The Georgia Institute of Technology has received a special research grant through an ELECTRI International partnership created by two ELECTRI Council members - the Atlanta Chapter NECA and Lutron Electronics Company, Inc.
Jerry Hayes, (United Electric Company, Inc.) is a member of the ELECTRI Council and the Atlanta Chapter. Following the Council’s recent meeting inChicago, Hayes explained how this outside-the-box project came to be. “Examining green opportunities for electrical contractors is something we need to get our arms around quickly and thoroughly. All of the research proposals that the Council reviewed had merit. When the Georgia Tech project was not selected for funding on the first round, I knew we should try to make this project happen.“
The Atlanta Chapter also knew that the green opportunities topic would be of specific interest to Lutron, a company that designs and manufactures energy-saving light control solutions for both residential and commercial applications. “Lutron is pleased to join the Atlanta Chapter NECA in support of research on green opportunities for the electrical contractor community,” says Andrew Lawler, National Sales Manager of Lutron. “As a manufacturer, we understand the importance of embracing the contractor community and helping them promote green lighting technologies to their customers.”
The Atlanta Chapter NECA and Lutron joined to provide a special $7,000 grant to ELECTRI for this project. Georgia Tech will provide $36,800 to cover the one-year tuition and stipend for the Ph.D. student researcher. The research will advance business opportunities for contractors, improve end user education and contribute to energy-savings.
Baabak Ashuri, GeorgiaTech Assistant Professor, Schoolof Building Construction, will conduct the project, A Systematic Approach for the Assessment of Green Opportunities for Electrical Contractors. The project will develop an approach that contractors can use to evaluate major green opportunities based on their characteristics, and potential benefits/risks. The study will also produce a new investment evaluation tool that electrical contractors can use to present green opportunities to their prospective clients.
