In today’s fast paced, always on, adrenaline junkie society, we could all probably benefit from a Zen moment or two… I have discovered mine in my garden. From the minute I set foot in this coveted space, I instantly feel clarity of focus, simplicity of intention, and a deeply rooted connection to just about everything. […]
When a contractor presents 3-D design images of how the selected lights and fixtures will look within a given environment to a potential customer, he can claim ownership of the design. This gives him value and differentiation against the competition, who likely don’t have 12 pages of 3-D renderings of how the lighting choices are […]
The signing of Illinois legislation by Gov. Bruce Rauner this summer that alters its mechanic’s lien law at the behest of property owners is not going over well with contractors and suppliers who are bracing for dominos to fall and costly problems to arise. One Illinois-based credit veteran called it a win primarily for banks […]
With the proliferation of LED lamps, how do you equate your existing incandescent 60W lamp to an appropriate LED screw-in replacement lamp? First look at the language to assist in getting to an “apples-to-apples” comparison. Watts measure the amount of energy required to light products or how much power a bulb uses, whereas lumens measure […]
(from article published Aug 2015 zlien.com) A lot of people think the Illinois mechanics lien statutes are engraved in granite, immovable and inviolate for time. But nothing could be further from the truth. There used to be a provision allowing no-lien contracts – then it was changed so that no-lien contracts were non-enforceable – then […]
With energy efficiency at the forefront today, we thought we would explain a bit about LEDs and the benefits of switching to them, along with some ideas of what you can do with them. Light-emitting diode, or LED, is a type of solid-state lighting that uses a semiconductor to convert electricity into light. This technology […]
Chicago is striving to be the greenest city in America. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is quoted as saying “A sustainable Chicago is a city that spends less on energy use with each passing year, creates good-paying jobs in up-and-coming industries, responsibly maintains and upgrades its infrastructure, and ensures every Chicagoan has the opportunity to live a […]
When you own your own business you are in it for the long haul. There’s no such thing as working 9-5, you are automatically, by default, on the clock 24X7X365. The feeling of responsibility that comes with being the one to sign the paychecks for employees, knowing that many are sole breadwinners for their own […]
Summer is in full swing with hot summer days and warm evenings filled with lots of fun. However, summer electrical safety must be kept in mind. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) there are approximately 400 instances of individuals being electrocuted annually in the United States. Approximately 15 percent of these electrocutions […]
Summer 2007. Exactly 8 years before this blog entry. Steve Jobs introduced the world to his latest gadget, the iPhone. Tech Geeks saw the potential immediately but the electrical supply houses… not so much. It was cool and all but how would my industry use a smart phone to make money? Sure with its internet […]