Thursday, November 28, 2019

3 Alternative Trucking Careers to Consider

3 Alternative Trucking Careers to Consider Have a truck driving career, but feel like a change? Sick of the solitude of the long haul and all the heavy lifting? Don’t feel like sitting in a cab for quite so many hours each day, but don’t feel qualified for anything else? Don’t stress. There are actually plenty of alternative careers for qualified truckers out there. You just need to get yourself in the game. 1. DispatchWhile you’d still need some training, who better than a trucker who knows the ropes to work dispatching loads? You’re familiar with the lifestyle and the lingo, and the ins and outs of hauling. Check with your current employer first, for ease of 401k, IRA, and health insurance transfer, then branch out.2. LoadingIf you don’t mind the heavy work and a probable pay cut (dock workers often make less than an OTR driver), you could easily get a more stable 9-5 kind of job- even at your own company- on the loading dock. You’ll be home a whole lot more, and could have a regular schedule for once.3. ManagementYou’ve thought of being an owner-operator, but you’re starting to feel even more ambitious. Why not step into the big leagues? Get yourself some educational training in business administration (try vocational schools and two year associates programs, or even online enrichment programs, to get some certification). A bit of business education combined with your existing experience and skills would make you an asset in trucking company management. You could work for an existing company, or even make it your goal to run your own someday. Either way, you’ll be out of one driver’s seat and into another.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Roman Economy Essay Essays

Roman Economy Essay Essays Roman Economy Essay Essay Roman Economy Essay Essay Roman Economy Essay BY lbtondi123 he Economics of the Roman Empire Ancient Rome consisted of a vast area of land, with many natural and human-built resources. Because of this, Romes economy benefited greatly. In addition, production of a variety of items was crucial for a strong economic empire. The economy of the early Republic was largely based on paid labor. However, by the late Republic, the economy was largely dependent on slave labor. Also, Rome had a very well organized system of money. Lastly, Infrastructure was huge in the Romans ability to trade and move efficiently throughout the empire as well. The economics of any strong empire were based on three simple components: production, distribution, and consumption. The Romans were especially successful in building an economically sound empire. As one would think, production is the first step in the process of making a profit. The Romans had a large variety of items that they produced. Examples include iron, lead, leather, marble, olive oil, perfumes, purple dye, silk, silver, spices, timber, tin and wine. They were able to produce most of these items due to their large range of labor, from slave farmers to wealthy merchants. But also, some of their products ere influenced from other cultures inside the empire, such as olives and wine from the Greeks. Romans also had the advantage of obtaining products such as milk and cheese from their domesticated animals, such as cows and goats. The saying, all roads did lead to Rome, is correct in the sense that Rome is located centrally in terms of trade. Having all of these brilliant items in their arsenal was crucial to Roman trade; however, it would mean nothing if they could not get them to their destinations. An astonishing component of the Roman Empire was infrastructure and ultimately heir ability to distribute. The development of infrastructure set the empire apart from the others and proved to be useful in trade. The roads that the Romans built totaled approximately fifty thousand kilometers in length and expanded all over the Mediterranean region. These roads provided easy transport of people and items. Because of the well-built roads, people could get from Britain to Egypt in Just a couple of months, expediting the trading process. In addition to roads, aqueducts were also built to distribute water to the cities. Also, products could be transported y means of sea travel on ships to islands on the water. Lastly, bridges such as the Trajan Bridge in Britain, which spans 1,135 m(l), were built over rivers to even further improve transportation. Due to Roman developments, the Romans were able to expand their trading options substantially, and as a result, the economy was boosted as well. Now that the Romans were able to produce and distribute their items, all that was left was consumption. Because they could reach many different cultures within their system of roads, a wide variety of people lead to an increase of supply and demand. The Romans themselves were also consumers. Imports such as silks from China, cotton and spices from India, ivory and wild animals from Africa, large amounts of world were received by the Romans. In fact, There was no luxury that the ancient world had to offer that the Romans didnt accept themselves(Hardy). On the contrary, these luxuries were only financially available to the wealthy; so, those that were not as wealthy were not able to obtain these luxury imports. The action of obtaining such a large diversity of items from others proved to be helpful in the Roman Empire. Overall, the ancient Roman Empire had all of the key components of economic success. The Romans created a wide variety of items and goods, even creating their own currency system. The infrastructure they created gave them the advantage when it came to distributing product and transportation altogether. In addition, their central location in the large Mediterranean region allowed their range of distribution to be enormous thus, increasing consumption. With the three components of economics: production, distribution, and consumption, the Romans were able to create a superior empire that thrived economically.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Non-state Actors Different From a Nation-State Actors Essay

