Pearson Education Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Pearson Education - Case Study Example At the point when the SWOT related viewpoints of the organization are set against the STEEPLE - social, mechanical, monetary, ecological, political, legitimate and moral - system of investigation at a large scale natural level the image that rises of the organization is basically a multifaceted business suggestion of the present decade (Kallis, Alier and Norgaard, 2009). Pearson Education's SWOT - qualities, shortcomings, openings and dangers - condition is described by an exceptionally serious outside condition of less chances and more dangers as against a profoundly unpredictable inward condition of more qualities and similarly more shortcomings, the last emerging from rivalry related wonders (Clark and Phillips, 2008). Its social decent variety, hierarchical culture, flexibly chain the board, representative inspiration techniques, present day Human Resource Management (HRM) rehearses, the board structure and style, have contributed in huge measure towards this achievement however the same number of pundits have called attention to the organization needs a very much characterized directional push in the current monetary and money related choppiness. Articulate business system of the organization has been liable for its current accomplishments in hierarchical cum corporate targets however the very heading of the technique needs a still more prominent spotlight on the drawn out objectives instead of the quick objectives (Finlay, 2000). AnalysisPearson Education, appropriate, as unmistakable from the Pearson Group is associated with instruction related exercises. These exercises can be isolated into three more extensive portions - distributing scholastic books, distributing non-scholarly books and training innovation related work. Its present tasks including a far reaching worldwide system are centered around the North American and European markets (Piercy, 2002). The vital points of view on which the organization has advanced have been answerable for its present business technique. There is an exceptionally solid reason on which the organization top administration has tried to characterize its development direction. The learning results of this paper would depict the related parts of this key methodology of the organization with included accentuation corporate objectives (Mullins, 2005). Changing business technique of Pearson Education specifically and Pearson Group as a rule has been answerable for the current progressive move in center at the organization. The basic guideline of this adjustment in business procedure is the progressive production of M&A related cooperative energies through a progression of prominent acquisitions and mergers in the ongoing past (Clarke and Hermens, 2001). This part of Pearson Education's hierarchical conduct requires more noteworthy consideration on the grounds that the organization has had the option to place itself against contenders with striking accomplishment because of the positive results identified with M&A. The causative components of this vital direction of the organization should be taken a gander at from two distinct edges. In any case, Pearson Education knows about the developing danger of the quick changing innovative condition that favors those adversaries with innovation based assets. Also its own asset base h as been extending at an a lot quicker rate both in assorted variety and intricacy (Davenport, 1994). The last component incorporates even

Ielts Speaking free essay sample

IELTS talking topicsâ (new)1. What is the significance of your name? 2. Does your name influence your character? 3. Reveal to me something about your old neighborhood. 4. What are the distinctions in highlight between your old neighborhood and Hanoi? 5. What is the character of the individuals like in your old neighborhood? 6. What is people groups most loved nourishment in the district where you live? 7. Do you imagine that individuals possess enough energy for relaxation now? 8. Are there any memorable landmarks in your area? 9. Portray your Job? How would you go through your run of the mill day? 10. Disclose to me something about the Hue Festival. 11. How have weddings changed as of late? 12. Disclose to me something about the ;Holi; Festival. ;change with the celebration name of your nation; 13. Portray a conventional wedding function. 14. Name an individual whom you appreciate? Why? What impact does he/she has on your life? Okay prefer to become like him/her in future? 15. Are there any conventions concerning the introduction of an infant? 16. How would you like ;The test city; Compare it to your old neighborhood. How could you get to this spot? 17. What spot do you like best in Hanoi? 18. What puts in Delhi should an outsider visit? 19. What spots would you prescribe a guest to go to in your district/old neighborhood? 0. On the off chance that you had the decision, where might you decide to live in India? 21. Which parts of India would you prescribe an outsider to visit? 22. Disclose to me something about your family. 23. Which is your preferred shading? 24. Do you think hues impact our life? How? 25. Which is the best spot youve been to in India? 26. Who does the greater part of the family errands in your family? 27. Are the customary sexual jobs inside the family evolving? 28. For what reason is the separation rate expanding so quickly? Is it an issue? 29. What is your assessment of the arranging family approach? 30. How would you discipline your youngster? 1. Is it adequate for couples to live respectively without wedd ing? 32. On the off chance that you had the decision, okay have a child or a little girl? 33. It is safe to say that you will bring your kid up any diversely to the manner in which your folks did? 34. What expectations do you have for your youngster? (in the event that you are hitched) 35. Do ladies despite everything have too overwhelming a weight in their everyday life? 36. Is the expanding impact of the West to a great extent a positive or negative thing? 37. Are you anticipating anything specifically in Australia/UK/USA ? 38. What do you do in your relaxation time? 39. What will you do on the off chance that you bomb the IELTS? 40. Who should bear the duty regarding installment of education costs? 41. What should be possible to improve training in provincial zones? 42. Have late changes influenced your activity in any capacity? 43. Do you concur with private schooling? Why? 44. What should be possible to close the hole among urban and provincial regions? 45. In the event that you had the force, what changes would you do inside instruction? 46. Portray a common working day for you 47. How would you see yourself in ten years time? 48. On the off chance that you had the chance to change your activity, what might you do? 49. On the off chance that you had one million dollars, what might you do with it? 50. On the off chance that you could begin your life once more, OK do anything another way? 51. What aspirations do you have? 52. Which nation/spot might you most want to visit? 53. What changes do you figure India will find in the following barely any years? 54. Will any conceivable future changes influence your activity in any capacity? 55. How would you figure you will adapt abroad? 56. How can it feel to travel to another country just because? 57. Are you anticipating anything specifically in Australia/UK/USA ? 58. What do you do in your recreation time? 59. What will you do on the off chance that you bomb the IELTS? 60. For what reason would you say you are giveing IELTS? What course/work do you mean to seek after IELTS.? FAMILY * Describe your family? * Do you have a huge or little family? * How much time do you go through with your family? * What do you like to do all together? * Do you coexist well with your family? * Are individuals in your nation by and large near their familie s? WORK * What do you do? * What are your duties? * what number hours accomplish you work every day? * Do you make the most of your work? * Is there some other sort of work you would prefer to do? * If you could change your activity or calling, what might you do? * Describe the way toward finding a new line of work in your nation. * Describe the organization or association you work for. What is your position? * What do you like about your activity? * What do you loathe about your activity? Instruction * Describe your training. * What sort of school did you go to as a youngster? * Did you go to a co-instructive school? * What was your preferred subject as a kid? * Who was your preferred educator? * What is the instruction framework like in your nation? * Do you think your nation has a viable training framework? STUDIES * What are you concentrating now? * What is your zone of specialization? Old neighborhood * Describe your old neighborhood. * What’s unique about it? * Where is your old neighborhood found? * Is it simple to go around your old neighborhood? What is it known for? * What do individuals in your town do? * What are the principle ventures in your old neighborhood? * What issues face your old neighborhood? * What dialects are spoken in your old neighborhood? * What are the benefits of living in your old neighborhood? * What are a few issues looked by your old neighborhood? * Compare your old neighborhood with another city. * What are some ecological issues looked by your old neighborhood? Climate * What’s the climate like in your nation? * Does the climate influence your disposition? * How do stormy days cause you to feel? * What’s your preferred period of the year? * What do you like to do when it’s hot? * What do you as a rule do in the winter? What number of seasons does your nation have? HOME * Describe your home. * What sort of building do you live in? * How long have you lived there? WEDDING * Have you at any point bee n to a wedding? * Whose wedding right? * Where was it held? * What garments do individuals wear? * Describe the wedding service. * What sort if blessings do individuals purchase for the wedding couple? * What sort of garments did the lady of the hour and husband to be wear? TRAVEL * Do you like to travel? * What sort of spots have you visited in your life? * Which spot might you truly want to visit? Why? * What’s the best spot you’ve ever visited? PCs * Do you think PCs help society? Do you think PCs are terrible for wellbeing? * How would you think PCs have changed the world? Web * Do you utilize the Internet much during the day? * What do you as a rule do on the Internet? * What are a few points of interest of the Internet? * What are a few drawbacks? * Do individuals in your nation utilize the Internet a great deal? * Do you do any shopping on the Internet? EMAIL * Do you send and get email routinely? * Who do you typically speak with? * How regularly do you browse your email? * Do you think composing email has fortified or debilitated people’s composing aptitudes? * What are a few detriments of email? Companion Describe a companion. * How long have you known one another? * What do as a rule do together? * What do you like the most about him/her? * How regularly do you see one another? Spot * Describe a spot you like to go. * Why is this spot unique to you? * When did you first visit this spot? * Where is this spot found? * What language is spoken here? Do you communicate in this language? SMOKING * What do you feel about smoking in broad daylight places? * Do you figure smoking ought to be prohibited in people’s homes? MARRIAGE * What is the demeanor toward marriage in your nation? * Do most youngsters plan on getting hitched in your nation? What are a portion of the benefits of marriage? * What are a portion of the detriments? * Is the separation rate high in your nation? * Do you figure individuals ought to be permitted to get separated? Side interests * Do you have any leisure activities? * What are a portion of your side interests? * When did you initially create tis pastime? * What are a portion of the benefits of having a