John...
I rather suspect that Reno is crossing over the LEED and other eco centric 'codes' that have 'electrical Puritanism' as their goal.
'Electrical Puritanism' is why California's PUC has cranked up retail electrical power rates to staggering levels: $0.45/ hW-Hr for marginal energy consumption -- which is plainly a sumptuary tax -- for the sin of using more juice than the 'sustainability crowd' deems appropriate.
Distasteful as it is: eco-politics has entered our trade.
Step by step the NEC is being used -- along with the PUC power schedule -- along with Title 24 (California building code law) -- to 'address' ecological concerns.
One example out of many: the NEC requirement to bring neutrals down into all switch boxes -- a provision that can't possibly have a 'safety angle' -- but is demanded by the smart switch (Internet of things) crowd.
This recent provision is almost exclusive to residential builds. It's not required for pipe & wire jobs.
(Due to economics, it's been my practice to bring down neutrals to commercial switches (in MC) just about forever. The 'economics' being the low level of training acquired by my (green and under-paid) apprentices. The complicated (a,b) switching schemes demanded by Title 24 make 'banding neutrals' just too much trouble. (Prone to circuit screw-ups and re-work.)
Title 24 provisions may start in California -- but they don't stay there. With a modicum of delay, the Feds end up mandating California standards whenever they make sense/ the products are available in quantity.
As for politics: the guys actually driving this are fellows like "Meathead" -- yes, the original "All in the Family Meathead: Rob Reiner, Jr. He's now a political activist -- and hugely involved in thwarting tobacco and... electric power consumption. He and his buddies sit on more than a few Southern California (highly politicized) environmental boards.
In sum: Hollywood elites are actually making national energy policy. When this deflects off into campaigns against the Keystone pipeline -- we're just bystanders.
I fully expect the NEC to become fused to the eco movement -- and to see BAS and other smart regimes extended down to residential construction.
We will no longer be held to JUST the NEC. A stack of additional codes will impact our craft.
And this is not just an American 'thing.' The Green movement (of Germany) is now huge in energy policy/ electrical policy across all of Europe. [There is irony here, the founder of the German Greens was raised and educated in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(!)]
Since this trend gives every indication of being irreversible -- and largely bi-partisan -- our only practical gambit is to ride this wave of regulations.
Which means:
1) Get up to speed as to what's coming down the pike. For most of you that means keeping an eye on California's Title 24 regulations. They WILL be extended to your town -- sooner or later.
2) Get up to speed on all of the new super efficient equipment and lighting. There can be no doubt that practically everything currenly installed will have to be swapped out/ upgraded BEFORE the end of its design life.
This reality has already totally taken over the HVAC field. Those boys are busier than jackrabbits swapping out old for new everywhere you turn.
3) Which means that you need to re-approach every client with upgrade proposals L O N G before you think their lighting is due. Just on the economics -- like PC computers -- the old needs replacement long before it breaks.
After all, that's the entire point about inflicting $ 0.45/ kW-Hr marginal rates.
In most areas, all site lighting is overdue for LED upgrade.
4) LED tech also means LOW VOLTAGE field wiring... in many cases. Consequently, one can install (retrofit) LED trim lighting in spots not previously considered: all perimeter eaves -- ESPECIALLY along the walkways from the driveway to the front porch.
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In sum: "code" is now a term that is not confined to the NEC -- even for electricians.
Scott 35 has previously listed some of the codes that are active for California eletrical contractors. They do go on.
