A Year Concludes and A New Year Holds Promise-Reflection by GET, LLC

As we close the book on 2013, we would be remiss if we did not take a moment to reflect on the past year.  GET, LLC was so very privileged to be able to share with you more about our business and insight into the happenings here in the Western Pacific.  We hope you gained further understanding more about the casegood furniture business, structured cabling and energy efficiency lighting industry and aerial lifts.  Additionally, you read a different perspective into Paradise Guam-our home. We wrote about the important issues of the day-a direct reflection of the discussions of our friends and neighbors.  These blog posts were what people were talking about around water coolers, dinner tables and back kitchens all across Micronesia. All the writing in this blog reminded me of some important things-all of us should not take things for granted and knowledge is surely power.  GET, LLC is excited for what 2014 will bring.  We will continue sharing more information and exciting insight into the world around us.  Thanks for reading and may you and yours have a prosperous new year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM GET, LLC!!!

On behalf of GET, LLC, we would like to take this time to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas! During this important time, be mindful of the blessings that you have been given and share with others the special gifts of your unique collective lives and skills. We have been honored to share with you our knowledge and interest in unique topics in this blog during this past year and look forward to more into the new year.

Structured Cabling Market to Eclipse $8 Billion by 2015-Does 2014 Stand to Be a Banner Year?

Funny thing the Internet.  

When GET, LLC started our business, a particular report escaped our research from Global Information, Inc.(GII).  The Japan-based information service has worked for the last quarter century with over 300 research companies across five countries to distribute quality technical and market research.  

GII wrote a great paper, though a bit dated (January 2013), that talks about what can be expected to be one of biggest growth markets in the world-the global structured cabling market.  No one can question, the market's 6.8% compound annual growth rate. GII noted that the structured cabling market will exceed $8 billion by 2015.  The U.S. leads this industry today with China and the Asia-Pacific region growing fast.  

We stand at the cross roads of that growth right here in the Western Pacific at the junction of the telecommunications superhighway linking North America to Asia and Australia. 

What is driving the growth?

GII says that the success of Gigabit Ethernet correlates to its strong presence with structured cabling. 1000BASE-T, 10G over twisted-pair copper (10GBASE-T) holds the promise of being less costly than its optical competitor, 10GBASE-SR.

Also, GII says as power consumption efficiency is resolved through advances in transceiver-chip lithography, advances in driving down power consumption are breaking through.  It is noted that fiber has taken a foothold in the network at 10G. Fiber-optic products are poised to steadily take market share from copper products in the structured cabling market over the next five years. While the copper structured cabling market is expected to shrink, there is still potential to recognize revenues, particularly in CAT6 UTP for Gigabit Ethernet and CAT7 for 10G.

GII notes that driven by a boom in broadband Internet users and the proliferation of bandwidth-hungry applications such as HD video, Internet bandwidth maintained by major Internet carriers has been expanding at 75% to 125% per year. 

Will we see this in 2014?  

In turn, public and private networks are experiencing unprecedented end-user demand for bandwidth resulting in a need to cost-effectively scale the capacity of communications networks. We are starting to see that already. We'll keep you posted.


For all of your structured cabling needs in the Western Pacific, please contact GET, LLC for information on our solutions that can be of assistance to you and your respective businesses including access to the Panduit and Cisco line of products-of which we are proud Business Partners of both.  Give us a call at 671-483-0789 or find out our more at our website at www.get-guam.com.

Global LED lighting market= $42 billion by 2019

One of South Asia's top media companies is reporting that worldwide LED lighting markets are poised to achieve significant growth over the next six years as buildings and communities lead the way in implementing more cost efficient lighting systems. 

CyberMedia's India-based ciol,com, through their Dallas, Texas Bureau sites a report entitled, "LED Lighting: Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2013 to 2019" lays out that next generation lighting achieves a complete replacement of incandescent filament bulbs with LED lighting that is more energy efficient, lasts longer and has a significantly lower cost of operation. 

The report, that hit the browsers of nearly 1.5 million people, is advocating for the use of LED lamps, which they say will lower the overall cost of lighting. The CyberMedia report says that LED lighting costs are less than costs with incandescent  lights.

GET, LLC read with interest that LED lamps offer up to 50,000 hours of illumination with a fraction of the energy used by traditional incandescent bulbs.

What does that mean?

It means that LED bulbs generate 90% less heat than incandescent bulbs and its uses will extend time between bulb replacements. Hard to argue with an report that says the energy efficient bulbs can be used to achieve a near zero-maintenance lighting system.