Non-state Actors Different From a Nation-State Actors - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that security stability of a given country or state is significant for peace maintenance and general economic development a stable society will attract investors hence the government should ensure that there is political stability in the country. The present research has identified that national interest is the basis of any nation if it is to fulfill what they intend to accomplish and are willing to protect its territories using its citizens, ideologies or its territories. Security not only has effects on the affected nation but also to other neighboring nations. In accordance with the issues discussed in the paper, when terrorists attack a nation it is seen as a global calamity. This has led to the establishment of security bodies dealing with international overseeing of security both international at the local level. Economic development in a nation is an indicator of high standards of living and thus government and non-governmental organ izations provide services, which aims at improving the economic state of the nation. International relations and realization of a stable nation have been a concern to government and various bodies this has led to the establishment of organizations foreseeing the overall security. Non-state actors and nation-state actors are examples of organizations establish to oversee security. The two organizations were set for a core role of security they, however, differ in several ways. This paper is going to outline the difference between non-state actors and nation-state actors. Non-state actors are organizations participating in international relations; they are entitled authority to influence and bring changes despite not being citizens of to the institution in the state they are located. The entrance entitled non-state actors into the international relations eliminates the postulation of realism and other theories of international relations. These theories argue the fact that interactions existing between various states contribute significantly in the study of international activities. Non-state has a significant impact on the society they are, however, not government representatives they include large private corporations, the Red Cross and private media among others. Nation-state actors are organizations representing the nation-state they are situated, they are citizens of that nation and their main role is to represent their government. They include bureaucrats, diplomats, elected leaders, and militants. The two types of actors have the main role of serving the people of different nations they are, however, different in terms of methods of operations and roles they perform. Nation-state actors represent the state officially; non-state actors, on the other hand, do not represent the state and are there to perform duties assigned. They are members of NGO’s and thus responsible to their sponsors. Formation of non-state occurs at the same time in different parts of the world their formation is recognized in states their situated, nation state were formed at a different place and time in various parts of the world. Nation-state actors are responsible to the government and their actions and undertakings are controlled by the state, for example, commissions created to investigate assigned issue in a nation have its activities monitored by the government. Non-state actors are not responsible to the government of the state they are situated they are an independent body, for example, The Red Cross undertakes their role without consulting the government they just follow the set guidelines. Non-state actors do not have a host state to be considered in instilling pressure on its leaders the Irish Republic Army during its operation in Britain operated as an independent entity without influence from the host state. Nation-state, for example, defense forces is controlled by state or its p atrons in instilling pressure in performing its duties, the patron appointed give out directions and orders during the delivery of their dutie

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Construction industry development Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9000 words

Construction industry development - Dissertation Example Underground constructions occur in a wide array of sectors and areas. These include highway construction, sewerage system, metro / subway systems, electricity cables and transmissions systems, nuclear power facilities, water systems, flood management systems, natural disaster and war underground hiding bunkers, and hydropower plant systems (Beer 2009). With the recognition of the benefits for the countries that come along with underground construction, such as reducing congestion, lowering environmental degradation, reducing pressure put on land and efficient utilization of strategic resources, many countries have increasingly invested towards this form of construction (Brown 2001; Beer 2009). The high business opportunities in the emerging countries within the construction industry have attracted a plethora of construction entrepreneurs into these markets. Russia in specific has attracted a lot of attention not only due to its growing economy, but specifically also due to the upcomi ng events: 1) The high profile Winter World Olympic Games to be held in Sochi, Russia in 2014, and the 2) 2018 Fifa World Cup, which has seen the development of a number of high scale underground systems (Kral 2009; Deloitte, 2012). However, it is imperative that the current business climate for underground construction in Russia be understood clearly to enable effective decision making for the wide array of potential investors (Datamonitor 2011; Deloitte 2012). The business environment may present a number of challenges to various investors, both local and foreign, who seek to do business in underground construction. The industry conditions and entry barriers in terms of economic, political and financial factors that impact a business need be taken into consideration when opening or expanding a business (World Bank Report 2009). In essence therefore, this research study seeks to investigate the current business conditions within the tunnelling and underground construction in Russia , and specifically look at entry barriers that impact the businesses and the ability of various potential entrepreneurs investing in this industry. 1.1 Background and Context Growth in underground construction has increased in the current era due to the realization of its several advantages. While talking about the benefits of going underground Paul (2004) stated that going underground has several benefits. Author stated that with regards to accommodating growing urban population, underground space provides several facilities such as environmentally safe and modest urban transit systems, shopping facilities and car parks etc. With regards to isolation, underground space is a natural shelter for severe weather; it provides safeguard against climate, earthquakes, noise etc which could be possible threats in case of severe human activities like explosion and/or natural disasters like hurricane. Author continued that with regards to environmental preservation and topography, effective u se of underground space leaves more space above ground and hence allows preserve air and natural vegetation thus

