Coviello Electric Inc., founded in 1979, has been lighting the Commonwealth’s streetlights and traffic signals for over four decades. The North Reading, MA, based family-owned and operated company has rapidly grown to become the go-to electrical contractor for commercial, industrial and municipal lighting.

 

And now Coviello Electric is at the forefront of sustainability, saving over 50 percent of the energy used in streetlighting throughout Greater Boston.

 

The NECA Boston Contractor has succeeded in the “ultra-competitive” business by being an early adapter in the switch to sustainable lighting replacements and maintenance, says Jared Coviello, Project Manager, who runs the firm with his brother and father–who founded the business.

 

Boosting Sustainability in Greater Boston

To improve sustainability, cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth are being given LED lighting by utility companies, and frequently turn to Coviello Electric to make the switch from their inefficient incandescent lighting.

 

“It’s a very competitive business, but we’ve been at retrofits and upgrades for the past ten-plus years,” Coviello adds, “our dedication and commitment to our customers and our quality is why we are able to maintain an excellent reputation.”

 

Route 93 – Highway Lighting From Reading to Medford

One of Coviello’s most complex projects was completed in the midst of the pandemic and entailed the replacement of over five miles of existing highway lighting systems. The $15 million project was so sprawling that it spanned across two utility companies.

 

The details:

Proposed work involved the replacement of the existing highway lighting system on Rte I-93, including exit ramps from Rte 95 in Woburn to Roosevelt Circle in Medford, with a new highway lighting system inclusive of new lighting load centers, new light poles (both high mast and conventional highway lighting) on either new foundations or on modified existing foundations, new luminaires, new conduit, handholes and wiring and new underpass roadway lighting.

 

Despite massive supply chain challenges, the project was completed on time and on a budget (mostly at nighttime) over two years, with ten Local 103 IBEW electricians/apprentices on the team.

 

“The biggest thing that we’re proud of is when Covid hit, we found ways to continue working and keep employees busy when a lot of people shut down,” Coviello says.

 

On the Forefront of Sustainability

Adding efficient LED lighting is just the start. The firm is also planning work on highway streetlights with smart control systems, that can be controlled and monitored remotely, to reduce electric waste and improve safety by dimming and brightening according to traffic flow.

 

In order to stay abreast of the latest technologies and project delivery methods, “working with NECA Boston has been fantastic,” says Coviello. “Our leadership team and field employees take advantage of much of the training NECA provides.”

 

Treating Everyone Like Family

As a family-run company, Coviello also credits much of the firm’s success to treating everyone like their part of the family. “Our family-oriented atmosphere that we maintain throughout our operations is what sets us apart from our competitors,” he says.

 

The employees that have been there for over 30-40 years are a testament to that, and the firm always ensures the “vets” train and mentor new employees along the way.