To learn more about the LED lighting products that GET, LLC provides, including Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc., please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-All Made in America!!!


"Bring Your Own Device", Management and Security-Insight from the CTO of The Westcon Group

Chief Technology Officer of The Weston Group William Hurley regularly provides words of perspective from the world's leading distributor of networking, communications, security, virtualization, storage, and unified computing platforms.  GET, LLC and other Cisco Business Partners utilize Westcon's services to become more successful through their distribution portfolio and  range of services.  We are happy to have him and his powerful insight into doing business.  Earlier this month, Hurley wrote about mobile device security and was enlightening on this topic:

"This week’s Economist has a short article on mobile device security. Rightfully so, they recognize the security threat is data loss as opposed to malware. As discussed in previous posts, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) challenge is about management of devices.  Data loss prevention is most effective when it is aware the device exists and is accessing, sitting or transmitting certain information when it should not be.

We have been asked  recently about the potential growth in the BYOD space.  It won’t come from malware.  It will come from a proliferation of devices, from the common smart phone to the latest wearable, that is retaining and transmitting information the enterprise simply does not want transmitted. And please remember, data is not just spreadsheet attachments in an email,  more importantly it is video, taken innocently or not in the office, that poses data loss problems.
That is the threat of BYOD."

We will continued to follow this trend facing personal devices-powerful for productivity, but vulnerable to security risks.

GET, LLC is a proud Cisco Registered Partner providing the latest Cisco products and services direct to businesses and organizations. For more on the benefits that our Partnership can bring to you and your respective business contact us at 671-483-0789 or at www.get-guam.com.

Deco Lighting Appoints GET, LLC as Guam and Micronesia Sales Rep

GET, LLC has been appointed by Deco Lighting as its company's Sales Representative for Guam and Micronesia. 

"This relationship will mean great things to our lighting customers in the Western Pacific," said GET, LLC Managing Partner Tricia Gumataotao. "As Deco Lighting is represented by expert independent lighting sales agencies throughout North America, and by select distributors for international markets, we are excited to be a partner with them to grow our respective businesses in this region further."

The Commerce, California company has been doing business since 1957.  Deco Lighting has a well established history of producing many innovative lighting products which have shaped today's lighting industry, and operates factories located in Mexico, Europe and Asia. Their experience in energy efficient lighting technologies stems from many years of industry renowned research and development, working closely with designers, utilities and associations to develop new lighting products. 

Deco Lighting has done a number of signature projects across the United States including the induction street lighting retrofit of the U.S. Naval Base Guam in 2009.  That particular project lead Deco Lighting to make significant improvements to their street lighting technology-specifically their DBMi Black Mamba Induction Street Light product-that recently was selected by the City of Industry California for a similar energy efficiency project that is saving the municipal government 50% in energy savings.

"The mission of Deco Lighting is to be the leading provider of innovative, high quality lighting fixtures and systems to commercial, municipal and utility markets." said Gumataotao.  "GET, LLC stands with Deco Lighting to deliver consistently superior value to our respective customers and their end users."

GET, LLC is a Women-Owned and Minority-Owned Small Business serving both federal and local government agencies and commercial businesses of Guam and the Western Pacific in business-to-business consulting services and construction supplies and equipment sales.

Terex Appoints GET, LLC as Distributor in Guam and Micronesia

GET, LLC has been appointed by the Terex Corporation as its authorized distributor for Terex and Genie aerial work platforms, cranes, construction and materials processing equipment and parts in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

"We are excited about this relationship with two of the best names in the business," said GET, LLC Managing Partner Tricia Gumataotao.  "Pairing GET, LLC with the extensive global sales and support network of Terex and Genie will certainly give Micronesia's aerial lift and crane customers the very best in unbeatable value and customer service."

GET, LLC was presented the finalized Distributor Agreement by Terex Japan General Manager Andreas Odermatt. 

"Terex Corporation is experiencing growth," said Gumataotao.  "GET, LLC is excited to be a key part of that expansion that is growing in lock-step with the rest of the region."


GET, LLC is a Women-Owned and Minority-Owned Small Business serving both federal and local government agencies and commercial businesses of Guam and the Western Pacific in business-to-business consulting services and construction materials and equipment sales.

Empowering Women in Business Panel Discussion Hosted by Cisco

A very special event is taking place tomorrow that will feature not only technology but the advancement of women in business.  Cisco is hosting an two-day on-line panel discussion beginning Monday, December 2, 2013 (1pm Guam Time December 3rd) with five women business trailblazers who are part of a San Francisco-Bangalore Sister City Initiative trade mission to Bangalore, India.

