Capitol Lighting created a friendly competition challenging local designers to create one-of-a-kind bathroom spaces and put a call out to all Northern New Jersey-area interior designers to participate. Two top designers were chosen out of numerous applicants to compete in the unique challenge of remodeling the men’s and women’s bathrooms at the company’s Paramus showroom — one of which will be crowned the “Thronedown” champion. The finalists were chosen based on previous work and have been given a $2,000 project budget with lighting supplied by Quoizel and Feiss.

Anna Maria Mannarino- Mannarino Designs, Inc.

The terms Journeyman Electrician and Master Electrician are essentially progressions on the level of license to be qualified to carry out electrical work in the United States. The distinction is somewhat akin to that between someone with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy, and a Master’s Degree in Accountancy. Both are qualified to be accountants, but the latter has considerably more training and experience.

Specifically, if you look at the electrical licensing codes for different states then the difference is that whilst aJourneyman Electrician would be expected to have the skill necessary to wire up and install electrical equipment and wiring, a Master Electrician would be expected to be able to take that process one step further and actually be able to both plan out and organize how an electrical installation should take place, as well as being able to supervise otherJourneyman Electricians as they completed the work.

So in large part, the designation comes down to experience and being able to manage other people.

If you hire a Master Electrician then this is likely to be someone with ten years plus of experience, and a work record that has exposed them to a number of different challenging electrical environments. And they will also most likely have supervised other electricians and acted as mentors. Whilst a journeyman electrician may have four or five years’ experience, and whilst they can do most electrical jobs that are thrust their way, they don’t have the same breadth of experience, and may still potentially need to ask for advice in tricky situations that they haven’t come across before.

In such circumstances, it would be a Master Electrician that they would be likely to turn to for advice.

In most states in the United States the distinction between the two grades of electricians is carried out by bracketing them into Class A and B licenses, of which there would usually be both for Journeyman Electricians and Master Electricians.

Class A and Class B Master Electricians

These electricians will generally have had to have met the specific requirements for that individual state, which will normally include passing a written exam, possibly appearing in front of a board to answer questions, as well as meeting certain minimum levels of work experience.

Class A and Class B Journeyman Electricians

Again, certain specific state requirements will have had to have been met and exams passed. A journeyman electrician of either class would be expected to have less experience and skills than a master electrician of either class.

The distinction between the classes in both cases is that a “Class A” license carries no restrictions (within the context of the skills that it is licensing), whilst a “Class B” license does come with some restrictions.

Imagine a future free from electricity bills. A home where you can maintain or improve your current levels of comfort, but one that is so efficient that it costs little to nothing to power its electrical work. Someday soon, this vision could become a reality, with a combination of renewable power generation and hyper-efficient technologies allowing Americans to enjoy elevated standards of living without placing a burden on their pocketbooks or the environment. Read on to learn more about the ultimate in energy-efficient homes.

Testing the Effectiveness of New Technology

One hotbed for innovation in efficient home construction is in the Pacific Northwest. A pilot program comprised of builders and utility companies is studying new homes built in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington to discover how new technologies are functioning and which ones are most effective. The program is looking at homes that are at least 30 percent more efficient than required by local code and monitoring them for a year after they are built to ensure that their performance is living up to their promise.

Among the energy-saving features that are included in the new houses:

Filling in the Other Side of the Equation

Naturally, any modern home should also include features like LED lighting technology in lieu of incandescent bulbs and efficient Energy Star-rated appliances to keep the costs for your electrical work low. Add smart technology to the mix, which can automatically find extra savings, and you are looking at a historically low electrical bill.

Of course, it's extraordinarily rare to find an American household that gets by without electricity at all, so no matter how efficient you are, you'll still have some level of energy consumption to power your electrical work. That's where the other side of the equation comes in: personal, renewable power generation. Once you install solar panels or a wind turbine on your property, you can make your own power. Pair that with a good electricity storage option and you're well on your way to being free from electrical bills forever.

Conservation in Your Circuits and Wires

The nation hasn't realized its efficiency dreams yet, but we are well on our way. If you need electrical work in a new or existing home, call up a qualified residential electrician today.