Electrical Upgrade Services Needed in Michigan
Farwell Area School District, Farwell, Mich., is requesting proposals for the implementation of energy-efficiency improvements. The scope of the program will include equipment replacement, repair, modernization, or preventative maintenance, and related support and training programs. Proposals are due at 4 p.m. EST on February 10. For more information, visit the Michican Web site.

Web Exclusives
Business Brief
Winter Park, Fla.-based Palmer Electric Co. won three Excellence in Construction awards in the annual competition sponsored by the Central Florida Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors. In the Commercial $1 to $5 million category, the Palmer Electric team took home an Eagle award, the top honor presented in each category, for wiring the 30-story Dynetech Centre mixed-use building in Orlando. An Eagle award was presented to Palmer Electric in the Hospitals/Health Care $1 to $5 million category for work on the Orlando Lutheran Towers, a seven-story assisted-living facility. Palmer Electric was also honored with an Award of Merit in the Interior Alteration under $1 million category for the two-story, 40,000-square-foot interior tenant buildout for the Dynetech Corp. headquarters in the Dynetech Centre

For more Business Briefs, visit the EC&M Web site.

Top Construction Economist Says Story on Stimulus-Funded Highway Work "Flawed"
Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, recently issued a statement in response to an Associated Press story exploring the impact of stimulus-funded highway projects on overall construction employment.

To read the statement, visit the EC&M Web site.

DOE Awards $47 Million to IT and Communications Sectors
Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding $47 million for 14 projects across the country to support the development of new technologies that can improve energy efficiency in the information technology (IT) and communication technology sectors.

To read more about the funding for these projects, visit the EC&M Web site.

Further Decline in Nonresidential Construction Activity Expected in 2010
According to the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) semi-annual Consensus Construction Forecast, nonresidential construction spending is expected to decrease by 13.4% percent in 2010 with a slight increase of 1.8% in 2011 in inflation-adjusted terms. Commercial and industrial projects will continue to experience the most significant decrease in activity. Institutional building categories will fare better over this period thanks, in part, to federal stimulus spending.

To read more about the nonresidential construction spending forecast, visit the EC&M Web site.

AWEA Identifies Wind Power Trends to Watch for in 2010
As the nation enters a new year, renewable energy could play a key role in the economic and energy issues that dominate the political agenda. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that promotes wind power growth through advocacy, communication, and education, has identified some trends and indicators to watch.

To read about these trends, visit the EC&M Web site.

Eye on Safety
Electrical Problems Cause $6 Million in Damages to Massachusetts Apartment Building
Local and state fire officials blame an electrical malfunction for a recent six-alarm fire that caused $6 million in damage to a 60-unit residential building in Malden, Mass. "Investigators found that an electrical event was the only source of ignition," the state fire marshal's office wrote in a release. No one was seriously injured in the blaze, which took three hours to contain, but Malden Fire Chief Michael Murphy said a sprinkler system would have limited the damage done to the 80-year-old brick building.

Shows & Events
Transformations in Lighting
Transformations in Lighting: 2010 U.S. Department of Energy Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop will take place from February 2-4 in Raleigh, N.C. Plenary sessions will share insights on critical issues related to efficacy, lifetime, and reliability. LED track sessions will explore new ideas for tough technical challenges, looking beyond present LED architectures, exploring alternate substrates, and examining high-risk, high-reward strategies. OLED track sessions will look at what limits OLED efficacy, and critical tradeoffs between lifetime, cost, and brightness. For more information and to register, visit the DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solid-State Lighting Web site.

PowerTest 2010
PowerTest 2010: Electrical Maintenance and Safety Conference is scheduled to be held February 15-18 in Long Beach, Calif. Topics for this year's event include safety, equipment, reliability, renewable energy, circuit breakers, and relays. For more information and to register, visit the PowerTest Web site.

Electric West 2010
The Electric West 2010 and Power Quality conference will be held March 16-18 in Las Vegas. Topics at this year's event include grounding versus bonding, electrical estimating, and certification for renewable energy installation. For more information, visit the Electric West 2010 Web site.