You can catch the panel with GET,LLC live at at http://www.ustream.tv/Ciscotv.

The panel is headlined by Intel Architecture Development Group Vice President and General Manager Rani N. Borkar and Cisco Chief Technology & Strategy Officer Padmasree Warrior. San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee is scheduled to give the welcoming address.

Borkar, Warrior and the other panelists will provide insight into how each broke into her respective industry, how each got where they are now and how each overcame challenges to get there. Also, the panelists will also discuss the best methods for making it to the top but will also talk about the struggles to succeed in their respective industry.

The San Francisco-Bangalore Sister City Initiative is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization established in 2008 by San Francisco's former mayor Gavin Newsom. The organization seeks to engage individuals and institutions in Bangalore and San Francisco in building sustainable 21st century cities through environmental, technological, and cultural ideas, techniques and resources. Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in Internet networking with its Internet Protocol-based (IP) networking solutions providing the foundation of the Internet and most corporate, education and government networks around the world.


GET, LLC is a proud Cisco Registered Partner providing the latest Cisco products and services direct to businesses and organisations. For more about our role as a Cisco Registered Partner and the benefits it brings to you and your business contact us at 671-483-0789 or at www.get-guam.com.

NAWIC Guam Chapter "Casino" Fundraiser Approaching

I had the pleasure this past week of meeting one of the founding members and all-around great lady Dr. Jaylene Kent of the National Association of Women in Construction GuamChapter 381.  The President of Isla Paint and Roofing Supply was cordial and had no problem hyping up the largest fundraising event of the advocacy group.  Her pitch to members of the Guam Contractors Association Small Business Committee was convincing.  It's hard to decided not to go after Jaylene was done pitching it to the membership-to include GET, LLC.

The 2013 Casino Royale Annual Wine Tasting and Beer Garden Fundraising Event promises to be as fun as its predecessors in the fact that there will be plenty of adult beverages and socializing with the top women executives in Guam's construction industry.  On December 4, 2013 at the Guam Marriott Resort and Spa expect plenty of activity including an On-Site Expo and a raffle for electronics and power tools.

The organization is nearing its second birthday of its chartering in Guam.  Membership continues to grow steadily.  The advocacy for further growing this segment of our construction industry continues. 

Prime example-the Guam Legislature is considering legislation that looks to create "government procurement policy in favor of women owned businesses".  Bill 198-32 was heard last week and testimony is being submitted as we speak to the Committee for consideration.  Speaker Jody Won Pat and Senator Tina Barnes should be commended for their efforts and we all believe that this is a  legislation that would provide better opportunities for government contracts for women owned businesses.

Expect Bill 198-32 to be the talk of the Casino Royale and hope that all those in support of women in construction can be there. 


For more information on NAWIC and the efforts of the Guam Chapter feel free to contact us at 671-797-0789 or reach us via our website at www.get-guam.com .  GET, LLC is a proud member of NAWIC and stand in support of enhancing the success of women in the construction industry.  

Guam-A Different Perspective

Last weekend, the Guam Visitors Bureau celebrated its 50th anniversary as an autonomous Government of Guam agency and celebrated the men and women who GVB says "pioneered" our visitor industry which has brought 1.18 million tourists to Guam this year.  The list was long and very noteworthy.  But I must write that there were at least two notable figures who were missing from that list.  Not sure if it was an oversight or chalk it up to politics. 

The first is former Guam Governor Carl Gutierrez.  The architect behind the Pleasure Island in Tumon and the man who pushed an aggressive visitor agenda that yielded 1,381,513 tourists to Guam in 1997 was not a part of the recent GVB acknowledgements.  Governor Gutierrez was actively in his two terms reaching to new markets including Australia and Europe to bring new investment and opportunities. 

The other is former Guam Governor Carlos Camacho.  The last appointed and first elected Governor of Guam is credited for among other things bringing a brash young tourism professional from Alabama named Bert Unpingco back home to draw more people to Guam and its fledgling industry.  Governor Camacho also was the man who brought the "sister city" agreements to the fold and started with Taipei City, Taiwan upon his election in 1970 which has yieled over 330,000 visitors to Guam in just the last 10 years alone.  He is also credited a number of other agreements that has been the modern Guam feeder of tourists to our island now.

These two would have been my vote to be honored if asked-I wasn't.  I did not mention the younger former Guam Governor Felix Camacho who ushered in the inclusion of Russian visitors we have today and his work with another noted leader-current Guam Congresswoman Madeline Bordallo-who ensured  the passage of the China and Russia Visa Waiver legislation on Capitol Hill.

