Is The Internet Single Handedly Alters The Way - 1270 Words

The internet single-handedly alters the way we think and shifts human intelligence into a new frontier. It also is accessible to nearly everyone. We now have instantaneous access to the internet through our smart-phones and tablets and can approach any corner of the internet within seconds at virtually any geographical location. The internet has become one of the greatest tools for academic research, and it has become invaluable in terms of communicating with nearly any person at any time virtually without boundaries. While the advancement of the internet and its accessibility is shaping our intelligence and molding human consciousness, this particular paradigm shift brings many critics and antagonists along with this modification. Some†¦show more content†¦I think along with many other distinguished technologists, that our future is optimistic, assuming we have the power to overcome some obstacles with technology today and learn to engineer technology and social behaviors a round those particular hindrances. These issues are widely debated nowadays, and will most likely will be debated more and more as we draw nearer to the era where artificial intelligence is more capable and powerful than our own human intelligence. These issues bring up inherently significant philosophical matters. This subject forces us to consider the foundation of human intelligence, and how that foundation could be expanded upon and furthered with technology. If technology surpasses innate human boundaries, do our mortal and corporeal understandings of ethics and morality still stand if we are no longer the superior beings? It is imperative that we learn to define and understand how intelligence ran by processors is different than the intelligence that exists naturally within the human mind. How much will our biological intelligence and environmental acumen transform as we approach the age of Singularity? Ray Kurzweil adroitly asks, â€Å"†¦What is the Singularity? From my perspective, the Singularity is a future period during which the pace of technological change will be so fast and far-reaching that human existence on this planet will be irreversibly

My Job At Walgreens At The University Of Alabama - 915 Words

Diversity constitutes a multitude of variations and differences. Everyone has distinct features that differentiate him or her from the one another. Whether short or tall, big or small, we are diversified. In order to help others, to change the world, or to create social cohesiveness, thorough knowledge and experience with diversity is necessary. For this matter, social work is positioned around diversity ethics and as a social worker one must proactively work with a diversified population throughout his or her professional career. Even though I have always had a strong interest in the social work profession, having numerous personal experiences with diversity allowed me to further realize that I had a passion to help people no matter who or what they are. The two experiences that I have had involving diversity and that I recollect the most are that of adjustments I had to make as a student at The University of Alabama and experiences that I have had throughout my three years on my cu rrent job at Walgreens. Being accepted into The University of Alabama and receiving scholarship was a huge honor to my family, being that I was a first-generation student out of my parents and eight siblings. The day I received the news of being accepted, I immediately burst into tears because I knew that I had accomplished a milestone that so many people dream about and I finally had the chance to make my family proud and also the chance to be away from home to explore the world. AfterShow MoreRelatedExecutive Officer Of Tritel Customer Services Essay1211 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica out of those 9 million women my mother; Lakesha Miller has owned multiple businesses. I interviewed my mother on November 19, 2016 at Olive Garden in Huntsville, Alabama. She is currently the chief executive officer of Tritel Customer Services and Answering Source. She is one of the outstanding women who have started, built, inherited, partnered, or have entered business ownership. To obtain a degree in business you must attend schooling at a university or online management courses. This includesRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesYour WileyPLUS Account Manager Training and implementation support www.wileyplus.com/accountmanager MAKE IT YOURS! Fundamentals of Human Resource Management Tenth Edition David A. DeCenzo Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC Stephen P. Robbins San Diego State University San Diego, CA Tenth Edition Contributor Susan L. Verhulst Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA John Wiley Sons, Inc. Associate Publisher Executive Editor Senior Editoral Assistant Marketing ManagerRead MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 PagesSystems CASE STUDY I-1 IMT Custom Machine Company, Inc.: Selection of an Information Technology Platform CASE STUDY I-2 VoIP2.biz, Inc.: Deciding on the Next Steps for a VoIP Supplier CASE STUDY I-3 The VoIP Adoption at Butler University CASE STUDY I-4 Supporting Mobile Health Clinics: The Children’s Health Fund of New York City CASE STUDY I-5 Data Governance at InsuraCorp CASE STUDY I-6 H.H. Gregg’s Appliances, Inc.: Deciding on a New Information Technology Platform

Lead Trial Free Essays

INTRODUCTION Lead is a type of metal that is extremely toxic. It is used in the industries for the manufacture of various products like paint, gasoline etc. The chemical is also a component of products like ammunitions and batteries. We will write a custom essay sample on Lead Trial or any similar topic only for you Order Now Lead is a problem because of its dangerous and irreversible hazards. In the industry for instance, workers who are in constant touch with paints and gases stand a high risk of illness as a result of this chemical. It also poses danger especially on children whose weak bodies become vulnerable due to the devastating effects of lead. The control of lead levels and exposure to materials containing the chemical is inevitable. But with the application of the OSHA standards, it is anticipated that employees would not find their way into contact with this material. These standards require that employers should make their workplaces free of lead and other hazardous materials. Background Lead is a bluish chemical (when fresh) but grey (when exposed to the atmosphere). Its usage traces back to more than 6000 years. The metal does not easily rust and is also a poor conductor of electricity. It is found in the earth’s crust as an ore together with their metals like copper and zinc. Exposure to lead can lead to the damage of the nerves. It can also contribute to kidney problems especially nephrosis. Besides this, the chemical is also believed to be one of the greatest contributors to brain damages and also blood disorders. In children, an even low level of lead in their blood is harmful. It can cause retarded growth, IQ problems and hearing problems. It can ultimately lead to death of the infant. Sampling methods In order to find the lead levels in humans, sampling is carried out. Various methods are used like OSHA, MOSH, etc. THE OSHA METHOD OF SAMPLING LEAD This method incorporates filters that have got sampling pumps. After collection of these samples, analysis is done through emission spediometry or flame atomic absorption. Detection of specific metals can be through minute or bunk quantities. Tetramethyl and Tetraethyl compounds of lead can be analysed using In-House method as the stop gap procedure. Advances in techniques and different levels of exposure limits may render a given OSHA method inapplicable. The first step in analysis is to make bunk particles lesser i.e. grinding, or crushing to powder form. The samples are mixed with strong acid concentrates or if possible using de ionised water. The sample solution is then diluted, and exposed to atomic absorption or spectrophotometer rays. Through the measure of characteristic wavelength, it is possible to determine the element but after atomization and achievement of the excited stage of the atoms. Samples may be from the skin surface like the arms, hands or neck. A wise packet is torn open without touching the wire and given to the worker being evaluated. Employee is to remove the wipe from the package and unfold it. In the case of the hand, a person wipes the palms first and both sides of hand. This wiping is done for not less than 30 seconds using both sides of wire. For samples not from the skin, gloved hands are used to open wipe packet and unfold the wire. The designated surface for sampling is wired through repeated horizontal motions. The second wire is done at right angles to the first wire. The designated surface for sampling is wiped through repeated horizontal motions. The second wire is done at right angles to the first wire. It was noted that the employees did not wear separate work clothing or boots while at work. There is a common neglect of washing hands before drinking, eating or smoking. Some employees smoked near lead dust and fumes. Most of the times ,dry sweeping was done. The respirators worn at work were ill fitting, and worn out. The Californian lead exposure for workers in workplaces shows only 2.7% of facilities have participated in lead environment monitoring, laboratory based surveillance for lead poisoning in employees may mislead on the number of employees exposed. The Californian facilities that use lead are about 53,000. Around 240,000 employees in these factories are in lead related plant processes. This is only about 2.5% of the total Californian work force. Only 1.4% of lead- using process facilities and 2.6% facilities have the lead monitoring program. Employees in storage battery manufacture potentially exposed to lead are 1,950. Exposed individuals in the ship building repair, industry are 1,099 wending repair 312 people.  Significantly 107,322 employees are exposed below lead action level. However, 88,262 are exposed above action level/ Table showing lead exposure levels in air sampling data: The control measures recommended are to avoid spillage of lead-based oils and gasoline fumes be stored with facilities that have adequate ventilation systems. Lead process plants be enclosed and employees have sufficient respirator systems. Protective systems like using wet sweeping should be done and exposure to naked eye welding avoided.  Consistent supervision, while encouraging minimum exposure to lead and prohibiting of eating, drinking, smoking or cosmetic application in the working place should be some of the control measures. Administrative controls may target the schedule of working. Risk-prone, lead exposure e processes may be done when there are fewer workers at the facility. Also to protect the unborn, pregnant women may be assigned other work stages away from this (lead) contaminant. CONCLUSION The lead poisoning exposure levels are quite high given that about the employees exposed the results postulated show a figure that is not as accurate since less than half the facilities were sampled.  Lead, a heavy metal is absorbed into the digestive system whenever inhaled. Smaller particles of lead reach deeper in the lungs into the broad system. Lead damages body ability to make red blood cells.  Lead poisoning for the unborn and children can affect the child’s ability to use vitamin D and calcium. It can retard the kid’s brain, nervous system and red bone marrow. Individuals having lead exposure levels that are active levels require chelate treatment. Lead exposed men have been noted to have problems like low fertility, erectile dysfunction and brain defects. Among women, incidences of still births, miscarriages and social skill problems in the offsprings are rampant. Substitution of lead for safer elements and change of process to minimize lead exposure for employees at the facility is necessary. Ventilation systems should be installed to reduce the amount of lead in air or dust. Isolation can be done by reducing the number of people present during lead processing. Good hygiene should be enforced. Most importantly, protective clothing, detection gadgets should be applied. REFERENCES Binns HJ, Kim D, Campbell C. Targeted screening for elevated blood lead levels: populations at high risk.2002, Mc ghill, USA.  Gorstein J, Sullivan K, Yip R, et al. Issues in the assessment of nutritional status using anthropometry. Bull World Health Organ 1994; PubMed-Cental, USA. United Nations System/Standing Committee on Nutrition. Nutrition information in crisis situations. Geneva, Switzerland: Secretariat of the UNS/SCN; May 2004. US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Ban of lead-containing paint and certain consumer products bearing lead-containing paint, American public health Association, USA.       How to cite Lead Trial, Essay examples

