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The Value of Dimming by Levin Nock

William Attardi on January 9, 2025

It’s easy to see the energy benefits of dimming: the more an LED fixture is dimmed, the less electricity it uses. In terms of future-proofing the energy savings of lighting projects, the longevity of LED products makes it paramount to strengthen requirements for dimmability and other lighting control strategies now, since LEDs installed today are expected to work for a decade or more. The latest version of the DesignLights Consortium’s (DLC) Solid-State Lighting (SSL)Technical Requirements stresses the importance of dimming as a way to increase energy savings, while allowing occupants of offices, conference rooms and other spaces to adjust light levels to their comfort or needs. All LEDs are inherently able to dim and nearly 100% of DLC-listed fixtures are dimmable. Expanded adoption is the necessary next step to capturing the benefits of dimming. The Value of Dimming | EC&M

Wireless, Digital, and IoT Lighting Systems for Modern Buildings by Colm Nee

William Attardi on December 31, 2024

The choice between wired and wireless lighting control systems often presents a pivotal decision point for contractors and customers alike. Each option carries its own set of advantages and challenges, impacting factors such as cost, ease of installation, maintenance requirements, scalability, security, and flexibility. Staying at the forefront of the transforming landscape of lighting technology presents a significant challenge. Yet, it’s hard to ignore the range of tangible benefits that a modern, wireless lighting system can provide to the contractors installing the systems and the building owners and occupants. This article explores the benefits of the key modern lighting technologies – wireless, digital, and Internet of Things (IoT)-based lighting systems. A Bright Idea: Wireless, Digital and IoT Lighting Systems for Modern Buildings | EC&M

Cost of Electricity Expected to Skyrocket Due to Data Center Demand by Greg Zimmerman

William Attardi on December 31, 2024

The explosion of artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency mining, and other computing-intensive processes have fueled a building boom for data centers. But they’ve also fueled a massive spike in energy demand, which is in turn leading to higher energy prices for many facilities across the country.  One study estimates data centers could be responsible for a 70 percent increase in the cost of electricity over the next 10 years. One hyperscale data center, as a point of reference, can use as much electricity as 40,000 homes.  Cost of Electricity Expected to Skyrocket Due to Data Center Demand – Facility Management Data Centers Quick Read

Harnessing AI to Empower Electrical Contractors by Sal Paraltore

William Attardi on December 31, 2024

The electrical contracting industry is no stranger to innovation. AI is set to transform the tools of the trade, enabling smarter, safer, and more efficient work. One of the core tasks for an electrician/technician is measurement — voltage, current, resistance, and beyond. Historically, these measurements have relied on the precision of the tools in hand and the expertise of the technician using them. But what happens when AI is introduced into this equation? AI, coupled with machine learning (ML), allows for the analysis of vast datasets at speeds and accuracies far beyond human capability. By recognizing patterns in data that might be invisible to the human eye, AI can enhance the precision of measurements and reveal insights that were previously unattainable. Moreover, AI can integrate data from multiple modalities to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a system’s health. Imagine a tool that not only measures but also analyzes and predicts potential issues, offering recommendations on the spot. This isn’t science fiction; it’s the future of electrical work. Harnessing AI to Empower Electrical Contractors | EC&M

The Great Reshoring: Wake Up, America, Your Factory Floor Is Calling by Alexander De Ridder

William Attardi on December 31, 2024

The real AI revolution isn’t happening in Silicon Valley conference rooms — it’s about to explode on America’s factory floors. This isn’t your standard automation upgrade. AI-powered manufacturing is like giving every worker a superpower. Suddenly your maintenance tech isn’t just fixing machines — it’s preventing breakdowns before they happen. Your quality control is catching defects that human eyes can’t even see. Your production planning is adjusting to market changes in real time. But here’s the best part: AI turns your biggest cost center—labor—into your greatest asset. Instead of replacing workers, AI elevates them. It handles the mind-numbing routine tasks while your people focus on what humans do best: innovating, problem-solving, and making the kind of judgment calls no algorithm can match. This approach not only creates new jobs but also transforms existing roles into hybrid positions that synergize human and AI capabilities.    The great reshoring: Wake up, America, your factory floor is calling