diversion? * How much time do you spend on your pastime? Movies * Do you appreciate watching motion pictures? * What’s your preferred film? * Who are your preferred entertainers? * How frequently do you watch films? SHOPPING * Do you appreciate shopping? * How would you feel about shopping? * Do you like shopping on the Internet? Do you have any most loved stores? * What don’t you like about shopping? * Which is the most mainstream spot to shop in your old neighborhood? SPORTS * Do you like games? * Do you appreciate watching sports? * Do you appreciate partaking in any games? * Which sports are generally mainstream in your nation? * What’s your preferred game/* When did you first get intrigued by quite a while? * How frequently do you take part in sports? * Wha t hardware do you requirement for your preferred game? Nourishment * What are a portion of your preferred food sources? * What nourishments are well known in your nation? * What are a portion of the well known dishes of your nation? Do you appreciate cooking? Celebration * What’s the most significant celebration in your nation? * How individuals commend this celebration? * What uncommon nourishment is related with this celebration? * What extraordinary exercises are related with this celebration? * What do you appreciate most about this celebration? * Do you think celebrations are significant for a general public? TV * Do you stare at the TV a ton? * What do you for the most part watch on TV? * what number long stretches of TV do you normally watch? * What are the most famous shows in your nation? * What sort of shows do you like to watch? * What are a few points of interest of TV? What are someof the weaknesses of TV? * What did you keep going watch on TV? * Why do you think certain TV shows are so well known? The travel industry * Which spots would you prescribe to a guest to your nation? * Do a great deal of voyagers visit your nation? * What do they ordinarily do there? * How has the travel industry changed your nation? * Is your nation costly for most travelers? * What are some celebrated tourist spots in your nation? Every day ROUTINE * Describe your day by day schedule. * What do you typically do? * What do you do toward the end of the week? * What is you regular weekday like? * Does your life change much from week t

Are zero carbon homes achievable by 2016 - Free Essay Example

ABSTRACT Anthropogenic climate change is a phenomenon that has received much attention in the last few decades, and for good reason. Since the renowned studies carried out by Dr. Rowland and Dr. Molina, which began in the 1970s on Ozone depletion, subsequent studies have revealed that human activity is causing the planets atmospheric and surface temperatures to rise and may also be a major contributor towards climate shift, due by and large by the release of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse particulates and gases in to the atmosphere. The effects of climate shift include severe weather conditions, receding glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels and drought, with the poorest countries being affected the most. Since the introduction of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the UK government is committed to the agreement to reduce UK carbon emission by 80% by the year 2050. It has been suggested that the 21 million homes in the UK account for around a quarter of the total carbon emissions into the atmosphere. With the current governments indication to increase the number of dwellings to 3 million by the year 2020 due to the rising population, a greater effort is needed to reduce carbon emissions within the housing sector; a drive that will aid the UK Governments long-term commitment to the United Nations Framework convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol. The government is responding to the challenge quite firmly and has set out strict targets to reduce energy use in new dwellings. To implement such a monumental task, the government has put in place a scheme called the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), which sets out criteria for reducing energy for all new dwellings. Gordon Browns Governments main objective is for all new dwellings to be Zero-Carbon by 2016. The current research paper sets out to identify the impediments that may prevent Gordon Browns policy of achieving the zero carbon homes challenge and also to determine the drivers in achieving zero carbon homes across the board by 2016. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank the individuals who have assisted in the production of this dissertation. A special thank you must go to my supervising tutor Dr. Michael Coffey, whose wisdom and guidance provided support and inspiration towards completing this dissertation. I would also like to thank all those persons who responded to the research questionnaire, which made a significant contribution towards the production of this dissertation. Finally I would like to thank my wife Uzma and children Saqlain, Aaliyah and Owais for their support and for putting up with my neglect towards them in the last few months. Thank you again! Section 1 Introduction Nature of the Problem Since the Industrial revolution in the late 18th century, greenhouse gas emissions have increased considerably. Scientists have observed that a third of the Suns energy that is directed towards the boundaries of the Earths atmosphere is reflected back into space, whilst the remaining energy is absorbed by the surface of the planet and to a lesser extent by the planets atmosphere. Anthropogenic influence upon climate change is partly caused by the escalation of excess greenhouse gases emitted in to the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, principally influenced by the burning of fossil fuels. The effects of climate shift include severe weather conditions, receding glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels and drought, with the poorest countries being affected the most. The problem scientists have determined is that the sun radiates tremendous amounts of light energy emitted in short wavelengths, however the heat energy released from the surface of the planet itself is released in long wavelengths. Whilst carbon dioxide does not absorb the suns energy, it does however absorb heat energy from the planet i.e. long wavelength energy. Therefore when a molecule of carbon dioxide absorbs heat energy, the molecule goes into an excited unstable state. The molecule becomes stable again by releasing the energy that is absorbed. Therefore much of this energy remains within the earths atmosphere, whilst the rest of the energy will go out into space. Carbon dioxide therefore allows the light energy from the sun to pass but does not allow all of the heat within the earths atmosphere to be released into to outer space, thus intensifying the greenhouse effect. Ultimately causing the temperature of the planet to rise. Illustration courtesy of www.dinosaurfact.net Pro-Active Response to the Problem In response to the Kyoto Protocols commitments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the UK must reduce its baseline greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5% by 2008 2012 from a baseline target set in 1990. Furthermore, the draft Climate Change Bill commits the UK to reductions of C02 emissions of at least 26% by the year 2020 and also to a long-term goal of an 80% reduction by 2050 (Energy Saving Trust) Housing within the UK contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The UKs 21million homes account for around 27% of the overall carbon emissions released in to the atmosphere (Skandamoorthy, 2007) and with the current Governments promise to construct 3 million new homes by the year 2020, the need to address the carbon situation within the housing sector is of paramount importance (BBC News, 2007. New agency to drive home building) Traditionally the construction industry has had little regard for the environment, which makes common ground for producing buildings without energy efficiency in mind. It is only until recent times has the consumption of energy been an important agenda in the house building industry, as advancements in energy efficiency playing an important role in the design of buildings built today, due partly to the crucial role being played by the stringent building regulations; pushing the boundaries further to make buildings more energy efficient. In response to the current situation with regards to reducing carbon emissions within the housing industry the government introduced in 2006 the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) scheme (a successor to the Eco Homes rating scheme). At the moment the code is a voluntary standard for energy efficiency and sustainability, applying to newly built homes in the private sector however, it is mandatory where public sector (Homes and Communities Agency) funding is involved. The code aims to deliver a standard guideline for house builders in the UK and addresses key areas of sustainability such as water use and C02 emissions in house building and use. A rating system has been developed within in the code, which measures the ability of the buildings efficiency in terms of energy use. The codes rating system ranges between levels 1 and 6. Level 6 being the highest level of efficiency and is the level that is most appropriate and applicable to the current study, which is the attainment of zero car bon status (Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guide, 2007) The Government has indicated that the code will become the single national standard for the design and construction of sustainable homes and is set to become a vehicle for the development of sustainable home building practice in the UK (Code for Sustainable Homes, 1997) The subject of interest is whether the government and the building profession can implement and administer an effective strategy that will allow all new homes to achieve the highly challenging standards of incorporating level 6 rating to dwellings across the board to allow zero carbon status of newly built homes by 2016. Why is there a lack of zero carbon dwellings in the United Kingdom? The problem that presents itself is that the conscious world has accepted that the global warming phenomenon is a serious threat to the planet. Up until recent times carbon emissions and the negative effects being imposed by them upon the environment were not clearly understood, or even thought about in many respects and therefore not a major issue in the housing industry. Recent studies have reported that homes contribute around 27% of total UK carbon emissions. For this reason the housing industry may not have grasped the technologies sufficiently to mass-produce zero carbon homes. Because demand may have been low for zero carbon dwellings it may indicate that there may be a premium cost to build zero carbon homes and therefore not in the best interests of financiers and developers, who may not receive healthy returns on assuming risk for building such assets. Lack of enforceability may be another issue why such dwellings have not been mass-produced. Maybe the supply of materials t o produce such assets may be lacking in availability; again this may be as a consequence of low demand, which may also contribute towards extra cost. It is not clear that any of these scenarios are either singularly or collectively responsible for the slow progress in developing zero carbon homes. Therefore the current study will examine the various drivers and barriers that influence the development of zero carbon developments such as cost, legislation, market demand, available technology and the supply chain. The identification of these factors will provide a basic analysis to determine whether the policy of achieving the zero carbon homes policy by 2016 across the board is actually feasible. Section 2 Review of zero carbon homes legislation Few green policies have had quite such an impact on a sector as the zero carbon homes policy has had in housing says John Alker, Head of