Illegal logging in the Republic of Congo - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the Illegal logging in the Republic of Congo. Answer: Brief overview of the trade history of the chosen countries Congo-Kinshasa, which is the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was the second industrially developed country in Africa, after South Africa, during its independence in 1960 (Thomas and Winkler). It was characterized with a thriving mining sector along with a relatively productive agricultural sector. It is a sparsely populated compared to its area and is a home for a vast number of natural and mineral resources. It is characterized with deposits of raw minerals, having an estimated worth of US$24 Trillion (McKnight). Therefore, this country has a history of trading in various raw minerals, by way of mining products, but it has significantly fallen since 1980s due to corruption, politics and war, making it a country today, having a the lowest per capita GDP in the world. In Sweden, traditionally, there was pursuance of a free trade policy. Sweden was actively dependent on international trade, which has played significant role in uplifting the development pattern in order to promote high standard of living. The accessibility to overseas markets has enabled the industries to expand and specialize. The liberal trade policies in Sweden had led to promoted imports, competitions and structural change. In 1995, Swedens joining of the European Union marked an important step in the Swedish post-war history (Samuelsson and Joakim). Social, political and economic overview of the selected nations In social context Congo Kinshasa has faced highest incidences of poverty in recent trends however the incidence of poverty is higher compared to other central African countries. According to recent reports the DRC has a large population of about 65.7 million in 2012 however it has been observed that high population growth rate of 2.7% will intensify the prevailing social conditions (Pritzkow et al.).According to the estimation of the World Bank, approximately 50 million live in Congo-Kinshasa on less than US$1.25 a day (Njuguna). The issue of poverty has proved to be a major weakness in improving the social conditions of the Congo-Kinshasa and in recent trends with the growing population the issue of poverty is ever increasing. The DRC had faced various political conflicts in the 1990s, leading to a protracted social and economic slump. Efforts have been made for defusing the political crisis by the Government. One of these efforts has been in the form of an agreement, signed on 31st December, 2016, which provides for a transition period in which powers will be held jointly by the President and the opposition, until the presidential elections in 2017 (Ali, et al.). The agreement also stipulates that the president cannot seek a third term and the change in the Constitution cannot be attempted. But, the agreement was not entered into and the 2017 elections got delayed as the revision of the electoral register was not complete (Samuelsson and Wendell). The political conflicts in the Congo-Kinshasa created hurdles in economic development of the country. Due to political conflicts several projects are awaiting approval and due to this reason the organizational growth of the country is lacking behind. This has pr oved to be a major weakness to the regions of Congo-Kinshasa. In the economical context, DRC has the lowest GDP rate since 2001 due to the declining prices and the shrinking global demand in raw materials. The DRC also lacks access to democratic and international financial markets and has faced a drastic reduction in public finance in 2015 and 2016 (Nicolas et al.). Currently, the Government has launched many reforms and signed various contracts which are accessible to the public, along with participation in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Sweden as a developed country has been considered of having the best and the most equal standards of living in the world. In the beginning the country had a very low unemployment rate, which gradually increased in recent trends, affecting large group of people having low qualifications and immigrants. Moreover, Sweden has a comparatively better labor market and the liberal legislations regarding immigrants give access to the foreigners into the Swedish labor market (Munemo). The access to foreigners has been considered as a major strength as it increased employment opportunities for employment opportunities. The current Swedish political scene is dominated by the two biggest political parties: Social Democratic Party and Modern Party. For two centuries, the foreign policy of Sweden has been based on the principle of non-alignment and neutrality. Moreover, Sweden has been actively involved in various humanitarian actions along with memberships in many international organizations like WTO and OECD. Sweden is one of the few countries which were able to meet UNs aid target of 0.7% of GNI and the largest contributor to the UN (Potter, Dawson and Frierson). These factors can be considered as strength of the country as it involved in the development of various humanitarian activities worldwide. Economically, Sweden has one of the healthiest economies in EU at present and the 5th largest GDP per capita. The Swedish Governments reforms and responsible fiscal policy was the reason of Swedens recovery from the economic crisis in 2008-2009 (Pritzkow et al.). The revenues are usually high and in the last few years it has been exceeding 50% of GDP. The Swedish economy is export oriented and produces more than 50% of the GDP (Lawson). Sweden being a developed country is economically stable and from the very beginning its major strength was that it has an open economy. Orography of the selected countries Congo- Kinshasa, the capital of DRC is situated by the Congo River Basin, which has been covering an area of almost 1,000,000 square kilometers. The country has its only outlet to the Atlantic Ocean in the form of a various terror strip of land on the north bank of the Congo River (Anderton, Brenton and Oscarsson). There is a vast, low-lying central area, which is a plateau shaped-shaped sloping towards the west and is covered by tropical rainforest and crossed by rivers. In the west the centre of the forest is surrounded by mountainous terraces in the west and plateaus merging into the savannahs in the south and the south-west (Potter, Dawson, and Frierson). Dense grasslands are found beyond the Congo River in the north and in the eastern border the mountains of Ruwenzori range are found along with Rwanda and Uganda. Sweden is situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula in the Northern Europe. Sweden has a geographic feature which includes deep coastline on the eastern side along with the Scandinavian mountain chain on its western boundary, which has been separating Sweden from Norway. Sweden has maritime borders with countries like Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Russia, Latvia and Estonia and which are linked to Denmark by the Oresund Bridge (Pritzkow, et al). Sweden being a developed country is the 56th largest country in the world and the fifth largest in Europe and Northern Europe (Ali et al.). Infrastructure of the selected nations: In the Congo-Kinshasa, ground transport has always been challenging as the topography and humidity of the Congo basin acted as serious obstacles to rail and road constructions. Furthermore, the chronic mismanagement and internal conflict has also led to serious under-investment over many years. Congo comprises of thousands of navigable waterways and traditionally it has been effective means of transport in travelling around the country. The most effective means of transport is by air for moving within the country. Air transport is used to move freight and personnel as well (Ali, et al.). The transport infrastructure of Sweden is marginally above the EU average for roads, airports and ports however in case of railroad infrastructure it and is below EU average. Sweden is the second best country in EU in relation to the timeliness shipments and its TEN-T Core Network for inland waterways has been complete and 50% of the Core road and conventional rail networks has also been complete (Odolinski and Jan-Eric). Export value and import value of the selected countries The DRC has been considered as the 102nd largest export economy in the world and exported about $5.69B and imported $5.64B in 2015, resulting in a positive trade balance of $47.5M. In 2015 it was observed that the GDP of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was $35.2B however its GDP per capita was $784 as well (Cathey, Hong and Pak). As to the top exports, there are refined copper ($2.67B), copper ore ($376M), cobalt ($755M), Cobalt ore ($666M), Hydroxides ($302M) and cobalt oxides (Charlesworth). The top imports of Congo-Kinshasa included Packaged Medicaments ($227), Refined Petroleum ($207M), Delivery trucks ($114M) Human/Animal blood ($155M) and Excavation machinery ($113M) (Cathey, Keejae and Simon). In the world economy Sweden is the 26th largest export. According to reports, in 2016, Sweden exported $135B and imported $139B which resulted in a negative trade balance of $4.24B.The top exports of Sweden are Refined Petroleum ($6.4B), Packaged Medicaments ($5.56B) Telephones ($3.6B), Cars ($7.42B) and Vehicle Parts ($5.01B) (Odolinski, Kristofer, and Nilsson). In 2016 Sweden imported $139B however during the last five years the imports of Sweden have increased considerably to a rate of 1.88%, from $167B in 2011 to $139B in 2016. Trade routes of the selected countries As mentioned earlier, in Congo, the ground transport has been really weak and hence, trade is not done by rail or road. But due to navigable waterways across two third of the country, trade is done by using these water ways to some extent. But air transport is the mostly used transport in Congo and the transport of minerals and those with high value of weight is also carried out by air (Nikis, et al). Some parts of DRC are more accessible from the neighboring countries than Kinshasa, for example the north eastern towns are linked by way of paved roads, in which the goods are brought in by using this route. The Swedish used the Volga trade route, which was an ancient trade route. It created a link between the Scandinavia Kievan Rus and the Eastern Roman Empire. This route provided opportunities for traders in establishing a direct fortunate trade with the Empire. The bulk of this route encompasses of long distance waterways that included the Baltic Sea, several rivers as well as the rivers of Dnieper river system, with portages and drainage divides (Muyingi). There is a different route along the Dniester River, which pauses on the Shore of the Black sea (Charlesworth). These are the routes which are used by the Swedish along with some sub routes, indicated as the Dnieper trade route and Dniester trade route, respectively. Time Frame for Import Export: Sweden being a developed country the economic development is based upon export-oriented economy with the help of hydro-power, iron ore and timber. Being a developed country Sweden occupies the position of the 26th largest export economy in the world (Yun). In this regard it can be stated that the process of export and import is basically long which in general