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Volume 3 • Issue 23
MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Prevent the proliferation of small print at the bottom of contracts
Summer's almost here and before the holidays begin, contributor Shawn McCadden reflects on responding to clients who request "ball park" quotes price while you know very well that the final figure will be different. Creating estimates is demanding and time-consuming. Have you thought to charge? Residential construction is likely to change in the coming years with the integration of intelligent technologies. See how. Good reading and follow us on Twitter @EINnewsletter.
Line Goyette Managing Editor
linegoyette@kerrwil.com
CHANGING SCENE
- BC Hydro Completes $94 Million Substation in Surrey
The substation will help meet electricity demand in Surrey that has increased by 28% over the past 10 years, and is expected to increase by another 35% over the next 10 years…
- Stelpro Names National Sales Director, Electrical Distribution (Canada)
As of May 30, Pierre Vincent has joined Stelpro as National Sales Director for its Canadian electrical distribution channel...
- ENMAX Appoints 2 New Board Members
Eric Markell and Elise Rees have joined the Board of Directors for Calgary-based ENMAX. They bring a combined wealth of experience and knowledge from the electricity industry and financial profession…
- Saskpower to Invest $108 Million in Power Grid Updates
SaskPower will be updating parts of the Saskatchewan power grid to decrease the number of power outages. Aging infrastructure causes approximately 34% of unplanned outages in Saskatchewan…
- Nexans Canada Hires Regional Manager for Manitoba and Saskatchewan
Rodney Olafsson has joined Nexans Canada as their new Regional Manager for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, effective May 16, 2016…
- Ontario Forest Fires Prevention Act Now Applies to Power Generation, Utilities
Given the recent forest fires in Fort McMurray, Alberta, and in northwestern Ontario, Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is drawing attention to a recent update of Ontario Regulation 207/96 Outdoor Fires…
- Global Renewable Energy Jobs Surge to 8.1 Million. Canada Ranks 11th
More people are working in the renewable energy industry than ever before due to more affordable clean energy and new policies, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)…
- Philips Recalls Ceramic Discharge Metal Halide Lamps (CDM330)
The lamps are designed as energy efficient replacements for traditional 400W quartz metal halide lamps installed in magnetic ballasts. Philips has received two reports of lamps shattering, although no injuries have been reported…
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Managing Your Business
Tips on Ball Park Pricing and Charging for Estimates
By Shawn McCadden
Any contractor who has been in business for any length of time has probably had to deal with ball park pricing and charging for estimates. Homeowners always seem to want one but not the other. Rather than risk letting a ball park price make them look bad, savvy contractors can use the request for one to help cause the other to happen. If interested in how to do this, read on.
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Smart Technology
Household Ownership of Smart Home Devices Doubles in One Year
The number of Canadian broadband households with a smart home device more than doubled in the past year, jumping from 5% in the first quarter of 2015 to 11% in the first quarter of 2016. The statistics come from "Smart Home and IoT in Canada," a New Parks Associates survey that also identified smart thermostats as the most popular devices, with 5% of households owning one, while networked security or monitoring cameras were a close second with more than 4% ownership.
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Heating
Shipments of Smart Thermostats Forecast to Reach 20 Million by 2023
Worldwide shipments of communicating and smart thermostats are expected to grow from 926,000 annually in 2014 to 19.2 million by 2023, according to a new report from Navigant Research. During the last year, the market for communicating and smart thermostats has expanded rapidly, with new offerings from several high-profile providers. Global revenue for communicating and smart thermostats and associated software and services is forecast to grow from US$1.1 billion in 2016 to US$4.4 billion in 2025.
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Company Profile
Valard Construction: Turnkey Solutions for Power Systems
Winning a contract to construct a 100-km high altitude transmission line in Norway is just the latest in a series of high-profile contracts earned by Edmonton-based Valard Construction. The 5-year project also involves decommissioning 90 km of an existing 300-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, and will require significant use of helicopters for both construction and decommissioning. Founded in 1978, Valard Construction is a leading full-service engineering, procurement and construction (EPC+) contractor, providing turnkey solutions for power systems. With 1400 employees and 600 pieces of utility equipment, the company has the largest cohort of skilled, mobile linemen in Canada and one of the best safety records in the industry.
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Survey Says
Electrical Contractor Salaries by Certification Type
Among 10 certification types, P.Engs earn twice the salary of apprentices. See how the other eight certification types compare…
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Survey Says From Recent Issues
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NEW PRODUCTS AND SOLUTIONS
Wieland Electric Inc., a global manufacturer of electrical interconnect technology, has developed the next generation of its samos PRO programmable safety controller, the samos Pro Compact. With a width of only 45mm, the compact module simplifies safety solutions, while controlling safety functions for a wide variety of industrial applications.
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Legrand, North America has expanded its lighting control and automation panel (LCAP) architectural dimming product family with the new InFusion Universal Dimming Module (UDM), which controls up to eight universal loads with up to four line feeds for a total of 32 AMPs per module.
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From Our Last Issue
- NRC Honours Organizations with Energy Star Canada Awards
Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr recently presented awards to electrical industry organizations and others from across Canada for their achievements in partnering with Canada's Energy Star program to develop and promote the most energy-efficient products and homes. See who won, and why.
- Canadian LEED Buildings: 1 million Fewer Tonnes of CO2e Since 2005
Green building in Canada has reached a significant milestone, as the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) reports that Canadian LEED certified projects have now led to a cumulative reduction of over one million tonnes of CO2e in greenhouse gas emissions — the equivalent of taking 238,377 cars off the road for a year. This milestone comes as Canadian governments at all three levels are accelerating efforts to formulate climate change strategies.
- EV Supply Equipment Market Forecast to Quintuple by 2025
The global electric vehicle (EV) charging market is in transition owing to the coming influx of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) from premium automakers. It is also being influenced by the introduction of PEVs with much longer range at affordable price points, advised Navigant Research in a new report. Navigant expects the global market for EV supply equipment (EVSE) to grow from around 425,000 units in 2016 to 2.5 million in 2025.
- New Housing Price Index, March 2016
The New Housing Price Index (NHPI) rose 0.2% in March, following an identical increase in February. The index has increased for 12 consecutive months, largely driven by higher new housing prices in Ontario and British Columbia.
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EIN's TRAINING & EVENTS CALENDAR
Training, networking and professional development opportunities for members of Canada's electrical industry.
Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network Reality Tour
June 16
Halifax, NS
ECANB 52nd Annual General Meeting & Conference
June 16-17
Halifax, NS
2016 ECAO Industry Conference
September 21-25
Minett, ON
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Current Copper Prices
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THE ELECTRICAL STOCK MARKET
 Track the stock market performance of 25 publicly traded electrical equipment suppliers and electrical wholesalers. Updated weekly.
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