The funny thing about these types of events is that you run the risk of missing people who should be honored similarly.  From experience, these oversights are not pretty.  In fact, they can be downright painful.     

Message to GVB-you had a whole year to figure this out and how quickly you forgot some of the people whom you ushered all across the Pacific Rim and beyond, whom you asked to speak at your countless events and whom you sought counsel to ensure continued funding for your work both here and abroad.  

Maybe the pioneers honored should have been the past and current staff at GVB.  They did all the heavy lifting.  They executed what the Board of Directors charged them to do. They are tourism for Guam.


We should always think through some of these actions.  

Earlier I noted that the exclusions may have been political.  That might be somewhat true.  It is hard to place four of Guam's living Governors in one room in the climate today-a month shy from the start of the new election cycle.  But what is the harm in bringing them into a room to celebrate our economic life blood-tourism.  

They and everyone that worked for them also contributed to growing tourism over the past five decades.  Let's see what the 60th anniversary of GVB shapes into and make this right. 

Bill 74-32 Signed Into Law

Guam Governor Eddie Calvo today signed Bill 74-32 into law that paves the way for the introduction of solar photovoltaics via Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) into the Guam Public School System.  Thanks to the Guam Renewable Energy Association (GREA) for their advocacy of this important issue for the U.S. Territory.  

Can power rates get any higher?  Guam's cost for power is $0.26/kWh and expected to rise over the next five years.

Should good money continue to be thrown at a bad situation in one of the most challenged education systems in America?  

This effort turns around years of efforts of educators who are finally able to control their own collective destinies and take the savings generated from these private sector led PPA efforts and place these funds into much needed classroom improvements, books, and other learning aids.

This blogger can confirm that the Guam Power Authority was absolutely against this effort.  GPA employed tactics to fight against the bill's implementation  and were unsuccessful in the end. 

This battle was not won overnight.

GPA has stood in front of progress to introduce renewable energy solutions for the island for the past 10 years-calling it perilous to their precious revenue bonds.  Keeping coal fire burning turbines moving versus solar and wind energy is more important to Guam Power.  GPA has been so hypocritical that they pushed hard for solar as a member of the Guam Energy Task Force and through the Guam Consolidated Commission on Utilities attempted to influence the Speaker of the Guam Legislature to buy their arguments that further study and phasing this effort in is best for the people of Guam while their liquefied natural gas proposal was rammed through the Public Utilities Commission of Guam and Guam Legislature .  

GREA stood firm to educate the public and lawmakers that GPA has been wrong in their dealing with this and to force public policy in the right direction in relation to sustainability.

The Guam Renewable Energy Association was started on Guam to bring together all of the renewable energy experts on the Island to establish this well needed industry and to educate the public and private sector on the importance of renewable energy and also the affordability of renewable energy. With Governor Calvo's  recent appointment to President Barack Obama's State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience,  now is the time to stop the business as usual mentality and curb the extreme amounts of monies that the community of Guam has given to use our energy made from fossil fuels. It is equally disturbing to see that our island who is perceived to have taken leadership in renewable energy to be contemplating the exchange of one fossil fuel for another-liquefied natural gas.

 In a few short years we will be at grid parity in the United States with renewable energy and Guam will follow right behind her. The acceleration of energy storage is also becoming mainstream with logic technology being introduced and the pricing becoming competitive to the exportation of this energy to the grid whereas facilities will be able to store their own excess energy that they over produce during the day.  

Today is a great day for renewable energy on Guam and Micronesia-the first in many battles in the war to push our island towards energy independence.


Price of Electricity Up By Nearly Half Over the Last Decade

Virginia-based on-line news organization CNSNews.com reported late last week that the price of electricity hit a record for the month of October, according to data released a week ago by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the eleventh straight month, the average price of electricity hit or matched the record level for that month.

The average price of electricity in America last month was 13.2 cents per kilowatt hour (KWH), up from 12.8 cents per KWH in October 2012—and up from 9.3 cents per KWH in October 2003.

Americans now pay 42 percent more for electricity than they did a decade ago.

Put Guam's numbers in perspective.  Costs per KWH on island back in 2003 was $0.18. In 1995 it was just a dime per KWF.  Today that number is $0.26 and about to rise following recent bond issuances poised to pump in over $500 Million for the next couple of years.

The 15-year old journal, led by parent-company Media Research Center, reported that the 13.7 cents per KWH price of electricity of June through September 2013 was the most expensive electricity has ever been in the United States since BLS started tracking electricity prices in November 1978.

