B&I, based in Fort Myers, Florida, is one of a growing number of contractors across the country to adopt “lean construction” techniques: a plug-and-play approach to construction that lets workers prefab a project off-site, section by section. Then, at the job site, all that remains is putting the pieces together.
The Fraunhofer USA Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE) successfully demonstrated two installations of plug-and-play solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at its “2016 Demo Day.”
When a couple of do-it-yourself (DIY) homeowners cited how easy it was to install their respective equipment themselves and how little skill was needed, it begged the question: With the current skilled labor shortage, are HVAC systems destined to become plug-and-play appliances?
As part its SunShot Initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced a $29 million investment in four solar energy projects. These projects are aimed at improving grid connection and reducing installation costs through plug-and-play technologies and reliable solar power forecasts.