Inspired by Nature, Perfected by Science Assignment

Inspired by Nature, Perfected by Science - Assignment Example Research was conducted by Dr. Alan Darlington — a world-renowned expert on indoor-air biofilters who is now our company President — along with a team of researchers from U of G. Findings from this research were so positive that Dr. Darlington was awarded a fellowship to take the technology to market. In 2001, Air Quality Solutions Ltd was launched. Through ongoing research and strong product development, the company soon gained more than an impressive — and growing — share of the market: it also gained the attention of the NEDLAW Group, respected specialists in both conventional and living roofs. In 2008 the two companies joined forces and Air Quality Solutions became NEDLAW Living Walls Inc. What are the options for making NEDLAW Living Wallsâ„ ¢ active? There are three ways air can be drawn through the Living Wall to make it active: The most effective way is for the wall to be designed as an alternative return-air path back to the HVAC. The air, which is normally drawn from the space, is first cleansed as it passes through the wall and is then disseminated through the space by the HVAC. Ideally a bypass is integrated into the design so that air can be drawn from the space without passing through the wall (for periods of free cooling, wall establishment or wall maintenance). The second approach is to build fans right into the wall so it functions as a stand-alone unit, separate from the building’s HVAC. Although this works well, it is not as effective as the first method since it has a much more localized effect. The third method is a hybrid of the first two. The Living Wall has its own fan system but it also has a duct system to better diffuse air through the space. We can help select which scenario would work best in your space. Return to the top What do NEDLAW active Living Wall biofilters look like? A wall covered in plants, our system is essentially vertical hydroponics. Water from a basin planting is lifted by a pump system to the top and flows back through the interior of the plant wall, circulating through a closed water loop system. Return to the top Is anyone else trying this approach? To the best of our knowledge, the NEDLAW patented system is the only one to use plant walls as biofilters to control indoor air quality. Return to the top Could native plants be used in the system? Some native plants may be present. However, most native plants would not survive well indoors. Plants adapt to their local climate and, as such, plants from northern climates generally require the different seasons to grow properly. For most native plants to survive indoors, the climate in the wall would have to mimic these seasons, making routine use of the space difficult and its performance irregular. Return to the top How long do the plants survive in the space? We expect about 90% survival of the plants each year; but this is largely dependent on the choice of plants and local conditions. Return to the top Are pesticides used in the wall? We use only methods that can be considered organic to control pests in our walls; we emphasize management practices and biological controls such as predators. So-called pests such as white flies, fungus gnats, spider mites and their respective predator species are necessary, even desirable. They contribute to the ecosystem’s species diversity and ecological stability. Return

Management of information technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management of information technology - Essay Example The organisation at the very beginning will need to explore all avenues where electronic information systems are required to manage information better. All departments should be consulted to arrive at common consensus for the need. At various levels the thought process may come to a halt due to various factors. We shall identify and explore a few. Management Issues - An organisation need to answer the question of management of the IT resource if it proceeds with the investment. An IT resource like a supply chain management software is required to be handled by a staff of experienced IT professionals who are also aware of the core business processes of the organisation. Failure to do so will result in incorrect reporting of information and ultimately lead to mismanagement. Organisational Issues - At an organisational level investment in IT could bring out some structural as well as financial issues. An organisation will need to consider its core business requirements, investor interests and well as financial implications while considering a potential investment in IT. Technological Issues - Technological issues if not planned for may derail an entire project at the implementation stage. Overlooking CTQ (critical to quality) parameters can result in doing more harm than good. Let us now look at the various issues that may arise when an organisation may invest into IT. At a management level, there may well be numerous issues. Lets look at a few which might be more common. Administration - While an organisation may want the most sophisticated software available in the market, it however needs to answer management related questions before proceeding. The organisation needs to see if it has the work force capacity to handle such a shift. Does it have the required people with necessary skill set to successfully implement and support the technology If not then who would manage this technology Many technology vendors have come up with their own solution to this issue since it is the most common and is certain to arise. While most vendors would offer specialised training to an organisation's staff, few also offer to provide dedicated staff to the organisation for day to day administration of the product. Organisations also recruit IT staff to manage the acquired product if the data is sensitive. For example an organisation would definitely would want to have an IT employee specializing in the technology in question if it is financial in nature or deals with the organisations product. If the product is unique in the market, maintaining a dedicated resource becomes all the more important. Security Issues - "Managers, consultants, IT professionals and customers believe that they have finally discovered what makes organizations work: knowledge---that invisible force that propels the most successful companies to stock market values which far exceed the visible assets of their financial balance sheet". (Borghoff & Pareschi 1997, p.835) Since technology investment deals with data which in the hands of certain individuals translates into Knowledge, protecting it is very important. An organisation may answer the security management question by restricting access of the technology to individuals on a need to know basis. This will ensure that those