Did I say Guam's costs for electricity is a hair over a quarter dollar? Guam Power Authority has reported that customers consumed on average 11, 985 KWH.

In November 2012, electricity Nationwide was 12.7 cents per KWH, which was down from the 12.8 cents per KWH price of November 2011. But, in December 2012, the price of electricity stayed at 12.7 cents per KWH, matching the record monthly price of 12.7 cents per KWH that had been reached in December 2011.

In each of the ten months since December 2012, the price of electricity in the U.S. hit record levels for that month. Although the average price of electricity hit the all-time October record this year, the price in October actually dropped in the States from September, when it was 13.7 cents per KWH.

Give GET, LLC a call or drop us an email to learn about the lines we represent-specifcally our lighting products including Independence LED and our newest partner-Deco Lighting! More to come on that.



US Department of Energy Releases Report on Dimming LED Lights

Our friends at the Tennessee-based EdisonReport recently wrote an on-line article on a recent publication of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): Dimming LEDs with Phase-Cut Dimmers: The Specifier's Process for Maximizing Success.

This particular Solid-State Lighting GATEWEAY Demonstration Project was created in response to issues raised by the industry about dimming by energy efficiency organizations and specifiers-namely poor performance with existing dimming control systems.

The DOE report noted that while progress has been made in the dimming capabilities of LED luminaires with carefully matched dimming systems, challenges remain with compatibility and performance of LED replacement lamps and dedicated LED luminaires on existing phase-cut dimming systems, which dominate the installed base of dimmers. The new report reviews how phase-cut dimmers work, how LEDs differ from the incandescent lamps these dimmers were originally designed to control, and how those differences can lead to complications when attempting to dim LEDs. Such complications are often due to incompatibility between the LED source and the dimmer, rather than to any shortcomings in the LED source itself.

EdisonReport noted the report provides both general guidance and step-by-step procedures for designing phase-controlled LED dimming on both new and existing projects, as well as real-world examples of how to use those procedures. The general guidance aims to reduce the chance of experiencing compatibility-related problems and, if possible, ensure good dimming performance.

Specifiers should also consider alternatives to phase-control dimming for LED sources, such as digital addressable lighting interface (DALI) or even wireless approaches. While they, too, have their pluses and minuses and typically cost more, separating the control signal from the AC mains voltage may result in higher levels of performance, more predictability, and fewer headaches.

DOE's SSL Technology Demonstration GATEWAY program features high-performance SSL products for general illumination in a variety of exterior and interior applications. The  products are installed at demonstration host sites, where their performance can be evaluated. Performance measures include energy consumption, light output/distribution, and installation/interface/control issues. Qualitative performance is investigated via feedback surveys of the relevant user communities.

To learn more about the lighting controls products that GET,LLC provides, please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-Made in America!!!


Phase Change Energy Solutions-National Retrofit Rollout Begins

In San Diego, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Guam a big rollout is underway.  Phase Change Energy Solutions has kicked off their six locale rollout of the innovative thermal mass product in commercial buildings.

What are Phase Change Materials (PCM) you ask?

Phase change materials do just what their name implies-change "phases" (for example, liquid to solid or solid to liquid) between set temperatures. A October 2009 Metal Construction News article describes it best as during the process of liquefying and solidifying within a set temperature range, PCMs absorb, store and release large amounts of energy. The report notes that these natural properties of latent heat energy help maintain a product's or structure's temperature and buffer it from temperature swings. PCMs recharge as ambient (outdoor) temperatures fluctuate, making them ideal for many everyday applications.

There is no question that available in a variety of forms, bio-based PCMs have myriad applications in the construction industry, with the most popular uses being an aid to insulation, and in flooring and ceiling tiles. They also can be used in bridges and sidewalks to prevent icy surfaces from forming.

Four years ago ,the industry magazine pointed out that PCMs are effective in residential and commercial new construction and remodels. The material works by absorbing and releasing energy(heat) based on the outside temperature to regulate the inside temperature of a structure. During the day it absorbs heat (cools), and at night it releases heat (heats). This makes a structure's energy cycle more efficient-intelligently capturing and releasing otherwise wasted energy.

Today, the way forward is much simpler.

1.You provide us Energy Bills for at least 12 months of service to your facility.

2.We make a site visit to inspect actual mechanical equipment and take installation measurements.

3.We will present proposal for Guaranteed Energy Savings and free labor and materials.

