NECA Joins USGBC
March 24, 2008
Green construction is everywhere, and the National Electrical Contractors Assn. is making sure that its member contractors are ready to serve the growing market of owners and users looking for energy-efficient, innovative alternatives to traditional building methods.
To support this initiative, NECA’s national office recently became a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. The USGBC is a non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices. Together, NECA and the USGBC are currently finalizing details for a workshop on how electrical contractors can become LEED Accredited Professionals in the “New Construction” category. The workshop will be held at NECA’s annual convention in Chicago, Oct. 4-7.
“Our vision is that NECA will be a resource to help our member contractors and their customers ‘go green’ at whatever level they want,” said Rob Colgan, NECA executive director for marketing. “Sustainable construction can be a part of any building project, and our goal is to help owners, developers and general contractors find the right balance in their electrical and communication systems.
“Energy efficient systems are an important aspect of LEED ratings, but their real attractiveness to building owners lies in the money they can save over the life of a building,” Colgan said. “NECA contractors are in a great position to help those owners achieve their green building goals by creating innovative and fully integrated energy-efficient systems.”
Colgan also pointed out that consumers are becoming more educated about alternatives to convention power generation, like solar, wind, and biomass. “Effectively using these alternative methods of power generation, however, takes specific skills and experience with a wide array of new products, and NECA contractors have a distinct advantage in this area,” he said. “Our training programs are the acknowledged leader in photovoltaic installation, and our annual trade show features the most significant gathering of alternative energy technologies specifically for electrical contractors.”
ABOUT NECA: The National Electrical Contractors Assn. has provided over a century of service to the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA’s national office and 120 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research, and standards development. For more information, visit www.necanet.org.
Contact Information
Beth Margulies, Director, Public Relations
301-215-4526, beth.margulies@necanet.org