Monday, November 18, 2019

A true story of courage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A true story of courage - Essay Example He recommended his wife to undergo a complete medical checkup, to learn the root-cause of all that was happening to his wife. Just a few weeks before her health would start to deteriorate, she discovered that she was pregnant, and was soon going to become a mother. She narrated the good news to her husband. It was the happiest day in the couple’s married life. It felt like the start of a new and beautiful journey. But they were unaware that this good news was soon going to be followed by some very dreadful news that would have an everlasting effect on their lives. Upon her husband’s suggestion, she agreed to undergo the medical checkup. Her blood and urine samples were taken, and the lab reports would take two weeks to get finalized. In the following text, the husband himself narrates his story from the day of lab-report-results on: It was Tuesday. Two weeks had passed after my wife’s medical checkup. The reports were due to be received. I offered her my company to fetch the reports. But she chose to get them herself on her way back from the office. She said, â€Å"I’d prefer to be alone.† She probably said so because she was very tense. She told me to stay at home and pray for her, and so I did. It was afternoon. I had turned the lights off. The darkness felt comforting. I was sitting on the sofa in the lounge with a cup of coffee in my hand. I was too tense to enjoy the coffee. One sip of it tasted bitter, and the other sweet. It felt like punishment. The tension was mounting. It was about time for her to get back. She would be there any moment. I was anxiously waiting for her. Every passing moment felt as long as a year. Waiting had never been my job. I was not used to it. I always tried my best to get things done without waiting for them, but unfortunately that was not the case this tim e. I was too worried, yet optimistic about the results. I hoped