Close reading of Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut Essay

Close reading of Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut - Essay Example Vonnegut points out that machine dramatically changed society to an extent where everyone had a real life. Influence of machines evidences in better healthcare, luxury, and reliable security. In addition, machines create stratification depending on accessibility and perceived control. In this regards, managers and some few engineers with access to control of machines lived a better life (Vonnegut 85). From a general perspective, the features made society look better. However, a deeper focus provides an unlikely picture of the community. Machines make individuals to loose real dignity in most jobs. Hence, the only people with jobs that matters are the managers and the engineers. To him, such a society becomes a dystopian society. In his work, Vonnegut uses themes like religion, war and the social inequality. He also uses elements of the science of fiction and black humour. Other notable features include satire and protagonist. Paul Proteus is protagonist in the novel. He shows displeasure with his privileged position and imagines the experience of the worse off people in life. The dissatisfaction is what leads to a rebellion by the elite class. Player Piano revolves around power. Specifically, the close reading relates the concept to the notion of power distribution in the society. Any particular community has a set of rules that act as a social contract. Such regulations serve to control actions of the subjects. With rules, everyone has a role, power and a given level of freedom in the society. For example, a modern democratic society has the police who are entitled to coordinate law enforcement. The coordination stipulates clear roles to every member of the community. Policy makers formulate laws while everyone has a democratic right to vote. In relation to the player piano, the author also presents elements of power distribution. Specifically, the importance interplay of power distribution and dystopian fiction. Therefore, Vonnegut identifies the

Business and marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business and marketing - Assignment Example The company has a strong record of delivering project solutions to different clients across the globe and it can work alongside the customers to identify the key challenges, then develop and implement effective project management plans that are designed to meet customer expectations. The other important site in dealing with project management is operated by Ants project Management Consultants available at accessed November 18, 2012. According to information obtained from the above mentioned website, the benefits of using this service include the following: â€Å"improved efficiency and increased profitability through better utilization of limited resources - enhanced planning, scheduling and cost control - leading to more consistent achievement of milestones, goals and objectives - better horizontal communications.† Ideally, this is what Projects4Technology is looking for. This plan is very important since it provides the framework upon which all work will be carried. This kind of work has to go stage by stage so as to ensure that all the necessary information has been incorporated in the project document. Basically, a virtual organisation is a network of independent organisations linked together by information technology (IT) and it does not operate from a fixed place since all work is done through the internet (Haag, Cummings & Dawkins, 2000). Besides the challenges that are likely to be encountered if the company adopts a virtual structure, it can be noted that the advantages of this structure outweigh the disadvantages. For instance, the company will save $450  000 each month for office rentals. The company will also save $200  000 of transport costs every month. This improves its viability since it will be in a position to lower its operational costs. The other advantage is that the internet is ubiquitous and it can be accessed from any place which

LAB Ethogram Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

LAB Ethogram - Assignment Example The bird flies with regular, up and down undulations of the wings, hops from branch to branch and swings its tail from side to side while on a perched (standstill) position. This is a carnivorous species which feeds on insects, both flying and crawling. This species specifically hunts its prey in-flight through abrupt flight from a perch. However, it also hops from branch to branch in search of food and at the same time runs along the ground alternating with regular hops, while turning over leaves in check of crawling insects hidden underneath. The second common behavior was that I would call ‘grooming’, whereby many of the birds could be spotted lining out their plumage, shaking of dust from their feathers, picking oil from their tails and applying it along the feathers and washing by beating their wings up and down on a water surface. Others of these behaviors can be termed ‘recreational’ for example when the bird lays itself under direct sunlight and opens up its wings to enable heat penetration in between its wing and body. Most of these grooming and recreational behaviors are individual, but, social behaviors could also be observed. These include cases where male birds, more bright in colours were spotted on display singing together. This is a characteristic of the mating period, when males go on display to attract females to mate with, hence leading to reproduction. Nesting is the next social behavior when two birds, presumable male and female are spotted combining efforts to construct a nest where the eggs will be laid, hatched and the young ones raised from. Response to calls was evident as to alert others of the discovery of a food patch or alert in case of a n intruder. This could be judged by the kind of response that followed any particular call. In conclusion, a number of behaviors were observed to be interconnected to the welfare of the species along to its biological processes. These include grooming, which was found out to

