April 17, 2025
Explore Commercial Electrical Opportunities with PowerForce by Qmerit™
5 Min. Read
As the demand for commercial electrical upgrades grows with building modernization for efficiency, compliance, and cost savings, one question arises: Is it time to shift our focus to commercial electrical opportunities?
From installing and maintaining electrical solutions to building long-term partnerships, the commercial market represents an exciting opportunity. However, securing the right contracts can be challenging, especially when competing against larger firms and other competitors.
Let’s explore the latest trends driving demand for commercial electrical services and strategies to successfully navigate the challenges of entering this market.
Commercial Electrical Services: Trends and Opportunities
With 5.9 million commercial buildings in the U.S. and 44.1 million Americans renting their homes, there is a growing demand for electrical upgrades across office buildings, industrial facilities, retail spaces, apartment complexes, duplexes, and even single-family homes—especially with changes in code and evolving insurance requirements!
Electric HVAC
Heating represents more than a third of all energy used in commercial buildings, and property managers are looking to drastically cut these expenses with heat pumps. While fewer than 15% of commercial buildings currently have heat pumps, it is a rapidly growing market that offers a major opportunity for those skilled in wiring these energy-efficient systems.
Updated National Fire Protection Association Standards
In 2023, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released updated guidelines for the maintenance of electrical systems. The new standards, known as 70B, help property managers determine how often to perform commercial electrical maintenance based on risks.
For buildings used as workplaces, failure to comply can result in, at minimum, a $16,000 OSHA fine. As a result of NFPA 70B, many property managers are taking a more proactive approach to commercial electrical maintenance and seeking skilled contractors to support their updated maintenance plans.
While this code has not been rigidly enforced since its conception to allow time for property managers to plan and budget accordingly, this is rapidly changing, and insurance providers are looking to this as an opportunity to tighten their requirements as well.
Renewables Integration
Did you know commercial properties installed enough solar panels to produce 535 megawatts of electricity in Q3 2024 alone? This 44% increase from 2023 represents the growing number of property managers leveraging renewable energy to achieve a net-zero vision for their properties.
Besides cutting energy costs, renewables are an exciting lifestyle change for tenants and building users with sustainable values. If you specialize in renewables integration, you’ll have access to projects such as installing and maintaining wind and solar solutions, integrating them with existing power infrastructures, and adding battery storage.
Building Automation
More buildings are using IoT solutions to streamline operations. With AI making these solutions more intelligent than ever, it’s no wonder the building automation market is growing at an annual rate of more than 11%.
Learning how to wire and program connected security systems, smart lights, automated HVAC solutions, occupancy sensors, access control solutions, and more can help you build an innovative niche for your contracting business.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Energy-efficient lights aren’t just better for your eyes, they are also better for your budget! By offering LED installation services, you can tap into a market growing at over 8% annually while supporting the shift toward net-zero carbon buildings.
Battery Storage and Emergency Power Solutions
As more buildings and commercial properties look for reliable ways to power critical circuits during outages, generators and batteries offer a strong solution for property managers. With more utilities offering demand-response programs, you can also offer battery installations to help commercial properties avoid electric rate spikes.
Other Electric Contractor Opportunities
Commercial and multifamily buildings require a variety of electrical services, from upgrading outdated appliances and wiring to performing essential repairs and system enhancements.
Electric vehicle (EV) charging also presents a valuable opportunity to expand your electrical services. With public charging infrastructure expected to increase sixfold by 2035, many multifamily and commercial properties are adding EV charging as a key amenity.
As demand for electrical upgrades in the multifamily and commercial spaces increases, many of these technologies will require a new panel, load-shedding solutions, or another type of infrastructure upgrade. In fact, the rise of EV charging alone could lead to 72% of commercial buildings requiring a load center upgrade.
Why Is the Demand for Commercial Electrical Services So High?
Offering commercial services isn’t just a way to get more jobs, but a long-term strategy that supports the growth and scaling of your business.
Property managers need skilled and reliable electrical contractors to perform these services, and because these technologies directly affect energy costs, they are in high demand in an increasingly cost-conscious economy. Additionally, these electrical upgrades and services enhance user experience and contribute to making properties more competitive in the market, an ideal outcome for facility owners and managers.
It’s also important to note that new construction costs are high, and experts predict a slowdown in non-residential construction. Rather than investing in new projects, the focus is shifting toward upgrading and maintaining existing properties to enhance profitability through streamlined operations and reduced energy costs.
Obstacles to Securing Commercial Electrical Contracts
Although commercial opportunities are growing fast, securing contracts in commercial and multifamily spaces can be challenging.
Due to the scope and nature of the work, insurance and OSHA requirements can not only be more complex, but also add to your costs. You should also consider your skill level and invest in additional training to specialize in areas such as renewable energy integration or building automation.
If you’re a small contractor, scaling up to work on larger commercial projects means buying more equipment and hiring larger teams, which can be difficult given ongoing labor challenges.
Keep in mind that you’re also in a competitive market, and smaller contractors typically won’t have the same visibility as larger companies without strategic partnerships, such as joining a network of certified electrical contractors with a larger company, such as Qmerit.
Access More Commercial Electrical Opportunities with PowerForce by Qmerit™
PowerForce by Qmerit™ is a nationwide network of electrical contractors. The concept is simple: We receive work orders from commercial and multifamily customers and match you with jobs that are appropriate for your business’s size and skill level.
For property managers, PowerForce by Qmerit™ is an attractive option that solves speed, scale, and skill issues by instantly connecting them with the right contractor for the job. Joining our network allows you to access commercial and multifamily jobs without spending time and resources on lead generation.
Learn more about PowerForce by Qmerit™ and contact us for more information on joining our network to access exclusive opportunities today.
