Tuesday, August 25, 2020

A Philosophical Approach To Animal Rights Philosophy Essay

A Philosophical Approach To Animal Rights Philosophy Essay Rights are sure codes of opportunity or a permitted medians dependent on certain lawful framework or moral hypotheses. Each living being brought into the world with certain rights, it is the general public or the framework which comprehends and allots these standards to that specific individual and furthermore does the evaluating among the living creatures. This paper is for the most part worry with the animal’s rights, their lawful situation in our general public and furthermore their independence. Individual is commonly a narrow minded being and on the off chance that we glance through the window of history, man has been utilizing creatures for their advantages without thinking about their privileges and opportunity. From absolute starting point human and creatures are in close cooperations with one another, human use them as food, make them to accomplish their work, use them for design reason, use them as guardian, utilize their foam and furthermore use them for experimenta tion. Regardless of many advantages which creatures give to human, human do no or less consideration about their privileges and legitimate position and is occupied in hurting creatures and abusing lawful standards which ought to be given to these creatures. Non-human creatures ought to be given rights and assurance in the general public and there ought to be an overseeing body which ought to administer and actualizes these rights and standards. Animals are a significant segment of a nation economy, the utilization of creatures is somewhat necessary these days. Numerous ventures, for example, foam enterprises, journal businesses, pharmaceutical ventures, food businesses, and material enterprises all lay on creatures and their items. I have no protest with respect to the utilization of creatures yet this utilization ought to be advocated and constrained and on the off chance that the utilization is experimentation, at that point the 3Rs Principlesshould be followed, which are Reductio n, Refinement and Replacement. By decrease he implies that lessen the quantity of creatures utilized, on the off chance that you are utilizing 100, utilize 50. Essentially by refinement he implies that refine your strategy so less or no mischief is given, by substitution he implies that supplant higher creatures by lower creatures or creatures by PC models. There is a contrast among use and brutality, use and damage, unmistakably their utilization can't be kept away from however what should be possible is to adhere to specific principles and rules with respect to their utilization. These standards ought to be given by a moral board and actualized by government. This paper will give you a thought regarding the considering different savants and incredible people with respect to basic entitlements from the earliest starting point till date. Antiquated world and Animals: Human dominancy has been accounted for in â€Å"Genesis† which cites that Adam was advised to be commanded ove r fishes, animals of winds and all crawling animals, remembering this man had abused basic entitlements for a considerable length of time and hundreds of years. In any case, in actuality the statement doesn't imply that human ought to be remorseless to creatures; it just speaks to matchless quality of people over different animals. Then again certain individuals accept that they are second rate compared to human since they need sanity and language. These two reasons were considered as an option to utilize creatures as food, apparel, for amusement and as exploration subject.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

IT - Helpdesk Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT - Helpdesk Concepts - Essay Example The arrangement of these issues is normally various leveled and they are handled thusly (Sanderson, p.34). The principle point of an assistance work area or a help work area is to help direct the client to tackle issues without speaking with a specialist. Some assistance work area administrations utilize uncommon programming that is utilized to enter information about the user’s issue. This product allots the issue an exceptional label distinguishing proof that can be utilized to follow the issue (Beisse, p. 98). Following enables the organization to catch up on the issue and beware of the client's advancement. This improves customers’ input administration. The user’s collaboration with the frameworks can decide if they will keep utilizing the item or administration, or they will stop. Thusly it is extremely imperative that the assist work area with checking the clients and get input to assist them with improving the framework. The Call Experience. The helpdesk p icked for this paper was the Verizon helpdesk. Verizon help work area gives cell phone arrangements and IT answers for different issues. This because an inclination was on the grounds that it managed the two viewpoints. This would give a far reaching perspective on how a commonplace communication would go. After I decided, the reaction took around 8 to 10 seconds. This is viewed as acceptable time in light of the fact that the run of the mill hold up period is around 20 seconds. The reaction anyway once in a while relies upon the measure of client traffic to the frameworks at that point. After the reaction the voice brief invited me to their assistance work area and clarified their motivation and the administrations they give. I discovered this data valuable since they gave a definite clarification of the administrations they gave. They likewise ensured great help and conveyance. This data is valuable to another client who doesn't know about the specific administrations the organiza tion gives. After the welcome message they offered more data about their item. This gave great understanding, however I found that the time they take to discuss their administrations might be a piece excessively long and could utilize some decrease. This can be a bother when the guest is in a rush to get a dire issue comprehended. After the messages about their administrations, the voice brief gave the choice of a favored language. This is a basic element in the assistance work area structure, in light of the fact that not all clients are local speakers. They probably won't have the option to cover all the dialects yet they can have an office for the principle dialects utilized. This will cook for non â€English talking clients. The brief gave the choice of utilizing 1 for English and 2 for Spanish. Subsequent to squeezing 1 for English, the brief requested that I check my number and secret word. This is a fundamental security include, on the grounds that somebody may be utilizing you telephone to decide. Confirmation of character is one of the underlying advances taken while reaching an assistance work area. This assists with distinguishing you accurately, and opening a ticket for you. The ticket is utilized as a kind of perspective to that meeting. After number confirmation, I was solicited to determine type from administration. The alternatives offered were 1 for remote telephones and 2 for private telephones. These alternatives provide food for all the sorts of clients that are cooked for by Verizon. Subsequent to squeezing 1 for the remote alternative, the brief approached me to squeeze 1 for prepaid administrations, 2 for postpaid administrations and hash to return to the primary menu. This differentiation is fundamental for clients. This is because of the distinction in issues that may be knowledgeable about the two administrations. The hash choice to return to the