Friday, November 15, 2019

Aesthetically Pleasing Efficient Intelligent Building Skins Engineering Essay

Aesthetically Pleasing Efficient Intelligent Building Skins Engineering Essay Architecture is no longer static and unchangeable instead it is dynamic, responsive and conversant The idea that building skins reflect the skins of living organisms: properly designed, they breathe, change form, and adapt to variations in climate But can highly efficient intelligent skins still be aesthetically pleasing? A building becomes a chameleon which adapts. A properly equipped and responsively clothed building would monitor all internal and external variables, temperature, hygrometry and light levels, solar radiation etc, to determine the best energy equation given these conditions and modify the building and its internal systems accordingly. It is not too much to ask of a building to incorporate, in its fabric and its nervous system, the very basic vestiges of an adaptive capability. (Rogers 1978) The aim of this paper is to explore the notion of incorporating intelligence into a buildings faà §ade. The discussion about the energy efficiency of faà §ades has inspired many architects to no longer view the building envelope as static but as a dynamic being, that can adjust its shape, surface, function and interior spaces in real time in response to intelligent controls that monitor active feedback from the environment. Solar and wind energy, daylight, and water can be captured by buildings and reused efficiently. An Intelligent building is one that combines both active features and passive design strategies to provide maximum user comfort by using minimum energy. The intelligent faà §ade forms part of the intelligent building, it is what protects the inhabited interior whilst controlling exchanges between inside and outside at the envelope level. The plan being to respond effectively to changing climate conditions and inhabitant needs in order to improve functional performance. A buildings faà §ade doesnt just play a key role in the sustainability of a building; adding to both energy efficiency and the quality of the internal climate. It is also a fundamental part of the buildings aesthetic, adding to the structural outline and defining its visual impact on the urban surroundings. A faà §ade can only be described as intelligent when it makes use of natural renewable energy sources such as solar energy, airflows or ground heat to meet a buildings requirements in terms of heating, cooling and lighting. The idea that the fabric of a building can increase its interaction and response to external changes and internal demands with a prime objective of lowering the environmental load is an exciting concept. The facades almost become local, non-polluting energy suppliers to the building. The notion of intelligent building facades is not a new idea; however the implementation of high-tech skins has been slow. While fashionable and almost certainly advantageous, sceptical architects are afraid that operable components are magnets for value engineering or foresee them being stripped off their buildings in the future due to poor performance or poor maintenance. However, the rising cost of energy, latest environmental initiatives and the focus on the green propaganda has put great responsibility on architects and engineers to make continuous energy savings and this must be achieved through effective building design and clever management. Almost seven years after the European Union passed legislation requiring property owners to report on the energy performance of their buildings, a new round of tougher regulations is under way. Plans to revise the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in 2010 are expected to result in even tighter emissions targets for new buil dings. Gradually more and more architects are beginning to enjoy automating their facades rather than leaving energy-efficient functions to chance. Consequently, the crucial boundary connecting the interior environment and the elements is getting more consideration and consequently more animated. Most buildings today are equipped with increasingly advanced technologies, but few still seem to be utilizing the true potential that this green intelligence has to offer. The intention of this study is to take the idea of the intelligent skin much further and realize what could potentially be possible in the future. The paper will go on to describe the context within which the need for variability in building skin performance has arisen and demonstrate how such dynamic response mechanisms have been incorporated into the design and construction of three buildings; The GSW Headquarters in Berlin, by the architects Sauerbruch and Hutton 1999. The Debis Headquarters building, Berlin by The Renzo Piano Building Workshop in 1997 and the B4 and B6 office buildings in Berlin by Richard Rogers 1998. All three case studies are purpose built office buildings that were built around the same time frame and are in the same European climate, Germany. The climate in Berlin is known as continental. The summers are warmer than the UK and the winters colder. Summer temperatures can rise to 32 degrees centigrade while winter temperatures can drop to -15 degrees centigrade. After German reunification in 1990 Berlin was to become the gateway to the whole former Soviet Communist Empire as it was transformed into an economic epicentre by new investment from the West. A skyline of construction cranes rose over the city, citizens marvelled at the remarkable commitment to entwining a city separated for 50 years. Berlin bravely tried to reconcile its catastrophic past with a new visualization of the urban future. Potsdamer Platz has been the site of the extensive redevelopment, instigating all three of the buildings in the review. Because of this, the buildings should employ reasonably up to date technology and design, which can be effectively compared and critiqued in the study. Not only this, but through a growing trend, buildings that employ environmentally conscious technologies are still the exception in most of Europe today. However Mary Pepchinski explains why for many reasons Germany appears to be the leader Many German architects and engineers sincere ly care about the effect their buildings have on the environment, but others realise that new technologies will be profitable in 10 to 20 years time. Politically, Germanys powerful Green party also influences national environmental policies. (M, Pepchinski 1995:70) The overall purpose of this review is to determine whether functional and aesthetic value can be effectively combined in a single project while still managing to cut energy consumption. However to establish whether the buildings have aesthetic significance one must first determine the criteria for aesthetic judgement. Aesthetics examines our response to an object. Judgments of beauty are sensory, emotional and intellectual all at the same time. Viewer interpretations of beauty possess two concepts of value: aesthetics and taste. Aesthetics is the philosophical notion of beauty. Taste is a result of education and awareness of cultural values; therefore taste can be learned. Taste varies depending on class, cultural background, and education. According to Philosopher Immanuel Kant writing in 1790, beauty is objective and universal; thus certain things are beautiful to everyone. The contemporary view of beauty is not based on innate qualities, but rather on cultural specifics and individual interpretations. (Kant 1790) The criteria for assesing whether the buildings are aesthetically pleasing in this study will be based on two or more views, that of architects or journalists and my own personal opinion. Because judging aesthetics depends on individual interpretations, one is hard pressed to determine the answer, however if based on two views, both can be taken into account, and a conclusion come to. To asses whether the building meets the technological efficiency will be based on performance data or statistics and an engineers view. By also looking at whether or not post occupancy evaluation (POE) methods have been adopted at the as-built stage, involving the views about the buildings from the perspective of the people who use them. It could give vital information on building user perception assessing ease of use, controls, facilities and most importantly perceived visual appreciation. GSW Headquarters Berlin Sauerbruch Hutton Architects 1999 This landmark office tower is an exemplary example of sustainable architecture making use of energy-conserving features. It was the worlds first thermally flued tall building. The most important aspect of the low-energy concept is the highly transparent and dynamic high-rise faà §ade. Colourful orange and pink automated shading panels in the west double skin cavity manage solar heat gain and day lighting. These perforated metal shutters give the building its unique and ever varying appearance. They can be both pivoted and moved aside mechanically or individually by the user; therefore the composition of the entire west faà §ade depends on the habits of the