Advocacy at the UK Green Building Council. In December 2006 the government introduced a commitment plan which formulated a requirement that all new homes are to be zero carbon from the year 2016 onwards. The initial proposal was formally communicated via the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) technical guide, which is based on and replaces the Ecohomes national standard for sustainable design and construction for new housing in the UK in April 2007. The code stated that a building would emit zero net carbon emissions from heating, hot water, lighting, appliance use and cooking. All CO2 reductions had to be achieved by local off-site means connected to the building by a direct physical connection. However, more recently the government defined a zero carbon dwelling as one which generates 70% of the energy it uses for heating, ventilation and lighting f rom on-site renewable energy (The Energy Saving Trust). Meeting the criteria would enable the home to be rated as a code level 6 home; the highest star rating achievable in terms of the Code, thus certificating the home as a zero carbon dwelling. The acquisition of a code level 6 certificate will allow first hand purchasers of zero carbon homes up to the value of 500,000 exemption from paying stamp duty land tax (SDLT). Homes above the 500,000 threshold will enjoy a 15,000 reduction towards the stamp duty bill (Section 58b, 2007 Finance Bill) It should be noted that the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) is currently UK legislation and its implementation is optional to use apart from developments funded by the government (BRE, EcoHomes, 2007). The government has indicated that home builders are encouraged to follow the guidelines of the Code now as adherence to the Code will become mandatory in the future for all new house building (Code for Sustainable Homes, 2006) The government has also provided an incentive for the installation of energy saving materials and micro-generation apparatus by reducing the VAT to 5%. This VAT decrease only applies to the UK however, the European Commission is committed to bringing forward proposals for a change to the Principal VAT Directive to allow an EU-wide reduction in VAT for green products, particularly those aimed at improving energy efficiency in buildings (HM Treasury, 2008) The UK government aims to reach their stated goal of 80% carbon dioxide reduction in the UK by 2050 through implementing progressive tightening of the building regulations. The tightening of the regulations is to be maintained in three phases in 2010, 2013 and 2016 (Building Regulations Energy efficiency requirements for new dwellings, 2007). The graph on the previous page shows the target reductions for each phase. These target reductions equate to the energy performance standards in the governments vehicle for reducing CO2 in housing; the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) Levels 3, 4, and 6 respectively; highlighting the governments progressive strategy to achieving carbon zero homes by 2016. Source: (Building Regulations Energy efficiency requirements for new dwellings, 2007). The primary method of measurement of energy efficiency for the Building Regulations is the dwelling Carbon Dioxide Emissions Rate (DER), which is an estimate of CO2 per metre squared of floor area. Currently (2010) the improvement in the DER is said to be 25% compared to the 2006 level. An improvement of 44% is required in 2013 and ultimately a 100% improvement which is incidentally zero carbon for all new homes built in 2016. An analysis of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) The code seeks to make improvements in energy efficiency and water usage upon those required by the Building Regulations Part L 2006. The code will compliment the system of energy performance certificates that was introduced in 2007 by the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD). At present the Code is voluntary, however house builders are encouraged to utilise the Code as a guideline for house building practice, as the government states that the code will be mandatory in the future. Energy efficiency is measured at every level of the code by assessing nine individual design categories, with higher level of sustainability performance achieving a high code rating. The Code measures the following design categories: * Energy/C02 * Health Well being * Surface water run off * Pollution * Materials * Ecology * Water * Management * Waste The code implements a procedure which mirrors the BREs EcoHomes system in its method of assessment, which relies on trained and accredited independent assessors to inspect the homes. Design stage assessments are conducted by the assessors who on completion of the assessment recommend a sustainable code rating for the home being assessed and will issues an interim certificate. On completion of the development a post completion assessment is carried out by the inspector, who will on completion of the final checks issue a final code certificate which states the level achieved and therefore be given a CSH code rating. A home meeting any level of the Code will have to meet minimum standards for certain items depending on what Level is desired. For Level 6 this means: The home will have to be completely zero carbon (i.e. zero net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from all energy use in the home). This could be achieved by: Improving the thermal efficiency of the walls, windows, and roof as far as is practically possible (by using more insulation or better glass for example); Reducing air permeability to the minimum consistent with health requirements (a certain amount of air ventilation is needed in a home for health reasons); Installing a high efficiency condensing boiler, or being on a district heating system; Carefully designing the fabric of the home to reduce thermal bridging (thermal bridging allows heat to easily escape between the inner walls and the outer walls of a home); Using low and zero carbon technologies such as solar thermal panels, biomass boilers, wind turbines, and combined heat and power systems (CHP). It would mean for example that energy taken from the national grid would have to be replaced by low or zero carbon generated energy, so that over a year the net emissions were zero. The home will have to be designed to use no more than about 80 litres of water per person per day. This could be achieved by fitting such items as: 6/4 Dual Flush WC; Flow Reducing/Aerating taps throughout; 6-9 litres per minute shower (note that an average electric shower is about 6/7 litres per minute); a smaller, shaped bath still long enough to lie down in, but less water required to fill it to a level consistent with personal comfort; 18ltr maximum volume dishwasher; 60ltr maximum volume washing machine. To achieve the standard would also mean that about 30% of the water requirement of the home was provided from non-potable sources such as rainwater harvesting systems or grey water recycling systems. Other minimum requirements are required for: Surface water management this may mean the provision of soakaways and areas of porous paving; Materials this means a minimum number of materials meeting at least a D grade in the Building Research Establishments Green Guide (the scale goes from A+ to E); Waste management this means having a site waste management plan in place during the homes construction, and adequate space for waste storage during its use. But to get to Level 6 you need a further 64.9 points. So the builder/developer must do many other things to obtain the other points. In fact they will need to do 90% of everything in the Code to achieve Level 6, including: Energy efficient appliances, and lighting; Supplying accessible water butts; Reducing surface water run-off as much as possible; Using highly environmentally friendly materials; Minimising construction waste; Maximum, accessible provision for recycling; Improved daylighting, sound insulation and security; Building to the Lifetime Homes standard; Assessing and minimising the ecological impact of the construction of the home Source of information: Code for Sustainable Homes A step change in home building practice guide (2006) Section 3 Cost implications of constructing zero carbon homes During the last ten years house prices have continually increased due to the rising population and a slow response to the demand in terms of house building says Kate Barker in her 2004 survey on housing supply (Barker, K. 2004) See figures 1 and 4 below. It was the Barker report commissioned by Prime Minister Gordon Brown which gave recognition to the home building industry to investigate into improving the level of housing supply in the UK. The report concluded that the UK had a serious shortage of homes and was in much need of around 120,000 homes per year built by private house builders. The figures are in addition to the 150,000 homes which are currently being constructed per year by the house builders. The Barker report engaged the government to set an objective to increase the supply of houses being built in England of at least 200,000 per year by the year 2020. The housing market in the UK is considered by the UK government as an important arena in contributing towards regulating the nations economy. Putting this into perspective it is ironic that the Labour government since coming into power has changed housing ministers nine times in the last thirteen years. During the first year in office by the Labour government, it has seen a housing crisis which has seen a 190% increase in house prices with a house price to earnings ratio increase from 3.1 to 5.8. What this means is that whilst house prices have climbed dramatically, average salaries have not increased in proportion to the rising cost of house purchasing. The solution to controlling current house prices is to build more homes, however in 2009 only 118,000 new homes were constructed, which is less than half the annual amount required if the governments target of an additional 3 million homes are to be constructed by the year 2020 (Alexander, 2010). How does this piece of information re late to the cost of constructing zero carbon homes? Quite simply; the government has introduced a policy which aims to build an additional 3 million homes by the year 2020. The government is also pressing with the policy which aims to see all new homes constructed by the year 2016 to be zero carbon. The problem that presents itself is that the cost of building zero carbon homes includes a premium cost for building and subsequently purchasing such a property. If in the year 2009 only 118,000 homes were built, when quite clearly the governments target is at least 200,000 per year to be in a position to meet the 3 million new homes target by 2020 and the cost of housing is already quite high, then how does Gordon Brown intend on maintaining the road map for two extraordinary targets which clash quite apparently. Last years figures prove that house building was at an all time low since 1946. These figures indicate that Gordon Browns government may have overlooked the situation and set a target which is perhaps extremely challenging if taking account of the current economic position of the UK economy. The Cyril Sweett Consultation In 2006 Cyril Sweett construction and property consultants were approached by the English Partnerships and Housing Corporation to report on the implications of the move from the Ecohomes standard of Very good rating to the level 3 Code for Sustainable Homes. The research carried out by Cyril Sweett consultants reviewed six different types of houses which included four types which were constructed using traditional methods of construction and two with modern construction techniques. Cyril Sweett say that the findings of the research are not necessarily standard for all construction and consideration should given to project specific variables such as the area of construction, type of development, the supply chain etc; each having a variable effect on the cost of