Saturday, August 1, 2020

Those Crazy Acronyms

Those Crazy Acronyms Acronyms are those convenient abbreviations we all know about that replace long words or complex titles for quicker communication of complex ideas or names. They usually come from the initial components in a much longer phrase or name thats in common use in a business, specialty, or culture. The components that form acronyms are often the first letters of the most important words in that longer title or name or concept, as in CEO for Chief Operating Officer or IBM (International Business Machines) or http (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) in website addresses.Where do we use acronyms today? Nearly everywhere. We see them online, in research papers, on cable television, e-mails, social networking sites, phone texting, technical documentation, computer data systems, and many other places. Acronyms are especially recognizable when we dont understand what they mean and whats being said to us or written in what were reading. When we understand the meaning of an acronym, however, we rush right by it and keep reading.There is definitely a major upsurge in acronym use in writing today and frankly in all areas of communication. Acronyms have become a favorite tool for fast and brief communication and likely a direct outgrowth of our modern approach to thinking â€" say it fast and move on to the next idea or task. Speed is the main instigator of all the acronym use we are seeing now. Another cause is the expansion of complicated bureaucracies that force us to try and avoid writing long titles and department names and regulatory references over and over in favor of more brevity. Then we can move on to our next task more quickly.Most of us are familiar with well-known acronyms like the FBI or NASA or UPS or VISA or even USA, but what happens when we try to figure out the following communication with no explanation there?Its important to review APCAT fully for USQRW and follow the instructions found in the ZEPX of the database, or you will likely apply the TYOP in error.There i s quite a difference, dont you think?We all have also had the exasperating experience of being in a non-understandable discussion with a colleague from another department or a customer service representative or hearing a lecture in school thats confusing or reading a journal article were sourcing for a research paper and running into a bunch of acronyms that arent explained anywhere and used too indiscriminately. Its frustrating and confusing. The experience keeps us from fully understanding a key idea at a meeting, the details of a project proposal, a key element of a paper, or even an important safety concept. We are annoyed when we cant get done what we need to get done because we cant figure out the exact meaning of a few acronyms and have to go ask someone or look them up.If you want to be a good communicator and deliver the clear, specific writing that others will thank you for, you have to learn how to handle acronyms in daily writing. You need to know when to use them, when to identify them, and when to fold them, i.e., avoid using them at all. Whats the best way to deal with these choices? How can you use specialized coded language effectively? The following suggestions are helpful, both to you as a writer and those who read your writing and want to understand it better. These acronym hints will help you communicate more clearly and let your readers keep their sanity when you do include acronyms in your writing.Make a concerted effort not to overuse these sometimes useful abbreviations. Dont turn everything you write into an unneeded acronym â€" it makes for annoying as well as confusing text. Use acronyms discriminately and only when it makes sense to use them and they truly fit into your discussion.Dont use internal acronyms that are known only to your department or team outside of that special environment without explaining what they mean to those other colleagues;In written material, at first mention of an acronym, write it out in parentheses as w ell to explain its full meaning the first time you use it. Dont keep your reader in the dark. Of course the exception to this hint are acronyms we all know and use every day.In that same vein, make sure your reader has the cultural background and professional experience to know even the most common acronyms â€" always remember and respect your reader.If the acronym you introduced disappears for a bunch of pages, repeat the explanation to refresh your reader. Assist your reader in understanding what youre trying to say. Its only polite, and it helps you get your idea across too.If you need to use a lot of technical or specialized acronyms in a piece of writing, i.e., a scientific paper, then add a Glossary or Appendix at the end and post all the acronyms and their meanings there as well for all to review. Those of your readers who know the meanings wont use the Glossary, but those who dont know what you mean or how an specific acronym fits into your text will have a ready-made source to find out and will thank you.Applying these simple writing tips will relieve a lot of reader tension in your delivery of ideas and produce clearer, more precise, even safer, communication. The truth is if your reader misses the meaning of an important acronym (or two or three) in your writing, he or she will likely also miss a major part of the meaning of your piece and the effort youve given it or at the very least a key part of the background that is vital for your reader to know to understand your idea.So, do use those crazy acronyms, but use them judiciously and with care. Remember that too much of the best spice can hurt any gourmet dish. Moderation is the key to good eats and good writing.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Case Analysis The Honda Effect - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2156 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? The two reports of BCG and the insiders account have a number of differences specified below: The BCG report is a very brief report which just gives the overview of the entry of HONDA in the US market and explains how the market was and outlines the competitors like Harley Davidson etc. While the insiders account is a direct detailed narration which specifies the target market (Los Angeles) and also encounters the challenges they faced while entering in the market( the stringent monetary controls, being cash strapped, etc). The BCG report emphasis deliberately re-addressing the black image of the motorcycles in US (advertising directly to the younger families, theme of meet the nicest people on a Honda), where as the theme of meet the nicest people on a Honda in the insiders account is an emergent approach to re-address the image of motorcycle which is brought about by student of UCLA. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Case Analysis: The Honda Effect" essay for you Create order The BCG report mentions the competitive advantage of HONDA (three-speed transmission, automatic clutch, five horsepower etc) on the other hand the insiders account mentions the different engine capacities which will be available (250cc, 350cc, 50cc super cub and 125cc). The BCG report analyses HONDAs research and development effort by differentiating the number of staff (700 for Honda to 100 for all the rest o the competitors) while the insiders account is silent about research and development. Having analysed the two cases there were a number of differences but the above mentioned were highly impacting both the reports. Reference: Case study 1 the Honda effect. Tutors notes on Introduction to strategic management. MAP LAURA ASHLEYS STAKEHOLDERS USING A POWER/INTEREST MATRIX. LEVEL OF INTERESTStakeholder is a person or a group of people who have direct interest (stake) in the performance of a business. Stakeholders can be categorized as internal stakeholders (owners and employees) and external stakeholders (suppliers, government, customers, e.t.c.) Minimal effort is where the stakeholders have less/ no power and low level of interest. The analysts and retires CEOs can only write about the company they gave no powers to influence the decisions of management. Keep informed is where the stakeholders have less power and high interest. Founders, franchisees and the community in this case are interested in knowing the performance of the company but have no power in influencing the decision making, however in some cases the founder member highly influence decision making in an organization. Keep satisfied is where the stakeholders have high power and low level of interest. The customers have high power because if not satisfied than the organization wi ll not make profits. Key players are the stakeholders who have high power and high level of interest in the organization. Board of directors, current CEOs make the ultimate and final decisions and are most powerful. Power/ interest matrix helps the management identifying the strategies to be used in an organization according to the power and interests of the stakeholders. References: Greenwich case study on Laura Ashley. Tutors notes on purpose, expectations and ethics. WHAT ARGUMENTS WOULD YOU USE TO PERSUADE AN ORGANISATION TO ADOPT THE BALANCED SCORE CARD APPROACH? A balanced score card, developed by Kaplan and Norton is a tool that is used to measure affirms activities in relation to its vision along with its strategies. The main components of a balanced score card are: Customer perspective (how do customers see us?) This can be measured by using questionnaires, customer services and customer satisfaction index. Internal perspective (how do we see ourselves?) Here we measure the efficiency, lead time and quality of an organisation. Innovation and learning perspective (are we a learning organization?) This is all about the creativity and staff development in an organization. Financial perspective (how do our shareholders see us?) This can be done by calculation accounting ratios of an organization. WHY SHOULD A FIRM USE BALANCE SCORE CARD? It helps in improving performance of an organization as each component has its own objectives, measures targets and strategies to achieve the targets set e.g. by improving customer satisfaction we increase the market shares however it does not solely focus on outcomes, but also considers measures that are performance drivers. Balanced score card makes it easier for the firms to compare their performances. The comparison could be between the firms in the same sector and as well with a firm in a completely different sector, and comparison with the past performances. It allows the firm to develop and expand as by measuring, managers identify the areas of the weakness and therefore make the necessary changes to create a better performing firm. References: Greenwich case study on Applying a balanced score card. Tutors notes on strategy and performance. USE THE INDUSTRY ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK TO EXPLAIN THE PROFITABILITY OF THE MAIN SUERMARKET CHAINS IN THE UK. Industry analysis framework was pioneered by Harvard professor, Michael Porter which needs a firm to be attentive towards entering any industry. This framework alerts a firm on the impacts within the industry. Industry profitability or attractiveness would depend upon the five forces: The threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, suppliers power, buyers power and rivalry in the industry (Michael Porter, 1980). Profitability of UK supermarkets is brought about by political ideology and the high degree of government involvement n this business. Viewing the competitive rivalry entails that firms in Britain compete greatly in equal chances because of states involvement in regulating supplier pressures and owners just for societal welfare. This leads to possibility of future entrants in the supermarket business because rule of the game is clear and publicly controlled. The massive amounts of capital needed might be an obstacle to small firms. Moreover, profitabili ty of main UK chains of supermarkets is guaranteed because similar products are made available to all customers. There are no close substitutes which could pose a threat to prosperity and growth of British supermarkets. Furthermore, there is dominance absence by a few due to competitor balance by a chain of operators. Industry growth rate is due to increasing demand and not price competition because of public ownership. Henceforth, their profitability is due to intentional measures imposed by UK government which makes them control and gain large market share in a great pace than competitors elsewhere. Industry analysis: Five forces model. References: Tutors notes on competitive environment and slides Greenwich case study on profitability of UK retailers. WHAT ARE NOVOTELS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES? Competitive advantages are the unique resources that a firm has which no other firm in the market obtains. It gives the company to have an upper hand over the market. In the case of Novotel it has as exclusive layout which is friendly and has easy access to areas of the hotel e.g. the location of the bar and the restaurant which is exactly adjacent to the reception on the entry floor. (Paragraph 1) Novotel provides training and development programs at the accor group which is the parent of novotel. The standardized layout and structures creates flexible working patterns. It develops a multi skilling staff who operate different functions at different timings. Service delivery and staff exchanges between countries creates a multi cultural environment within the work force which keeps the workers motivated and reduces the staff turnover rate. (Paragraph 2, 5 and 6) The greeting and the creation of friendly environment for the guests arriving at novotel makes it a better place for them. The personal warmth given to the guests and other things alike guiding to the hotel room and other areas of services proves the good quality of the hospitality which creates loyalty to the novotel. (Paragraph 2, 5 and 6) Partnership programs created at novotel give them another competitive advantage. These could be the link between novotel and its suppliers e.g. the company where they buy the televisions or furniture they are expected to build a reciprocal relation with novotel where they can utilize the hotel for corporate travel purposes. (Paragraph 4) The firms competitive advantages helps them to have a better market share. References: Greenwich case study on Novotel value chain Tutors notes on strategic capabilities. WHAT POSITION IN THE MARKET DOES LEVI OCCUPY (USE STRATEGIC CLOCK TO CHARACTERISE ITS PORTION)? Strategy clock is a suitable way of analyzing a firms competitive position in comparison to what is done by competitors. The clock was pioneered by Cliff Bowman who considered the work of Porters Generic Strategies. According to Bowman, there are six core strategic options: No Frills. Low Price. Hybrid. Differentiation. Focused Differentiation. Strategies Destined for Failure. From my understanding, I learnt that, Levi occupy fifth position which happen to be focused differentiation. The position which means high perceived products benefits by customers with a high price charged on them. Following are the reasons for Levis existence in the fifth position in the strategic clock. Firstly, Levi identified the needs of a few (niche) which before were not met effectively and decided to produce products which will satisfy them in a most wanted manner. Levi brought products which were unique and different from those of competitors meaning it could set high prices due to values associated with them. Also, Levi was really operating in focused differentiation as it did not maintain a large stock instead it received customers request orders with specifications and produced them n a Just-in-Time. Order is transmitted electronically and the final product is shipped directly to the customer at his expense. Last but not least, Levis amazing position was ref lected by concern shown to employees including salary increment plus other benefits which made them loyal and trustworthy to the company. Thus, employees act in a creative and innovative manner towards styling to express a customers needs. References: Greenwich case study on Levis personal pair proposal. Managing strategy slides. ARE THERE ANY RELATIONSHIPS OF STRATEGIC NATURE BETWEEN THE BUSINESS WITHIN THE VIRGIN GROUP? Within Virgin, yes of course there are strategic relationships between the business maybe probably due to the inter connection and interdependency of the routine chore among them. The group is a central hub performing organizational core functions like a nucleus in a cell. At the outset, the business at Virgin share a common identity which is its brand name helping it to penetrate different industries. 1 The brand is the single most important asset that we have; our ultimate objective is to establish it as a major global name. A further relationship can be seen from the growth strategies used by Virgin business such as joint ventures so as to minimize risks and share the available resources. In such ventures mostly Virgin offers its brand name while costs are mostly covered up by others but fruits enjoyed by 50:50 basis. Virgin was not a highly bureaucratic group as the managers were permitted to make decisions without interference from the central hub. This was done to cr eate a sense of ownership so they could feel as part of virgin. Moreover, all the businesses at Virgin were ring-fenced in the sense that, the assets of one business could be protected from invasion of outside lenders towards the others assets. Its financial operations had been managed from Geneva. last but not least, the name virgin displays a clear message to the stakeholders in every business it enters that its fun, innovative, daring and successful which built a good reputation for them. References: 1(Johnson. G, Scholes. K, Whittington. R, Fundamentals of strategy (2009), pp 199-200, Prentice hall. Greenwich case study on The Virgin group. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERISE THE EASY GROUP BUSINESS MODEL? Easy groups business model is that one which works on a basis of a low price management concept model (no frills concept), yield management concept model and processes are technologically driven. The birth of the first venture under the strict concept of yield management was the basis and inspiration for every new idea that was later transformed into a real business. (Coelho, 2008) As a company on no frills, easy aimed at meeting its clients satisfaction at a lowest possible price than its competitors in every industry it enters but offering low perceived benefits. For example, at easy Jet flight meals were cut off so as to cut down costs. Direct competitors are few, for example virgin on some markets. Yield management is a methodology to optimize or maximize the revenue earned from a fixed, perishable resource by understanding, anticipating and reacting to customer behavior. The main goal is to sell the right resource at the right time. (Coelho 2008). This works by demand an d supply forces. Turnover is increased through knowing the demand of the customers. In addition, operations at easy are somehow with a low human intervention due to the fact that, technology is used at the best of ability towards minimizing costs. This however, is an electronic business model making use of internet and computing intensive system i.e. yield management. Lastly, easy group model enables it to operate on a low cost as it made use of yield management and distribution systems such as the internet and phone charges bear by customers.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