occupants. This creates a distinctive ever-changing pattern causing the structure to come alive. Whilst elegant in simplicity, form and function, the design results from a highly technical discourse in which the engineering and architectural principles rely largely on each other. The design process involved a high level of collaboration between the architects and the engineers-Arup London. The multiple functioning envelope required the main elements of the building to be the result of excellent teamwork. To minimise heat loss both the East and West perimeter walls are designed as double skin facades. The West faà §ade acts as a solar flue, it has three layers; the inner layer consists of a double glazed aluminium curtain wall in which every second bay has an operable window. The vertical posts of this inner faà §ade carry cantilevering brackets to support the outer faà §ade this layer is single glazed and consists of 3.3m x1.8m laminated glass panels. Airflow within the inner and outer skins of the faà §ade can be regulated according to seasonal and weather conditions by da mpers at the top and bottom. Natural ventilation is brought in through the East double skin faà §ade. Fresh air enters the building, passes through the interior spaces, across specially designed corridor openings, and is extracted by the solar flue of the West faà §ade, which offers particularly good thermal insulation. The East faà §ade with its porous ventilation openings is like a smooth skin, where as the West faà §ade deep and separated into layers resembles a fur. (UME 2001:29). The reduced depth of the tower along with generously sized windows allows maximum day lighting, creating optimum conditions on the office floors making most artificial lighting redundant. The brief noted the building had to be a low-cost, socially sensitive structure, which addressed the historic urban context and street planning, but still provide a strong image as the headquarters of GSW. It also had to have functional quality in connecting new and old buildings whilst ensuring operational environmental efficiency. The overall aim for the mechanical design was to improve the buildings sustainability rating by achieving energy savings of 30-40% in comparison to an ordinary building. (www.arup.com) the structure is integrated in a three-dimensional composition, offering a working environment which is beneficial to team-working and customer-focused operations. In 1999 natural ventilation was reportedly used for 75% of the year and the building hardly saw the need to operate its air-conditioners. (NSG space modulation) In the Property EU Magazine M. Korteweg said The building is excellent in its passive control of energy consumption, with CO2 savings estimated to be 55% of equivalent air-conditioned buildings. (Korteweg, M) In my opinion the tall, slender 85 metre tall structure that is curved in shape adds an interesting addition to the urban skyline. The bright coloured red, pink and orange shutters on the West faà §ade are undoubtedly what makes this building stand out from the crowd. It looks like a radiant mosaic, very different from the silvery white East faà §ade. I consider colour to be a fantastic medium to address the senses. Colour is used actively in design as a means of generating atmospheric and distinctive buildings, and I think in this structure it works particularly well. It certainly looks the part but this buildings image is not just skin deep, it also plays the part in reducing emissions and saving energy. The fact that these vivid panels are not just decorative but also functional makes the building so much more fascinating. At night the exterior of the building is lit up, making it easily recognisable, even from a distance. Showing how functional and aesthetic value can be united fantastically in a lone project. In the Architectural Review magazine, James Russell describes the building as An array of energy saving strategies and staff amenities in a colourful, stylish package (Russell, JS 2000:156) Reunification put the site back at the centre of things, and the colourful new sun-shades on the west elevation energise the neighbourhood. (Russell, JS 2000:156) To sum up this sophisticated mix of bold good looks and intelligent features and to evaluate the success and failures, I would say that this building works astonishingly well on both levels. The building lives up to what the brief intended. The Debis Headquarters Berlin The Renzo Piano Building Workshop 1997 The Debis Tower was the first building in the initial stage of the huge Potsdamer Platz development, which was anticipated to give Berlin a new spirit. It is a pioneering energy-conserving design an exceptional example of environmentally progressive architecture celebrating design and technology. It comes across as being subtle and rather understated compared to some of the surrounding urban infrastructure. It has a certain graceful and distinguished modesty. The East facade of the tower is dominated by biscuit coloured terracotta cladding, horizontal and vertical terracotta slats create an accurately proportioned pattern, which expresses every floor and bay within an overall texture resembling a sort of skeletal skin. The building is technologically sophisticated; it has a highly effective curtain wall, which offers considerable advantages in terms of the preservation of energy, day lighting, user control and comfort. The interior skin consists of a visually delicate and subtle glass-breathing wall. It features double-pane operable windows, allow the individual inhabitants of the offices to adjust their own internal climates all year round by taking tempered air from the 700mm wide cavity for natural ventilation. The exterior faà §ade is made up of 12-mm thick, automated, pivoting, laminated glass louvers. The smallest amount of air exchange takes place through these louvers when closed. Allegedly the thermal devices designed for the faà §ade work so well that natural ventilation is used for around 60% of the year an exceptional percentage for a building in a northern climate. In addition, there is a 50% reduction in the energy consumption of the building and 70% reduction in the emission of car bon dioxide. (NSG, Space Modulation). Energy conservation was a significant aspect of the design policy for the building and the project was awarded funding from the European Union Joule II research programme to help finance the design of the facades. To create this environmentally sustainable building many factors had to be considered and contribute towards the design. One being water management. The building makes proficient use of the rainwater it collects, some of the rainwater is used to irrigate the surrounding landscape and vegetation of the building, some is used as water for toilets, and the excess is used to fill the nearby pond when the level drops. The building is accounted to save around 20,000 cubic metres of water a year. (Arch Review 1998) This building is very different from the first case study I looked at. It doesnt make a huge statement, clad in bright, bold colours and doesnt stand out significantly from its neighbours. I think it is delicate and rather subtle in the way it looks. A continuous rhythm of horizontal terracotta louvers interrupted by ever changing individually operable blinds, creating an interesting pattern. In the Architectural Record J.Russell gave his opinion of the building At some times of the day, the sun sparkles from the bevelled bottom edge of the pivoting glass panels; at others, it picks out elements between the glass walls: the vertical glass returns, the metal faà §ade-support structure, or the maintenance platforms. The terra-cotta elements dont move, but their raw-claw finish invites touch. The rhythms of open and closed cladding along with deepening and lightening shadows as the light changes through the day have their own sensuous appeal. (Russell 1998:135) To begin the process of discussing the successes and failures of the building, I am struggling to find a part of the buildings environmental aspects that can be described as a failure. Even tiny details seem to add to the sustainability of the design. The energy-saving approach of the facades combining terracotta and glass screens gives the building a visually rich texture and a highly practical purpose. The building has an innovative environmental approach and careful design detailing, making it an all round success. B4 B6 office buildings Berlin Richard Rogers 1998 Like the previous case study, these two office buildings were part of the much bigger master plan to redevelop the devastated Potsdamer Platz area of Berlin. In this dense urban context the aim was to produce innovative environments for businesses, which must be strikingly contemporary in appearance, and most significantly, utilized a low-energy servicing agenda with a high-quality user comfort. The faà §ades are made up of identical modules of which their basic identical construction can be varied by using different in-fills according to the orientation and performance requirement. This allows different parts of the building to