building in the stated methods of construction. Whilst the figures do not represent code level 6 developments, they do however give an indication of what the expected cost of building level 6 zero carbon homes may be if factore d. The study made consideration to a whole host of construction methods and technological solutions to improve the performance of the home. The sole purpose of the research was to assess which methods of construction were the most economically viable to achieve the various code levels of the CfSH. However four scenarios were given in the report for expediency which are as follows: Scenario 1 Initial energy efficiency measures followed by the use of solar thermal technology, then photovoltaic and biomass systems. Scenario 2 Initial energy efficiency measures initially followed by the use of small scale wind turbines and then biomass systems. Scenario 3 Development with shared energy services, such as combined heat and power (CHP). For this scenario costs per unit are averaged for different infrastructure options for a theoretical 200 unit development. Scenario 4 Achievement of Code level 3 without recourse to renewable energies through the use of a whole house mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery and by assuming the use of proprietary construction details. The findings of the study found that projects which allowed for wind energy or site wide CHP technologies had scope for achieving the lowest costs. Again, it is stressed that projects are site specific therefore areas with low wind speeds may not be able to achieve satisfactory wind speeds to justify using wind energy technologies. The following tabulated data highlights the additional cost of achieving the code level 3 over the Ecohomes Very Good standard. Traditional detached house Traditional terraced house Low rise apartment High rise apartment Scenario 1 4,525 (4.8%) 4,373(5.7%) 2,579 (3.2%) 4,900 (3.8%) Scenario 2 2,852 (2.9%) 2,786 (3.5%) 1,498 (1.9%) 2,699 (2.0%) Scenario 3 3,131 (3.2%) 3,165 (4.1%) 946 (1.2%) 643 (0.4%) Scenario 4 5,090 (5.4%) 4,748 (6.2%) 3,942 (3.0%) The baseline cost for the abovementioned homes is 92,107 for a 116m detached home and 75,230 for a 101m end of terrace home, as specified or compliant with the 2006 building Regulations. It is an interesting observation that the implementation of Scenario 4 to achieve a code level 3 rating costs 5,090 for a detached house and 4,748 for a terraced house; an increase in cost of 5.4% and 6.2% respectively. Whats interesting about these figures is that Scenario 4 does not implement any renewable energy solutions such as photovoltaic cell technology but does make use of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems. Scenario 4 does in many respects mirror the PassivHaus dwelling or Scandinavian homes method of building. Scenario 4 combined with advanced micro generation technologies could achieve level 6 zero carbon status but to enable this industry would need to invest further in research and development of enhancing the micro generation technologies, however the cost will be greatly increased. As with anything that is new there is a premium cost to be paid. But as more efforts are made and competition increases due to demand the cost of such technologies should dec rease in time. The costing data provided in the Cyril Sweett report (2007) went further to report on the cost of achieving a level 5 rating of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH), which is incidentally the highest level of code attainment data provided in the report. The following cost comparison data only makes reference to detached dwellings as the costing data for terraced houses are not too dissimilar to the detached houses. Scenario 1 The table shown above shows the cost of achieving a code level 5 rating of the CfSH using scenario 1, which to reiterate includes the use of solar thermal technology with photovoltaic and biomass systems. The cost attached to upgrading to level 5 costs an additional 20,270, as shown in the table. Therefore an 18% increase above the baseline cost of building a detached home with a 116m area to the 2006 building regulatory standard, which totals 111,476. Scenario 2 Utilising Scenario 2, a 116m Home built with small scale wind turbine and biomass technology will achieve a CfSH level 5 rating at a cost of 14,206 above the baseline cost. A 14% increase totalling 106,146 Scenario 3 Utilising Scenario 3, a 116m Home built using site wide CHP technology will achieve a CfSH level 4 rating at a cost of 2,622 above the baseline cost. A 3% increase totalling 93,828 Scenario 4 Utilising Scenario 4, a 116m Home built with improved air tightening and mechanical ventilation will achieve a CHS level 3 rating at a cost of 4,481 above the baseline cost. A 5% increase totalling 95,687 The cumulative graph shown above shows the cost of achieving each level of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) up to level 5, in comparison to each scenario detailed on the previous pages. The interesting thing about the comparative cost data provided by Cyril Sweett consultants is that to achieve level 5 of the code using scenario one costs 36,070, which is an increase above the baseline cost of 28.6%. Obtaining a code level 5 rating using scenario two is achieved by allowing for an increase in cost above the baseline of 20,746 which is a 22.7% increase. These figures provide an indication of what the likelihood cost for building code level 6 zero carbon homes are going be. Therefore it is estimated that for a similar type of dwelling the cost will be in excess of 30% above the 2006 Building Regulations baseline cost. A 30% increase in cost is quite substantial considering a home built to the prescribed building standards would cost approximately 92,107, thus around a 40,000 increase to implement code level 6 to the dwelling is a substantial amount and therefore cost is going to be a major factor in determining the success or failure of achieving the zero carbon homes by 2016 target. Clearly the figures shown in this report show that the cost of producing zero carbon homes across the board is going to be a major obstacle if drastic changes and new solutions to reduce the cost of zero carbon technologies do not surface within the next few years leading up to the year 2016. The situation appears to be quite discomforting as affordability is going to negate the possibility of achieving not just the 2016 target but may also interfere with the 2020 target of building an additional three million new homes in the United Kingdom as less demand due to affordability will result in less homes being built and therefore cause a stalemate situation if the government alongside industry does not take steps to resolve the situation fast. Reductions in cost for bulk purchasing As stated earlier in the report cost reductions can be made through advances in technology and through competition as demand for zero carbon homes increases. Whilst the cost of achieving zero carbon is quite high at the moment, cost will gradually subside. The Cyril Sweett consultancy further reported that the purchase of materials and technology in bulk order will reduce the cost of producing zero carbon homes. Cyril Sweett representatives approached a number of suppliers of water and sustainable technologies. It was found that for large scale procurement i.e. 5000 units plus reductions in cost were achieved for the following technologies. Sustainable technologies Savings in cost (%) Grey water recycling solutions 10 20 Surface water collection 20 30 Biomass Boilers 10 20 CHP 20 Solar thermal technologies 20 30 Ground Source Heat extraction pumps 30 60 (Cyril Sweett, 2007) Section 4 Methodology This chapter focuses on the methodology used in the production of the current research paper and will highlight the various stages of the research method. The purpose of the methodology is to provide the reader with an insight into what is expected in the report and how the research is to be conducted. The current study focuses on the UK governments policy of all homes to be Zero Carbon by the year 2016 and investigates into the feasibility of the policy and further considers the impediments preventing the policy to materialise. The study also aims to identify the key drivers and barriers of achieving zero carbon homes by 2016 across the board. The study will explore key areas in the subject matter such as the supply chain of the mass production of zero carbon homes, the economic limitations to mass-produce and the legislative or otherwise impediments that may hinder the governments aim in driving forward the concept of zero carbon homes by the year 2016. The study will endeavour to surface any requirements that are needed by the government and/or the industry to enable such a vision to become a reality, but also to identify whether the time frame for such a policy is tenable or too ambitious a target. The research material used to undertake the study will predominately be that of government information and research documents, current journals relating to the subject matter, case study examples, statistical data, the Internet and the general media. Quantitative research information was obtained via a semi-structured questionnaire that was distributed to potential respondents by email. The questionnaire was targeted at named individuals within the organisations to whom it was felt were in a suitable position to answer the topical question: Are zero carbon homes achievable by 2016. The questionnaire was targeted at some of the UKs leading house building companies as it was understood that these companies would have the necessary resources in place to be in a position to respond better and faster to changing government legislation and enforcement compared to smaller house builders. It was also considered that these companies would take a pro-active approach towards keeping in synchron isation with industry demand and technological developments in zero carbon as and when they occur, to be able to respond to the changing culture of the house building industry. The questionnaire was structured to respond to questions relating primarily to the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH), as the code is the vehicle for achieving zero carbon homes. The response required was to understand the opinions of the house builders to how they interpret the code, its workability and to what extent they are engaged in building zero carbon homes in parallel with the guidelines of the code. Questions were further directed towards determining the respondents views on the timeframe of the 2016 roadmap and whether the timeframe for achieving zero carbon homes across the board is feasible and if so to what cost. The following statement made by Derek Swetnam was considered when distributing the questionnaire (2005 p.27) remember that a low rate of return may have research significance and has to be reported. You will be fortunate if you reach a 70% rate of response on personally collected questionnaires, and postal ones may be as little as 10%. However due to time and budgetary constraints email correspondence was the only feasible option available to the author thus the preferred method of data compilation and primary research strategy. The structure of the Questionnaire The questionnaire was targeted at named individuals within house building companies who were considered by the author to be in an ideal position to answer the questions to the feasibility of the 2016 policy. The questionnaire was formulated using a systematic approach which was facilitated by a detailed review of the literature in the subject through gaining an understanding of the specific details of the zero carbon topic. The first section of the questionnaire asked questions about the companys level of house production and turnover; past, present and future projections. The results of which gave the author an understanding as to the level of activity the company was engaged in producing houses. Determining the level of production would