The Silver Age Of Latin Literature - 898 Words

The Authors of the Silver Age of Latin Literature The Silver Age of the Classical Latin period is considered to have taken place A.D 18-133. The Silver age has been generally criticized as being inferior to the Golden Age which had produced many writers of distinction, many of them men of action such as Julius Caesar and statesmen and orators such as Cicero who was able to express abstract thought with clarity. The golden Age gave rise to the idea that an author should not try to say new things but to say old things better, with rhetorical thoughts and speech being mastered until they had become instinctive. The Silver Age saw the rise of Authors such as Seneca, Pliny the Elder, Petronius, and Tacitus. During the Silver Age the content of the literature took a darker tone becoming more graphically violent, and full of darker characters such as witches. Many believe that the â€Å"decline† of Classical Literature was caused by waning enthusiasm for Augustan ideals, with literat ure paying the price of political patronage. The Emperors after Augustus (Tiberius-Nero) became increasingly paranoid of the Senate, political coups and assassination. The authors of this period no longer enjoyed the relative freedom of speech they had under Augustus even though they had been were tactfully pressured by Maecenas towards praise of Augustus but this was done without cramping their style. After the death of Augustus this changed and authors began toShow MoreRelatedEssay about Chile1177 Words   |  5 PagesAconcagua River. Santiago is located southeast of Valparaiso. Antofagasta is located in northern Chile. Valdivia is located in southern Chile with Puerto Montt just south of that. Natural Resources Chile has a lot of iron, coal, iron ore, gold, silver, manganese, sulfur, petroleum, nitrates, and copper. 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French Absolutism began inRead MoreThe Eight Wars Of Religion1587 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world was changing, Spain s empire was fading away. Inquisitions, both Catholic and Protestant, faded. The Spanish held on to theirs, and for that, they were ridiculed. French philosophers like Voltaire thought of Spain as a model of the Middle Ages: weak, barbaric, superstitious. The Spanish Inquisition, had been established as a bloodthirsty measure of religious persecution, was considered by Enlightenment thinkers as a brutal weapon of intolerance and ignorance. French Absolutism began inRead MoreThe Carolingian Dynasty : A Noble Family1171 Words   |  5 Pagesof the territory bestowed upon his brother. Charlemagne then proceeded to rule the Carolingian Empire from the years 768-814. As a ruler he brought a rapid expansion of the Christian faith and also re introduced literature and education to a Europe which was falling into another dark age. His reign ended prematurely the 28th of January 814 after he contracted Pleurisy. Before passing away he managed to give his only remaining son, Louis the Pious, king of Aquitaine the title of co-emperor hence ensuringRead MoreCharlemagne, Great Emperor Of Western Europe1247 Words   |  5 Pagesas well as follow other traditions to be killed. After controlling more land, he established some changes and new laws. One of the most important changes Charlemagne made was abandoning the previous gold standard and putting the whole of Europe on silver currency. Trade became easier and the continent prospered, aided by new laws that took some power away from the nobles and let the peasantry participate in commerce. This was known as Feudalism. In 800, a rebellion against the Pope Leo III rose.Read More Night in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay1379 Words   |  6 Pagesoften personified, always as female†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1050). 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When Lorenzo was older, it was clear that his education was ‘solidRead MoreThe Art Of Swimming : Ancient Greeks And Romans1187 Words   |  5 PagesI.) The art of swimming has been practiced since prehistoric times, some of the earliest recording of swimming going back to Stone Age cave dwellings from thousands upon thousands of years ago. Written documents can date to 2000 BCE. Some of the earliest allusions to swimming consist of the Iliad, the Gilgamesh, the Odyssey of Homer , the Bible, Beowulf and The Quran along with other religious along with non-re ligious documents. In the early 16th century, a German professor by the name of Nikolaus

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Electra Products Case Analysis Free Essays

Chapter 1 – case for critical analysis Question 1: How might top management have done a better job changing Electra Products into a learning organisation? What might they do now to get the empowerment process back on track? Answer: * Harry might talk with the employees. He has very much experience because he worked for 20 years in this company. He knows a lot of behaviours in the company, the good and the bad ones. We will write a custom essay sample on Electra Products Case Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Harry is able to understand the situation and the problems from the staff more than a newcomer. Furthermore he can motivate the others in a different, better way because he is in the same situation and they maybe look up to him. * The top management should support the teams with individual trainings for each department. So they can improve their skills to achieve better results in their work area. In addition they get new motivation and they approach their assignments more confident. Possible trainings could be: * Communication skills * Dealing with customers * Teamwork * The company can make individual meetings with the employees to talk about their problems. In this case the labour has the chance to mention their own opinions and ideas. * An additional proposal to get the empowerment process back on track is to conduct surveys. So they get valuable information from outsider about the popularity of their products. In this way they can go into to the customer’s desires and get new ideas for possible innovations. Surveys are also an excellent opportunity to learn more about the competitors and their products. * To spur the employees they might give salary increases. This avoids that many of the disappointed employees are looking for another job as well. How to cite Electra Products Case Analysis, Essay examples

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Song Of Solomon Essays (630 words) - Greek Mythology, Daedalus

Song Of Solomon The Icarus Myth in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon Throughout literature it has been common for authors to use allusions to complement recurrent motifs in their work. In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon, Milkman learns that his desire to fly has been passed down to him from his ancestor Solomon. As Milkman is figuring out the puzzle of his ancestry, he realizes that when Solomon tried to take his youngest son, Jake, flying with him, he dropped him and Jake never arrived with his father to their destination. Sound familiar? Well, it seems quite probable that Morrison drew from the Daedalus/Icarus Greek myth. Daedalus was a well-known architect and engineer in Athens. King Mines invited Daedalus to Crete to build him a labyrinth, and when it was completed, Mines jailed him within it. In order to escape, Daedalus built two sets of wings - one pair for himself, and the other for his son, Icarus- using wax and feathers, which they used to fly off from Crete. On their journey to Athens, Icarus decided to try to challenge the sun, even though his father had warned him that if he got too near to the sea his wings would dampen and fall apart, or if he got too close to the sun, the wax in his wings would melt, and he would lose the ability to fly. Ignoring Daedalus' warnings, Icarus flew too high and the sun melted the wax that held his wings together. Icarus fell into the Aegean Sea and died. Solomon, a slave, had been a leader when he worked in the cotton fields in the South. One day he decided to fly back to Africa with his youngest son, Jake, leaving behind his wife Ryna and their twenty other children. Black lady fell down on the ground Come booba yalle, come booma tambee Threw her body all around Come konka yalle, come konka tambee...(303). This verse of the popular children's song which Milkman heard in Shalimar, Virginia, was referring to Ryna's sobbing, an event which also led to the naming of Ryna's Gulch where it is rumored that Ryna's spirit moaned night and day alike for Solomon's return. When Solomon is flying, however, he drops Jake- also the name of Milkman's grandfather- and unlike Icarus in Greek mythology, Jake survives his fall. Milkman's desire to fly mirrors one of the foremost fantasies of any child or dreamer. The child's desire to fly is expressed when Milkman (as a young child) loses all interest in himself when he realizes that he cannot fly. Morrison proves that the childish desire to fly never dies when Robert Smith tries to fly from No Mercy Hospital in Michigan. Milkman quickly regains his confidence when he unlocks the mystery of his grandfather and recognizes that a he was able to fly: And he began to whoop and dive and splash and turn. 'He could fly! You hear me? My great-granddaddy could fly! Goddam!' He whipped the water with his fists, then jumped straight up as though he too could take off(328). In conclusion, one of the most important motifs in Song of Solomon is that of flying, or perhaps more importantly the craving and interminable interest in learning to fly. Morrison uses numerous methods to emphasize this aspect of her novel. In my opinion, the most interesting comparison is between Solomon to Daedalus, and Jake to Icarus. At the end of the novel, as Milkman soars from one plateau to the next, we realize that even if he can never fly away from his problems as Solomon and Daedalus could, his fantasy has already been fulfilled through the knowledge that he has learned to face his problems head on instead of simply mastering the art of escape- flying.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Introspect essays

Introspect essays I am writing this letter in regards to measure 28. I strongly feel that to vote for measure 28 was wrong. Our state has become so greedy. Does that little bit of money we will be saving really benefit us? I think not. I feel that we are about to become worse off than before due to an increase in crime from lack of incarceration facilities and Law enforcement personnel. Mental health patients that require mood controlling Psychotropic therapy and methadone patients are now going to have no where legal and safe to turn to when they are out of control. Prisoners and patients of the largest mental health facility in Oregon are being turned out into a world deemed to be in direct conflict with their understandings. I doubt I would feel safe if I had to hold a sign up on a street corner to get work tomorrow, but I am afraid more and more people are finding a need for this kind of advertising to get their daily bread. We have gone the wrong direction. It is time to prove our worth to the world and improve what this country has placed its foundation on. Stop believing that we have taxation representation and demand taxation explanation, dont just let others stand and vote for those who dont. We must a ccount for every participant in our society and value him or her as if society itself were created out of that persons well being. This is not pie in the sky political ethics; this is the product of our own constitution. This is who we are to our neighbors and our enemies; today it appears to be most important to car what others think of us. Since our country is under scrutiny for being so powerful, we must realize that with great power comes great responsibility and leadership. ...