perform in different ways, depending on its specific position. The materials used are clear and opaque glass panels, ceramic tile cladding, and external and internal blinds, a sophisticated mix, which allows the internal environments to be adjusted in response to the requirements of the occupants. The hollow core plan form of the office buildings is cut away gradually from roof level down flooding the atriums with natural light. The atriums are entirely naturally ventilated. In order to optimise the thermal conditions and airflow in the atrium computer simulations were conducted. Solar radiation contributes to the heating and thereby reduces energy consumption in the winter. The natural ventilation ensures that a comfortable climate prevails in the entrance area and the offices adjacent to the atrium throughout the year. A great deal of daylight enters the offices through glazing; this solar radiation is used to heat the fresh air from outside and naturally ventilates the offices. It was estimated that energy consumption in the office buildings would be 50% less than that generated by a conventionally air-conditioned building. When visiting this building what initially stood out to me was how much more high-tech it looked than the previous two case studies I had visited. The energy saving devices seem to stand out more and are what primarily make up the interesting, dynamic faà §ade. The building is made up of two blocks, symmetrical from the front. Similar to the GSW headquarters, brightly coloured solar shading blinds are used. In this case they are bright yellow, and feature at each end of the building almost acting as bookends. In terms of aesthetics, I think the building is visually interesting and fits in well with its surroundings. Kenneth Powell described the completed buildings as Striking expressions of the rise of an eco-architecture on a grand urban scale. (Kenneth Powell) The amalgamation of environmental technology and design in these three case studies seems to have created visually attractive and interesting facades that credit the surrounding city. However it has been argued that Design of such environmental screens has concentrated on technical developments with little appreciation that facades are the public face of architecture. (Moloney, J. 2007:461) this is a strong argument, which I cannot disagree with without taking every case into account. In the past environmentally aware buildings have sometimes been perceived as inept and unattractive. But times have changed. Technology and aesthetics should be able to run alongside each other in harmony. Architects are now beginning to use energy saving strategies to their advantage to create more unique, interesting facades. Solar shading devices can add a huge amount of visual interest to a building, creating an ever changing dynamic pattern, just like the buildings featured in this review. Climate change is undeniable. Therefore the demand for more efficient, next-generation adaptive systems for building facades is increasing. What has the future got in store for adaptive facades? New innovations in faà §ade design are primarily down to advanced technical developments in both computer technology and materials. The building envelope is a critical area of a buildings design, with the facade engineer playing a vital role in bringing the architects vision to life. New cladding materials and processing techniques are continually being developed in the search for better faà §ade performance, making the design and procurement of the building envelope a highly technical and complex process yet one that is still immensely creative. Various architects have presented performance-based prototypes as technological, social, and utopian solutions for the problems we face. Here are two examples: Adaptive faà §ade Fluidic muscle technology Prof Ir Kas Oosterhuis 2003 This was a competition, its aim being to come up with an innovative idea to create a faà §ade that has flexibility that will enable the occupants to have total control of the light levels in their immediate area, rather than have a centralised controller. Currently most solar shading devices have no facility for localised control and the whole faà §ade has to change at once and can usually only be set to fully open or fully closed. This system allows the building users in any part of the building to set their own preferred light levels. The muscles are made of silicon coated polyamide rubber with steel valves at each end, the shades are inflatable cushions made of polyester coated with hypalon and the whole assembly is joined by steel fixings. The structure is very lightweight meaning easy attachment to existing buildings with little disruption. It can therefore be used to enhance the aesthetics of a mundane building. The facade brings attention to the building by the way it moves, it makes the building appear as if its alive, as the skin pulsates and opens. Edge monkeys (theoretical idea) Stephen A. Gage and Will Thorne (British architect-academics) In an article published in the cyber journal Technoetic Arts Stephen A. Gage and Will Thorne describe a hypothetical fleet of small robots they call edge monkeys. Their function would be to patrol building facades, regulating energy usage and indoor conditions. Basic duties include closing unattended windows, checking thermostats, and adjusting blinds. But the machines would also gesture meaningfully to internal occupants when building users are clearly wasting energy. This sci-fi sounding scheme crystallizes the widespread concern informing many recent architectural projects. Today, activating a buildings skin is in fashion. From the robotecture labs at top architecture schools to interactive art installations. Aesthetics and technology are converging in unlikely places. Nonetheless, the mainstream drivers for interactive envelopes are sustainability and strict energy codes. Conclusion- At the conclusion of this review, I have gained an appreciation and better understanding of this new trend towards intelligent faà §ades. Although it is somewhat difficult to conclude this study, primarily because the outcome really depends on individual interpretations and taste. By comparing the views and opinions of more than one person, I feel an honest result has been achieved. Yet due to the lack of commonly accepted methods and relevant supporting data for technology, the assessment of the overall performance of the intelligent facades cannot be carried out. It remains difficult, if not impossible, to carry out a fair comparison between different case studies in terms of intelligence. The different examples show that there isnt only one intelligent faà §ade system but rather that depending on the case in order it is an individual solution according to the location and utilization of the building. As a result it proves difficult to compare the case studies in this report. How ever looking at them individually the environmental data and statistics collected all point to succesfull levels achieved. The facades seem to be doing their job by reacting intelligently to the climate and impoving internal conditions while still cutting energy consumption. The conclusion reached is that with the combination of these three elements: new technology, innovative materials and very good design, highly efficient intelligent skins can still be aesthetically pleasing. But do technically innovative buildings always come in such stylish packages? What twenty years ago was perceived as clumsy and unattractive eco-buildings and deterred architects from a design perspective is today an aesthetically interesting and multi faceted solution. In the design of new buildings, the sustainability aspect is particularly popular and the faà §ade returns to its initial purpose of representation: bold, transparent and sustainable architecture is implemented with minimal conflict as a general rule. Another thought is that intelligent facades are possibly perceived as being visually attractive because of their environmental advantages in a world where being green is in vogue. Or more philosophically, people are attracted to facades with moving parts because motion seems to herald change. Michael Fox an architect and robotics expert predicted Architectural environments will be increasingly smart and responsive and capable of complex behaviours. But one must question whether such promises have been realized? And what is needed to push the idea forward and turn the promise of extraordinarily intelligent faà §ades into a reality? Steps need to be taken to develop these products quickly. We are in the midst of global climate change, the way we think is changing and the way in which buildings are designed and made must also change. Adaptive, intelligent environmental strategies offer a critical contribution to the broad ambition of reversing environmental damage. Intelligent facades will, one day in the near future become a necessity/commonplace and that in time may hinder the obvious aesthetic merit of exemplar buildings like the ones shown in this report.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Essay --