Trump’s Take on Energy Policy by Chris Sokoll

William Attardi on November 26, 2024

Here at DISC, we see the electrical distribution community ending 2024 at $141.4 billion for +2.3% overall year-over-year (YOY) growth. We see 2025 at $144.5 billion, up +2.2% over 2024. This is in line with historical norms and inflation. Looking ahead, for now, we see a robust growth year in 2026 fueled by hearty performance in both the construction and industrial verticals. Now is the time to align resources and consider strategy. There is no doubt that the new Presidential Administration will have an impact on the electrical distribution industry. It’s important to consider this impact during our future planning. We can start to consider what changes may take place that will have a bearing on our forecasts and the overall direction of our industry. In the long term, balancing economic growth with sustainable energy sources will be critical, and the electrical industry will likely continue to face challenges and opportunities as it navigates the transition toward a more sustainable energy future. Trump’s Take on Energy Policy | Electrical Wholesaling Christian Sokoll is president of DISC Corp., Houston, the electrical market’s leading provider of sales forecasts and related market data. He can be reached at chris@disccorp.com.

Where Will Gen AI Deliver Real Value in 2025? by Praveen Rao

William Attardi on November 26, 2024

The manufacturing industry is on the cusp of change. Over the next decade, gen AI will become a cornerstone of manufacturing operations—driving innovation, improving efficiency and enhancing overall competitiveness. Here are three key trends manufacturing leaders should watch next year.

1. The Future of Manufacturing Is Multimodal – Multimodal AI refers to models that can process and analyze both structured and unstructured data across multiple types of data inputs, such as text, images/video, audio/sound and vibrations. Allowing organizations to be both efficient and effective in their operations.

2. Gen AI Will Drive Customer-Centric Manufacturing – Over the past five years, there has been a shift toward online shopping, with customers buying everything from consumer packaged goods to cars online. We anticipate a shift from the traditional stock-and-sell sales model to a complex make-to-order sales model in the future.

3. Gen AI Can Help Bridge the Manufacturing Skills Gap – A widening skills gap is impacting the manufacturing industry, as experienced workers retire and manufacturers struggle to attract and retain new talent with the necessary skills. This challenge is amplified by the rapid pace of technological change, demanding that frontline workers are equipped with helpful tools for real-time problem solving. Generative AI offers a powerful solution to the manufacturing skills gap by transforming how knowledge is shared and applied.

Learn how Gen AI transforms manufacturing | Leadership & Innovation | advancedmanufacturing.org

The Lagging Transition to LEDs in Schools – Part 1 of 3 by Jessica Kelly, Andrea Wilkerson, Dan Blitzer

William Attardi on November 26, 2024

This article series looks at the current situation from the perspective of school facility personnel. Part 1 covers the transition to LED technology. Part 2 will identify changes coming to the lighting market, and Part 3 will offer thoughts for practical paths forward for LED systems in schools. Although commercial LED lamps and luminaires have been available for more than a decade, educational facilities have been slow to adopt LED technology. As of 2020, 78% of the lighting in U.S. educational buildings was still fluorescent, according to the most recent estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solid-State Lighting program in the “2020 U.S. Lighting Market Characterization” report. The general feeling of, “We have fluorescent, we’re fine,” may change as the situation evolves. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series where we discuss these upcoming changes to the lighting market regarding fluorescent availability and utility rebates. The Lagging Transition to LEDs in Schools – Part 1 of 3 | EC&M

Lighting Controls: Achieving Energy Efficiency and Visual Comfort by Barry Reeb

William Attardi on November 26, 2024

Lighting is often overlooked as merely a functional fixture in building design. However, it plays a critical role in shaping both the ambiance and comfort of spaces we live and work in every day. Over the last few decades, the adoption of advanced lighting control strategies has grown to be a powerful tool for both lowering energy consumption and increasing the well-being of its inhabitants. The key is in the design. There is a fine balance and intersection between lighting controls’ mandate to lower a building’s overall energy consumption and enhance the work/life environment through visual comfort. Lighting controls that empower people to personalize their lighting experience contribute to overall health and well-being. Lighting Controls: Achieving Energy Efficiency and Visual Comfort – Facilities Management Insights

