The ELECTRI International Challenge for NECA Student Chapters is the Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge (ECIC).  This marks a yearly highlight for NECA Student Chapters. Teams agree that the popular challenge is stimulating because it makes them focus on problem solving by thinking in new, creative ways.

This year’s student challenge focuses on construction technology.

 

2024 Challenge Overview

Each faculty advisor and student team will work with their local NECA chapter and contractors to deliver a proposal containing various building information modeling (BIM) tasks for the Trimble Phase 2 project.  Students are to put themselves in the position of an electrical contractor and perform various tasks related to layout and coordination of various electrical systems in the project. The team will use the same computer software that industry leaders use for these purposes. During the competition, the student teams will tackle various challenges that BIM engineers face when completing a project. These challenges include creating a BIM execution plan, a detailed work assignment log, a prefabrication plan, installation drawings, and more. They will also have the opportunity to work with various forms of software that BIM engineers use in the industry. This will include modeling electrical systems using Revit, doing coordination in Navisworks and Trimble Connect, and leveraging technology solutions offered by Trimble for office and field construction professionals.

The student teams will work with their local NECA chapters and contractors to meet the project requirements by conducting interviews and scheduling office meetings (in contractors’ facilities) to learn how electrical contractors have responded to similar past projects. It is highly encouraged and essential for the student teams to work closely with NECA electrical contracting partners for assistance and to identify means and methods that take into consideration real-world project parameters including schedule, cost, work force, weather, and other considerations unique to the project. All interactions with NECA chapters and contractors should be documented in the final proposal. This includes web or in-person meetings, training sessions, organized tours, jobsites visits, etc.

View ECIC Rules

Registration

Registration is closed.

If you have questions or need assistance, reach out to Anna Jochim at Anna.Jochim@electri.org.

Important Dates

  • November 21 – Competition Rules and Regulations delivered to NECA Student Chapter Advisors
  • January 1 – Registration opens for ECIC 2024
  • January 23 – Webinar with ECIC jury and ELECTRI Staff who will answer questions regarding the 2024 Challenge
  • February 7 – Submit any questions about the proposal to Alisha Heath at aheath@ermco.com
  • February 13 – Competition registration deadline for NECA Student Chapter Teams (11:59 PM in each US time zone)
  • February 22 – Virtual Kick Off Project Meeting
  • May 3 – Submission deadline for final PDF proposals (11:59 PM in each US time zone)
  • June-July – Proposals reviewed by the ECIC jury
  • July 31 – Notification of review results and selection of finalist teams
  • September 28 – Oral presentations at NECA Convention and Award Ceremony in San Diego, CA

Student Education Classes – 2024

  • February 28 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: BIM Education Plan
  • March 6 (4-6 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: Revit Basics
  • March 12 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue – Group 1
  • March 13 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue – Group 2
  • March 19 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue Lab – Group 1
  • March 20 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue Lab – Group 2
  • March 26 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue – Group 1
  • March 27 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue – Group 2
  • April 2 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue Lab – Group 1
  • April 3 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: SysQue Lab – Group 2
  • April 4 (4-6 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: Trimble Connect Coordination Meeting
  • April 11 (4-6 p.m. ET)– ECIC Training: Robotic Total Station
  • April 17 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: XR10 Training
  • April 22 (4-5 p.m. ET) – ECIC Training: Connect AR Training
  • On-Demand – ECIC Training: Estimation MEP with Trimble

Session recordings will be available after the session concludes. View recordings here.

Reach Out to Us

ECIC ELECTRI Contact
Anna Jochim
Phone: 202-449-9657 Ext:9657
Anna.Jochim@electri.org

ECIC Program Manager
Alisha Heath
Phone: 317-423-3835
aheath@ermco.com