Products and service are created to appeal to a certain market. Creating a strategy with consumers in mind is a target market. To take marketing a step further market segmentation can be utilized. Target marketing is the term for directing marketing endeavors toward consumers. Breaking down of the market into smaller groups with intention of promoting products or services is identified as market segmentation. Market segmentation divides broad markets into smaller segment groups such as female, male, adult or children. Market segmentation occurs using factors that fit into four categories such as; geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral. Nescafe a product of Nestle started as far back as the 1930. Brazil had a substantial supply of coffee and needed assistance with preserving. This was the start of the partnership between Brazilian government and Nestle. The name originated from the first three letters of Nestle and cafe put together. Nescafe was first introduced in Switzerland during the late 1930 and was expected to be a success throughout Europe. However, because o...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Identify three key characteristics of the marketing concpet Essay

The first characteristic is to target a certain part of the market in order to satisfy the majority of customers, by doing this Britvic had to figure out not only who had a need for their product, but also who was most likely to buy it, by finding out this type of information they would have to consider following factors such as, age, gender and other factors in order to determine how their products would fit into the customers lifestyle. The second characteristic would be identifying their customer’s needs and finding out what a customer would actually be looking for in Britvic’s products, by doing this Britvic would have to use customer focus groups, surveys/questionnaires and gather this information based on a common customers expectations of their products. Last but not least, according to marketing concept customers should be at the centre of all the organisations activities. Therefore all departments of Britvic are responsible for customer satisfaction and only in that way their goals can be achieved. Explain Britvic’s micro and macro environment Marco forces of marketing environment can affect all organisations operating in market. External marketing environment consists of six categories of forces: political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal (Dibb, 2012:76). Those forces are uncontrollable and often called PEST or PESTEL. Generally, businesses can prepare for the unexpected by using PESTEL analysis. For example a new legislation of television advertising of food and drink to children has led to the use of non – television campaigns i.e. sponsorship and celebrity endorsement like Wimbledon or British pantomimes play an important role in Britvic’s marketing strategy. Micro environment factors are factors close to a business that have a direct impact on.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Great Patriotic War essays

Great Patriotic War essays Assess the reasons for the success of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Concepts that should be considered include Industrialization, modernization and nationalism. Many contributing factors led the success of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War between 1941 to 1945. A primary reason for this triumph was the nationalistic determination of the people under Stalins leadership. The USSRs centralized industrialization and rapid mobilization held a key role in Soviet victory and was a secondary factor to Soviet success. It was the battle of Stalingrad that demonstrated the strength of the Soviet Union as it was to signal the turning point of the war for Russia. The mobilization of the Soviet economy, which resulted after Stalins speech to the nation on 3 July 1941, was a secondary factor leading to the success of the Great Patriotic War, between Russia and Germany. Industrialization, which had taken place prior to then, provided a substantial industrial base. Due to this previous preparation, the command economy and the Stalinist system enabled the USSR to mobilize quickly and efficiently under the co-ordination of the State Defense committee (GKO) in response to the war. Away from conflict, the Urals area was developed into a heavy industrial complex to concentrate on the production of war materials. Industrial production thrived as Soviet women replaced men, who were drafted into the Red army. Civilian production was now transformed into military production. Gill claimed the USSR out produced the Germans and provided weapons of higher quality. By 1941 production was 70 times greater than 1928. Even under attack, the Soviets were able to mass-produce munitions as another 1,523 defense industries were shifted to safer territory in the east of Russia which played a vital role in the war effort (Christian). The industrialization and modernization processes during the late 20...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Oil Spills Danger to All essays