increases the risk of perishable goods (Pritzkow et al.). The top export destinations of Sweden are Denmark, Norway, Germany and Finland whereas the import origins are China, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands (Winkler). The product which must be used within a short span of time is termed as perishable goods. The time span for the process of import and export is quite lengthy and time consuming and sometimes results in loss if perishable goods are shipped. The Congo-Kinshasa or the Democratic Republic of the Congo being a developing country is the 102nd largest exporter in the world. Since time immemorial it has been exporting cobalt and copper ore however the top imports are human and animal blood and refined petroleum (Francois and Olga). It is obvious that from the very beginning the top export destinations of the Congo-Kinshasa China, Saudi Arabia and Zambia while the import origins are India, South Africa and China. In this regard it is noteworthy to mention that the process of import and export is very time consuming. Tariffs are collected on all the imported and exported goods and therefore in case of perishable goods the time span is longer. Transport constraints: In case of Sweden the process of import and export takes place with the aid of shipping. However in some cases goods are exported by road and by air. It has been observed that due to the process of transfer of goods by road several hindrances were faced. There were chances that overload trucks could lead to accidents and in such cases the exporting country will be subjected to huge loss (Baaz et al.). In his regard it can be mentioned that the export and import of goods by road is extremely time consuming and delays the procedure of export and import. Being a developing country Congo-Kinshasa has often faced serious issues while importing and exporting perishable and other goods. In this regard it can be seen that goods are mainly transported by air, water and by roads. Since safety issues are associated with the transportation of goods the country from the very beginning focused on the fact that airplanes and trucks should not be over-jacked (Muyingi). Since Congo-Kinshasa is a developing country it is not well consistent with the transport mediums and therefore the process of export and import is inefficient (Munemo). Documentation required for import and export: Sweden being a developed country has a documentation procedure for import and export. Sanitary certificates are required in case of commodities that are composed of animal products and by-products. Single Administrative Document (SAD) is required for movement of goods across the world which is an essential factor for transport of goods outside EU (Jack, Hong and Pak). It can be stated that Sweden does not impose any quota on the products manufactured outside its jurisdiction (Munemo). In this regard it can be mentioned that import documents acts significantly in these matters. In case of Congo-Kinshasa documents related to declaration of custom and other documentations are required on every export and import of goods. Various custom agencies like DGDA and OCC work closely in these matters. It is essential that exporters must provide BIVAC with the invoice which contains the description of goods that has to be shipped along with a statement accepting such inspection (Njuguna). It is required that the original invoice and the list of goods must contain the net weight, quantity along with the dimension of each packet of goods that has to be exported (Lawson). In this regard it is noteworthy to mention that the original invoice along with the other documents must be verified and duly signed and at the same time attested by the Ministry of Commerce in Congo-Kinshasa (Muyingi). These documents can be obtained easily however the delivery of the goods usually takes a long time. Trade Facilitation Roadmap: A trade facilitation roadmap can be defined as the short comprehensive document which contains the strategic vision towards trade facilitation reforms by identifying the milestones required in order to achieve those within a limited period of time. In this regard Sweden being a developed country is still growing. Sweden and Germany is known to be major trading partners in the world economy (Sllh et al.). A forum of negotiations, rules and regulations regarding trade disputes with the member countries has been set up by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Issues regarding trade disputes are usually discussed in the trade facilities of WTO. In case of Congo-Kinshasa being a developing country, the transport system can be improved. Various safety measures should be developed in this regard. With the recent development in technology larger road vehicles has been manufactured for the purpose of exporting and importing goods (Lawson). For the purpose of devising new solutions there must be an implementation of new trade policy framework along with the implementation of new action plan for roadmap (McKnight). It can be stated that if the facilities of trade is improved in such country then in the future it may result into speedy transfer of goods within a short span of time. Improvement of safety measures is important in order to reduce chances of high jacking in the long run. Port facilities and services have been provided. In order to remove hindrances in the way of import and export procedures transit port has been introduced. Prioritization of the different areas for improvement: Sweden being a developed country needs improvement in areas of import and export. The process of communication among the importers and exporters should be improved during the import and export of various goods. The introduction of different vehicles in order to ensure the effective working of the process of import and export should be enhanced (Sllh et al). In order to create better relationship with the European Countries Sweden must strengthen its Union territories in order to ensure better ties with the regional countries (Yun). In order to solve issues with the regional countries it is required to introduce trade facilitation solution. In order to strengthen trade facilitation in Congo-Kinshasa the Custom Reform must adopt certain rules and regulations. The department of human resource management in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Customs should develop sustainable employment in higher level for the benefits of economic growth in the future (Samuelsson and Wendell). The Democratic Republic of the Congo is available for international trade and has been successful in providing employment opportunities to people for future development (Sllh et al.). In order to receive more opportunities from international trade structure Congo-Kinshasa must focus on widening its export base in the long term. Facilitation Trade agreement draft between poor nation and wealthier nation: In order to implement provisions of the members of the World Trade Organization the developed countries requires assistance of the WTO who has introduced the Trade Facilitation Agreement for the purpose of this achievement (Lawson). Trade Facilitation Agreement can be defined as a draft made between the members of wealthier nations and poor nations. In this regard it is noteworthy to mention here that Sweden being a developed nation is wealthier as it facilitated the trade agreement (Charlesworth). Various international organizations has been set up in order to facilitate the formation and implementation of trade agreement. Congo-Kinshasa being a developing country is well assisted by the facilities of trade Facilitation Agreement (Pritzkow et al.). The draft of the agreement was prepared with an intention to protect the trade interests of different nations in the process of export and import (Njuguna). However it is necessary that developing countries like Congo-Kinshasa should act according to the provisions of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. References: Ali, Rubaba, et al. "Infrastructure in conflict-prone and fragile environments: evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo." (2015). Anderton, Robert, Paul Brenton, and Eva Oscarsson. "What's trade got to do with it? Relative demand for skills within Swedish manufacturing."INTERNATIONAL TRADE, DISTRIBUTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Empirical Studies of Trade Policies. 2015. 205-227. Cathey, Jack, Keejae P. Hong, and Simon J. Pak. "Estimates of undervalued import of EU Countries and the US from the Democratic Republic of Congo during 20002010."The International Trade Journal(2017): 1-13. Charlesworth, Martin Percival.Trade-routes and Commerce of the Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press, 2016. Eriksson Baaz, Maria, Judith Verweijen, and Jason Stern. "The national army and armed groups in the eastern Congo: Untangling the Gordian knot of insecurity." (2013). Farole, Thomas, and Deborah Winkler. "Firm location and the determinants of exporting in low-and middle-income countries."Journal of Economic Geography14.2 (2013): 395-420. Francois, Joseph, and Olga Pindyuk. "Consolidated Data on International Trade in Services v8. 9."IIDE Discussion Paper 20130101(2013). Francois, Joseph, and Olga Pindyuk. "Consolidated Data on International Trade in Services v8. 9."IIDE Discussion Paper 20130101(2013). Lawson, Sam. "Illegal logging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo."Chatham House, p26. www. illegal-logging. info/content/illegal-logging-democratic-republic-congo(2014). McKnight, Janet. "Surrendering to the big picture: Historical and legal perspectives on accountability in the Democratic Republic of Congo following the defeat of the March 23 Movement."Stability: International Journal of Security and Development3.1 (2014). Munemo, Jonathan. "Regulation of entry and the variety of manufactured exports from developing countries."The Journal of Developing Areas47.1 (2013): 207-222. Muyingi, Mbangu Anicet. "Conflict and Development in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Review of Related Literature."Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences4.3 (2013): 491. Nikis, Nicolas, et al. "Case study: copper ingots in Central Africa."Field Manual for African Archaeology(2017): 197-201. Njuguna, Lotty. "Impact of Trade Facilitation on Intra-Regional Exports: A study of the COMESA Region." (2013). Odolinski, Kristofer, and Jan-Eric Nilsson. "Estimating the marginal maintenance cost of rail infrastructure usage in Sweden; does more data make a difference?."Economics of Transportation(2017). Potter, S. F., E. J. Dawson, and D. M. W. Frierson. "Southern African orography impacts on low clouds and the Atlantic ITCZ in a coupled model."Geophysical Research Letters44.7 (2017): 3283-3289. Pritzkow, C., et al. "Relationship between wood anatomy, tree-ring widths and wood density of Pinus sylvestris L. and climate at high latitudes in northern Sweden."Dendrochronologia32.4 (2014): 295-302. Sllh, David, et al. "Evaluation and update of Norwegian and Danish oil production forecasts and implications for Swedish oil import."Energy65 (2014): 333-345. Samuelsson, Johan, and Joakim Wendell. "A National hero or a wily politician? Students ideas about the origins of the nation in Sweden."Education 3-1345.4 (2017): 477-489. Yun, Can. "The Impact of Preferential Trade Agreements on Import Flows." (2013).

