Encore Electric Foreman Michael Caperton was Featured on Two Different Television News Programs
December 19, 2018 – Cheyenne, WY — On December 10, the Encore Electric team at the Wyoming State Capitol Square project put the spotlight on electrical construction career opportunities and helped nearly 20 students, faculty and staff from Laramie County Community College understand how electrical construction careers make an impact. The tour aimed to showcase the opportunities and relevance of careers in the trades as well as support Laramie County Community College as they begin to develop an associate’s degree program for electricians.
The project is a perfect example of the fact that choosing a career in electrical and other construction fields is an opportunity to do work that changes the skyline, shaping history as well as the future of the communities where we live and work.
The student tour caught the attention of the local media, as the state of Wyoming is working to grow trade careers. In this segment from K2TV from Casper, WY and this segment from KGWN from Cheyenne, WY, reporters talked with students, professors and Encore Electric craftsmen. One of Encore Electric’s foremen on the project, Michael Caperton, was featured in both news stories. He spoke enthusiastically with media about his career and his work with Encore Electric.
On the tour, Encore Electric Superintendent Daniel Riepler shared some details on what makes this project unique. “It’s a historic remodel, and it’s not your everyday commercial project. It was built back in 1888 so you really have to pay attention to the structural integrity and making sure the original design of the building stays intact,” said Riepler. “It’s really an iconic project, and I’m proud of the team for their work in meeting the needs of all of our customers in this project.”
Andrew Cole, Encore Electric project engineer added, “The design is the biggest challenge on this project. We had to open up walls and change documents for design.”
Two primary drivers behind the renovation of the three buildings were outdated electrical and life safety systems. For the Encore Electric team, this means installing all new life safety, technology solutions, and electrical systems. Channeling through plaster walls and six-inch-thick floor slabs and foundations took over a year, as great care was taken to preserve the historic nature of the building. Other project challenges include: removal and preservation of original light fixtures that were retrofitted with LED technology; and placement of access panels in locations that did not impact the historical integrity of the walls.
In its original form, light was provided to the Capitol by gas lamps and skylights. Over time, fluorescent and incandescent lighting were added. The most recent renovation has 3,500 light fixtures (700 of which are either historic or historic replicas), and every light in each of the three buildings is now LED, including new LED stage lighting that illuminates the stained glass ceilings in the House and Senate chambers. The power for the three buildings in the project runs through enough conduit to cover 83 football fields. Also on the project, there is enough wire to (almost) cover the distance from Cheyenne, WY to Fort Collins, CO!
The Wyoming State Capitol has 130 years of history. Not surprisingly, the team involved in the Wyoming Capitol Square Project restoration are the first to uncover long-forgotten pieces of history as they work diligently to preserve the original integrity of the building. The project team has moved a 12,000-pound vault door (see photo left), uncovered historic paintings hidden beneath a thick layer of green paint, and created innovative solutions to bring the building up to code.
Currently, 25 Encore electricians are working on the project, which will be complete in the summer of 2019.
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