite power plant to support grid resilience. The new campus is located adjacent to Crusoe’s existing Abilene AI factory infrastructure, bringing the total projected capacity across the full Abilene site to 2.1 gigawatts (GW). Land clearing and site preparation for the new campus are already underway, with the first building expected to be energized in mid-2027, continuing Crusoe’s record-setting pace that energized the first two buildings of the Abilene campus in under one year. The first eight buildings of Crusoe’s existing data center campus in Abilene are expected to deliver up to 32% of the City of Abilene’s and up to 25% of Taylor County’s current FY 2025 Budgeted Property Tax Revenue. Microsoft to Build Dedicated AI Factory Campus in Texas – electrifiED

US Jobless Claims Inch Up, Labor Market Remains Stable

William Attardi on March 27, 2026

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week, signaling a labor market that remains steady despite ongoing economic uncertainty. New data from the U.S. Department of Labor for the week ending March 21 shows initial jobless claims increased by 5,000 to 210,000. The four-week moving average was 210,500, a decrease of 250 from the previous week. At the same time, continuing claims fell to 1.82 million, the lowest level since May 2024. The figures suggest layoffs remain relatively low and employers are largely holding onto workers.  US Jobless Claims Inch Up, Labor Market Remains Stable – tEDmag

The Statue of Liberty was made with copper but due to oxidation, it turned green.

When the “Lady in the Harbor” first arrived in New York in 1886, she didn’t look like the mint-green icon we know today. In fact, for the first twenty years of her life, she stood as a towering, metallic beacon of reddish-gold. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the statue was a gift from France to America. To build her, Bartholdi chose copper for three practical reasons:

  • Malleability:It could be hammered into elaborate, thin sheets.
  • Weight:Copper is lighter than stone or bronze, making it easier to ship 350 individual pieces across the Atlantic.
  • Durability:It was strong enough to survive a 27-day ocean voyage and the harsh winds of the harbor.

When she was unveiled on October 28, 1886, her skin—made of 300 copper sheets roughly the thickness of two pennies—shone with a bright, metallic brown luster. The transformation from “penny-colored” to “patina-green” wasn’t planned. Bartholdi actually expected the statue to age into a deeper, darker red. However, the unique environment of New York Harbor—a mix of salt air, moisture, and industrial pollution—triggered a process called oxidation.

The Timeline of Change:

  1. 1886–1900:The bright copper dulled into a dark, muddy brown.
  2. 1903:The first hints of a light green crust, or “patina,” began to appear.
  3. 1906:The color change was so controversial that Congress nearly stepped in. They appropriated $62,000 to paint the statue back to its original color, but the public protested, calling the idea “sacrilege.”
  4. 1910–1920:The statue was a patchy mix of brown and green until 1920, when the oxidation was complete, leaving her entirely teal.

While we now view the green color as iconic, it actually serves a vital structural purpose. The layer of verdigris (the green patina) acts as a protective shield. It seals the copper underneath, preventing the metal from further corrosion and weathering.  By the time the color fully changed, a new generation of immigrants had arrived in America seeing a green statue.