4.We will also install Measurement and Verification Data (M&V) Loggers for a test period, (typically 15 days) to establish energy use-then we review the data with you.

5.We install the bioPCM and run for 15 days to show energy savings.

6.If documented savings not as good as promised, product remains free. If energy saving is met, then you pay for product based upon a 5 year ROI.


Want to try this in your building and save money now?  

To find out more about how GET, LLC through, our metal building partner MCR Guam Inc.-and licensed Phase Change Energy Solutions partner, can help you be a part of this important roll out, give us a call at 671-483-0789 or our website at www.get-guam.com for more information. 

By the way-get up to 19 LEED Points with Phase Change bioPCM in your next project.

Guam-A Different Perspective

Bill 74-32 sits before the Guam Legislature-a measure that will allow the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) to enter into one or more power purchase agreements (PPA) to purchase solar energy from qualified provider or providers which will be at the best financial interest of the Government of Guam for a period up to and not exceeding twenty five years.  This week, the Guam Renewable Energy Association went on a full court press onto Hessler Street to get this important piece of legislation passed to help grow a fledgling industry in Micronesia.  

GREA was started on Guam to bring together all of the renewable energy experts on the Island to establish this well needed industry and to educate the public and private sector on the importance of renewable energy and also the affordability of renewable energy.  

There are Senators still undecided on this matter.  There are some industry folks including some members of GREA attempting to turn the Bill into a renewable "Christmas" tree law. The Guam Power Authority is fully resisting its passage. 

The time has come for this isolated American community to stop talking about being "green" and demand action to finally bring a sustainable energy solution to our respective doorsteps.

This blogger has learned that in a few short years we will be at grid parity in the United States with renewable energy. The acceleration of energy storage is becoming mainstream with logic technology being introduced and the pricing becoming competitive to the exportation of this energy to the grid whereas facilities will be able to store their own excess energy that they over produce during the day.

Also, after years of bellowing that there are no experts in the renewable energy field on Guam, GREA has brought forward home-grown folks that have been involved in school-related energy projects in the US mainland.   Each with great success.

Why 74-32 now?

GET, LLC and the Association has since been in the process of establishing renewable projects with both short and long term benefits to the utilities grid over the past couple of years. Once this Bill is passed. the costs saved by this solar energy generation would include among other things:

  • Social Benefits: including business to business commerce, job creation, a new tax base, training of skilled workers.
  • Environmental Benefits: Guam’s contribution to the reduction of fossil fuel becoming a Pacific leader in Island climate change.
  • Fuel Price Insurance: Electricity generation from solar resources has an embedded fuel price hedge like value, since its cost of generation is known with reasonable certainty over the expected system life.
  • Utility Energy Purchases/ Generation Impacts: Solar Distributed Generation (DG) reduces the onsite energy requirements of the utility customers who employ these systems. As the number of DG systems increase, sufficient energy may be generated by these systems to offset utility purchases of energy or utility generation. These will create a net economic impact associated with avoided fuel purchases and generation plant O&M costs. 
  • Transmission and Distribution Line Loss Impacts: Distributed solar projects generate energy at the point of use, reducing consumption of energy from the utility grid. In reducing grid energy requirements, the localized distribution feeders and transmission lines serving the utility experience reduced line losses
  • Reliability Benefits: Solar is a proven technology that is very reliable. In larger systems added with storage this can be a very beneficial source of energy for the utility.
  • Energy Security: By adding DG solar this will add to Guam’s energy security reducing the effects of any political impact and the associated price of fuel, such as wars, weather, and the relentless manipulation of supply and demand on fossil fuel. 

GET, LLC is proud to be a part of the Association.  We will continue to work with Senators and GPA as a partner in Energy, and continue to establish a credible Industry. An industry that we believe will not only secure our future as becoming less reliant on fossil fuel but securing our future and our children’s, children future as a carbon neutral society.

We, the people of Guam are the owners of our utility and some of us are rate payers.  Our role as owners carries with it an awesome responsibility to our island, its people, its environment, and its economy.  The utility is not an isolated entity unto itself.  We are the utility. Its action or inaction affect all of us. 


Guam Senators-you are the voice of the owners.  

Please vote yes on 74-32.

What Is The True Cost of Ownership-a Furniture Tip

Our friends at Savoy Contract Furniture shared with us recently a couple of things to think about when looking at the cost of ownership of the furniture in your office, dorm or retail outlet. 