also provide the author with some understanding as to the past, present and future culture of house building practice in the UK. Understanding the culture of house building trends gives a representation as to the future of house building which would facilitate zero carbon housing. Questions were further directed at the types of standard the company was using as a guideline to build homes. The information provided by the respondents gave the author an indication as to the companys commitment in developing low and zero carbon homes and whether the company had working knowledge of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which is the vehicle for addressing the 2016 target. Respondents that had a good working knowledge of the Code would give the author confidence in the responses received as it would mean that those companies would be heavily involved in building homes using the CfSH standard and were better informed about zero carbon housing; clarifying the limitations of the working relationship of the Code and its future prospects of maintaining the 2016 roadmap. The last section of the questionnaire asked respondents to comment on their views as to the feasibility of the 2016 target. Having working knowledge of house building practice would put house builders in an ideal position to give an educated opinion on whether implementing the zero carbon strategy to homes built across the board will be successful in its aim by 2016. Dissertation Structure Section 1 Section 1 includes an abstract and an introduction, which contains a brief description of the problem that is to be analysed in the research. Section 2 At this stage the focus is to determine the role of government legislation and its effects upon achieving the 2016 zero carbon target. The chapter includes research details of the legislative requirements of achieving the target and to identify whether the government is doing enough in terms of legislative enforcement to maintain the roadmap for achieving the all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 target. Specific Areas of research will include: * The definition of zero carbon homes * Environmental legislation * Government Policy relating to zero carbon homes * Planning Policies relating to zero carbon homes * A review of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) Section 3 Section 3 is a review of the financial implications of procuring zero carbon homes and to determine the cost of building a zero carbon home in accordance with the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH). The chapter also considers whether any fiscal incentives are available for building zero carbon homes; to determine what extent those incentives are disbursed and also identify the recipients targeted for receiving financial incentives. The study will endeavour to reveal whether the financial incentives offered by the treasury are sufficient to motivate the recipients who choose to invest in zero carbon housing, whether it is materials suppliers, manufacturers, builders and/or end users. Section 4 At this stage of the report a methodology is provided which states how the research is to be conducted and the means with which the question is to be answered. Section 5 This section includes an ethics statement which highlights the ethical responsibilities to which the current research was conducted. Section 6 This section of the report presents the results of the findings of the research carried out in terms of the responses received by the respondents of the questionnaire. An analysis of the findings is presented in this section and it is the findings of the responses of the various house builders to whom the questionnaire was targeted to supplement the literary of the works of previous authors. The data will be used to compare, contrast and seek correlation of the results of the questionnaire to previous works of authors, which will provide sufficient information to answer the topical question. Section 5- Ethics Statement The research methods employed by the author of the current research paper shall ensure that all activities involving third party participation shall be consistent with utmost respect for human dignity, the preservation of integrity, principle of inclusion and justice, and the principle of minimal harm. The conduct in which the research must be conducted shall be undertaken in an ethical and socially responsible manner. The conduct of the researcher shall be consistent throughout the entire research exercise. This includes the handling of research data and the treatment of any persons or organisations who have chosen to participate in the research by disclosing information pertaining to the subject being scrutinised. Subjects who agree to participate in the research shall be informed from the outset that participation is strictly voluntary and therefore all participants shall be given the opportunity to decline the invitation to participate in the research. All participants that take part in the research must possess adequate reasoning capabilities to provide relevant answers to the questions being asked. Participants should be made aware that any information that is disclosed for the purposes of the research shall be handled with the utmost care in maintaining anonymity of the persons, organisations or otherwise that take part in the research. Participants should also understand that any involvement towards the research shall not endure any adverse effects upon themselves or any third parties the participant is making reference to. The participants of the research shall be provided with background information of the topic that is being investigated prior to any involvement, and will be made aware of the reasons why the individual has been considered as an appropriate source of information. In most cases the participants invited to contribute towards the research will be construction individuals who are concerned directly or otherwise with the subject being investigated. The research data acquired from the investigation shall be used to determine the viability of achieving the UKs 2016 zero carbon homes target. The research information that is being sought will include financial data in constructing homes in compliance with the Code for Sustainable Homes which Is the guideline for building homes to the various levels of the code that include building zero carbon homes. Other information that is being sought from the participants is the impediments and drivers of achieving the 2016 target. Therefore the participants need to be adequately experienced professionals in the home building industry to be in a position to make a significant contribution to the study. The primary method of research will be to distribute a semi-structured questionnaire which will ask questions in an open and closed ended fashion. The chosen method of questioning was to allow respondents to make additional contributions to the questions being answered and therefore allowing the respondent to make personal opinions based on their experience. All data will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and therefore all information from third parties shall observe privacy and express use of the information for its intended use. The collected information shall be kept safe and stored securely to maintain the rights of individuals involved. All corresponding data that is stored on computer storage facilities, paper copies or otherwise shall be deleted and disposed of in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Section 6 Analysis of the Research Data The aim of the research was to answer the question: Are zero carbon homes achievable by 2016. The current section provides an analysis of the responses received from the various persons working for the major house building companies in the UK who are actively engaged in house building. It was felt that house builders were in an ideal position to answer questions on the viability of mass zero carbon housing as the onus was on house building companies to respond to the call for making a significant contribution towards understanding and implementing strategies to address the carbon situation in terms of housing supply, as it is the house building companies who need to respond to changing trends in house building practices if those companies are going to compete in the house building market. Therefore house building companies are regarded as the most learned contingency in the construction industry to answer questions relating to zero carbon housing, as any changes to legislation, marke t responses, supply chain requirements and trends in house building directly affect the house building companies. Research questionnaires were distributed via email to fifty house building companies in the UK. A total of 18 completed forms were received from the 50 potential respondents, giving a 36% response rate. The returned responses received were from 4 Managing Directors, 9 General Managers and 5 Supervisors. All questionnaires received were usable. The pie chart shown below gives an idea of the magnitude of turnover of each responding company and therefore the scope of building works undertake by those respondents. These figures are important to the research as they give an indication to the amount of house building works undertaken by the responding companies and therefore credibility in answering the questions to the survey. Of the 18 companies who responded to the survey 22% of the respondents had an annual turnover up to 99.99m, 33% of the respondents had an annual turnover ranging between 100-250m. The survey showed that 39% of the respondents and therefore the highest number of respondents in terms of turnover category had an annual turnover range between 250m-500m, whilst only 6% of respondents stated that their turnover was in excess of 500m. The opening question relating to the zero carbon 2016 target was to ask respondents on their opinion on the demand for housebuilding in the UK. The question asked the respondents: Leading up to 2016, do you think that the amount of homes constructed in the UK will increase or decrease. The respondents were given the opportunity to comment on the reason/s for their response. The general consensus among the responding House Builders was that housebuilding should increase leading up to 2016, however they also commented that the main challenges that need to be overcome were in statutory planning and the cost of developing homes to the various levels of the code for sustainable homes. The response to the question correlates significantly to the data produced in the Cyril Sweett analysis, outlined in the earlier sections of the current report which provides information that suggests that house building costs are significantly higher compared to the baseline cost of developing houses. However responding views of the housebuilders conflict with the Barker report outlined on page 10 of this report, which suggests that house building has been slow in recent times and this trend may continue in to the near future. The respondents were then asked to what standards of house building the company that they represented were building to. The respondents were given a list of the various standards of home building practice in the UK, which were: Code for Sustainable Homes BRE Ecohomes * Current Building Regulations Other Asking the question about which standard the companies were building to was to understand trends in house building practice and to assess to what extent these companies were committed towards building zero carbon homes. The responses would also provide a broad understanding of the culture of house building practice and give an indication as to how well informed the general house building population was in terms of the 2016 target. The response would therefore provide an understanding as to how engaged the industry was in responding to the 2016 target. The results of the survey showed that 85% of the responses received indicated that they (house builders) were actively engaged in building homes using the