Harris’s Proposed Capital Gains Tax Rate Would Be Highest for Many Since 1978

William Attardi on November 26, 2024

As part of the 2024 presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris is proposing to tax long-term capital gains at a top rate of 33 percent for high earners, taking the top federal rate to highs not seen since 1978. There are also additional state and local capital gains taxes to consider. The current top combined capital gains tax rate is 29.1 percent, consisting of the 20 percent capital gains tax rate, the 3.8 percent NIIT, and the 5.3 percent average of state and local income tax rates on capital gains. By taxing high earners’ capital gains at 28 percent and raising the NIIT to 5 percent, Harris’s proposals would raise the top combined tax rate on capital gains to 38.3 percent—the second highest in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), behind Denmark’s 42 percent. In USA, adding state and local taxes, 10 States are over 40% with California at #1 at 46.3%. Similarly, under Harris’s proposals, the top tax rate on dividends would be nearly the highest in the OECD. Harris Capital Gains Tax Rate Would Be Highest Since 1978 (taxfoundation.org)

It’s Back to School – How Some of Our Most Acknowledged Universities Got Their Name – Who were the true visionaries who would donate half of their estate to sculpting the minds of the future. These stories are monuments to history and culture. Let’s take a stroll through academia’s memory lane and uncover the origins of these storied university names!

  1. Ah, Harvard! The Ivy League giant was once a small college in the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlement called New Towne. But where did “Harvard” come from? Enter John Harvard, a clergyman who, in 1638, decided to bequeath half his estate and his library (a whopping 400 books!) to the fledgling college. Grateful for this generous gift, they promptly named the institution after him.
  2. A gem of New Haven, Connecticut, Yale is another Ivy League powerhouse known for its prestigious law and drama schools. It owes its name to Elihu Yale, a wealthy merchant who, in 1718, donated a modest shipment of goods (including portraits, books, and textiles) to a struggling collegiate school. Those goods were auctioned off, raising a much-needed £562 –a small fortune at the time.
  3. Dartmouth is renowned for its beautiful rural setting, nestled in the picturesque town of Hanover, New Hampshire. It was named after the Earl of Dartmouth, William Legge, a British nobleman who supported the college’s founding –despite never actually setting foot in America!
  4. Brown, this Rhode Island Ivy University, known for its open curriculum and emphasis on student choice, was founded with a mouthful of a name – the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was renamed in 1704 for Nicholas Brown, Jr., a prominent merchant whose family donated generously to the school.
  5. Perched atop a hill overlooking Ithaca, New York, Cornell is celebrated for its diverse academic programs and its stunning natural surroundings. Founded by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, this university was unique for its commitment to practical education, allowing students the freedom to choose their own course of study. It was a revolutionary notion at the time, which would guide a curricular reform across the country.
  6. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford is renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit and its close ties to the tech industry. But this California powerhouse has a touching origin story. Leland Stanford, Jr., the founder’s son, tragically died young from typhoid fever. His father Leland Sr., railroad magnate and former state governor, and his mother Jane, founded the university in his memory, ensuring his legacy lived on through the pursuit of knowledge.
  7. This North Carolina research giant, known for its strong medical and law schools, underwent a bit of a name change in its history. Originally called Trinity College, it was renamed Duke University in 1924 after James Buchanan Duke, a tobacco and electric power industrialist who founded the American Tobacco Company. He established The Duke Endowment, to which he donated throughout his life and left half his estate after his death.
  8. Nestled in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt is a renowned research university with a vibrant campus life. It owes its name to “The Commodore,” Cornelius Vanderbilt, a shipping and railroad magnate, who provided the initial gift to establish the university.
  9. Texas businessman William Marsh Rice provided the initial funding for this Houston university, but did not live to see its opening. He was murdered by his valet as he slept, in a plot to forge the man’s will. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Rice University flourished through the years, becoming an institution known for its strong engineering and science programs.
  10. Who was Harvard named after? Origin of university names