Maintaining furniture can be exactly like having a leaky pipe.  There is no question that you can patch the leaks, but the problem will continue to grow.  They ask us to consider the following when calculating the true cost of your furniture:

  • How many maintenance hours are spent on furniture repair calls?
  • Number of furniture items replaced during the calendar year?
  • How long is your furniture lasing-seven, 10 or 15 years?


Keeping with the comparison, time and again the purchase of low price furniture leads to a leaky pipe.  Calculating the total expenses over a seven year period is usually enough to see how much profit is lost to maintenance.  Look for value added and quality furniture and you should be OK.

For more on how GET,LLC through our friends at Savoy Contract Furniture and teaming partner American Hotel Register can assist you with your specific FF&E needs- please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-483-0789 to discuss the best solution for your facility.  All the solutions are Made in America!



ANNOUNCEMENT-GET, LLC is a Cisco Business Partner

Managing Partner Tricia J.S. Gumataotao is proud to announce that GET, LLC is officially a registered Cisco Business Partner.

As a Cisco Business Partner, we can now provide the latest Cisco products and services direct to businesses and organizations.

Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in Internet networking with its Internet Protocol-based (IP) networking solutions providing the foundation of the Internet and most corporate, education and government networks around the world.

Additionally, as a Cisco Business Partner we enjoy access to a wide variety of Cisco partner tools and its world-class products and service packages.

We are also eligible to apply for Cisco certifications and specializations including its online training and technical support passing these advantages onto you and your respective business in the form of high-quality services.


For more about our role as a Cisco Business Partner and the benefits it brings to you and your business contact us on 671-797-0789 or at tricia.gumataotao@get-guam.com.

Guam-A Different Perspective

An interesting debate is ramping up in the halls of the Guam Legislature.  

Since the late 1970's, discussion of Guam moving towards the use of renewable energy sources to support the island's power needs has came and went like the tides of the ocean.  Former Governor Ricky Bordallo had urged a younger staff member, now retired-Guam Superior Court Justice and current Guam Senator B.J. Cruz to find a way to make this effort come to fruition.  It was stonewalled by the fledgling Guam Power Authority.  Over the next 30 years, talks and studies and more discussion and duplicative white papers would fill the GPA archives.  Today, the Harmon headquarters of the now Consolidated Utilities Service is taking on more of the same.  What is different there than what was working on the next source of energy for Guam? Older engineers.  

Their work or lack of work was put on display as debate started this week on Bill 74-32 by the Guam Legislature.  While there is a mandate that sets the bar on how much of our island's power system should be of a sustainable technology, this newest law is forcing the use of renewable energy on a single customer and the largest of consumers-the Guam Department of Education.  

With a $15 million annual power bill, policy makers have pulled their collective hair out for years to stop the rising costs of power and use the money towards basic essentials for education like books, desks, pencils and other learning materials.  Did you know that of that amount, $10 million is for fuel costs?  That leaves the dreaded $5 million portion for what the technocrats call "stranded costs".  There has been many ways to describe this complex term for "operational costs".  Simply put it is the administration of the power bill and the other responsibilities to keep the lights on for all power customers.  It is this part of the Guam Department of Education Bill that is bring protected like a newborn baby by GPA.  

They absolutely do not want to let this go.  

GPA claims the impacts to their payment of revenue bonds would be impacted.  GPA claims that they will pass along this cost to rate payers who would shoulder the loss of this important piece of revenue. Did I mention that the $10 million is for fuel? GPA claims that they cannot administer renewable energy as they are short of qualified staff to do so.  The Guam Legislature is very eager to establish this important public policy.  They were miffed by a lack of input by GPA-five months of neglect.  The Bill is on the agenda as a statement by lawmakers that they are willing and able to bring a modern law forward to keep Guam in pace with other communities around the world that have made the effort to bring meaningful renewable energy policy to the forefront and move in lockstep with the rest of the world who is struggling as well with rising fossil fuel costs.  

Adding to the drama on Bill 74-32, is a subversive element in our community that is trying to make a buck as a fragile policy is just about to see the light of day.  While I have no problem with capitalism, I do have a problem when such aims will cause great harm to the new Green Guam Industry before it even has had a chance to grow.  A few businessmen have already shown that knowledge of the costs renewable energy can make a lump in their wallets before a system is ever put in operation.  Like minded "industry partners" have shown their true colors as they have made a minor-league attempt to influence sustainable public policy.  It is the "I know" and "This is how we do it in BLANK!". 

Guys-good try.  

Bill 74-32 will be made whole by those with major-league experience in this type of politics and push the renewable energy industry forward in Guam for the best of everyone.  Does not sound too capitalistic?  My bet is with the movement to take Guam closer to its destiny to become a leader in this new industry in the years to come and the example for the rest of Micronesia.