Apocalypse Now essays

Apocalypse Now essays I have always enjoyed movies. But at some point I started to think of movies as more than just entertainment. I began to view them as a movie critic would, rather than just a casual viewer. Because of this perspective, I think of "Apocalypse Now" as one of the best American made movies I have ever seen. As a student of and an active participant in the late twentieth century media age, I feel justified in making this statement. In my lifetime of observation of American media, including fourteen months of intense movie watching in conjunction with my employment at a local video store, I have had an opportunity to observe a broad sampling of the films, and feel more than qualified to make this statement. By referring to "Apocalypse Now" as one of the best American movies, I do not want to diminish my praise for the movie, but rather, acknowledge the fact that my knowledge of foreign movies is limited. I first saw Francis Ford Coppula's "Apocalypse Now" in a high school literature class after reading Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the story from which the movie was derived. After viewing the movie the first time, it was clear to me that "Apocalypse Now" was something special, not only superior to the mindless drivel that permeates much of what is produced by Hollywood, but also better than many of the movies that have come to be regarded as classics. Now you are probably thinking, "How does an eighteen year old college freshman decide how one movie deserve such recognition? How does he judge the quality of movies?" To me, a good movie presents a well constructed plot combined with skilled cinematography. A great movie incorporates a message into the attributes of a good movie. An excellent movie goes further by adding deeper levels of meaning. When I watch a movie which I judge to be excellent, I feel that it can be viewed from many angles and appear seamless from each direction. I see an excellent movie as being like a well made ...

Anti-Oxidants essays

Anti-Oxidants essays I. I have read books and seen movies where people talk of finding a fountain of youth or a potion that could have the abilities to make you live and look young forever. A. As I pick up my moms wrinkle cream from the refrigerator and grab a bowl of blueberries, I pray that I have found my own potion to keep my youth flowing. B. When I look back into my childhood, I remember the repetition of those famous words you hear any mother say: Eat your fruits and vegetables. C. Those are definitely words of wisdom because now what is contained in fruits and vegetables have been seen 3. Aid in the retarding aging of the mind and the body. II. So today I will talk about what anti-oxidants are, specifically where they can be found, and what they can possibly do for us. (Transition: Lets start out with knowing what an anti-oxidant is.) I. Anti-oxidants: as defined on www.encyclopedia.com, are natural substances that prevent or delay oxidative damage that occurs to living animal cells. A. Fight free radicals that are produced when an animals cells converts oxygen into energy. B. Other causes of free radicals are: 4. Other factors in the environment such as automobile emissions, etc. II. Two theories of what an antioxidant/oxidant imbalance can affect. 1. Free radicals cause damage to our cells and antioxidants set up a defense system and try to prevent any damage from being done. 2. But antioxidants cannot keep up with the damage that is being made. Therefore the damage builds up. 3. This build-up causes our bodys cells, tissues and organs to break down causing us to grow old. B. Oxidative stress is the process where free radicals do help the body to get rid of harmful toxins when produced in normal amounts but when produced in extreme amounts they b ...

Alcoa Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alcoa - Assignment Example The calculated ROE is consequently higher though the assets utilization ratios are worse in 2007 than 2006. e) In the third quarter of 2007, the sales figures are lower than in the previous two quarters. This is due to lower third party sales of all product segments. This has impacted the ROE. Sales in the fourth quarter are at about the same level as the third quarter. The reported net profit for the quarter is higher due to the restructuring adjustment from the agreement to sell the packaging and consumer business of the company. f) The Balance Sheet data shows that the increase in assets is due to major additions in Properties, Plant and Equipment which suggest a major increase in production capacity. Current assets and in particular receivables and inventories are lower in 2007 compared to 2006. Data on capacity utilization would therefore be relevant. Question 2 – Net income of 3 Q- 07 compared to 3Q – 06 Alcoa’s sales in the 3Q – 2007 were significantly lower at $ 7,379 million compared to the previous two quarters which were both around $ 8,000 million. Since Net Profit Margin from sale of products is the main driver for the company’s ROE, the stock market would take the reduced sales figure as the signal of lower ROE for the year. In the previous quarters Alcoa’s stock prices must have gone up on the higher sales numbers from the corresponding quarters of the previous year. a) Primary metals with 21.4% of third party sales in 2007 and flat rolled products with 29.9% of sales make up the bulk of Alcoa’s business. Primary metals contributed 45.5% of Alcoa’s after-tax operating income (ATOI) in 2007. This segment is therefore the most important for Alcoa. Flat-rolled products had an ATOI of only 6.3% in

ETHICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

ETHICS - Essay Example Engineering concerns with construction of structures and these structures are not used by their customers alone. The product of the work of engineers is not also solely used by his or her employers but by the customer and many other groups of people. This is particularly true in public structures where the structure will be used by the general public. Thus, unlike in any other profession, the stakeholders in engineering profession are many but the most important stakeholder of an engineer’s work is the general public and this explains why the first and foremost obligation of a registered professional engineer is to the satisfy public welfare. The stakeholders in engineering are not just those who invest monetarily in projects or construction works but more importantly, the public who uses those constructions where they rely on it for their use or for their safety. Thus, before anything or anyone else, the public’s welfare must be considered first in the profession of

MHE599 - Culminating Project Module 2 - SLP Outline & References Essay

MHE599 - Culminating Project Module 2 - SLP Outline & References - Essay Example sky in his article, Natural Disasters and the Militarization of America discusses how government particularly its leader can use natural disasters as a pretext to militarize America. According to the author, Hurricane Katrina and even the Avian Flu threat were being used by the erstwhile President Bush to justify a greater role for the Military in the countrys civilian affairs. With NRP also eliminating the distinction between a civilian and a national security emergency situation and relief organizations like American Red Cross endorsing military role, the author fears that there will be extreme militarization of America. This article lists all the valid and important Dos and Don’ts which the NGO should carry out or not carry out during a national disaster as part of humanitarian assistance. For example, the article states that if a country as well the representatives of the relevant UN bodies, are unable to properly coordinate with NGO in providing emergency relief responses, the blame will be mainly on the country. NGOs cannot be held for this failure. NGOs do not usually have the mandate to provide the overall co-ordinating framework for disasters. This responsibility falls to the host government and the relevant United Nations authorities This source in the form of a report and document annex submitted by the Select Bipartisan Committee formed to investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. This official government committee came up with in-depth findings about the roles of the many government based stakeholders. How these stakeholders performed or underperformed during and aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina. Who can all be blamed or appreciated. In total, this report analyzes all the important stakeholders during Hurricane Katrina and in the aftermath of the Hurricane This article published in the Think Progress website with a Youtube video of Bush’s final Press conference (video has since been removed) focuses on the

