Sustainable Home Design

It is estimated that buildings, their construction, operation and disposal, account for over 40% of the total energy consumption. This causes the depletion of natural resources and for the production of pollution leading to problems such as global warming and acid rain.

EMBODIED ENERGY

Buildings take energy to construct them. This is called 'embodied' energy, which is all the energy required to extract, manufacture and transport a building's materials as well as that required to construct and 'finish' it. As buildings become increasingly energy efficient, the energy required to create them becomes proportionately more significant in relation to that required to run them. Some modern materials, such as aluminium, consume vast amounts of energy in their manufacture. The common building material with least embodied energy is wood. Brick is the material with the next lowest amount of embodied energy, (4 times that of wood). From the perspective of embodied energy, every building, no matter what its condition, has a large amount of energy locked into it. This is yet another factor in favour of conserving and restoring old buildings, and for designing long life, loose fit buildings that easily accommodate change. Also, because the energy used in transporting its materials becomes part a building's embodied energy, this is a motivation to use local materials.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Smaller is better: Optimize use of interior space. Be energy-efficient: Use high levels of insulation, high-performance windows and tight construction. Use renewable energy: passive solar heating, day lighting and natural cooling. Design water-efficient, low-maintenance landscaping and grey water from sinks, showers etc. can be recycled for irrigation.

Spread the environmental impacts of a building over as long a period as possible to improve durability. Make sure the structure is adaptable to other uses, and choose materials and components that can be reused or recycled in the future.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

Because manufacturing is very energy-intensive, a product that lasts longer or requires less maintenance usually saves energy. Where possible, select building materials that will require little maintenance or whose maintenance will have minimal environmental impact. Choose building materials with low embodied energy. Heavily processed or manufactured products and materials are usually more energy-intensive. Locally produced building materials cuts transportation costs, and thus reducing pollution.

Building products made from recycled materials cut energy consumption in manufacturing and save on natural resources. Solvent-based finishes, adhesives, etc. release toxic compounds into the air and should be used to a minimum. Products with excessive packaging, is an energy waste and should be avoided.

CONCLUSION

It surprises a lot of people to learn that a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, passive-solar house built today may consume less heating and cooling energy over 30 or even 50 years of operation than was required to build it. To effectively reduce energy use, we will need to focus on embodied energy as well as operating energy.

Written by Jere Botes, architect & founder ofhttp://www.dreamhouses.co.za, a website dedicated to provide home builders, home renovators, home owners & developers with free professional advice on all aspects of home design, building & diy. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing tohttp://www.dreamhouses.co.za.

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Home Improvement Expense - Check For Tax Break

The Question of Home Improvement Deductions

Every homeowner is looking for ways Professional Insulation reduce the amount of money paid to the government as taxes, so home improvement tax deductions have generated a lot of discussion among both those who own homes and those who prepare tax returns for them. Law change with some regularity so the homeowner cannot always be sure that home improvement deductions can be applied to their situation.

While taking a home improvement deduction seems to be a great goal, the truth is that home renovation and remodeling should be undertaken because it will increase the home's value and also improve the family's enjoyment of their home. A tax break should not be the primary reason for making improvements to the home.

In general, many home improvements will not have immediate tax benefits. But in the long term, significant renovations made to the family home will add enough market value to make the improvement a solid investment. This is really the major way that home improvements will work in favor of the homeowner.

Yet, a bit of research and some well-placed questions can uncover some situations in which deductions are possible. If home improvements are made for medical reasons or to improve conditions for someone with physical limitations, tax deductions may be possible.

If a family member is physically limited to the point that a larger bathroom is needed, or a completely new bathroom is called for, the costs may qualify for tax deduction. The same idea can work for a larger sleeping room, stair case modifications or other reasons. But it is always best to make sure by talking with a tax expert and doing some research. Medical expense, in many cases, is a primary reason for seeking tax deductions for home improvement costs.

According to some regulations, if a homeowner pays out more than seven percent of income for expenses related to medical necessities, the amount can be deducted from taxes. This amount can certainly be reached with significant home improvements. But it is always best to do some research and talk with a tax expert, rather than assume that home improvement costs qualify for tax deductions.

Home improvements made for business reasons may also qualify under current tax regulations. For example, if it is necessary to add a room for a work area or office, or to add a bathroom for the convenience of customers or clients, the costs of these home improvements may qualify under current tax regulations. Expenses from a home business are generally accepted as tax Roof Insulation Product so it is quite possible that remodeling expenses incurred strictly for business reasons may be too. This could include equipment purchased such as a cordless air compressor. Again, it would be wise not to assume this when planning home renovation.