Oil Spills Danger to All essays There are many oil spills that occur every year. They harm the environment, the plants, the animals, and the people who live near it. People can clean up the spill. The environment takes the disaster of an oil spill and the follow a natural process to clean itself. Oil spills are dangerous to everything and cost a lot to clean up. In France an oil spill occurred that leaked ten million liters of oil into the ocean on December twelfth. The spill cost seven million dollars to clean up. After all the clean up attempts three hundred and fifty kilometers of coastline was covered in oil. The oil will stay in the sand for almost thirty years. Other things affected would include the sea birds. All the clean up crews estimate that up to one hundred thousand sea birds died. The oil killed them when it coated their bodies so they could not fly away and they drowned (BBCnews p.1). One of the worst places in the world for an oil spill to occur is in Alaska. On March 1989 the Exxon Valdez grounded itself in Alaska. The tanker spilled eleven million gallons of oil into the waters of south central Alaska. The spill affected many different animals, the land, and the people living near the spill site. Many people responded to the spill and quickly went to the site to help clean it up. The oil shipping company contributed nearly two million to help clean the spill up. The spill damaged the tundra. The damaged spots will take up to fifty years for the tundra to repair. The fish, that the spill damaged are still recovering. Two major types of fish were damaged. They were salmon and herring. The oil will cover the fish and the fish will suffocate to death. The oil also damages the eggs the fish lay. It makes the baby fish deformed or not born at all. The decline in the fish population is what hurt the people the most. Ten years later the fish are still returning to th eir point of stability (Birkland, Thomas p.4) Humans clean up oil spills all the t...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Marketing plan on the composition - the Mind the Gap Assignment

Marketing plan on the composition - the Mind the Gap - Assignment Example The designer was Raymond Scott. From around 1960 with commencement with silver apples and white Noise bands, the electronic music has perpetually filtered through into pop music with its eventual financial marketability conducted in 1980s and the advancement of the Synth Pop. Historically, the genre has gone forward to grab grooves in the 70s and funk or disco in the electronic composition. After that electronic become an original entity of itself resulting in the spinning of the new sounds and subsequent subgenres. The initial breakthrough began in post- disco environment on the environs of Chicago (Kotler & Scheff, 2006, Pp56). Mind the Gap! Is an independent record that I have composed ad plans to introduce my talented friend based in Cyprus who has will then compose the lyrics to the music. The music borrows from the events of experienced when train comes close to the platform. The independent single invests hugely in the ever growing funs of electronic music that anticipates locally composed electronic music. Currently, the music genre assumes close to 10% percent of the market share for close to 10 years. Globally , the music is hugely valued by close to 3 billion people mainly youths who consumes the audio contest in terms of the CDs, MPs, sheet music and file downloads with further licensed deals(King & Feist, 2009, Pp45).

Friday, November 1, 2019

Academic Reading-Text Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Academic Reading-Text Analysis - Assignment Example In addition to giving a snapshot of the various ethical concerns embedded in architecture, this report goes further to put into perspective how architects may incorporate ethics in their practice with different stakeholders. Architecture is one of those sensitive professional fields that poses serious negative impacts to the stakeholders involved whenever ethical standards are ignored. Essentially, architectural ethics define the moral responsibility to do the right thing or make the right and best decision on variety of situations as mentioned in the introduction. Architectural work involves the consideration of a rich blend of cultural diversities. This necessitates the need for anyone in this profession to think about the cultural perspectives that may come up at any time in the working environment. This is yet another pointer as to why ethics may be necessary in the architectural profession. Professional ethics will demand that individuals be able to deliver high standards of service in their professional jurisdiction without compromise on grounds of cultural diversities. Architecture, in itself, has an ethical nature. As put clearly, it is one of the processes that are involved in the beautification of man’s natural habitat, to become a better place (Wasserman, Barry, Gregory, and Patrick 13). This provides an avenue for man to find satisfaction, both in the spiritual and emotional context. As such, the architectural professionals are obliged to come to the realization that their profession is not just about following a set of instructions, or doing things for the sake of it. Rather, they need to come to a conscious knowledge that they are actively involved in the process of bringing about fulfilment in human life. They are also a central part of the emotional and spiritual aspects that make life worth living. Ethics, being an integral part of the architectural profession, will, therefore, dictate all the decisions made by anyone in that field.