Utilisation of Wind Energy for High Rise Building Power

Utilisation of Wind Energy for High Rise Building Power Introduction The price of conventional energy is on the rise, due to the ever-widening gap between demands and supply. The main reason for such shortages is the depletion in natural resources, such as coal, which is the main fuel used for electrical energy generation. Since these fuels are made up of carbon compounds, burning them has rapidly increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last 100 years. This has brought about a chain reaction of hazards such as global warming, climate change, destruction of ecosystems, etc with predictions for adverse outcomes in the future. In response to this threat and to initiate an end to such processes, the UN agreed the Kyoto Protocol in Japan in 1997. This requires industrialised nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5% of 1990 levels by 2008-2012. The UK has agreed to meet this target and furthered its promise by setting a goal of 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050[ ]. Part of its government energy policy is to increase the contribution of electricity supplied by renewable energy to 10% by 2010 (Blackmore P, 2004). A similar promise has been undertaken by many world nations, which has led to a plethora of new and innovative methods for power generation. Renewable is the key to climate friendly forms of energy, due to the absence of emissions detrimental to the environment (Stiebler M, 2008). It includes energy derived from sunlight, wind, wave, tides and geothermal heat. Out of the afore mentioned resources, geothermal heat is restricted to only limited locations on the globe while wave and tidal power is still in its research stage. Thus sunlight and wind are the key elements that can be tapped for energy generation. However, on comparison between the two systems, wind energy systems are more advantageous both in availability of resources and cost of generation. This report mainly focuses on wind energy, with a keen interest on harvesting it for ventilation and power generation purposes in high-rise buildings. Plan forms that aid this purpose will be studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics to understand the flow of wind in and around a thirty-storey structure and the building configuration well suited for natural ventilation and wind turbine integration would be identified at the end of the test. To obtain a complete picture of wind flow patterns and to closely mimic real life situations, the wind will be simulated from different directions at different wind speeds. Wind energy Wind is the term used for air in motion and is usually applied to the natural horizontal motion of the atmosphere (Taranath Bungale S, 2005). It is brought about by the movement of atmospheric air masses that occur due to variations in atmospheric pressure, which in turn are the results of differences in the solar heating of different parts of the earth’s surface (Boyle G, 2004). At a macro level wind profile differs from place to place depending on geographic location and climatic conditions while in a microstate the immediate physical environment of a particular place modifies the nature of the winds. For example, the velocity of the wind recorded in the countryside which has acres of unobstructed grassland would be greater than that recorded in a city dominated by skyscrapers. Hence to obtain a clear idea of the wind characteristic corresponding to a particular area the wind rose is utilized. They are based on metrological observations and depict the varying wind speeds experienced by a site at different times of the year together with the frequency of different wind directions [ ]. It is the first tool consulted to judge the wind resources of a site and its ability to support power generation. The winds have been tapped from ancient times by means of ship sails, windmills, wind catchers, etc. The history of windmills goes back more than 2000 years (Stiebler M, 2008) when they were predominantly used for grinding grain and pumping water. However, the breakthrough occurred when Charles.F.Brush erected the first automatically operating wind turbine at Ohio in 1888 [ ]. It was fabricated using wood and had a rotor diameter of 17m with 144 blades. The system recorded very low efficiency and was mainly used to charge batteries. The reason behind the poor efficiency was due to the large number of blades, which was later discovered by Poul la Cour who introduced fewer blades into his wind turbine. Though such developments were achieved at an early stage in innovation, it was not until 1980 that the prominent application of renewable energies was sought after (Boyle G, 2004). Wind energy is the harnessing of the kinetic energy prevalent in moving air masses. This kinetic energy for any particular mass of moving air (Boyle G, 2004) is given by the formula: K.E = 0.5mV ² where, m – mass of the air (kg) and V – wind velocity (m/s). However this mass of moving air per second is: m = air density x volume of air flowing per second m = air density x area x velocity   Thus, m = rAV where, r – density of air at sea level = 1.2256 kg/m ³ and A – area covered by the flowing air (m ²) Substituting this value of m in the former equation, K.E. = 0.5rAV ³ (J/s) But energy per unit of time is power and hence the above equation is the power available from the wind. It is also evident that the power is directly proportional to thrice the wind velocity. In other words even a marginal increase in wind speed would yield three folds of the nominal power. This is the critical fact based on which the whole energy process is evolved. However not all of this power can be exhausted since it would lead to nil outflow through the wind turbine, that is no flow of air behind the rotor. This would lead to no flow of air over the turbine causing total failure of the system. According to Albert Betz the maximum amount of power that can be harnessed from the wind is 59.3%. This is often referred to as the Betz limit and has been proven by modern experiments. Some of the advantages of wind energy include: It is based on a non-exhaustive resource and hence can be harnessed for generations. It is a clean and eco friendly way of producing energy. In its working lifetime, the wind turbine produces eighty times the amount of energy that goes into its manufacturing and thus has diminishable net impact on the environment. It does not require any additional resources such as water supply unlike conventional power generation. It can boost the economy of the region (wind farms). Wind turbines: Wind turbines are the modern day adaptations of the yesteryear windmills but unlike their counterparts they are mainly used for power generation. These new age systems come in different shapes and have various configurations, the well established of them all are the Horizontal axis wind turbine and the Vertical axis wind turbine. Write a brief about horizontal wind turbines and vertical wind turbines. BUilding integrated Wind Turbines (BUWT): Building integrated wind turbines are associated with buildings designed and shaped with wind energy in mind (Stankovic S et al, 2009). They are relatively a new way of harnessing energy that is gaining popularity at a quick pace. Small scale wind turbines on house roofs and retrofitting also fall under this category. The design of BUWTs is a complicated affair and involves the careful consideration of various factors. Since turbines are fixed into the building’s fabric its impact on the environment, building’s response and needs of its owners and occupants need to be weighed equally. Also numerous design decisions such as planning, structure, services, construction and maintenance depend on this single process (Stankovic S et al, 2009). With the increase in the scale of the proposal the importance of these factors increases simultaneously. The proposal generally spans from the number, scale, type and location of the turbines together with its annual energy yield and design life. A good BUWT based building should be a wholesome design that does not prejudice the buildings efficient functioning for energy generation. Generic options for BUWTs: Stankovic S et al (2009) explains that the wind turbines can be fixed on to a building in enumerable ways. Each method can accomplish a different level of power depending on the type of turbine used and the form of the building it is mounted upon. On top of a square/ rectangular building: This configuration is on the principle that the wind velocity increases with height and hence the amount of energy generated would be of a higher order (10% increase with wind acceleration). An added advantage is that the turbine would experience relatively little turbulence. But access to the turbine for maintenance and decommissioning works may be difficult. If mounted on tall buildings the turbines may threaten the visual quality of the skyline. On top of a rounded building: This case is very similar to the previous configuration except that with the use of rounded faà §ade the mean tower height can be considerably diminished. Also the rounded profile influences the local acceleration (15% increase in energy). The low tower height favors easy access to the turbine but leads to blade flicker and noise issues. Concentrator on top of a rounded building: This case is well suited to areas with bi-directional winds (20% energy increase over a free standing equivalent due to local acceleration). Vertical axis wind turbines are better suited for this feature while Horizontal axis wind turbines need to be suitably altered to achieve the same status. The building spaces that act as concentrators may be inhabited with suitable acoustical treatment. This case also encounters the same drawbacks as listed in the previous case. Square concentrator within a building faà §ade: As before, this configuration takes advantage of the higher quality winds at higher altitudes and local acceleration thereby achieving 25% increase in energy and 40% increase for bi-directional winds. This option is best suited for buildings with narrower profiles. There may be a loss in the saleable area of the building but the aperture can be converted into an exclusive feature such as a sky garden. The opening also relieves the wind loading on the building’s facade leading to simpler structural solutions. Vertical axis wind turbine is the only choice for integration due to its square swept area. Circular concentrator within a building faà §ade: This is very similar to the square concentrator except the opening is accustomed to hold pitch controlled horizontal axis wind turbines with fixed yaw. Also, a 35% increase for uniform wind and 50% increase in energy for bi-directional winds are achievable in this method. But on the down side, this technique is more expensive due to the cylindrical shroud. On the side of a building: In this technique, an increase in 80-90% in energy than the freestanding equivalents is achievable only if the building form is optimized to the local wind character. Only reliable vertical axis wind turbines can be used for power generation due to access issues. For higher swept area, more number of turbines should be used. Between multiple building forms: This type of an option opens out many doors for a range of architectural forms. Unlike the previous cases, the buildings orientation, form, shape and spacing play key roles in the performance of the turbines. Vertical axis wind turbines are better suited for this purpose. Guidelines for BUWT’s: The following are some guidelines outlined by Stankovic S et al (2009) for incorporating wind turbines into a structure: BUWTs should be tailored to the specific site for good results. Adequate wind resources should be available on site. If however if the site is under resourced steps are to be adopted to deliberately elevate the quality of the wind through the buildings form or turbine. The impact of its surroundings should also be considered before commissioning such a project. The dominating wind direction and its intensity should be observed from meteorological data. This would help in determining the form and orientation of the building together with finalizing the position of the wind turbine to make the most out of the available resource. Environmental impact assessment corresponding to the site should be carried out to foresee the adverse effects the turbines may create. Acoustic isolation may be sought for in some areas within the building if it lies at close proximity to the rotor. Natural ventilation and day lighting qualities of the building may be challenged and forced to settle for artificial means. The type and position of openings, external shading devices, smoke extracts etc should be handled with appropriate care to avoid draught winds. Access to the wind turbines for maintenance and decommissioning must be provided suitably. The aesthetic