Code for Sustainable Homes alongside other building standards. Most respondents also commented that they had carried out various design exercises and costed the scenarios and therefore were aware of the cost of building homes to the various levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The high number of respondents stating that they were using the CfSH as a guideline for house building proved to be a positive response to addressing the zero carbon homes challenge as it meant that the high number of companies should be aware of the various costs, technologies and viability of mass building zero carbon homes. The respondents were further asked if they knew of any incentives for building zero carbon homes and to state whom those recipients were who could receive the incentives and the adequacy of those incentives. The responses that were received were quite muted as none of the respondents were aware of any incentives for building level 6 zero carbon homes. One respondent went as far as stating that: There are no incentives; the industry is being forced down this route by legislation. The government gets all the kudos and the development industry carries all the cost and risk. Whilst respondents did not know of any incentives that were available for producing zero carbon homes, secondary research showed that VAT had been subsidised to 5% for the purchase of green materials and services. The government had also allowed an exemption from paying stamp duty land tax for homes which acquired a zero carbon level 6 certification of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Zero carbon homes which incurred building costs in excess of 500,000 received a reduction in stamp duty fees of 15,000. The next question that asked the respondents was to comment on whether Local Planning Authorities were in the best position to enforce developers to build homes to the CfSH standard. The general view of the respondents was that the LPAs do not always fully understand what they are looking for and therefore can be a major hindrance to the development process as delays are inevitable due to the lack of initial understanding of the requirements of the CfSH. One respondent commented that; the difficulty with LPAs is that they may ask for additional standards on top of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which ultimately puts the credibility of the CfSH in to dispute as the various standards of the code are not fully understood and therefore there is not always a common understanding between the developers and the LPAs. The respondents also commented that the most influential driver for building to the CfSH is that if central government make the 2016 zero carbon homes policy in to government legislation, which would make home building unlawful if the development did not adhere to the criteria of the CfSH. This would then provide clarity to the situation as both LPAs and developers would take steps to ensure that compliance to the requirements of the legislation is maintained. The final section of the questionnaire asked respondents to comment on their opinion as to whether the 2016 target was achievable. Surprisingly the responses received were varied. Respondents generally commented on the lack of clarity as to what a truly zero carbon home was, therefore not entirely sure on what actually constituted a truly zero carbon home. They (the respondents) stated that a universal definition of a zero carbon home was one of the main barriers in achieving zero carbon homes across the board by 2016. Most respondent stated that they were not building level 6 zero carbon homes at the moment because of the lack of clarity. One respondent commented that their company was in the process of carrying out research studies in the subject and had been in consultation with the government to clarify the situation. The general consensus of the pessimistic respondents was that the zero carbon homes policy deadline was too ambitious and did not take into consideration the econom ic implications of mass building zero carbon homes. One respondent commented that from their in-house market research consumers showed concerns towards a number of issues regarding zero carbon homes and that these issues would ultimately impact upon the sales of zero carbon homes. The issues the respondent stated were: 1- Consumers were not prepared to pay the extra cost of zero carbon homes as the carbon issue was not one of their main criteria when considering the purchase of a home. 2- The overall savings in energy were not sufficient to pay an initial premium for zero carbon technology. 3- Consumers felt that they were sceptical about the longevity of the zero carbon technologies incorporated into the home and stated that replacement and maintenance in the case of malfunction could be expensive to replace. 4- Consumers did not like the fact that water consumption would be capped in CfSHs level 6 homes. Another respondent stated that the fact that the 2016 issues was government policy and not legislation was an indication that the government is not entirely committed towards achieving the 2016 target for fears of revolt by the electorate and damning consequences to the position of the current government in its reputation for making unreasonable demands. The respondent went further and stated that the current government had set a policy which was not possible in such a short space of time and that the target for constructing zero carbon homes should be put forward to a later date to give the industry sufficient time to sufficiently grasp the zero carbon homes challenge. Respondents that were optimistic that the 2016 target was achievable stated that the following areas of the debate should be addressed: 1- The government needs to convert the zero carbon homes policy into legislation to enforce house builders to build houses to the CfSHs level 6 standards 2- Greater awareness strategies need to be implementing in marketing to convince potential purchasers of zero carbon homes; that the investment that they are making in purchasing a zero carbon home is a wise investment 3- The supply chain which produces green products and services must make an effort to reduce the cost of production. 4- Government needs to make available significant financial incentives across the board to reduce the cost of delivering zero carbon homes. One respondent commented that delivering zero carbon homes across the board is achievable if the construction industry makes significant changes to the culture of house building in the UK. The respondent was referring to Scandinavian countries that are committed towards addressing the climate change problem and are already building low carbon homes at a cost that is affordable. Conclusion and Recommendation The aim of the current research paper was to find out whether the 2016 zero carbon homes target was achievable. The process used to answer the topical question was to initially carry out a literature review of the works of previous authors to gain a background understanding of the subject. The review was used to guide and structure the research undertaken. The primary research method used to answer the topical question was by utilising a quantitative research method, which was to distribute a semi-structured questionnaire among professionals with varying levels of responsibility employed by house building companies. The questionnaire included open and closed ended questions. The use of a semi-structured questionnaire was to allow respondents to provide as much information as possible about the specific issues relating to the zero carbon homes discussion, as the author felt that a structured questionnaire with solely closed ended questioning would be too rigid and may miss the opportu nity to acquire additional information which may further facilitate the research. The respondents were also given the opportunity to make personal opinions based on their own experiences relating to the zero carbon homes agenda. From the various sources of research information obtained to produce the current research paper a number of conclusions can be drawn from the findings. Firstly cost has been found to be a major barrier in the production of building zero carbon homes with around a 30% increase on top of the baseline cost of building a home in accordance with the standard building regulations, which amounted to around an extra 40,000 in build costs. According to a respondent of the research questionnaire; in-house market research conducted by the company revealed that the consensus view among general house buyers was that they were not prepared to pay the additional cost of a zero carbon home as the carbon issue was not a significant factor in the criteria when considering buying a home and therefore the price tag attached to zero carbon homes was too high to persuade most home buyers to invest in a zero carbon dwelling. This information was crucial in providing direction to the research as cost was on e of the main issues that were identified in the literature review as being a potential barrier to achieving the 2016 target. Although the government had introduced the scheme of exemption and subsidisation of Stamp Duty Land Tax, the savings were not significant enough to persuade home buyers en masse to purchase a zero carbon home. Home buyers were also sceptical about the high cost of replacing micro-generation systems. The economic assessment of zero carbon homes suggests that whilst sustainable and micro-generation technologies are widely available, it is the current high cost of incorporating these technologies into the home which is going to be the single most important factor preventing the 2016 target to be achieved. The economic assessment of the financial implications of introducing the 2016 commitment also contradicts the Labour Governments goal of building an additional 20 million homes by the year 2020. In an earlier chapter of the dissertation, reference was made to the Barker report commissioned by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to report on the need to increase the supply of homes due to a desperate shortage of housing in the UK. From an assessment of the zero carbon homes agenda it is quite apparent that it would need a brave administration to convert the zero carbon homes policy into legislation as the need to increase the supply in housing is not going to be addressed by forcing the building industry to produce homes which cost significantly more than homes that meet the baseline standards of the building regulations. Bibliography and references Alexander, L., 2010. The election and your home. The Times, 9Apr. Building a Greener Future, (2006), Towards Zero Carbon Development Consultation, DCLG, Barker, K., (2004), Delivering Stability: Securing our Future Housing Needs, HMSO, England BRE: EcoHomes, (2007), [Internet] Available from: www.breeam.org [Accessed March 2010]. BBC News, (2007). Zero-carbon homes get tax relief, [Internet]. England, Available from: https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7021477.stm. [Accessed March 2010]. BBC News. (1999), Global warming: the facts. [Internet]. 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Financial Analysis of I.T Ltd. - 4164 Words