FF&E Services-Preparing Cost Estimates and Specifications

GET, LLC revisits our discussion on Furniture, Furnishings and Equipment or FF&E-this blog post focuses on effort needed to prepare a cost estimate and specifications for your next project.   

The sage wisdom of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Handbook of Professional Practice asks us to remember that your architect or construction professional must be able to estimate costs to provide the client with figures for a furniture budget. Pricing estimates can be calculated by applying an appropriate discount to current list price information obtained from the manufacturer. More accurate pricing can be obtained directly from manufacturer’s representatives, dealers, like GET, LLC.

To make budget estimates as accurate as possible, the architect must consider applicable taxes, shipping and storage costs, access fees and installation costs.

We must remind you to prepare accurate and clearly written furniture specifications for all types of furniture and furnishings. Specifications for freestanding furniture pieces are the simplest to prepare, and most vendors will assist with the preparation-including our partner Savoy Contract Furniture and teaming partner American Hotel Register. Systems furniture can be specified in general terms, since most systems vendors prepare full and detailed parts lists for individual orders.

There are three types of specifications for furniture and furnishings. Proprietary specifications identify products and materials by manufacturer’s name, model number, or part number. This is a “closed” specification and does not allow for substitution-used by many designers to control aesthetics, function, and quality. Descriptive specifications describe in detail the performance characteristics, materials, finishes, workmanship, and fabrication of a particular product and list several comparable manufacturers. This type of specification is used in an “open” bid situation. Performance specifications describe only the desired or required results and neither prescribe product characteristics nor reference manufacturers.

For more on how GET, LLC through our friends at Savoy Contract Furniture and teaming partner American Hotel Register can assist you with your specific FF&E needs- please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-483-0789 to discuss the best solution for your facility.  All the solutions are Made in America!


Saving $4 Billion by 2020 by Using Wireless Lighting Controls

A couple of local mid-sized corporations had asked me in recent weeks just how much savings can be achieved combining an energy efficient light bulb, like the Independence LED Lighting products we represent, and lighting controls in their respective buildings.   I found the answer in a very unlikely place.  

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San Diego, California-based ON World Inc.,a provider of global business intelligence on smart technology markets in there recently published "Smart Building Wireless Sensor Networks found that wireless lighting controls in combination with energy harvesting, wireless mesh networking and wireless enabled smart LED drivers will save buildings $4 Billion in energy savings by 2020. 

“Today, a typical building wastes almost a third of its lighting energy due to inefficient or non-existent lighting control systems,” says Mareca Hatler ON World’s research director. “Wireless energy management systems that integrate with a building’s lighting infrastructure is one of the fastest growing areas in building automation.”

ON World’s survey of 85 professional installers found that 59% are providing wireless lighting controls. Over half provide a centralized wireless lighting control system and about a quarter install lighting systems that use wireless adapters. Nearly 6 in 10 provide a wireless lighting control system that features occupancy detection, 34% daylighting and 26% support utility demand response programs.

Maintenance-free wireless sensors and switches powered by harvested energy made up about 1 in 3 of the wireless lighting device shipments in 2012. Today, these mostly use the EnOcean wireless protocol that has over 1,000 interoperable products.   Wireless mesh networking avoids dependence on a wired backbone that is used by the majority of wireless lighting control systems. Targeted at building-wide wireless energy management as well as outdoor commercial areas, wireless mesh systems attach to, or integrate with, lighting luminaires. Competition is increasing from system innovators such as CIMCON, Convergence Wireless, Daintree, Enlighted and TwistHDM as well as lighting manufacturers such as Acuity, Digital Lumens, Harvard Engineering, Hubbell, Light Corporation and Venture Lighting Corporation.The migration to LED lighting is one of the biggest developments in building energy management systems by providing long-lasting light sources that are especially suited for digital controls. Software configurable LED drivers with integrated wireless communications such as those provided by Orama promise to reduce communications costs up to 90% by replacing the need for a separate device for the adapter.

Industrial, warehousing, parking garages/lots and outdoor area lighting are currently some of the fastest growing markets for wireless lighting controls. However, traditional commercial buildings such as offices, retail and restaurants will make up over 40% percent of the market by 2017.

The ON World report noted that by 2020, global wireless lighting control device shipments will increase by over 1500% from 2012 when they will save buildings $4.2 billion in energy costs.

Your mind made up yet?

To learn more about the lighting controls products that GET, LLC provides, please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-Made in America!!!