quality of the mounted turbines must harmonize with its surroundings and should not over power the pedestrians at ground level. To this end well suited screening devices such as canopies, screens and landscape may be utilized as per the necessity. The overall success of BUWT project depends on its ability to deliver the expected power. Inability to comply with this effect would result in the failure of its intended purpose from both an environmental and design point of view. Thus the electricity demand of the building and the level to which this would be met with should be estimated prior to turbine design to secure maximum benefits. Wind flow prediction and energy yields: For any project to be successful, Wind flow and building design (Taranath Bungale S, 2005) When the air moves in a vertical direction it is referred to as a current. These currents play a major role in meteorology whereas the gradual decrease in wind speed and high turbulence of the horizontal motion of air, at the ground level, are vital in building engineering. In urban areas, this zone of turbulence extends to a height of approximately one quarter of a mile aboveground and is called the surface boundary layer. Above this layer, the horizontal airflow is no longer influenced by the ground effect. The wind speed at this height is known as the gradient wind speed, and it is precisely in this boundary layer where most human activity is conducted. Characteristics of wind: The flow of wind is complex because many flow situations arise from the interaction of wind with structures. A few characteristics of wind include: Variation of wind velocity with height: The viscosity of air reduces its velocity adjacent to the earth’s surface to almost zero. A retarding effect occurs in the wind layers near the ground, and these layers in turn successively slow the outer layers. The slowing down is reduced at each layer as the height increases, and eventually becomes negligibly small. The height at which velocity ceases to increase is called the gradient height, and the corresponding velocity, the gradient velocity. At heights of approximately 366m aboveground, the wind speed is virtually unaffected by surface friction, and its movement is solely dependant on prevailing seasonal and local wind effects the height through which the wind speed is affected by topography is called the atmospheric boundary layer. Wind turbulence: Motion of wind is turbulent and it occurs in wind flow because air has a very low viscosity-about one-sixteenth that of water. Any movement of air at speeds greater than 0.9 to 1.3 m/s is turbulent, causing air particles to move randomly in all directions. Vortex shedding: In general, wind buffering against a bluff body such as a rectangular building gets diverted in three mutually perpendicular directions. However, only the longitudinal winds and the transverse winds or crosswinds are considered in civil engineering. When a free flowing mass of air encounters a building along its path, the originally parallel upwind streamlines are displaced on either side of the building. This results in spiral vortices being shed periodically from the sides into the downstream flow of the wind, called the wake. At relatively low wind speeds the vortices are shed, that is, break away from the surface of the building and an impulse is applied in the transverse direction. Distribution of pressures and suctions: When air flows around the edges of a structure, the resulting pressures at the corners are much in excess of the pressures on the center of elevation. This has been evident by the damages caused to corner windows, eave and ridge tiles, etc in windstorms. Wind tunnel studies conducted on scale models of buildings indicate that three distinct pressure areas develop around the building. They are: Positive pressure zone on the upstream face (Region 1) Negative pressure zone at the upstream corners (Region 2) Negative pressure zone on the downstream face (Region 3) The highest negative pressures are created in the upstream corners designated as Region 2. Wind pressures on a buildings surface are not constant, but fluctuate continuously. The positive pressure on the upstream or the windward face fluctuates more than the negative pressure on the downstream or the leeward face. The negative pressure region remains relatively steady as compared to the positive pressure zone. The fluctuation of pressure is random and varies from point to point on the building surface. Nearby buildings can have a significant influence on wind forces. If they are the same height as the structure being considered then they will mostly provide shelter, although local wind loads can be increased in some situations. Where surrounding buildings are significantly taller they will often generate increased wind loading (negative shelter) on nearby lower structures. Shelter can result from either from the general built-environment upwind of the site or from the direct shielding from specific individual upwind buildings (Blackmore P, 2004). Natural ventilation The three natural ventilation airflow paths in buildings are (Pennycook, 2009): Cross ventilation Single-sided ventilation Passive stack ventilation Advantages of cross ventilation: Greater rates of ventilation can be achieved under amicable weather conditions. Can be utilized for deep-plan spaces with operable windows on the external wall. Incumbents have control over ventilation. Relatively cost free. Can be incorporated with thermal masses. However, it has certain limitations such as: Internal space layout must be hindrance free for easy, clear flow of air. Internal partitions must be within 1.2m height and tall cupboards must be placed alongside the windows. Natural ventilation can occur only under the presence of suitable winds. Poor planning and positioning of windows may cause disruptive draughts and gusts. Winter ventilation is problematic. Unsuitable for buildings located in noisy and pollution prone environments. The requirements of fresh air supply are governed by the type of occupancy, number and activity of the occupants and by the nature of any processes carried out in the space (Koenigsberger et al, 2001). When natural ventilation is stipulated for good indoor air quality, the amount and nature of the dominant pollutant source in the space should be identified. Based on this data the ventilation rate for the space can be calculated such that the pollution level does not cross a preset specific mark. Generally the concentration of the pollutants decreases with the increase in airflow rate (Figure –1). However, in terms of thermal comfort especially during winter the heating requirement of the building will increase with the ventilation rate. This demand varies with time, wind characteristics of the place, opening and closing of windows and doors by its occupants and the thermal state of the building. In summer, cooling is ideal for both the building and its occupants to prevent internal heat gains. By directing the high velocity wind around the human body the evaporative rate at the skins surface can be increased thereby achieving a cooling sensation. The recommended upper limit of indoor air movement is 0.8 m/sec, which permits the inhabitants to occupy a space about 2 °C warmer and 60% relative humidity with optimum comfort. The traditional way to cool buildings is to provide large openings along the exterior wall with the principle that higher the ventilation rate greater the loss of heat to the external environment. But such an arrangement would work only when the outdoor te mperature is in the range of comfort zone. When controlled indoor environments are desired especially during the occupancy period’s night ventilation is recommended. In this technique the building is cooled at night so that it can absorb the heat generated during the day (Allard F, 1998). Based on wind tunnel experimental observations, the factors that affect the indoor airflow are: Orientation: External features: Cross-ventilation: Position of openings: Size of openings: Control of openings: Literature review The following are studies that have been made of different aspects of wind using Computational Fluid dynamics. CFD evaluation of wind speed conditions in passages between parallel buildings: This analysis undertaken by Blocken B et al (2007) mainly focuses on the wind speed conditions in passages between parallel buildings in combination with the accuracy of the commercial CFD code Fluent 6.1.22 when the wall-function roughness modifications are applied to them. The Venturi effect is also studied to determine the amount of increase in wind speed in the passage due to the decrease in flow section. The results obtained were compared with various previously proven experiments carried out by experts in the field. As the title indicated the case undertaken involves a pair of rectangular buildings measuring 40m x 20m x 20m, placed adjacent to each other and separated by a narrow passage. The width of the passage is widened (for example, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100 m) with every case to clearly understand the Venturi effect. The dimension of the computational domain is 20.5x14x18m3; the whole setup is placed at a distance of 5m from the inlet and simulated with a wind speed of 6.8m/sec based on initial results. The results recorded at the end of the simulation process are discussed as follows. They are based on the amplification factor, which is defined as the ratio of the mean wind speed at a certain location to the mean wind speed at the same location without the buildings present. As such it is a direct indication of the effect of the buildings on the wind speed (Blocken B et al, 2007). Pedestrian level wind profile: In context to this research, for narrow passages (example w=2m) this amplification factor occurs maximum at the centerline immediately behind the entrance. When the distance between the buildings are slightly increased (example w=10m), the flow streams deflecting off the inner edges of the buildings combine into a large jet stream and records an increase in the amplification factor. However this property is lost when the width of the passage is of a high order (example w=30m). Overall wind profile: To understand the overall wind profile, six vertical lines were identified along the passage’s center plane for the case of w=6m. The lines depicted the fact that there was an increase in the wind speed at the ground level due to the downdraft of the wind along the front faà §ade of the building and a decrease in wind speed at the end of the passage due to the exit of flow from the passage. Also for these cases, there was no significant increase in the wind speed with the increase in height. Flow rates at different points in the passage: To evaluate the Venturi-effect three fluxes were defined, one along the vertical plane, another along the horizontal plan and the final being similar to the former one but in the absence of the buildings. When the flow rate was calculated for narrow passages, it stated an increase in wind speed by only 8% due to the Venturi effect. However for larger widths the flow rate was lower than the free-field flux. This shows that the wind has a tendency to flow over and around the building rather than be forced through the passage as previously believed. Thus there is a lack of strong Venturi effect and the flow in the passage can be attributed as the channeling effect for these cases. The research also concluded that there were discrepancies in the CFD results due to the use of the roughness factor and advised future users to simulate an empty field before positioning the buildings to clearly identify the difference in results. Further research into the Venturi effect was also implied. Computational analysis of wind driven natural ventilation in buildings: Evola G and Popov V (2006) research focuses on the application of three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier-Strokes (RANS) modeling on wind driven natural ventilation with specific detail to the pressure distribution and flow pattern within the building. The various cases would be simulated with the standard k-e model and the Renormalization Group theory (RNG). Within the framework of natural ventilation both single sided ventilation and cross ventilation would be studied and the results obtained using CFD will be compared with LES models and empirical methods for its reliability.