Company background I.T Limited (0999.HK) is an investment holding company based in Hong Kong. It was listed on the main board of The Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 4-March-2005. The company offers a wide range of apparel products. It sells its products as well as offers a variety of national and international brands through its network of retail stores. As of February 28, 2011, it operated 392 stores in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Objective To undertake a comprehensive analysis on the financial performance of I.T. Limited. Detailed financial ratio analysis will be performed. An estimation of the firm’s cost of equity capital and weighted average cost of capital will also be provided. Horizon of analysis We will focus on its†¦show more content†¦The company has simply retained some of the profit in each year into reserves. Consolidated cash flow statement (Referring to appendix A - table 9) The company has improved its cash flow generation as its business grew. The profitability of the company increased, and so as the cash generated from operation. And since the company has increased in size, it has increased its ability to finance from banks, therefore it also increased its cash generated from financing activities. Although the company has increased investment in fixed assets and hence the cash outflow from investment, this is offset by the increase in cash flow from operation and financing. II. PERL (Performance, Efficiency, Risk, Liquidity) analysis (Referring to appendix B and C) 1) Performance Profit margins (Gross, operating, net) Gross profit margin keeps increasing. The latest figure is 63.35%, which is a very high margin. This is probably due to the increased brand image of the company, hence the company can increase the selling price of the products. Also, the company shifted the focus on selling products of its own brands more than imported brands, this also increased the gross profit margin. Both operating and net profit margin are also in an increasing trend (despite year 2008/09, a special year which financial crisis happened). But it is worth noting that the current margins are 12.08% and 10.12% respectively, which show a great difference from gross profitShow MoreRelatedFinancial Analysis of I.T Ltd.4152 Words   |  17 Pagesbackground I.T Limited (0999.HK) is an investment holding company based in Hong Kong. It was listed on the main board of The Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 4-March-2005. The company offers a wide range of apparel products. It sells its products as well as offers a variety of national and international brands through its network of retail stores. As of February 28, 2011, it operated 392 stores in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Objective To undertake a comprehensive analysis on the financial performanceRead MoreDell Case Study Strategic Managemen1426 Words   |  6 Pagescom, www.gateway.com, www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml )_______ )_______ )_______ Introduction †¢ Dell computer was founded by Michael Dell at age of twenty one in his dorm at the University of Texas, Austin. Initially the name of the company was PCs Ltd in 1984 but later it was changed to Dell Computer in 1987 when company got listed in stock exchange. †¢ The company started with small operations through PCs by buying retailers surplus stocks at cost, then powering them up with graphics cards, hardRead MoreGaleries Lafayette3934 Words   |  16 Pages | | |[pic] | |Haussmann Flagship Paris, |Store of I.T. 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They are as mentioned below: †¢ Early phase from 1786 to 1969 of Indian Banks †¢ Nationalization of Indian Banks and up to 1991 prior to Indian banking sector Reforms. †¢ New phase of Indian Banking System with the advent of Indian Financial Banking Sector Reforms after 1991. To make this write-up more explanatory, I prefix the scenario as Phase I, Phase II and Phase III. Phase I – The General Bank of India was set up in the year 1786. Next came Bank of Hindustan and Bengal BankRead MoreProfit Maximization vs Wealth Maximization5736 Words   |  23 Pagesessentials tools for us to expose our skill as a future responsible managerial post. The preparation of this project report is based on the financial analysis of annual reports consecutive years of five public limited companies, using Ratio analysis and other tools. The scope of the project report is limited to the study of financial position and analysis of the financial objectives of the companies on the basis of published data available. My work in this project is therefore a humble attempt towardsRead MoreFinancial Modeling Techniques For Risk Adverse Client Who Is Seeking For Long Term Investment2960 Words   |  12 PagesLimited (WOW) and REA Group Ltd (REA). These three stocks are listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) 100 index. According to the demand of client, we first identified the portfolio with the lowest risk, utilizing the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). We then successfully identified the new portfolio investing $200,000 in the local minimum portfolio and borrowing $100,000 from risk-free asset. . Based on the appropriate data collection, calculation and analysis, we proved that this newRead MoreEssay about Burberry Strategic Analysis3193 Words   |  13 PagesTable of Contents Executive Summary1 Strategic Review A)Strategic analysis of Burberry i. Environmental Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦1-3 ii. Resources and competence analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.3-4 iii. Purpose/culture/stakeholder analysis4 B) Recommendation for future development i. Three options suggested using TOWS Matrix5-6 ii. 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All department of the organization must be managed so that all can benefit from an independent objective review. The scope of internal audit spans the review of all the functions of the organization. It includes technical, commercial and financial aspects that are secured, accounted for an d managed within the organization. Moreover, the internal audit department

Essay on Christopher Columbus - 1614 Words

Christopher Columbus Although nearly every phase of any exploration had its good and bad outcomes the benefits of Columbus discovery of the New World far outweigh the negative results of that enterprise; because his discovery stimulated further development of both Europe and the New World. His voyage was an epochal and magnificent discovery in that it confirmed the roundness of the earth and gave new validity to science, expanded trade and opened new markets and led to the industrialization of Europe, and opening the doors to a new world because the Old World was overcrowded and torn by strife. Columbus did not just discover land and resources rather he discovered the New World. A New World that offered hope, freedom, and a new†¦show more content†¦As an explorer, Columbus not only confirmed the world was round, but he decoded the Atlantic wind system, discovered the magnetic variation in the Western hemisphere and, among other things, contributed to the mapping of the Atlantic and the New Wor ld (Fernà ¡ndez-Armesto, 182). Columbus great skill in navigation paved the way for later explorers to come to the New World. Before he had set out in pursuit of the East Indies, he studied charts, maps, and journals from earlier explorers and was certain that he could reach the Far East by sailing westward. His calculations were beyond correct and he never quite realized the fact that he was nowhere near the Far East, but in reality was on a whole other continent. The task he set for himself Ââ€" to cross the Ocean Sea was literally beyond the capacity of any vessel of his day. The task he performed Ââ€" to cross from Europe to a New World Ââ€" was beyond the conception of many of his contemporaries (Fernà ¡ndez-Armesto, 183). Nobody thought that Columbus could reach the Far East Ââ€" much less anything at all. He achieved the highly impossible and instead of being praised, is put down for his faults. Although Columbus did not find the spices of the East Indies there were still many new things to trade in the New World. Tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, sunflowers, cashews, potatoes, and tobacco were brought to the Old World and sugar,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Christopher Columbus? Or Not Christopher Columbus?1329 Words   |  6 Pages On Columbus Day students across the nation will learn how Columbus discovered the New World and about his fantastic travels to the New World. Children will learn poems, stories, songs and rhymes about his travels and about himself as well on this day. 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However, Leif Ericson, a Viking, was the first European to see the Americas. â€Å"Christopher Columbus - born Cristoforo Colombo but was called in Spain Cristobal Colon†(Heat-Moon 4) was born to Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa sometime between August 25 and October 31, 1451 in Italy near Genoa (Heat-Moon 4). â€Å"Christopher Columbus had four other siblings; Bartholomew Columbus, BianchinettaRead MoreChristopher Columbus And The Columbus898 Words   |  4 Pages Christopher Columbus â€Å"In fourteen hundred ninety-two / Columbus sailed the ocean blue.† In grade school, I was taught this rhyme to learn about Christopher Columbus. Most of what I learned about Christopher Columbus then, was that he thought the world was round (and others didn’t); and that he wanted to sail to India, but messed up, and landed in America, calling the natives â€Å"Indians.† As I grew older, I learned a little bit more about Columbus’s trips to the Americas. I was told that ChristopherRead MoreThe Journey Columbus By Christopher Columbus1628 Words   |  7 PagesDeveloped Through the Uncovering of San Salvador in 1492 Christopher Columbus’s adventitious finding of San Salvador led to the initial European â€Å"discovery† of the New World. Columbus, an Italian explorer, attempted to sail west from Spain to India, funded by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile (Christopher Columbus’s Exploration). He sailed west using three boats: the Nià ±a, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria (Christopher Columbus the Italian Explorer). They reached the island of GuanahaniRead MoreChristopher Columbus Essay1097 Words   |  5 PagesChristopher Columbus was born in 1451 at Genoa. Genoa was a seaport that was on the Ligurian sea. His name was Cristoforo Colombo and that was translated into English as Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus had two brothers, which he was older than both. Christopher Columbus had little schooling just like most of the people during that age. Genoa was a busy seaport and Christopher Columbus learned much from the sailors. Christopher Columbusâ €™s father was a poor weaver. Christopher Columbus workedRead MoreThe Voyage of Christopher Columbus1541 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican History I 07/08/05 Christopher Columbus Voyage to North America Spanish exploration first began with a series of revolutions. First, the Commercial Revolution generated economic stability. Second, the Intellectual Revolution generated interest in the Earths composition and the pursuit of exploration. Europe then called for a political revolution to end the disorganized and disorderly rule of its government. This revolution returned order and stability to the government and renewed interestRead MoreChristopher Columbus Is Not A Hero Essay1610 Words   |  7 PagesChristopher Columbus is commonly known as the â€Å"discoverer† of the Americas. From a young age students are taught all the wonderful things he did for our land and how well he interacted with the Natives. Although the truth is disregarded and as students grow, they come to learn that Columbus was not a hero in fact. Columbus came close to causing a genocide of the Native Americans, and basically began the â€Å"white power† movement that America is forced to deal with t oday. The truth of what ChristopherRead MoreLegacy of Christopher Columbus2614 Words   |  11 PagesThe Legacy of Christopher Columbus Abstract After many centuries, a lot of controversy still surrounds Christopher Columbus. He remains to be a strange figure in history regarded as a famous explorer and a great mariner who made many discoveries in his days. Other people still regard him as a visionary and a national hero while others chose to remember him as a brutal and greedy person who used the rest of the humanity for his own selfish gains. Despite the fact that there have been protests inRead More Christopher Columbus Essay474 Words   |  2 Pagesin search of a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, Christopher Columbus accidentally discovered the Americas. However, in four separate voyages to the Caribbean from 1492 to 1504, he remained convinced that he had found the lands that Marco Polo reached in his overland travels to China at the end of the 13th century. To Columbus it was only a matter of time before a passage was found through the Caribbean islands to the cities of Asia. Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas Vikings