Research Methods for Social Epidemiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research Methods for Social Epidemiology - Essay Example In looking at Beaglehole’s work on Basic Epidemiology a general understanding of the discipline can be comprehended. The World Health Organization (2002) defines social epidemiology as â€Å"the study of how society and different forms of social organization influence the health and well-being of individuals and populations†. The appearance of social inequalities in the way that economic related issues are concerned are ways in which the study of a society can reveal needs that must be addressed to thwart the way in which disease affects the lives of members of a social group in comparison to the way it affects those of another group. It has been shown through the work of social epidemiologists that inequities within the economic social structure of a nation can lead to inequities within the medical care that is available and provided. By looking at the ways in which this research is approached, an understanding of the impact of these kinds of studies can be assessed for merit and for future responsibility toward social change. Dennis Raphael (2000) has created a study of the inequities that exist in the health care within the United States. His research is based on U.S. statistical information on economics and health, correlating the two to create conclusions about the way in which economic inequalities create diverse general health implications. With the use of secondary research to prove his hypothesis, he is able to create support for his points of interest and create strong connective dialogue for his theories. However, one of the weaknesses of this use of secondary research is that much of the information is not recent to his publication date of 2000. As an example, in the section that makes a connection between health differences in relation to race, the statistics that are being used are from 1985 and 1987. With this topic, the way in which

The history of gambling Essay Example for Free

The history of gambling Essay Gambling is one of the oldest known pursuits of mankind. Archeological evidence suggests that even the earliest caveman was a gambler. Dice-like objects made from the ankle bone of a sheep or dog called Astragali dating back 40,000 years have been found. Cave drawings depicting gambling offer further proof of the existence of early gamblers. Pairs of dice have even turned up in the ruins of Pompeii, some of them loaded to fall a certain way. Around 2300 B. C. , the Chinese invented a game of chance using tiles, and 1100 years later Greek soldiers amused themselves with dice games, though in ancient Greece gambling was illegal. In Egypt, a pair of ivory dice were found in Thebes dating back to 1500 B. C. , and ancient gambling artifacts have been unearthed in China, Japan, India and Rome. In ancient Rome, Claudius redesigned his carriage so that he would have more room to throw dice, Caligula confiscated knights property to cover his gambling debts, and Roman soldiers gambled for the robes of Christ after his crucifixion. At the height of the Roman Empire, lawmakers decreed that all children were to be taught to gamble and throw dice. During the 14th century, and in spite of being an inveterate gambler himself, King Henry VIII outlawed gambling when he discovered that his soldiers spent more time gambling than improving their battle skills. When Henrys wife, Anne Boleyn, and her brother were tried for treason and incest, the odds were 10-to-1 on acquittal. In the New World, Native Americans , believing that the gods themselves invented games of chance, played dice with plum stones painted white or black. In addition to wagering possessions, Native Americans also played to predict future harvests and in hopes of curing seriously ill tribal members. During the Revolutionary War, lotteries bankrolled the Continental Army. Washington himself bought the first ticket for a federal lottery in 1793 sponsored to finance improvements in the District of Columbia, and nearly all state governments sanctioned lotteries. By the 1830s, more than 420 lotteries nationwide offered prizes. Lotteries remained a popular fund-raising method throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Riverboats and frontier towns in the New World emerged providing new gambling venues, sometimes legal, sometimes not. And one risked much more than a few gold pieces when gambling in the frontier days. Card cheats and con men were often lynched, denoting the publics attitude toward professional gamblers, or sharpers as they were often known. In the 1830s, refugee sharpers from the South moved to Cincinnati and opened the nations first Wolf-Traps or 10 Percent Houses, named for of the houses cut of the action. Cincinnati also was the birthplace of the Horse-Hair game, a method for cheating in cards by which a player, aided by an accomplices distractions, manipulated cards and chips by use of a horse hair attached to a vest button. After the Civil War, evangelical reform wiped out most of the lotteries. In the 1890s, the flagrant fraud of the nationally marketed Louisiana lottery led Congress to outlaw the remaining games, creating a public disdain for lotteries, and in 1910 Nevada made it a felony to operate a gambling game. Prohibition sent drinking and gambling underground. But it didnt stay down for long. In the 1930s, restrictions eased up and legalized betting on horse racing became popular. In 1931, Nevada legalized gambling again, and casinos literally sprouted from the sands of the desert. Atlantic City followed suit in 1978 and since then, other states have legalized various forms of gambling. Gamblers were hungry for a variety of games and where the early casinos offered just a few choices, the new and improved versions started adding variety to the games. Down in Texas theyd been playing a poker game called Hold Em and as the Texans traveled thru Nevada, they urged the casinos to add this poker variant. They didnt just want to play poker, they wanted to play Texas Hold Em as the variant came to be known. Variants of blackjack and poker started popping up all thru the casinos, sometimes from foreign travelers bringing an overseas version and sometimes by the casinos themselves attempting to tip the odds. Either way it was a hit and places like Las Vegas became all the rage, growing faster than anyone could have imagined. Variations of the games were sometimes used as a draw for a particular casino, being the only casino to offer that variant. Not to be outdone, other casinos would offer their own variations and before long there were dozens of different poker games and blackjack games.