I never thought the future of civilization was in macro engineering projects that required mobilizing the energy of entire suns. In fact, a truly advanced civilization would learn to construct a sustainable, low energy environment that would guarantee its prosperity and security indefinitely. It might temporarily require high energy expenditure to construct this environment, but it would hopefully have the goal of a final product which would not be so heavily dependent on ever increasing energy sources. Long term survival should be pegged on reserves and backups and the ability to acquire new resources, not just generating an ever-growing appetite for them.

Also, these macro projects would attract a lot of attention...maybe not a good thing.

I know Socrates and I don't see eye to eye on this, and a lot of the thinkers on this subject agree with his concepts of giant brains and other Vernor Vinge-type KII and KIII civilizations.
That's why I was wondering if the IRAS searches had turned up any promising leads yet.