Good records should always be kept so that necessary receipts accompany the tax report. Only with good documentation can a tax specialist determine which expenses qualify. The bottom line, though, may be this: Make home improvements because the family wants and needs the changes, or because those improvements are necessary for a home business, for example. Major home improvements should not be made just to benefit from a tax deduction.

Vince Paxton usually makes detailed papers on subjects corresponding to 12 volt air compressors. You can find his articles on cordless air compressor at http://www.insidewoodworking.com and many different sources for cordless air compressor knowledge.

Kapha - Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

With the days getting shorter and the nights longer we are moving into a period of the year when we feel even more the qualities of Kapha - heaviness, slowness. Yet we want Weight Gain Sleep Apnea carry on at our normal rhythm, especially during the holiday season. Did you also know that the evening is the Kapha time of the day? Having a good Manufacturing Industries Affected By Sleep Deprivation sleep is important for your health. Let me share some reasons with you.

Having a good night's sleep is not only important to increase your energy but also to

1. Boost your immune system

2. Keep the mind and body young

3. Avoid chronic diseases, such as diabetes

4. Keep in shape

5. To feel more at ease and satisfied with your life

But what can you do if you have problems getting a good night's sleep?

The key to getting quality sleep lies in having good digestion. However, digesting the food you eat well is just one part. It's also important to "digest" all the experiences you've savoured throughout the day. Here are some of my top nutritional tips to help you and your family get that good night's sleep in the coming months.

1. Avoid having drinks containing caffeine - coffee, tea, coca cola - before going to bed because they are stimulants. Your body may take, for example, up to 7 hours to digest the caffeine in a cup of coffee. Observe the effect such drinks have on your body, even if you have them late afternoon.

2. Drink little alcohol (if you drink any) and drink it earlier on in the evening. It can put you to sleep but also affects the quality and quantity of your sleep.

3. Eat satisfying meals which are rich in protein but light in the evening at least 3-4 hours before going to bed. Most of my new clients who regularly eat heavy meals in the evening tell me that they feel tired when they get up in the morning. If you're not sure what to prepare, enjoy a "taste" of my book "Plans for Dinner?"

4. Go to bed about the same time every evening, preferably before 11pm.

5. Observe your breathes for a few minutes before going to bed. Give thanks for each experience you've had that day, happy and not-so-happy moments. When you're lying down comfortably, continue to observe your breathe and slow it down.

(c) 2008 Janet Gomez

Janet Gomez, nutritional consultant, produces the "Nutri-Jyoti News", a free bi-monthly e-newsletter for busy professionals. If you feel ready to learn how to use nutritional strategies to manage your energy levels, sign up for her FREE e-course " 5 Nutritional Keys to Vitality in your Life " at http://www.nutrijyoti.com

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Type of Offshore Oil Rigs

What are oil rigs? It is a structure or building that being used to house workers and machinery needed to drill wells for oil and gas. Below are some types of offshore structures:

Fixed platform.
This type of rig is built on steel or concrete legs anchored directly onto the seabed, supporting a deck with space for drilling rigs, production facilities and crew quarters. Such building are, by virtue of their immobility, designed for very long term use. Various types of structure are used, steel jacket, concrete caisson etc. Steel jackets are vertical sections made of tubular steel members, and are usually piled into the seabed. Fixed platforms are economically River Boat Selling for installation in River Boat Selling depths up to about 1,700 feet (520 m).

Semi Submersible Platform
The platform has hulls (columns and pontoons) of sufficient buoyancy to cause the structure to float, but of weight sufficient to keep the structure upright. Semi-submersible is a mobile structure, can be moved from place to place; can be ballasted up or down by altering the amount of flooding in buoyancy tanks; they are generally anchored by combinations of chain, wire rope and/or polyester rope during drilling and/or production operations, though they can also be kept in place by the use of dynamic positioning. Operation area is in water depths from 200 to 10,000 feet (60 to 3,050 m).

Jack-Up Platforms

As the name of this oil rigs, it is a kind of platform that can be jacked up above the sea using his legs which can be lowered like jacks.

Typically used in water depths up to 400 feet (120 m), and might be some design up to 170 meters. They are designed to move from place to place, and then anchor themselves by deploying the legs to the ocean bottom using a rack and pinion gear system on each legs.

Drilling ships
A drillship is a ship or vessel that has been fitted with drilling apparatus / equipment. It is most often used for exploratory drilling of new oil or gas wells in deep water but can also be used for scientific drilling. This building usually prepared with a dynamic positioning system to maintain position over the well. They can drill in water depths up to 12,000 feet (3,660 m).

