Sustainability of building

Introduction The environment is an important part of every human being. This is because it is what informs the quality of life that one leads. In essence, quality is defined by the environment or the surroundings that one has (Abraham 2006). Thus, maintaining a quality environment is usually on top of the agenda when it comes to establishing the kind of area that one is living in. We live in a society that seeks to ensure that development is achieved in all things. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sustainability of building specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is worth noting that most of development projects within the society emanate from the construction which takes place within the society. In this case the buildings which are put up need to meet certain standards which are in line with the expectations of environmental sustainability as well as ensure that the quality of the building is in accordance with th e stated regulations. It therefore follows that achieving sustainability is the role of the engineers (Jonker Jan 2012). Purpose of the report The purpose of this report is to establish the main considerations which need to be put in mind when designing buildings. It brings to the fore the importance of engineering which is based on strategy as well as technology based on progress (Jonker Jan 2012). Preview of the themes The main themes in this report evaluate the impact of the engineering projects on the environment. In addition, this report seeks to evaluate some of the strategies which need to be put in place in order to ensure that the negative impacts of the future engineering projects are mitigated (Abraham 2006). This will be achieved through ensuring that some of the major objectives are realized. These objectives include working towards ensuring that the maintenance of the options which are available meet a given criteria that is in tandem with the critical threats and objectives, secondly, identifying the critical threats with the intention of avoiding the threats to sustainability and lastly, being in a position of coming up with long term strategies which will work towards safeguarding the interests of the people as well as ensuring that the long term projects are beneficial to all the parties who are available (Wheeler Beatley 2004). Background: The goals The goal of any society is to ensure that there is both growth and survival. In order to achieve this, there is need to ensure that the projects and approaches which are put in place are sustainable and progressive. To achieve this goal, institutions and societies work towards creating more value than they consume. This is characterized by being innovative and creative amidst trying and tough times (Jonker Jan 2012). The goal of the environment is to survive and prosper.Advertising Looking for report on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15 % OFF Learn More In order to achieve this sustainable environment and ecosystem needs to be put in place. Essentially, this goal can only be achieved if people cannot stop or reduce extracting heavy metals, and establishing buildings and constructions which are depleting the earth’s very resources (Jonker Jan 2012). The degradation which has been taking place in the environment due to inadequate engineering strategies has led to the wasting away of vital aspects of the society. Thus, a framework which is defined by the right strategies needs to be put in place. This is because, without such frameworks, the future of the projects will be put into jeopardy. Furthermore, if these frameworks are not put in place, the chances of having sustainable projects and buildings in the future will not be guaranteed (Wheeler Beatley 2004). Time is another important aspect when it comes to sustainable projects and buildings. This is because, projects are established based on tim e frames in which they will operate. There is need to establish the positive and the negative effects of a given project within a given time frame (Abraham 2006). This will enable the engineers to be in a better position of establishing what aspects need to be given priority and which need tom be ignored. Consequently, the results which shall be attained will be in line with the objectives which will be worked towards (Wheeler Beatley 2004). Scope of the challenge of sustainability Owing to the nature of the problems which are faced by the engineers, most of them will tend to work based on the opportunities which arise. This poses challenges to the nature of the sustainability of the work which shall be realized. Based on this, the nature of progress depends on the ability to address what has been happening in the past. For instance, in developed countries, the effects of previous projects should be analyzed in light of the future anticipated projects. Through such ventures, the sustainability and the suitability of the buildings and nay projects will be realized (Jonker Jan 2012). Suitability of any project should be evaluated against the information and data which has been collected from other parties. In this case, engineers should work closely in consultation with other immediate stakeholders such as planners in order to be in a better position to provide and generate solutions to the prevailing circumstances. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sustainability of building specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through this, effective solutions will be realized with regard to the problems which are prevailing in light of the challenges (Wheeler Beatley 2004). The role of education One may ask, what role does education play in all these? Essentially, education forms a large portion of the process. This is because education provides the thinking perspectives which are informed by the phil osophy which informs the output or the products of an education system (Wheeler Beatley 2004). In as much as we may seek to establish much better projects which are sustainable, it is equally worth mentioning the fact that the system of education has not really played sufficient or adequate role in addressing these issues. Furthermore, the philosophy which was used in the previous society is the same philosophy which is still in use today. Therefore, the chances of having a changed approach to the issues which are affecting the society are almost brought to nil. In the current age, it is therefore important to integrate new versions of approaches with the better teaching and learning approaches. Furthermore, the engineering curriculum should be able to provide a platform which will or can harmonize the traditional techniques of solving designs as well as the current trends. Through this, engineers will be more receptive when it comes to accepting criticisms of technology regardin g the sustainability and suitability of projects within a given scope of time (Jonker Jan 2012). Conclusion In conclusion, sustainability is an issue which needs to be addressed in every circle of development. This is because it informs the approaches which should be taken when working on a project. However, despite the importance of the subject, little has been achieved especially in light of the curriculum which is followed by the engineering students. Thus, there is need to interrogate the best approaches that are bound to reinvigorate the engineering approaches and enhance creativity which will work towards solving some of the technological problems which are being faced. In this regard, technology will be able to provide solutions which will ensure that the problems which are presently being faced do not recur in the future Reference List Abraham, MA 2006, Sustainability science and engineering:defining principles, illustrated edn, Elsevier, New York. Advertising Looking for report on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Jonker, G Jan, H 2012, Engineering for Sustainability:A Practical Guide for Sustainable Design, Elsevier, New York. Wheeler, SM Beatley, T 2004, The sustainable urban development reader, Routledge, New York. This report on Sustainability of building was written and submitted by user Dominik V. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Thailand Research Paper †Current Issues (300 Level Course)

Thailand Research Paper – Current Issues (300 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Thailand Research Paper Current Issues (300 Level Course) Kingdom of Thailand Ruler: King Bhumibol Adulyadej Prime Minister: Thaksin Shinawatra Capital and Largest City: Bangkok Monetary Unit: baht Government: Constitutional Monarchy Geography Area: 198, 455 square miles Boundaries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malay 506 km Climate: tropical, rainy, warm, cloudy, monsoons Terrain: central plains, Khorat Plateau in the east, mountains Demographics Population: 65, 444,371 Ethnicity/Race: Thai 75 %, Chinese 14 %, other 11% Languages: Thai (Siamese), English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects Religions: Buddhist 95%, Islam 3.8%, Christian 0.5%, Hindu 0.1%, other 0.6% Education Thailand has a very high literacy rate of 96% for men and women. The ratio of male to female enrollment in primary school between the years 1998-2000 is 100 to 96; and the male to female ratio for enrollment into secondary school is 85 to 81. Thailand has 26 privately operated universities and colleges. There are presently 42 universities and 36 teacher colleges. These universities offer a wide variety of courses at the Bachelors degree level in fields such as Arts, Business Administration, Education, medicine and many more (â€Å"2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake†). Thailand’s population is literate and educated as seen in the table below: Attendance of Males Females Adult literacy 97% 94% Secondary School 85% 81% Primary School 87% 85% Communication Thailand has 5.6 million telephones, 3.1 million cellular phones, 13.96 million radios, 15.19 million televisions, 1.2 internet users. There are 5 broadcast stations in Bangkok and 131 repeaters; as well as 204 A.M., 334 F.M., and 6 shortwave radio stations. Economics Thailand has industry in tourism, textiles, garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, furniture, plastics, producer of tungsten and tin. Natural resources available within the region include: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable and land. Agricultural crops in Thailand consist of rice, corn, rubber, cassava, sugarcane, coconuts, and soybean. The Labor force represents 36.43 million in revenue from the following areas: agriculture 54%, industry 15%, service 31% (â€Å"2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake†); see graph below: Thailand’s GDP (gross domestic product) and PPP (power product parity) total $524.8 billion; $8,100 per capita. The unemployment rate is 1.5% and the mean income per household is $160,000 baht. Role of Women Women in Thailand are recognized toward contributions made in Thai society. Their roles have changed from a once perceived equal role in early history during the Sukhothai period to being discriminated against during the Ayudhya period. In early Thai history women were reveled as having high esteem and being treated well. Women were though to be business savvy and dominated their husband over financial matters in the home. With outside influences this equilibrium in gender roles faded to a period of much discrimination known as Ayudhya. The Ayudhya period of the fourteenth century was characterized by husbands practicing polygamy and wives being divided into different classes. A saying of this period was â€Å"Women are buffaloes. Men are humans.