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The building undertaken consists of a 250mm x 250mm x 250mm cube punctured with a centrally located 84mm x 125 mm opening on the wind ward side (Case 1). In Case 2 the door like opening is placed on the leeward side and in Case 3 both the openings are retained to test the cross ventilation principle. On comparison between the CFD results obtained for Case 1 and 2, Case 2 portrays a better flow pattern especially at the mouth of the opening. This leads to a better ventilation rate than Case 1 though in contrast to the theoretical data that good ventilation rate and flow patterns are achievable only when the opening faces the incoming winds. To establish the phenomenon further experimentation into the field was suggested. Between Cases 1, 2 and 3, cross ventilation clearly stands out as the best option of them all, both in terms of velocity and distribution. Also the study concluded that the measured RNG results matched approximately to the theoretical results of Cases 1 and 2. But a significant amount of deviation was observed in Case 3. The RNG model was only slightly intense than the k-e model generally used. The research also concluded that there were discrepancies in the CFD results due to the use of the roughness factor and advised future users to simulate an empty field before positioning the buildings to clearly identify the difference in results. Further research into the Venturi effect was also implied. CFD modeling of unsteady cross-ventilation flows using LES: This research undertaken by Cheng-Hu Hu et al (2008) employs the LES method to investigate the fluctuating ventilation flow rate induced by the wind for a cross-ventilated building. The results from CFD were compared with those previously acquired from wind tunnel tests.   Ã‚   The building proposed for the study consists of a rectangular box with two openings of equal size located opposite to each other. The wind is simulated from 0 °(Case 1) and 90 °(Case 2) to the building at a rate of 1m/sec, to study the flow pattern in and around it. When the air approaches the building the ventilation rate is unsteady at the mouth of the openings due to turbulence and in the flow separation layer due to shear. In Case 1 the wind is accelerated through the opening and directed downwards inside the building. This phenomenon brings about a circulation of the internal air before guiding the wind upwards and out through the window on the leeward side of the building. The air exchange occurs due to the mean flows through the opening. In Case 2 where the wind is parallel to the windows, the air moves in and exits rapidly causing fluctuating flows thereby leading to air exchange. In this case turbulence prone areas are formed at the rear of the building. When these results were compared with the wind tunnel data, Case 1 portrayed similarities while Case 2 had major deviations. Further study was proposed for understanding the reason behind such deviations. Case studies The Bahrain world trade centre was the world’s first building to ‘aesthetically incorporate commercial wind turbines into the fabric of the building’ [ ]. The complex consists of a three-storied sculpted podium and basement from where the 240m high towers rise up into the sky. The two towers comprise of 51 floors each and are connected by means of three, 31.5m span bridges at 60m, 96m and 132m levels [ ]. They are oval in section for aerodynamic reasons and follow a shallow V-shape in plan for adequate blade clearance. Sitting on each of this 70 ton spandrel is an 11-ton nacelle to which the industry approved horizontal axis wind turbines are fixed by special means. The turbine has a rotor diameter of 29m and is stall controlled with centrifugally activated feathering tips for air brakes (Killa S Smith Richard F, 2008). The turbines are oriented facing the Arabian Gulf intercepting the path of the dominant winds. The decision to harness the prevailing wind was thought of from the initial stage drawing inspiration from ‘the regional wind towers and the vast sails of the traditional Arabian Dhow which utilise the wind to drive them forward’. Numerous Computational fluid dynamics models and wind tunnel tests were carried out to determine the final building form. The result was a skyward tapering, elliptical structure, carved out by the wind that functions as aerofoil sections (Wood A, 2008). The shape and spatial relationship of the towers aid in adhering the wind in a â€Å"S’ flow whereby the center of the wind stream remains nearly perpendicular to the turbine within a 45 ° wind azimuth, either side of the central axis (Killa S Smith Richard F, 2008). This increases the turbine efficiency, number of working hours and minimizes the stress on the blade caused by yawing [ ]. Furthermore, the two towers were placed such that they create a ‘V’ shaped space in between them, as well as a negative pressure behind the blocks, thus creating an opportunity for the Venturi effect to accelerate wind velocity onto the turbines (Binder G, 2006) by as much as 30% more than the source wind (Killa S Smith Richard F, 2008). The tapering profile combined with the increased onshore wind velocity at higher altitudes creates a near equal regime of wind speed on each of the three turbines, irrespective of its location, allowing them to rotate at the same speed and generate approximately the same amount of energy (Wood A, 2008). Table 1: Annual energy output Utilisation of Wind Energy for High Rise Building Power Utilisation of Wind Energy for High Rise Building Power Introduction The price of conventional energy is on the rise, due to the ever-widening gap between demands and supply. The main reason for such shortages is the depletion in natural resources, such as coal, which is the main fuel used for electrical energy generation. Since these fuels are made up of carbon compounds, burning them has rapidly increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last 100 years. This has brought about a chain reaction of hazards such as global warming, climate change, destruction of ecosystems, etc with predictions for adverse outcomes in the future. In response to this threat and to initiate an end to such processes, the UN agreed the Kyoto Protocol in Japan in 1997. This requires industrialised nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5% of 1990 levels by 2008-2012. The UK has agreed to meet this target and furthered its promise by setting a goal of 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050[ ]. Part of its government energy policy is to increase the contribution of electricity supplied by renewable energy to 10% by 2010 (Blackmore P, 2004). A similar promise has been undertaken by many world nations, which has led to a plethora of new and innovative methods for power generation. Renewable is the key to climate friendly forms of energy, due to the absence of emissions detrimental to the environment (Stiebler M, 2008). It includes energy derived from sunlight, wind, wave, tides and geothermal heat. Out of the afore mentioned resources, geothermal heat is restricted to only limited locations on the globe while wave and tidal power is still in its research stage. Thus sunlight and wind are the key elements that can be tapped for energy generation. However, on comparison between the two systems, wind energy systems are more advantageous both in availability of resources and cost of generation. This report mainly focuses on wind energy, with a keen interest on harvesting it for ventilation and power generation purposes in high-rise buildings. Plan forms that aid this purpose will be studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics to understand the flow of wind in and around a thirty-storey structure and the building configuration well suited for natural ventilation and wind turbine integration would be identified at the end of the test. To obtain a complete picture of wind flow patterns and to closely mimic real life situations, the wind will be simulated from different directions at different wind speeds. Wind energy Wind is the term used for air in motion and is usually applied to the natural horizontal motion of the atmosphere (Taranath Bungale S, 2005). It is brought about by the movement of atmospheric air masses that occur due to variations in atmospheric pressure, which in turn are the results of differences in the solar heating of different parts of the earth’s surface (Boyle G, 2004). At a macro level wind profile differs from place to place depending on geographic location and climatic conditions while in a microstate the immediate physical environment of a particular place modifies the nature of the winds. For example, the velocity of the wind recorded in the countryside which has acres of unobstructed grassland would be greater than that recorded in a city dominated by skyscrapers. Hence to obtain a clear idea of the wind characteristic corresponding to a particular area the wind rose is utilized. They are based on metrological observations and depict the varying wind speeds experienced by a site at different times of the year together with the frequency of different wind directions [ ]. It is the first tool consulted to judge the wind resources of a site and its ability to support power generation. The winds have been tapped from ancient times by means of ship sails, windmills, wind catchers, etc. The history of windmills goes back more than 2000 years (Stiebler M, 2008) when they were predominantly used for grinding grain and pumping water. However, the breakthrough occurred when Charles.F.Brush erected the first automatically operating wind turbine at Ohio in 1888 [ ]. It was fabricated using wood and had a rotor diameter of 17m with 144 blades. The system recorded very low efficiency and was mainly used to charge batteries. The reason behind the poor efficiency was due to the large number of blades, which was later discovered by Poul la Cour who introduced fewer blades into his wind turbine. Though such developments were achieved at an early stage in innovation, it was not until 1980 that the prominent application of renewable energies was sought after (Boyle G, 2004). Wind energy is the harnessing of the kinetic energy prevalent in moving air masses. This kinetic energy for any particular mass of moving air (Boyle G, 2004) is given by the formula: K.E = 0.5mV ² where, m – mass of the air (kg) and V – wind velocity (m/s). However this mass of moving air per second is: m = air density x volume of air flowing per second m = air density x area x velocity   Thus, m = rAV where, r – density of air at sea level = 1.2256 kg/m ³ and A – area covered by the flowing air (m ²) Substituting this value of m in the former equation, K.E. = 0.5rAV ³ (J/s) But energy per unit of time is power and hence the above equation is the power available from the wind. It is also evident that the power is directly proportional to thrice the wind velocity. In other words even a marginal increase in wind speed would yield three folds of the nominal power. This is the critical fact based on which the whole energy process is evolved. However not all of this power can be exhausted since it would lead to nil outflow through the wind turbine, that is no flow of air behind the rotor. This would lead to no flow of air over the turbine causing total failure of the system. According to Albert Betz the maximum amount of power that can be harnessed from the wind is 59.3%. This is often referred to as the Betz limit and has been proven by modern experiments. Some of the advantages of wind energy include: It is based on a non-exhaustive resource and hence can be harnessed for generations. It is a clean and eco friendly way of producing energy. In its working lifetime, the wind turbine produces eighty times the amount of energy that goes into its manufacturing and thus has diminishable net impact on the environment. It does not require any additional resources such as water supply unlike conventional power generation. It can boost the economy of the region (wind farms). Wind turbines: Wind turbines are the modern day adaptations of the yesteryear windmills but unlike their counterparts they are mainly used for power generation. These new age systems come in different shapes and have various configurations, the well established of them all are the Horizontal axis wind turbine and the Vertical axis wind turbine. Write a brief about horizontal wind turbines and vertical wind turbines. BUilding integrated Wind Turbines (BUWT): Building integrated wind turbines are associated with buildings designed and shaped with wind energy in mind (Stankovic S et al, 2009). They are relatively a new way of harnessing energy that is gaining popularity at a quick pace. Small scale wind turbines on house roofs and retrofitting also fall under this category. The design of BUWTs is a complicated affair and involves the careful consideration of various factors. Since turbines are fixed into the building’s fabric its impact on the environment, building’s response and needs of its owners and occupants need to be weighed equally. Also numerous design decisions such as planning, structure, services, construction and maintenance depend on this single process (Stankovic S et al, 2009). With the increase in the scale of the proposal the importance of these factors increases simultaneously. The proposal generally spans from the number, scale, type and location