Tension Leg Platform.
TLPs is a floating platforms tied to the seabed in a manner that eliminates most vertical movement of the structure. This structure is used in water depths up to about 6,000 feet (2,000 m).

There are many other type of offshore structures that has been invented for the purpose of Oil Gas exploration and exploitation. Should you need more article, you can read it at Oil Rigs

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Leading with Integrity

Leadership is often defined as getting other people to do what you want. Using this definition it is no wonder that many people revert to using underhanded tactics to try to "trick" United States Senate Majority Leader followers into doing what they want. This is a shortcut to leadership and doesn't result in long Transformational Leadership value.

It is this type of "leadership by trickery" that makes people automatically suspicious of their leaders. If you want to develop a long term foundation for leadership, these types of short cut tricks will only prevent you from achieving your goals. Once some of your followers realize that they have been tricked you will lose any credibility you started with.

If you want a solid leadership foundation you must take the long view and consider how every action will impact your ability to lead further down the road. To build trust with your followers you must act with integrity.

Leading with integrity means doing what you say you will do. Many leaders get themselves into trouble by making commitments off the cuff and then not following through on those commitments. If you are careful what you say, you will increase your integrity with your followers simply because you won't have to back out of commitments you made with out thinking. When you do make commitments make sure they are tied to realistic timeframes. If you tell someone you are going to give them a raise next year, you are making a commitment with many factors you can't control. Sometimes saying that you will give them a raise when sales reach $1,000,000 will be a better commitment because it is tied to a goal that will enable you to give the raise.

Sometimes leading with integrity means going through with something to keep your word even when you would rather not. Not keeping your word will often hurt you much more than any inconvenience that is caused by keeping your word. If you ever have to go back on a promise, don't hide it under the rug. Take the time to apologize to the people you made the promise to. Effective Business Leadership and try to come up with some way to work things out even if you can't make the original commitment.

Another important part of leading with integrity is delegating responsibility. Many leaders fail by delegating responsibility and then taking back over when their delegate does something they don't want. When you delegate you need to be willing to part with the responsibility. If your delegate does something differently than you, you need to support their decision. That doesn't mean you can't steer them in a different direction, but always support their decision whenever possible. If you delegate responsibility and then pull it back, you will demotivate your followers and make it difficult to delegate other items in the future.

Leading with integrity is avoiding the shortcuts that many leaders take. By avoiding shortcuts you can build a strong foundation that will amplify your leadership skills as you develop trust with your team.

Leadership501 is a website with resources for leaders and people in management positions. Please visit http://www.leadership501.com to find out more about keeping a good relationship with people you lead and other leadership topics.

Make the Most of Your Mentoring Relationships

Mentoring is one of the best ways Behavior Leadership Type learn, to get feedback, and to take your career to the next level. Here are ten tips for making the most of your mentoring relationships.

Tip #1

Self-assess. Ask yourself, "What skills do I need to get where I want to go?"

Tip #2

Identify your learning goals. Put them in writing.

Tip #3

Decide together how the mentoring relationship will work - frequency and type of contact.

Tip #4

Commit the time. Dont give up Leadership School Improvement the chemistry doesnt feel right at the first meeting. Meet a minimum of once per month. Touch base regularly - by e-mail, Compare And Contrast Leadership Styles And Theories in person.

Tip #5

Take time to build trust and communication. Get to know each other on a personal level. Discuss your backgrounds, interests, career histories, and perspectives of your organizations.

Tip #6

Keep confidences. Nothing kills trust in a mentoring relationship faster than a breach of confidence.

Tip #7

Be sensitive to cultural and gender differences. Do a little homework. And listen.

Tip #8

Understand and plan for the phases of a mentoring relationship. Build in time for evaluation and closure.

Tip #9

This is about learning, whether youre a protg or a mentor. Keep a journal.

Tip #10

You dont need a single mentor who you keep throughout your career. What you need is a mind-set that allows you to learn from those around you, no matter who they are. To get ahead, create your own multitalented "board of advisors."

About The Author

Judith Lindenberger MBA has a distinguished career in human resources consulting and is recognized for her innovation and excellence. The Lindenberger Group, LLC provides results-oriented human resources consulting, organization development, customized training workshops and personal career training to help individuals and organizations improve their productivity and performance. The Lindenberger Group is a two-time recipient of The Athena Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Contact them at 609.730.1049 or info@lindenbergergroup.com or http://www.lindenbergergroup.com