† The extreme legal oppression of women continued until the nineteenth century into the current Ratanakosin period. In 1985 the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination was held and as a result social changes for women were made in work, education, and legal matters; although this is not widely accepted by Thai men. Discrimination in higher education was reported in smaller colleges. Philosophy of using quota systems to attempt to control the number of women enrolled in science programs still exist. In the workplace women were able to receive equal pay, but are still unable to perform duties considered dangerous or strenuous labor. Thai women also experience difficulties with divorce laws. Divorces are more difficult for women to obtain, the responsibility of child support falls on the women, and nationality laws affect the identity of children born out of wedlock. Despite these setbacks women are making strides in the political arena, receiving better education and involvement in diverse career settings. Women represent 45.4% of the labor force in Thailand (â€Å"2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake†) Total Fertility Rate The current less than 5% infant mortality rate was 148 in the 1960’s and has dropped a great deal to 26 since 2003. Nine percent of infants were born with low weight from the years of 1998-2003. Life Expectancy The life expectancy of the total population is age 69. The typical age of death for males is around the age of 69-70 and for females age 73-74. Leading Causes of Death In Thailand, the main causes of death are Aids and the HIV virus. It has been estimated that 58,000 have died from HIV and Aids and that 570,000 are living with it. An estimated number of 12,000 out of 58,000 of the deaths in the past two years were due to HIV and Aids and 50 percent of the infections came from I.D.U’s (Injections of Drugs). The third major cause of death is road accidents. Most of the accidents happened in the northeast and the victims are found to be more males than females. According to Apichart Mekmasin, Director of the Public Health Ministry’s Non-communicable Disease Department, motorcycles were proven to be the main cause of road accidents. Ninety percent of the deaths were motor bike mishaps while 84 percent resulted in injuries. Dietary Staple Thai cuisine is pungent and spicy, seasoned with heaps of garlic, curry chilies, ginger, coriander, galangal root, basil, peanuts, tamarind, ginger, coconut milk, fish sauce and shrimp pasta. Main staples include: rice, fish, chicken, noodles, sugar cane and citrus fruits. Infrastructure Water resources are vital assets in the development of Thailand. The water is essential for human consumption, sanitation, the production of food and fiber, as well as the production of many industrial goods. The most striking characteristic of the water resource is its uneven and inequitable spatial and temporal distribution. In some areas they have too little water; others have too much, suffering from floods which can cause substantial loss of life and damage to property. The most important and the largest river basin in Thailand is the Chao Phraya Basin. Thailand is on a peninsula that is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The solid waste is bulk collection and mass disposal. The Tsunami Thailand was hit by a Tsunami on December 26, 2004. An earthquake that occurred in the Indian Ocean, off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island caused the Tsunami. The death count is approximately 8,000. The most damage occurred in Phuket and Khao Lak both resort towns and slightly above sea level. The economic impact is considerable, although Thailand has a strong and flexible economy. Official Death Count Province Thai Foreign Deaths Total Injured Thai Injured Foreign Injured Total Injured Missing Krabi 288 188 686 808 568 1,376 890 Phang Nga 1,950 2,213 4,163 4,344 1,253 5,597 2,113 Phuket 154 105 262 591 520 1,111 700 Ranong 167 2 169 215 31 246 12 Satun 6 0 6 15 0 15 0 Trang 3 2 5 92 20 112 1 Total 2,568 2,510 5,291 6,065 2,392 8,457 3,716 Tsunami Aid Infrastructure damage to many resorts and small businesses around the Andaman Sea will take several years to rebuild. Debris remains in the reefs that were carried out to sea. Sediment, trees, rubble, cars and other debris were dragged into the ocean; destruction of housing, fishing boats and gear, cropland and plantations were wiped out. The water and air was contaminated by chemical waste from the homes that were destroyed U.S. government funds for the Asian tsunami reconstruction totals $525 million proposed to rebuild infrastructure and restore shattered livelihoods (â€Å"Reconstructing Paradise†). Tsunami Relief The World Health Organizations warned that the number of deaths from preventable diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, dysentery and typhoid could rival the death toll from the disaster itself. The diseases are more like to spread through bodily waste of the living after the loss of normal sanitary facilities. The U.S. embassy in Thailand, The U.S. Pacific Command, The World Health Organization, United Nations Childrens Fund, World Vision has helped more than 1 million people in the Indian Ocean region with shelter, food, economic recovery and other urgent needs. Contributing corporations were Coca-Cola, Exxon Mobil, Microsoft, General Motors , Pepsi, Nike, Johnson Johnson all donated money and supplies to the country (â€Å"NGOs respond to Asia tsunamis†). Work Cited Page â€Å"2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake† Wikipedia24 June 2005 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake â€Å"NGOs respond to Asia tsunamis† Reuters Foundation23 June 2005 alertnet.org/thefacts/reliefresources/110409431212.htm â€Å"Reconstructing paradise† lonely planet 4 June 2005 lonelyplanet.com/journeys/tsunami/thailand_reconstructing2.cfm â€Å"Thailand† The World Factbook 14 June 2005 cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/th.html Research Papers on Thailand Research Paper - Current Issues (300 Level Course)Influences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaResearch Process Part One19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionTrailblazing by Eric AndersonHip-Hop is ArtThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use