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Cunto se demora la green card por trabajo

Cunto se demora la green card por trabajo El tiempo de demora de la tarjeta de residencia por trabajo varà ­a desde apenas unos meses de tramitacià ³n ordinaria hasta esperas variables de varios aà ±os. La diferencia radica en la categorà ­a de visa de trabajo por la que se obtiene la tarjeta de residencia. (Y en algunos casos tambià ©n afecta el paà ­s de origen). Categorà ­as en las que no hay espera para la green card por razones de trabajo Cada aà ±o fiscal se conceden 140,000 tarjetas de residencia por motivos de empleo, divididas en diferentes categorà ­as. Las denominadas 1, 2, 4 y 5 no tienen que esperar a que haya visas disponibles, porque el nà ºmero de visados es superior al de peticiones. Pero,  ¿quà © empleos estn comprendidos en esas categorà ­as? Anualmente se conceden hasta un mximo de 40,000 visas en la categorà ­a 1. Dentro de esta hay tres tipos de empleos posibles: EB-1 (a), para la crema de la crema profesionalmente hablando. Pueden aplicar por ellas personas extranjeras con habilidades extraordinarias en las Artes, las Ciencias, el Deporte, la Educacià ³n o los Negocios. Son profesionales tan excepcionales que no necesitan tener una oferta de trabajo. Es decir, pueden aplicar ellos mismos por la tarjeta de residencia, sin patrocinador. EB-1 (b), para profesores universitarios o investigadores sobresalientes con al menos de tres aà ±os de experiencia profesional reconocida internacionalmente. Es necesario que tengan una oferta de trabajo y que la solicitud para la tarjeta de residencia la presente una universidad o un instituto, pà ºblico o privado, de investigacià ³n. EB-1 (c), para ejecutivos o gerentes que lleven al menos tres aà ±os trabajando en el extranjero para una filial o subsidiaria de una empresa americana. Tampoco hay tiempo de espera para la categorà ­a 2 (EB-2), para la que hay reservada 40,000 tarjetas de residencia por aà ±o fiscal. Pueden beneficiarse los profesionales con una maestrà ­a o doctorado o, en el caso de tener sà ³lo una licenciatura, debern tener cinco aà ±os de experiencia laboral. Tambià ©n encajan en esta categorà ­a las personas con habilidades excepcionales en los Negocios, las Artes y las Ciencias. Es decir, deben ser muy superiores a la media en su campo. Aunque generalmente se necesita una oferta de trabajo y que el empleador solicite la tarjeta de residencia para ellos, hay casos en los que el extranjero que cumple con los requisitos arriba mencionados puede solicitar la green card por sà ­ mismos si puede probar que la aprobacià ³n de su solicitud servirà ­a los intereses nacionales de los Estados Unidos. De hecho, hay abogados especialistas en este tipo de casos que se conocen con las iniciales NIW (por Waiver por interà ©s nacional, en inglà ©s). Otra categorà ­a sin tiempo de espera es la 4 (EB-4), que son conocidos como Emigrantes Especiales. Es necesario que el empleador americano solicite la tarjeta de residencia para ellos mediante la planilla I-360. Pueden beneficiarse por esta categorà ­a: Sacerdotes, monjas, rabinos y otros trabajadores religiosos.Ex trabajadores del Canal de Panam.Ciertos miembros del Ejà ©rcito de los Estados Unidos.Empleados jubilados de organizaciones internacionales y dependientes.Asimismo, trabajadores en el extranjero del Gobierno estadounidense. En este à ºltimo caso, la peticià ³n de la green card no debe hacerse mediante la I-360, sino que debe utilizarse la planilla DS-1884. Por à ºltimo, los inversores dentro de la categorà ­a 5 (EB-5) tampoco estn sujetos a disponibilidad de visas y espera. Hay que resaltar que aunque no hay tiempo de espera por visas en las categorà ­as arriba mencionadas, hay unos meses de demora en la tramitacià ³n ordinaria. Tiempo de espera para la categorà ­a 3 y otros trabajadores Los trabajadores que obtienen la tarjeta de residencia por la categorà ­a 3 (EB-3) o por la de otros trabajadores esperan en estos momentos cuatro aà ±os y medio, para los casos de ciudadanos de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a. Otros paà ­ses, como India o China tienen tiempos de espera superiores. En la categorà ­a 3 y en la de otros trabajadores recaen: Profesionales con licenciatura (B.A. o B.S.).Personas sin estudios superiores pero con una habilidad profesional especial y experiencia laboral de al menos dos aà ±os.Personas sin habilidades especiales pero cuyo trabajo requiere una experiencia laboral de al menos dos aà ±os. Para esta subcategorà ­a no pueden otorgarse ms de 10,000 tarjetas de residencia por aà ±o fiscal. Las personas que estn esperando por una green card en esta categorà ­a pueden verificar los tiempos de espera en el Boletà ­n de Visas del Departamento de Estado, teniendo en cuenta la fecha de prioridad de su aplicacià ³n. Por à ºltimo, tener en cuenta que para esta categorà ­a es siempre necesario obtener una certificacià ³n laboral y tener una oferta de empleo y que el empleador estadounidense realice la peticià ³n de la green card mediante la planilla I-140. Se recomienda tomar  este test para verificar  que se tienen los conocimientos necesarios sobre green card.

Monday, February 17, 2020

Source Analysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Source Analysis paper - Essay Example However, issues on how to implement the rights derived from the laws of nature came out and were scrutinized by those who voiced their concerns with regards to the clauses in the declaration about freedom and equality such as the upper class elite whites, the working-class white males with properties and those without, females, the slaves, and the native Indians who were pushed on the brink of disappearing. The differences in the ideals and beliefs concerning equality among various members of the public generated questionable governance which further erupted during the civil war, of which such problems as contradicting ideas in running the society, economy, and politics stemmed up from the unyielding of some patriarch-minded people to allow each and everyone in the society the same amount of liberty and justice that white males have enjoyed. Before discussing the contradictions that lead to issues on governance as stipulated in the Declaration of Independence, the Laws of Nature comp ared to man-made laws such as those imposed by the British Empire will be elaborated first. Puritan John Locke wrote his ideas on how the Natural Laws were able to shape how mankind thinks through reason, and gives explanation as to why there is a strong need for America to become independent from Britain altogether. One of his strongest arguments is that due to the natural order of things, wherein all people were born equal regardless of status or color, it can be expected that discord will arise from the public once this natural right has been revoked (Fiege 72). The loosening of the British Empire’s hold over the colonies came up as the result of the violation of the natural law, especially since it treats not just the colonists but its entire population as people of lower status, further causing problems in controlling and ruling both the colonies beyond the Atlantic Ocean and the rest of the British population in general (75). The same can be said with regards to the rig ht of property and life, wherein the British Empire’s strong hold on tax collections from the colonies and of stripping private property to become the public’s were overturned due to the natural law which states that anything a person works for and builds into becomes a part of himself, and becomes his own property (72; 77). By virtue of the natural law the colonists do not have any obligation to pay taxes to the British Empire since these are all the product of their toiling in their own lands, in a place far away from the mother country. Lastly, the natural right to live independently and in sovereign was invoked, which was mainly due to the growing differences between how the colonists and the British Empire think and manage society. Due to the violation of the rights of liberty and property through threats from the British army and the tyrannical rule of the monarchs, the colonists defended their stance in separating from the mother country altogether by declaring themselves to have a different way of thinking and living, and must therefore be provide for their own safety and security in the process of changing towards a much more independent society and less of a monarchic one (73). Using the natural laws in explaining basic human needs such as the right for equality, for life, and for

Monday, February 3, 2020

Competition And The Pan-Hellenic Identity Between The Greek Poleis Essay

Competition And The Pan-Hellenic Identity Between The Greek Poleis - Essay Example And so as people from elsewhere the world over struggled to consolidate governance under single, unified governments, the Greeks adopted liberalized forms of monarchies, oligarchies, democracies and/or tyrannies, with all systems of governance borrowing heavily from each other. With a background of the Bronze Age that had divided Greece into kingdoms, each with a demarcated territory and own kings claiming to rule under divine authority, the Greek’s Dark Ages destruction of the hitherto existing political order and the devolution of power to minor officials almost on a tribal structure heralded some form of freedom that the Greeks themselves weren’t prepared to give up for whatever reason, thus, the development of the city-states, or the poleis, as a fundamental political unit in the ancient Greek world (Budin 58). So important were the city-states and their newly acquired independence that even though each had independent governance structures, they all struck a workin g relationship that could help them ward off the conquest aspirations of other aggressive neighboring empires.  As the Greeks slowly emerged out of the dark ages, they expanded their world, developing unique versions of communal engagements within their spheres of influence, known as the polis. A polis was generally made up of a major city and the surrounding countryside lands as buffer zones. Typically, the polis was layered into two: the high city [acropolis] built on top of a hill, consisting of marble temples in honor of the different gods and goddesses, and the main city located on the flatter surfaces where market places, public buildings, and people’s homes existed. With populations that were much freer than their predecessors, the triumphs and defeats of the city states was fully the responsibility of the city dwellers, who went ahead to create social identities which differentiated each polis from all others.

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Meeting Energy Demands of the Growing Population