Concert Report †Paco de Lucia Essay Sample free essay sample

The concert that I watched on the cyberspace was a full concert that took topographic point in Freiburg. Germany in 1987 and was presented by two of the best authoritative guitar players of all-time Francisco Sanchez Gomez better known as Paco de Lucia from Spain and John McLaughlin from England. The music that they play is all classical music in its pureness and between the submitted vocals which were largely vocals composed by themselves some pieces belong to other celebrated creative persons such as Egberto Sigmonti and Chick Korea. Personally. I truly liked really much this concert I. I think that the combination of these two guitar players is one of the best combinations of classical guitar creative persons. For illustration I have seen some other presentations of Paco de Lucia as soloist and other creative persons attach toing him but neer had looked an creative person attach toing Paco de Lucia so good as John McLauhlin that could demo off and foreground both manners in one. We will write a custom essay sample on Concert Report – Paco de Lucia Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The guitars used for this concert. of class were the original wood authoritative guitar with nylon strings. The techniques used by Paco de Lucia were largely finger manner and the techniques of John were largely arpeggios and rhythmic utilizing the choice. The first piece of music which the concert began is called â€Å"Spain† by a worldwide known piano player Armando Anthony Corea or best good known as â€Å"Chick corea† . This is a piece of music a small long and really reasonably. The bulk of the vocal was merely the finger manner of Paco de Lucia and arpeggios and picking technique by John. Actually in this vocal John could demo off more accomplishments than Paco de Lucia. The 2nd musical piece is called â€Å"Chiquito† and it was created by Paco de Lucia. a vocal with a fantastic tune. This vocal has a beat that is ever traveling up and down ; starts decelerate and so begins to raise the beat faster and faster. A funny note in this vocal I saw. was the manner that John guitar played his guitar. for illustration the motions for non losing the beat and clip. The funny motion that John was making consists on traveling his right pes as making circles. and so continued with the other pes giving little blows to the floor. The 3rd vocal is called â€Å"Florianopolis† and it was written by John McLaughlin. This is a really fast piece. since the beginning starts with a really fast solo touring all stews of the guitar. Paco de Lucia was making arpeggios and finger manner. while John was adorning the piece with his magnificent fast picking technique. . The terminal of the vocal went much faster and with a really curious beat. for illustration John while playing his guitar besides gave a few blows on guitar to make or tag a few pauses several times and so kept playing the same tune. The 4th vocal is called â€Å"Cana de Azucar† written by Paco de Lucia. This vocal is a short piece but with a really fast tune. The techniques used are reasonably much the same techniques used in the other vocals. at the terminal of the vocal both creative persons speed up the tune and continued with merely arpeggios until the terminal. The fifth vocal is called â€Å"Frevo Rasgado† and was written by Egberto Gismonti. a really old Brazilian piano player and guitar player. Actually he is recognized as one of the most of import modern-day composers in the universe. embracing different musical manners that pass from Brazilian popular music. wind and classical music. This song sounds more like flamenco and has really difficult and fast tunes. The techniques used were finger manner. arpeggios and picking technique by John. besides making once more blows on the guitar to adorn and tag little intermissions in the vocal. The 6th and last vocal performed is called â€Å"David† and written by John McLaughlin. This is a really relaxed and comfy vocal. It starts really slow with light sounds and slow tunes. but as the vocal continues the tune starts to travel faster and faster until the terminal that finishes with really fast tune. In decision. I truly liked al the public presentations from the beginning until the terminal. Without a uncertainty is one of the best couple of classical guitar I’ve of all time seen because these two guitar players are recognized around the universe as some of the best. The techniques of each creative person fit absolutely to make some really keen and interesting tunes. Both creative persons did a great public presentation that dark. and all the people were really amazed with their public presentation.

The Fate Of King Oedipus Essay Research free essay sample

The Fate Of King Oedipus Essay, Research Paper Jeremy Todd English 122 4/5/97 The Fate of King Oedipus In # 8220 ; King Oedipus # 8221 ; there comes a point in the drama where Oedipus learns something that plays an of import function throughout the drama. He learns from a prophet that he will finally kill his ain Father and slumber with his ain female parent. As one could conceive of this is a daze to Oedipus, and he does non believe the prophet. However, he can non command any of this from go oning because it is his destiny. He is a victim of fortunes beyond his control. Oedipus has no control on the result of what happens in his life because his life had already been planned by the Grecian Gods. Throughout the whole drama there are mentions made to many of the ancient Greek Gods, for illustration, Apollo, Zeus, Dionysis, and Artemis are discussed rather frequently. In ancient Greece the people believed that if anything happened one of the God # 8217 ; s had a ground for it. Each God was related to one specific thing like Poseidon being the God of the sea. They thought that if there was a tidal moving ridge or a hurricane it was because Poseidon was angry at them. This is the footing for my premise that Oedipus had no control over his destiny. First of wholly, when Oedipus is merely a babe his male parent, King Laius of Thebes, is told in an prophet that his ain boy will kill him. So, with the understanding of his married woman, Jocasta, the babe # 8217 ; s pess are pinioned, and it # 8217 ; s given to a slave who is supposed to go forth it to decease on Mt. Cithaeron. However, the slave feels sorry for the babe, and gives it to a fellow shepherd from Corinth. The shepherd from Corinth presented the babe to the childless King of Corinth, who is Polybus, and he brings him up as his ain. He gives him the name Oedipus, which means conceited pes, because of his malformation. This shows how the God # 8217 ; s had already intended for his life to be. He had no manner to command what his parents did to him after he was born. Then, 18 old ages subsequently, he leaves Corinth for Delphi, to look into on his parenthood at the prophet of Apollo. The prophet, though, gives him a horrific anticipation. Which is that he will kill his male parent and slumber with his female parent, which are the two most impossible offense in a Grecian household. After hearing this he flees Corinth and caputs toward Thebes believing to of left his male parent behind in instance the prophet was right. However, the God Apollo has slightly tricked him. Since he believes that his existent male parent is Polybus, but he does non yet know that his male parent is the King of Thebes, which is where he is traveling. Along the manner he meets an old adult male driving a waggon of slaves at a topographic point where three roads run into, and he so precedes to kill him. Old ages pass after this incident, during which clip he becomes King of Thebes, marries Jocasta ( his female parent ) , and male parents four kids by her. Slowly, Thebes becomes engulfed by a hideous pestilence, which kills animate beings, kids, and harvests. Oedipus, being the brave male monarch he is, promises to salvage his metropolis. Since pestilences are caused by pollution, and the pollution is caused by sins the Gods are the lone one # 8217 ; s who can uncover it # 8217 ; s cause. Oedipus sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to see the prophet at Delphi once more, and the God # 8217 ; s answer is that the pestilence was caused due to an unpunished liquidator. That being the liquidator of Laius. He so places a awful expletive on the liquidator whomever it is, and so looks for aid from Teiresias, the respected prophesier. She tells him that he is the slayer, and she hints at even worse offenses. Oedipus is enraged at what she tells him, and thinks that Teiresias and Creon have made this up to dethrone him. Teiresias departs with menaces of her life while Creon implore his artlessness. Oedipus does non believe him, and would hold had him executed if non for Jocasta. After hearing that the statement was the consequence of what an prophet had told them she reassures Oedipus by stating that what the prophets say is bunk. She so tells a narrative of how her and Laius were told by one that their boy would kill his male parent. She so tells him how the male parent was killed by robbers at a topographic point where three roads meet. Then Oedipus remembers that he killed a adult male at a topographic point like this and admirations if it was Laius. He realizes that this would do him the cursed liquidator who is to fault for the pestilence of Thebes. Jocasta pleads with Oedipus that a informant said it was stealers, and that it could non hold been him. Oedipus wants this informant to be found so that his frights can be laid to rest. During this clip a courier arrives to state Oedipus that his male parent, the King of Corinth, has died and that he is now the King of Corinth every bit good. Oedipus is saddened by this event, but tells the courier that he can non return to Corinth while his female parent is still alive. Then the courier attempts to assist himself out by stating Oedipus that she was non truly his female parent, nor was Polybus his male parent. He so explains to them that Oedipus was given to him by a shepherd from Thebes. Jocasta so realizes that Oedipus is genuinely her boy and rushes off. Meanwhile Oedipus believes that she is embarrassed that her hubby might hold been an unwanted kid, and possibly he was the boy of a slave. At last the Theban shepherd arrives, and this is dry because turned out to be the adult male who was the informant to the slaying of Laius. The shepherd is loath to state Oedipus anything. Not until after a menace of anguish does he state Oedipus that the babe was given to him by Jocasta to be killed, and that he passed it on to the Corinthian out of commiseration. Oedipus now cognizing the truth hastes to happen Jocasta, but unfortunately, it was to late. She had already hanged herself. Oedipus so takes the shoulder pins from her frock and gouges his eyes out with them blinding himself. From this bad luck Creon becomes King, and after leting Oedipus to state adieu to his girls, orders him into the house, to expect disposal at the God # 8217 ; s pleasance. As Oedipus enter the house he is continually stating that he should be left to decease on Mt. Cithaeron merely as the Gods intended for him to. As one can see, the God # 8217 ; s played with the lives and emotions of all the characters in the drama. While making so Oedipus could in no manner command his ain destiny. The God # 8217 ; s mislead him, and did non let him to maintain from his fate. Oedipus was so a victim. A victim of fortunes beyond his control, and it merely goes to demo that it is impossible for person to get away their ain destiny. 337