Bodine awarded NECA Project Excellence Award for Wassaja Hall project

Bodine Electric of Decatur has been awarded a Project Excellence Award from the National Electrical Contractors Association for its work on Wassaja Hall at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The award was one of 17 given by NECA, which created the awards program this year to honor exceptional work throughout the country.

Bodine was honored in the residential category for projects greater than $1 million.

“NECA is thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase projects of such an impressive caliber in the first year of this program,” NECA CEO John M. Grau said in a statement.

Members of NECA’s Business Development Task Force judged the projects based on aesthetics, application, difficulty, innovation and originality.

Wassaja Hall, housing 504 beds as part of the UIUC Ikenberry Commons student residence development, was completed in August 2016. The 155,000SF new construction began in May 2014 with a goal of LEED Gold Certification, which it received in February 2017.

Bodine’s work included medium voltage service and distribution, normal and emergency power distribution, a 120-panel solar photovoltaic array, installation of a 750kW generator serving two buildings and interior, exterior and site lighting.

The photovoltaic cells, a first in the Ikenberry development, were installed on the roof and are estimated to produce 39,405kW hours per year, for an annual savings of $3,152. To increase awareness of green technology, the energy savings is charted in real time and displayed in the lobby.

In addition, Bodine installed voice and data infrastructure, structured cabling, CATV, professional audio/video systems and an extensive access control system.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION: NECA is the voice of the $130 billion industry responsible for bringing electrical power, lighting and communications to buildings and communities across the United States. NECA’s national office in Bethesda, Md., four regional offices and 119 local chapters across the country support the electrical contracting industry through advocacy, education, research and standards development.