Meeting Energy Demands of the Growing Population Literature review Nowadays, an important factor for economic and social development is energy sufficiency. Energy is the fuel of growth. Scientists predictions show that by the year 2050, energy demand will increase significantly due to the fact of the increasing population of the earth and that more buildings are going to be constructed. (Ref: Facts and trends, energy and climate, world business). A lot of predictions are published about how fast the population, the economy and the energy consumption of the world will increase in the years and decades to come. In reference to the matter of growth, development and energy demand, most of the predictions were wrongly made. Most predictions are reciprocally dependant on each other, and each one relies on many other factors. However, the only prediction that can be securely made is for the population and that the growth will be larger in the less development countries than the developed countries. (UNITED NATIONS) Developed countries are managing to improve the living conditions and decrease the death rates, but at the same time the birth rates have been decreasing at about the same rate over the last century. By this way the population growth is around 0.4% per year, in the industrialized world. On the other hand, less developed countries are managing their development and as a result have increased birth rates and decreased death rates. Consequently, their average population growth has increased from about 1% per year, from fifty years ago to about 2.1% per year today. At the moment, the worlds population is increasing at an annual rate of 1,7%, whereas the population in developed countries is around 1,2 billion (25% of the total) and in less developed countries is around 4 billion (75% of total world population). (United Nations) Population increases are directly connected with the energy demand and the building sector. It is therefore essential to develop new energy technologies on a massive scale for everyone to be able to survive on this planet. Ordinary buildings are unable to contribute to these essential needs, and cover the gush of the energy demand which is going to follow over the next decade. Energy use and climate impacts Power plants use fossil fuels for their energy productions and therefore this way cover the energy demands of the people. As a consequence though, from the burning of the fossil fuels, green house gases are produced and emitted into the atmosphere. As mentioned in the introduction, these anthropogenic activities have a significant contribution to the green house effect and the climate changes. Generally, in reference to the climate changes issues, scientists opinions are split into two. On the one hand, it is believed that the changes are part of the earths life and it is something normal which has been accelerated by our human activities and there is a possibility to stabilize the climate changes. On the other hand, it is believed that these changes are not normal and are going to make the world uninhabitable. For this reason, fast and immediate actions should be taken by all countries, targeting to reduce the energy demands and green house gases. It is almost definite that any of these actions will have a deep impact on the economy of each country. Many people believe that energy saving, means diminishing the current quality of living and reducing economy activity. In addition, economists believe that without economic growth, investments on technology will be reduced as it will difficult to confront climate changes. On the other hand, scientists argue that technological development is the key to the solution in reference to the climate changes problem. The truth is that, any solution in reference to climate changes will need an effort from everyone and investments on technological research and development, giving us this way a chance for a better future! IPCCs fourth assessment report further concluded that the building sector is not only the largest potential for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also that this potential is relatively independent of the cost per ton of CO2 eqv. achieved. With proven and commercially available technologies, the energy consumption in both new and old buildings can be cut by an estimated 30-50 percent without significantly increasing investment costs. Energy savings can be achieved through a range of measures including smart design, improved insulation, low-energy appliances, high efficiency ventilation and heating/cooling systems, and conservation behaviour from the buildings users. (Reference- IPCCs fourth assessment report) Summarising the above it is obvious that the population growth, economic development, human habits, way of living and environmental restrictions influence the energy demand around the world. Scientists and in general, the governments who are trying to give solutions to the big problem of the growing energy demands and its consequences, have to take into account all of these factors. Reshaping the energy future It is necessary for all countries to reshape the future of energy, as all scientific researches show. The actual word reshape, includes new innovation technologies and sources which are going to contribute to the energy needs of the world. It is necessary to find new paths which are further environmental friendly and will permit a better future. A lower carbon world is feasible in the next decade even during the next few years, if all countries can realize that significant changes that should be done. This especially applies to the developed countries as they have to reconsider and find a link between the quality of life and their energy consumption. It is necessary for everyone to understand that a high standard of living does not demand a high consumption of energy and to adapt to the new energy sources. The good news is that small changes in the energy scenery are now visible as many have started to be influenced. For example, the raised use of gas, the use of renewable energy on buildings, everyday life and high efficiency cars are some of the small steps that have been offered to people due to technological development. As figure three shows, the IPCC scenarios (A1B-AIM and B2-AIM) were based on the new technological achievements in the energy sector. It is definite that this evolution is not enough for our earths climate but the two scenarios predict a possible CO2 stabilization. Finally, efforts to create an energy efficient world are starting, in reference to low carbon technologies and effective measures. (Reference-world business facts and trends on climate change) As stated in the report of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) a lower carbon world would require a marked shift in the energy/development relationship, such as similar development levels to be achieved with an average of 30% less energy use. Both energy conservation through behavioural changes and energy efficiency via technology plays a role. Such a trend is a feature of the IPCC B1 storyline, which sees a future with a globally coherent approach to sustainable development. It describes a fast-changing and convergent world toward a service and information economy, with reductions in material intensity and the introduction of clean and resource efficient technologies. The scenario leads to relatively low GHG emissions, even without explicit interventions to manage climate change.'(Reference Energy and climate change, world business) A Sustainable World Energy Perspective An important key to the worlds energy problem is sustainable development. Sustainability includes the economic and technological development, which respect and protect the environment. Searching literature for an exact definition of sustainable development, guided us to the The Brundtland Report of the UN World Commission on Environment and Development. In this report a definition of sustainable development, is given: Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable – to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs However it is difficult to find exact definitions which represent the sustainable development accurately, due to the fact that it is an idea which involves too many parameters. (Reference Engineering_for_Sustainable_Development) It is amazing to see how the sustainable development concept, stays on important issues of discussion even with the passing of tweedy years from the Brundtland report. In this concept, development faces three important paths: the economic, the social and the environmental (figure 4). If governments want to meet these targets it is necessary to carry out innovative technologies and a socio-economic approach. Nevertheless, sustainable development is not the only problem and therefore it is always important to consider the three major paths. Protection of the environment, economic success and improvement of social conditions, will be the achievements of a flourishing sustainable development. These three paths are linked together for a sustainable development and their integration must be equal without any compromises. The goal of sustainable development is, to point out the importance of the environment to the public who are now alive and for the coming generations. It is important for everyone to understand that our existence depends on the global environment and every decision of this generation is going to affect the lives of our future generations. Thus for this goal to be achievable, it is necessary to take measures for low green house emissions, use renewable sources and improve the energy consumption of our current lives. Governments and engineers are searching for the best way to come within reach of this goal as it is very difficult for developed and developing countries to achieve it. Presently, the building sectors involvement is essential because of its deep impact on energy consumption, its significant emissions and its use of huge natural sources. The buildings that currently exist will continue to exist, for more than 30 years and therefore this influences the lives of future generations. A sustainable approach of this sector is necessary due to its rapid growth. The new approach for the buildings sector will include buildings which will need less energy to operate, produce low carbon emissions, use environmental friendly materials and produce their own energy from renewable sources. It is almost definite that the sustainable green development of the building sector will help countries accomplish the targets of the Kyoto Protocol, whilst also guarantee at the same time, the future for coming generations. Evolution of the buildings and the opportunity for change. As believed by many, buildings are our third skin and this plays an important role for humans to survive. From the beginning of human history, humans always aimed to try and protect themselves from all weather conditions and all changes, developing due to this, different kinds of shelters. Over the years, humans adapted and managed to survive all the different changes that have happened on earth. The question now, is what will happen whilst we are facing the rapid climate changes and what will be the future consequences? Hundreds of thousands year ago, people moved from place to place and tried to create the best conditions to live in. Depending on the place, whether hot or cold, humans developed different kind of shelters to protect themselves from the heat of the sun in the deserts, or the cold of the northern climates. Studies of these people movements over the years, shows us a big variety of shelters and developments of different ways in order to face the climate conditions. Other factors, which determine the humans survival techniques in extreme conditions from the past, like the lower attitude of the Arctic Circle, were the design of the buildings, the quality of clothes and the behavioural adaptations, like changing posture, activity level sand choosing the most comfortable space to occupy, by moving around rooms and buildings and landscapes; and then of course the use of energy from the burning of fossil fuels or the careful use of stored energy in heat or cold stores. (Adapting building cities for climate change) Another extraordinary point from past decades is the energy issue. People mainly used coal, wood and water to provide themselves with enough energy, whether in a passive or active manner and covered in this way, their need for heating or cooling. By taking advantage of the natural and available energy resources, humans managed to develop houses which were ready for all extreme weather conditions. All these extreme weather conditions made humans innovate new approaches for buildings, and provide them with a more comfortable life. An interesting approach of surviving all the climate changes is to move to different areas at the respective time of the year, which is when they are comfortable, and to leave them again when they are not – to migrate. (Adapting building cities for climate change) This approach is an impossible one to apply, in the modern way of life and the new cities. Nevertheless what could be extracted from the past is the expertise of the ancient people and the way they faced the climate changes. In our day and age, engineers and scientists use the knowledge from the past whilst at the same time search for new innovative approaches for the buildings. The evolution of the buildings sector involves the innovation of new technologies whilst the same time, protecting the environment and its natural sources. It is not just a matter of how to build or what to build but it is also a matter to make the buildings adaptable to the new challenges of the climate changes and energy efficient. This evolution is directly connected with the world surviving because buildings are part of the global environment which at the moment is in danger. As written in the book titled Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change the risk of not surviving in a particular building type and region will be largely dependent on the nature of that building and on how much the climate changes. Both are crucial in the challenge of designing buildings today in which people can be comfortable in 50 years time. At the point where the evolution of the building sectors began, there are great opportunities to change the current negative predictions of the climate changes. Significant reductions on energy consumption, better design, adequate technology and appropriate behaviours are some of the keys points which could accomplish the transformation of the buildings sector (figure 7). This transformation needs the participation and contribution from the businesses, the markets, the politicians and engineers. All together, they must act right away because the use of renewable sources is slowly growing and the energy demand is rapidly increasing, setting this way, tight deadlines in order to transform the sector. As it is mentioned in the Energy Efficiency, Buildings report and the IPPC 4th Assessment report, Residential and commercial buildings, action is essential as part of the worlds response to climate change because energy use in buildings is 30-40% of final energy consumption and carbon diox ide emissions in most countries. (Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report and the IPPC 4th Assessment report, Residential and commercial buildings) There are many opportunities to transform the buildings sector into the new era, as well as being feasible and applicable for old and new buildings. Significant energy reductions can be achieved by using new technologies, e.g. energy efficiency appliances, low consumption cooling systems etc, use of renewable sources, better design and operation and use of environmental friendly materials. Using these methods it will be possible to reduce the energy demand of up to two-thirds. Low-energy buildings must become the norm rather than the novelty project. (Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report) Beyond the opportunities given to change the buildings sector and stabilize the climate changes, this transformation will additionally contribute to the economy growth by giving new opportunities for jobs and businesses. (Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report)As already mentioned, the transformation will only succeed in the case where, building energy becomes a high priority to the governments and businesses leaderships, whilst cooperation between engineers, businesses and authorities is also established in reference to this issue.( Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report) Buildings types: characteristics and profiles Around the world, a vast variety of different types of buildings can be found, and each different type covers multiple and different needs. It is therefore essential at this point, to present the different types of buildings, as this report will focus on the buildings sector and the energy demands. Despite the fact that in the literature review, it is possible to find a plethora of terminology of the building types, nevertheless the general idea of this separation, of the buildings into categories is the same. Usually the separation of the buildings is a result of its use. It is very important to additionally mention at this point, that in most countries, many of the buildings were built before any energy regulation and these buildings will be around for at least the next 40 years. As figure 8 shows, in Europe, 50% of the buildings were built before 1975. Residential Buildings Residential buildings are commonly found all over the world. However, big and small differences can be found in all of them depending on the climate varieties of each country. For example, in hot climates the important need is for cooling and keeping the temperatures comfortable all over the house. This is achieved by the use of control systems, high insulation materials, shading systems and double or triple glazing. Additionally, this way, the energy demands and cost stays under control. In addition, a high use of passive or active solar systems is found in these hot climate countries. On the other hand, buildings in the cold climates have different needs to achieve temperature comfort. In these climates, the need for heating is essential but this is directly related with other parameters, such as low emissivity windows, good insulation materials and good design. It is very important in these climates, whilst designing, to consider the thermal mass of the building, as this may contr ibute during the night to the heating. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) Where residential buildings are concerned, it is easy to use renewable sources and cover the energy needs of a house because the demand is not so big. For example, photovoltaic systems can be used as the main source of energy, minimizing the CO2 emissions and the operation costs of the building. Non-Residential Buildings Non-Residential Buildings are also commonly located all over the world. In contrast with the Residential buildings, these kinds are appropriate for extreme hot or cold climates, without any access to utilities. As it is described in the Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines report of the U.S. Department of Energy these building types have a natural connection with the outdoors; and the structures present an opportunity to interpret the resource-conservation mission of the agency to the visiting public. These structures typically combine a need for window area, massive construction, and a tolerance for temperature swings—all of which are highly compatible with low-energy building design. Day lighting is another key strategy for deployment in these building types. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) However, the energy balance of a Non-Residential building is almost independent, from lighting and internal gain. A great opportunity on these kinds of buildings, is to apply the low energy methods and design, due to the fact that such buildings have low energy consumption. A visitor centre is a good example, of this kind of building, and usually they have big budgets allowing the choice of high tech materials and technologies. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) Urban Office Buildings Urban office buildings are usually located in the city centres because these buildings offer public services, to the people. As known, urbanization in most countries carries negative consequences for the city centres, for example, expensive land prices. Due to this fact, the design and use of these buildings must be compact and offer the maximum possible. The use of the building is generally defined by the services that are offered, and the space is then separated into offices and support facilities. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) Quite frequently, another characteristic of office buildings is their old style, as well as other restrictions, due to the fact that many countries conserve the old buildings in the city centres. Thus the changes for energy conservation or better energy performance on these buildings are limited and therefore it is difficult to apply low energy strategies. In addition, the development of the surrounding area and the high tower new buildings are an important factor, which influence the energy performance of an office building due to the shade provided. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) On the other hand, new urban office buildings have a great opportunity to save energy as new technologies and design can be afforded and are significant potentials. Another point which helps low energy designs to be applied on office buildings is the wide use of curtain walls, mainly in most of the downtown buildings. The problems which can occur from the use of this kind of buildings is lack of thermal comfort, lack of orientation and the overuse of glass enhance low energy buildings design. New approaches on the office buildings, has started to be applied and they are getting transformed into high technology buildings, which offer better services to the people who work there. A key factor of successful low energy office buildings is the placement of the private office at the back side of the building. As a result of this design, the artificial lighting will be reduced as natural lights are directed further into the buildings. This will have a significant impact not only for energy demands but also to the HVAC systems. Nevertheless, Urban Office Buildings demand a careful design which takes into account the climate, the orientation, the facade design, the HVAC, shading from the surrounding buildings and the complex interactions amongst lighting. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) All the above types of buildings constitute the common categories that serve the different human needs. However, there are many subcategories which are adapted specifically for each different climate and different needs. Energy impacts of the buildings The energy impacts of a building, is a very important factor to consider, in order to succeed with the design of low energy buildings. The different types of buildings and the differences between their energy demands, is the key for the development of zero energy buildings. As mentioned before, each type of building is designed for a specific use and to cover different needs. Starting with the residential buildings, studies show us, greater energy consumption than the commercial buildings. The report includes six different regions which are Brazil, China, Europe, India, Japan and the United States. During this report the residential sector is divided into two categories, consisting of the single family and the multi-family buildings, this way being able to focus on the energy performance for each case. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Consumption Survey; Federcasa, Italian Housing Federation (2006), Housing Statistics of the European Union 2005/2006; Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (2003), 2003 Housing and Land Survey (Japan); EEB core group research) (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) As the above figure shows (figure 9), single family buildings are more common in Brazil, India and the United States, in contrast with China, Europe and Japan where the single family buildings are at the same level as multifamily buildings. It is possible that in a few years, this global scenery will change and more multifamily buildings will be required, due to an increasing population of the earth and the growing urbanization in big countries. On the other hand, the development of the countries and economies will allow more people to get richer and own a single family house. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Generally, the residential buildings tend to increase the energy demands all over the world. Unfortunately, the modern way of life includes extra comforts which are offered by the high technological appliances and the bigger buildings. As the quality of life increases, the energy consumption grows and more natural sources are needed to cover these human needs. Nevertheless, the energy demand is changing from country to country, as the climate and economy growth, are affecting peoples habits. (Figure 10) The above graph shows us that in six different regions, the economic growth and the climates have different impacts on the energy consumption of each country. For example, space heating is essential in Europe and China, in contrast with Japan and India where the use is low. Additionally in Japan, water heating is very important, whilst in other countries not so much. Another important point to notice on this graph, is cooking in India, as many areas do not have access to electricity therefore their main energy use, is cooking. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Amongst the residential buildings, one big subcategory is the single family buildings. (Figure 11) All around the world, single family buildings have the greatest impact on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. In the developed countries, people tend to consume more energy at their homes, as they demand more comfort and have bigger spaces, better heating and cooling systems, artificial lighting and use more appliances. For example, whereas in Japan people tend to heat only one of the rooms instead of the whole house, but in Europe they tend to install central heating systems and heat the whole building. All these factors reflect the changes of peoples behaviour, as they become wealthier from the economic growth. It is a fact, that as more people will become wealthier the demand for single family homes will also increase, and the demand will then be greater than today, therefore increasing the energy consumptions. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) The issue of reducing consumption in single family buildings is not so simple. In general, all countries encounter serious barriers when it comes to taking effective measures for lower energy consumption. In Europe, many of the buildings that already exist, have an enormous challenge to retrofit these old buildings and apply low energy building principles. Definitely, these changes will cost money and everyone is interested in getting financial backing from the governments. Another issue at hand is to raise awareness, about all the changes that everyone needs to know about, especially with regards to the green technology and the proposed energy solutions which will cover their needs, and be easy to install. Unfortunately until now, the lack of information and financial measures has not helped the development of green technologies and designs for single family houses. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development mention that there are two key barriers to transforming what is currently a refurbishment market into an energy-efficient market: the first one is that people do not know where to find the relevant information on options, prices and suppliers; there are no one-stop shops for retrofitting and the second one is that homeowners base decisions largely on the first cost rather than overall financial returns. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) In developing countries, the biggest problem is the lack of regulations and mechanisms which would then force the people and the market to change. For example, in China the building codes are not effectively applied and in Brazil, 75% of the single homes are illegally built. In addition, developing countries as mentioned before have different needs to the developed countries, so the need to provide houses is more essential that the need to reduce energy consumption. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) In Japan and the US, the growing population is followed by high rates of constructions. This rapid development of the market causes huge problems to also then apply the green principles on a big scale. Another major problem in these countries is the big differences between the submarket which block, in some ways, the measures of low energy design. The key to the solution in these countries is strengthening their regulations, by giving more information to the public and changing their behaviour. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) In the cases of the multifamily buildings, which belong in Residential buildings sector, another approach is necessary for energy efficiency. These types of buildings are commonly located in cities where the urbanization problems are huge. In Europe, the US and Japan these buildings vary from very small to luxury apartments, so the energy demand is also varied. As referred to before, many of the buildings in the centre of the towns were built many years ago, so to achieve energy efficiency and apply the low energy principle is a great issue. In developing countries, incomes influence the preference for bigger houses and more energy consumption, therefore making a multifamily building a key factor for lower energy demand. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Still, comparing single family homes with apartments, obviously the energy needs in an apartment are less due to their small size and space and lower exterior wall area. Looking at the example of the US (figure 12), apartments use almost half the heating energy and lighting energy than a single family house. In general, the energy profile of a single family house is much higher than that of the multifamily building. It is almost definite, that due to the increasing population the living standards in developing countries are growing fast which influences the energy demand. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) The office sector in most countries has a significant impact on the energy consumption. These kinds of buildings belong to the commercial buildings sector and they are one of the biggest categories, as they use large amounts of space and energy! The actual buildings, depending on their use, can be found having a great variety, which are from small single buildings to skyscrapers. Usually though, due to the rapid world development which demands more public services, the office buildings are newer rather than older buildings. In China, where technological developments and services increase rapidly, the office sectors are growing rapidly. Additionally, the technological developments influence and change ones working life as with new high technology, it is easier for some people to work from their homes. The results of these new trends, is the reduction of the floor space needed per person, having fewer large offices and more flexible space. All these factors influence the energy consump tion of an office building. Some other factors that affect the energy demand in office buildings are the same ones as the ones for Meeting Energy Demands of the Growing Population Meeting Energy Demands of the Growing Population Literature review Nowadays, an important factor for economic and social development is energy sufficiency. Energy is the fuel of growth. Scientists predictions show that by the year 2050, energy demand will increase significantly due to the fact of the increasing population of the earth and that more buildings are going to be constructed. (Ref: Facts and trends, energy and climate, world business). A lot of predictions are published about how fast the population, the economy and the energy consumption of the world will increase in the years and decades to come. In reference to the matter of growth, development and energy demand, most of the predictions were wrongly made. Most predictions are reciprocally dependant on each other, and each one relies on many other factors. However, the only prediction that can be securely made is for the population and that the growth will be larger in the less development countries than the developed countries. (UNITED NATIONS) Developed countries are managing to improve the living conditions and decrease the death rates, but at the same time the birth rates have been decreasing at about the same rate over the last century. By this way the population growth is around 0.4% per year, in the industrialized world. On the other hand, less developed countries are managing their development and as a result have increased birth rates and decreased death rates. Consequently, their average population growth has increased from about 1% per year, from fifty years ago to about 2.1% per year today. At the moment, the worlds population is increasing at an annual rate of 1,7%, whereas the population in developed countries is around 1,2 billion (25% of the total) and in less developed countries is around 4 billion (75% of total world population). (United Nations) Population increases are directly connected with the energy demand and the building sector. It is therefore essential to develop new energy technologies on a massive scale for everyone to be able to survive on this planet. Ordinary buildings are unable to contribute to these essential needs, and cover the gush of the energy demand which is going to follow over the next decade. Energy use and climate impacts Power plants use fossil fuels for their energy productions and therefore this way cover the energy demands of the people. As a consequence though, from the burning of the fossil fuels, green house gases are produced and emitted into the atmosphere. As mentioned in the introduction, these anthropogenic activities have a significant contribution to the green house effect and the climate changes. Generally, in reference to the climate changes issues, scientists opinions are split into two. On the one hand, it is believed that the changes are part of the earths life and it is something normal which has been accelerated by our human activities and there is a possibility to stabilize the climate changes. On the other hand, it is believed that these changes are not normal and are going to make the world uninhabitable. For this reason, fast and immediate actions should be taken by all countries, targeting to reduce the energy demands and green house gases. It is almost definite that any of these actions will have a deep impact on the economy of each country. Many people believe that energy saving, means diminishing the current quality of living and reducing economy activity. In addition, economists believe that without economic growth, investments on technology will be reduced as it will difficult to confront climate changes. On the other hand, scientists argue that technological development is the key to the solution in reference to the climate changes problem. The truth is that, any solution in reference to climate changes will need an effort from everyone and investments on technological research and development, giving us this way a chance for a better future! IPCCs fourth assessment report further concluded that the building sector is not only the largest potential for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also that this potential is relatively independent of the cost per ton of CO2 eqv. achieved. With proven and commercially available technologies, the energy consumption in both new and old buildings can be cut by an estimated 30-50 percent without significantly increasing investment costs. Energy savings can be achieved through a range of measures including smart design, improved insulation, low-energy appliances, high efficiency ventilation and heating/cooling systems, and conservation behaviour from the buildings users. (Reference- IPCCs fourth assessment report) Summarising the above it is obvious that the population growth, economic development, human habits, way of living and environmental restrictions influence the energy demand around the world. Scientists and in general, the governments who are trying to give solutions to the big problem of the growing energy demands and its consequences, have to take into account all of these factors. Reshaping the energy future It is necessary for all countries to reshape the future of energy, as all scientific researches show. The actual word reshape, includes new innovation technologies and sources which are going to contribute to the energy needs of the world. It is necessary to find new paths which are further environmental friendly and will permit a better future. A lower carbon world is feasible in the next decade even during the next few years, if all countries can realize that significant changes that should be done. This especially applies to the developed countries as they have to reconsider and find a link between the quality of life and their energy consumption. It is necessary for everyone to understand that a high standard of living does not demand a high consumption of energy and to adapt to the new energy sources. The good news is that small changes in the energy scenery are now visible as many have started to be influenced. For example, the raised use of gas, the use of renewable energy on buildings, everyday life and high efficiency cars are some of the small steps that have been offered to people due to technological development. As figure three shows, the IPCC scenarios (A1B-AIM and B2-AIM) were based on the new technological achievements in the energy sector. It is definite that this evolution is not enough for our earths climate but the two scenarios predict a possible CO2 stabilization. Finally, efforts to create an energy efficient world are starting, in reference to low carbon technologies and effective measures. (Reference-world business facts and trends on climate change) As stated in the report of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) a lower carbon world would require a marked shift in the energy/development relationship, such as similar development levels to be achieved with an average of 30% less energy use. Both energy conservation through behavioural changes and energy efficiency via technology plays a role. Such a trend is a feature of the IPCC B1 storyline, which sees a future with a globally coherent approach to sustainable development. It describes a fast-changing and convergent world toward a service and information economy, with reductions in material intensity and the introduction of clean and resource efficient technologies. The scenario leads to relatively low GHG emissions, even without explicit interventions to manage climate change.'(Reference Energy and climate change, world business) A Sustainable World Energy Perspective An important key to the worlds energy problem is sustainable development. Sustainability includes the economic and technological development, which respect and protect the environment. Searching literature for an exact definition of sustainable development, guided us to the The Brundtland Report of the UN World Commission on Environment and Development. In this report a definition of sustainable development, is given: Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable – to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs However it is difficult to find exact definitions which represent the sustainable development accurately, due to the fact that it is an idea which involves too many parameters. (Reference Engineering_for_Sustainable_Development) It is amazing to see how the sustainable development concept, stays on important issues of discussion even with the passing of tweedy years from the Brundtland report. In this concept, development faces three important paths: the economic, the social and the environmental (figure 4). If governments want to meet these targets it is necessary to carry out innovative technologies and a socio-economic approach. Nevertheless, sustainable development is not the only problem and therefore it is always important to consider the three major paths. Protection of the environment, economic success and improvement of social conditions, will be the achievements of a flourishing sustainable development. These three paths are linked together for a sustainable development and their integration must be equal without any compromises. The goal of sustainable development is, to point out the importance of the environment to the public who are now alive and for the coming generations. It is important for everyone to understand that our existence depends on the global environment and every decision of this generation is going to affect the lives of our future generations. Thus for this goal to be achievable, it is necessary to take measures for low green house emissions, use renewable sources and improve the energy consumption of our current lives. Governments and engineers are searching for the best way to come within reach of this goal as it is very difficult for developed and developing countries to achieve it. Presently, the building sectors involvement is essential because of its deep impact on energy consumption, its significant emissions and its use of huge natural sources. The buildings that currently exist will continue to exist, for more than 30 years and therefore this influences the lives of future generations. A sustainable approach of this sector is necessary due to its rapid growth. The new approach for the buildings sector will include buildings which will need less energy to operate, produce low carbon emissions, use environmental friendly materials and produce their own energy from renewable sources. It is almost definite that the sustainable green development of the building sector will help countries accomplish the targets of the Kyoto Protocol, whilst also guarantee at the same time, the future for coming generations. Evolution of the buildings and the opportunity for change. As believed by many, buildings are our third skin and this plays an important role for humans to survive. From the beginning of human history, humans always aimed to try and protect themselves from all weather conditions and all changes, developing due to this, different kinds of shelters. Over the years, humans adapted and managed to survive all the different changes that have happened on earth. The question now, is what will happen whilst we are facing the rapid climate changes and what will be the future consequences? Hundreds of thousands year ago, people moved from place to place and tried to create the best conditions to live in. Depending on the place, whether hot or cold, humans developed different kind of shelters to protect themselves from the heat of the sun in the deserts, or the cold of the northern climates. Studies of these people movements over the years, shows us a big variety of shelters and developments of different ways in order to face the climate conditions. Other factors, which determine the humans survival techniques in extreme conditions from the past, like the lower attitude of the Arctic Circle, were the design of the buildings, the quality of clothes and the behavioural adaptations, like changing posture, activity level sand choosing the most comfortable space to occupy, by moving around rooms and buildings and landscapes; and then of course the use of energy from the burning of fossil fuels or the careful use of stored energy in heat or cold stores. (Adapting building cities for climate change) Another extraordinary point from past decades is the energy issue. People mainly used coal, wood and water to provide themselves with enough energy, whether in a passive or active manner and covered in this way, their need for heating or cooling. By taking advantage of the natural and available energy resources, humans managed to develop houses which were ready for all extreme weather conditions. All these extreme weather conditions made humans innovate new approaches for buildings, and provide them with a more comfortable life. An interesting approach of surviving all the climate changes is to move to different areas at the respective time of the year, which is when they are comfortable, and to leave them again when they are not – to migrate. (Adapting building cities for climate change) This approach is an impossible one to apply, in the modern way of life and the new cities. Nevertheless what could be extracted from the past is the expertise of the ancient people and the way they faced the climate changes. In our day and age, engineers and scientists use the knowledge from the past whilst at the same time search for new innovative approaches for the buildings. The evolution of the buildings sector involves the innovation of new technologies whilst the same time, protecting the environment and its natural sources. It is not just a matter of how to build or what to build but it is also a matter to make the buildings adaptable to the new challenges of the climate changes and energy efficient. This evolution is directly connected with the world surviving because buildings are part of the global environment which at the moment is in danger. As written in the book titled Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change the risk of not surviving in a particular building type and region will be largely dependent on the nature of that building and on how much the climate changes. Both are crucial in the challenge of designing buildings today in which people can be comfortable in 50 years time. At the point where the evolution of the building sectors began, there are great opportunities to change the current negative predictions of the climate changes. Significant reductions on energy consumption, better design, adequate technology and appropriate behaviours are some of the keys points which could accomplish the transformation of the buildings sector (figure 7). This transformation needs the participation and contribution from the businesses, the markets, the politicians and engineers. All together, they must act right away because the use of renewable sources is slowly growing and the energy demand is rapidly increasing, setting this way, tight deadlines in order to transform the sector. As it is mentioned in the Energy Efficiency, Buildings report and the IPPC 4th Assessment report, Residential and commercial buildings, action is essential as part of the worlds response to climate change because energy use in buildings is 30-40% of final energy consumption and carbon diox ide emissions in most countries. (Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report and the IPPC 4th Assessment report, Residential and commercial buildings) There are many opportunities to transform the buildings sector into the new era, as well as being feasible and applicable for old and new buildings. Significant energy reductions can be achieved by using new technologies, e.g. energy efficiency appliances, low consumption cooling systems etc, use of renewable sources, better design and operation and use of environmental friendly materials. Using these methods it will be possible to reduce the energy demand of up to two-thirds. Low-energy buildings must become the norm rather than the novelty project. (Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report) Beyond the opportunities given to change the buildings sector and stabilize the climate changes, this transformation will additionally contribute to the economy growth by giving new opportunities for jobs and businesses. (Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report)As already mentioned, the transformation will only succeed in the case where, building energy becomes a high priority to the governments and businesses leaderships, whilst cooperation between engineers, businesses and authorities is also established in reference to this issue.( Reference- Energy Efficiency in the Buildings report) Buildings types: characteristics and profiles Around the world, a vast variety of different types of buildings can be found, and each different type covers multiple and different needs. It is therefore essential at this point, to present the different types of buildings, as this report will focus on the buildings sector and the energy demands. Despite the fact that in the literature review, it is possible to find a plethora of terminology of the building types, nevertheless the general idea of this separation, of the buildings into categories is the same. Usually the separation of the buildings is a result of its use. It is very important to additionally mention at this point, that in most countries, many of the buildings were built before any energy regulation and these buildings will be around for at least the next 40 years. As figure 8 shows, in Europe, 50% of the buildings were built before 1975. Residential Buildings Residential buildings are commonly found all over the world. However, big and small differences can be found in all of them depending on the climate varieties of each country. For example, in hot climates the important need is for cooling and keeping the temperatures comfortable all over the house. This is achieved by the use of control systems, high insulation materials, shading systems and double or triple glazing. Additionally, this way, the energy demands and cost stays under control. In addition, a high use of passive or active solar systems is found in these hot climate countries. On the other hand, buildings in the cold climates have different needs to achieve temperature comfort. In these climates, the need for heating is essential but this is directly related with other parameters, such as low emissivity windows, good insulation materials and good design. It is very important in these climates, whilst designing, to consider the thermal mass of the building, as this may contr ibute during the night to the heating. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) Where residential buildings are concerned, it is easy to use renewable sources and cover the energy needs of a house because the demand is not so big. For example, photovoltaic systems can be used as the main source of energy, minimizing the CO2 emissions and the operation costs of the building. Non-Residential Buildings Non-Residential Buildings are also commonly located all over the world. In contrast with the Residential buildings, these kinds are appropriate for extreme hot or cold climates, without any access to utilities. As it is described in the Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines report of the U.S. Department of Energy these building types have a natural connection with the outdoors; and the structures present an opportunity to interpret the resource-conservation mission of the agency to the visiting public. These structures typically combine a need for window area, massive construction, and a tolerance for temperature swings—all of which are highly compatible with low-energy building design. Day lighting is another key strategy for deployment in these building types. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) However, the energy balance of a Non-Residential building is almost independent, from lighting and internal gain. A great opportunity on these kinds of buildings, is to apply the low energy methods and design, due to the fact that such buildings have low energy consumption. A visitor centre is a good example, of this kind of building, and usually they have big budgets allowing the choice of high tech materials and technologies. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) Urban Office Buildings Urban office buildings are usually located in the city centres because these buildings offer public services, to the people. As known, urbanization in most countries carries negative consequences for the city centres, for example, expensive land prices. Due to this fact, the design and use of these buildings must be compact and offer the maximum possible. The use of the building is generally defined by the services that are offered, and the space is then separated into offices and support facilities. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) Quite frequently, another characteristic of office buildings is their old style, as well as other restrictions, due to the fact that many countries conserve the old buildings in the city centres. Thus the changes for energy conservation or better energy performance on these buildings are limited and therefore it is difficult to apply low energy strategies. In addition, the development of the surrounding area and the high tower new buildings are an important factor, which influence the energy performance of an office building due to the shade provided. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) On the other hand, new urban office buildings have a great opportunity to save energy as new technologies and design can be afforded and are significant potentials. Another point which helps low energy designs to be applied on office buildings is the wide use of curtain walls, mainly in most of the downtown buildings. The problems which can occur from the use of this kind of buildings is lack of thermal comfort, lack of orientation and the overuse of glass enhance low energy buildings design. New approaches on the office buildings, has started to be applied and they are getting transformed into high technology buildings, which offer better services to the people who work there. A key factor of successful low energy office buildings is the placement of the private office at the back side of the building. As a result of this design, the artificial lighting will be reduced as natural lights are directed further into the buildings. This will have a significant impact not only for energy demands but also to the HVAC systems. Nevertheless, Urban Office Buildings demand a careful design which takes into account the climate, the orientation, the facade design, the HVAC, shading from the surrounding buildings and the complex interactions amongst lighting. (Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines) All the above types of buildings constitute the common categories that serve the different human needs. However, there are many subcategories which are adapted specifically for each different climate and different needs. Energy impacts of the buildings The energy impacts of a building, is a very important factor to consider, in order to succeed with the design of low energy buildings. The different types of buildings and the differences between their energy demands, is the key for the development of zero energy buildings. As mentioned before, each type of building is designed for a specific use and to cover different needs. Starting with the residential buildings, studies show us, greater energy consumption than the commercial buildings. The report includes six different regions which are Brazil, China, Europe, India, Japan and the United States. During this report the residential sector is divided into two categories, consisting of the single family and the multi-family buildings, this way being able to focus on the energy performance for each case. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Consumption Survey; Federcasa, Italian Housing Federation (2006), Housing Statistics of the European Union 2005/2006; Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (2003), 2003 Housing and Land Survey (Japan); EEB core group research) (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) As the above figure shows (figure 9), single family buildings are more common in Brazil, India and the United States, in contrast with China, Europe and Japan where the single family buildings are at the same level as multifamily buildings. It is possible that in a few years, this global scenery will change and more multifamily buildings will be required, due to an increasing population of the earth and the growing urbanization in big countries. On the other hand, the development of the countries and economies will allow more people to get richer and own a single family house. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Generally, the residential buildings tend to increase the energy demands all over the world. Unfortunately, the modern way of life includes extra comforts which are offered by the high technological appliances and the bigger buildings. As the quality of life increases, the energy consumption grows and more natural sources are needed to cover these human needs. Nevertheless, the energy demand is changing from country to country, as the climate and economy growth, are affecting peoples habits. (Figure 10) The above graph shows us that in six different regions, the economic growth and the climates have different impacts on the energy consumption of each country. For example, space heating is essential in Europe and China, in contrast with Japan and India where the use is low. Additionally in Japan, water heating is very important, whilst in other countries not so much. Another important point to notice on this graph, is cooking in India, as many areas do not have access to electricity therefore their main energy use, is cooking. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Amongst the residential buildings, one big subcategory is the single family buildings. (Figure 11) All around the world, single family buildings have the greatest impact on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. In the developed countries, people tend to consume more energy at their homes, as they demand more comfort and have bigger spaces, better heating and cooling systems, artificial lighting and use more appliances. For example, whereas in Japan people tend to heat only one of the rooms instead of the whole house, but in Europe they tend to install central heating systems and heat the whole building. All these factors reflect the changes of peoples behaviour, as they become wealthier from the economic growth. It is a fact, that as more people will become wealthier the demand for single family homes will also increase, and the demand will then be greater than today, therefore increasing the energy consumptions. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) The issue of reducing consumption in single family buildings is not so simple. In general, all countries encounter serious barriers when it comes to taking effective measures for lower energy consumption. In Europe, many of the buildings that already exist, have an enormous challenge to retrofit these old buildings and apply low energy building principles. Definitely, these changes will cost money and everyone is interested in getting financial backing from the governments. Another issue at hand is to raise awareness, about all the changes that everyone needs to know about, especially with regards to the green technology and the proposed energy solutions which will cover their needs, and be easy to install. Unfortunately until now, the lack of information and financial measures has not helped the development of green technologies and designs for single family houses. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development mention that there are two key barriers to transforming what is currently a refurbishment market into an energy-efficient market: the first one is that people do not know where to find the relevant information on options, prices and suppliers; there are no one-stop shops for retrofitting and the second one is that homeowners base decisions largely on the first cost rather than overall financial returns. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) In developing countries, the biggest problem is the lack of regulations and mechanisms which would then force the people and the market to change. For example, in China the building codes are not effectively applied and in Brazil, 75% of the single homes are illegally built. In addition, developing countries as mentioned before have different needs to the developed countries, so the need to provide houses is more essential that the need to reduce energy consumption. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) In Japan and the US, the growing population is followed by high rates of constructions. This rapid development of the market causes huge problems to also then apply the green principles on a big scale. Another major problem in these countries is the big differences between the submarket which block, in some ways, the measures of low energy design. The key to the solution in these countries is strengthening their regulations, by giving more information to the public and changing their behaviour. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) In the cases of the multifamily buildings, which belong in Residential buildings sector, another approach is necessary for energy efficiency. These types of buildings are commonly located in cities where the urbanization problems are huge. In Europe, the US and Japan these buildings vary from very small to luxury apartments, so the energy demand is also varied. As referred to before, many of the buildings in the centre of the towns were built many years ago, so to achieve energy efficiency and apply the low energy principle is a great issue. In developing countries, incomes influence the preference for bigger houses and more energy consumption, therefore making a multifamily building a key factor for lower energy demand. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) Still, comparing single family homes with apartments, obviously the energy needs in an apartment are less due to their small size and space and lower exterior wall area. Looking at the example of the US (figure 12), apartments use almost half the heating energy and lighting energy than a single family house. In general, the energy profile of a single family house is much higher than that of the multifamily building. It is almost definite, that due to the increasing population the living standards in developing countries are growing fast which influences the energy demand. (Reference- energy efficiency in buildings –market) The office sector in most countries has a significant impact on the energy consumption. These kinds of buildings belong to the commercial buildings sector and they are one of the biggest categories, as they use large amounts of space and energy! The actual buildings, depending on their use, can be found having a great variety, which are from small single buildings to skyscrapers. Usually though, due to the rapid world development which demands more public services, the office buildings are newer rather than older buildings. In China, where technological developments and services increase rapidly, the office sectors are growing rapidly. Additionally, the technological developments influence and change ones working life as with new high technology, it is easier for some people to work from their homes. The results of these new trends, is the reduction of the floor space needed per person, having fewer large offices and more flexible space. All these factors influence the energy consump tion of an office building. Some other factors that affect the energy demand in office buildings are the same ones as the ones for