of the turbines together with its annual energy yield and design life. A good BUWT based building should be a wholesome design that does not prejudice the buildings efficient functioning for energy generation. Generic options for BUWTs: Stankovic S et al (2009) explains that the wind turbines can be fixed on to a building in enumerable ways. Each method can accomplish a different level of power depending on the type of turbine used and the form of the building it is mounted upon. On top of a square/ rectangular building: This configuration is on the principle that the wind velocity increases with height and hence the amount of energy generated would be of a higher order (10% increase with wind acceleration). An added advantage is that the turbine would experience relatively little turbulence. But access to the turbine for maintenance and decommissioning works may be difficult. If mounted on tall buildings the turbines may threaten the visual quality of the skyline. On top of a rounded building: This case is very similar to the previous configuration except that with the use of rounded faà §ade the mean tower height can be considerably diminished. Also the rounded profile influences the local acceleration (15% increase in energy). The low tower height favors easy access to the turbine but leads to blade flicker and noise issues. Concentrator on top of a rounded building: This case is well suited to areas with bi-directional winds (20% energy increase over a free standing equivalent due to local acceleration). Vertical axis wind turbines are better suited for this feature while Horizontal axis wind turbines need to be suitably altered to achieve the same status. The building spaces that act as concentrators may be inhabited with suitable acoustical treatment. This case also encounters the same drawbacks as listed in the previous case. Square concentrator within a building faà §ade: As before, this configuration takes advantage of the higher quality winds at higher altitudes and local acceleration thereby achieving 25% increase in energy and 40% increase for bi-directional winds. This option is best suited for buildings with narrower profiles. There may be a loss in the saleable area of the building but the aperture can be converted into an exclusive feature such as a sky garden. The opening also relieves the wind loading on the building’s facade leading to simpler structural solutions. Vertical axis wind turbine is the only choice for integration due to its square swept area. Circular concentrator within a building faà §ade: This is very similar to the square concentrator except the opening is accustomed to hold pitch controlled horizontal axis wind turbines with fixed yaw. Also, a 35% increase for uniform wind and 50% increase in energy for bi-directional winds are achievable in this method. But on the down side, this technique is more expensive due to the cylindrical shroud. On the side of a building: In this technique, an increase in 80-90% in energy than the freestanding equivalents is achievable only if the building form is optimized to the local wind character. Only reliable vertical axis wind turbines can be used for power generation due to access issues. For higher swept area, more number of turbines should be used. Between multiple building forms: This type of an option opens out many doors for a range of architectural forms. Unlike the previous cases, the buildings orientation, form, shape and spacing play key roles in the performance of the turbines. Vertical axis wind turbines are better suited for this purpose. Guidelines for BUWT’s: The following are some guidelines outlined by Stankovic S et al (2009) for incorporating wind turbines into a structure: BUWTs should be tailored to the specific site for good results. Adequate wind resources should be available on site. If however if the site is under resourced steps are to be adopted to deliberately elevate the quality of the wind through the buildings form or turbine. The impact of its surroundings should also be considered before commissioning such a project. The dominating wind direction and its intensity should be observed from meteorological data. This would help in determining the form and orientation of the building together with finalizing the position of the wind turbine to make the most out of the available resource. Environmental impact assessment corresponding to the site should be carried out to foresee the adverse effects the turbines may create. Acoustic isolation may be sought for in some areas within the building if it lies at close proximity to the rotor. Natural ventilation and day lighting qualities of the building may be challenged and forced to settle for artificial means. The type and position of openings, external shading devices, smoke extracts etc should be handled with appropriate care to avoid draught winds. Access to the wind turbines for maintenance and decommissioning must be provided suitably. The aesthetic quality of the mounted turbines must harmonize with its surroundings and should not over power the pedestrians at ground level. To this end well suited screening devices such as canopies, screens and landscape may be utilized as per the necessity. The overall success of BUWT project depends on its ability to deliver the expected power. Inability to comply with this effect would result in the failure of its intended purpose from both an environmental and design point of view. Thus the electricity demand of the building and the level to which this would be met with should be estimated prior to turbine design to secure maximum benefits. Wind flow prediction and energy yields: For any project to be successful, Wind flow and building design (Taranath Bungale S, 2005) When the air moves in a vertical direction it is referred to as a current. These currents play a major role in meteorology whereas the gradual decrease in wind speed and high turbulence of the horizontal motion of air, at the ground level, are vital in building engineering. In urban areas, this zone of turbulence extends to a height of approximately one quarter of a mile aboveground and is called the surface boundary layer. Above this layer, the horizontal airflow is no longer influenced by the ground effect. The wind speed at this height is known as the gradient wind speed, and it is precisely in this boundary layer where most human activity is conducted. Characteristics of wind: The flow of wind is complex because many flow situations arise from the interaction of wind with structures. A few characteristics of wind include: Variation of wind velocity with height: The viscosity of air reduces its velocity adjacent to the earth’s surface to almost zero. A retarding effect occurs in the wind layers near the ground, and these layers in turn successively slow the outer layers. The slowing down is reduced at each layer as the height increases, and eventually becomes negligibly small. The height at which velocity ceases to increase is called the gradient height, and the corresponding velocity, the gradient velocity. At heights of approximately 366m aboveground, the wind speed is virtually unaffected by surface friction, and its movement is solely dependant on prevailing seasonal and local wind effects the height through which the wind speed is affected by topography is called the atmospheric boundary layer. Wind turbulence: Motion of wind is turbulent and it occurs in wind flow because air has a very low viscosity-about one-sixteenth that of water. Any movement of air at speeds greater than 0.9 to 1.3 m/s is turbulent, causing air particles to move randomly in all directions. Vortex shedding: In general, wind buffering against a bluff body such as a rectangular building gets diverted in three mutually perpendicular directions. However, only the longitudinal winds and the transverse winds or crosswinds are considered in civil engineering. When a free flowing mass of air encounters a building along its path, the originally parallel upwind streamlines are displaced on either side of the building. This results in spiral vortices being shed periodically from the sides into the downstream flow of the wind, called the wake. At relatively low wind speeds the vortices are shed, that is, break away from the surface of the building and an impulse is applied in the transverse direction. Distribution of pressures and suctions: When air flows around the edges of a structure, the resulting pressures at the corners are much in excess of the pressures on the center of elevation. This has been evident by the damages caused to corner windows, eave and ridge tiles, etc in windstorms. Wind tunnel studies conducted on scale models of buildings indicate that three distinct pressure areas develop around the building. They are: Positive pressure zone on the upstream face (Region 1) Negative pressure zone at the upstream corners (Region 2) Negative pressure zone on the downstream face (Region 3) The highest negative pressures are created in the upstream corners designated as Region 2. Wind pressures on a buildings surface are not constant, but fluctuate continuously. The positive pressure on the upstream or the windward face fluctuates more than the negative pressure on the downstream or the leeward face. The negative pressure region remains relatively steady as compared to the positive pressure zone. The fluctuation of pressure is random and varies from point to point on the building surface. Nearby buildings can have a significant influence on wind forces. If they are the same height as the structure being considered then they will mostly provide shelter, although local wind loads can be increased in some situations. Where surrounding buildings are significantly taller they will often generate increased wind loading (negative shelter) on nearby lower structures. Shelter can result from either from the general built-environment upwind of the site or from the direct shielding from specific individual upwind buildings (Blackmore P, 2004). Natural ventilation The three natural ventilation airflow paths in buildings are (Pennycook, 2009): Cross ventilation Single-sided ventilation Passive stack ventilation Advantages of cross ventilation: Greater rates of ventilation can be achieved under amicable weather conditions. Can be utilized for deep-plan spaces with operable windows on the external wall. Incumbents have control over ventilation. Relatively cost free. Can be incorporated with thermal masses. However, it has certain limitations such as: Internal space layout must be hindrance free for easy, clear flow of air. Internal partitions must be within 1.2m height and tall cupboards must be placed alongside the windows. Natural ventilation can occur only under the presence of suitable winds. Poor planning and positioning of windows may cause disruptive draughts and gusts. Winter ventilation is problematic. Unsuitable for buildings located in noisy and pollution prone environments. The requirements of fresh air supply are governed by the type of occupancy, number and activity of the occupants and by the nature of any processes carried out in the space (Koenigsberger et al, 2001). When natural ventilation is stipulated for good indoor air quality, the amount and nature of the dominant pollutant source in the space should be identified. Based on this data the ventilation rate for the space can be calculated such that the pollution level does not cross a preset specific mark. Generally the concentration of the pollutants decreases with the increase in airflow rate (Figure –1). However, in terms of thermal comfort especially during winter the heating requirement of the building will increase with the ventilation rate. This demand varies with time, wind characteristics of the place, opening and closing of windows and doors by its occupants and the thermal state of the building. In summer, cooling is ideal for both the building and its occupants to prevent internal heat gains. By directing the high velocity wind around the human body the evaporative rate at the skins surface can be increased thereby achieving a cooling sensation. The recommended upper limit of indoor air movement is 0.8 m/sec, which permits the inhabitants to occupy a space about 2 °C warmer and 60% relative humidity with optimum comfort. The traditional way to cool buildings is to provide large openings along the exterior wall with the principle that higher the ventilation rate greater the loss of heat to the external environment. But such an arrangement would work only when the outdoor te mperature is in the range of comfort zone. When controlled indoor environments are desired especially during the occupancy period’s night ventilation is recommended. In this technique the building is cooled at night so that it can absorb the heat generated during the day (Allard F, 1998). Based on wind tunnel experimental observations, the factors that affect the indoor airflow are: Orientation: External features: Cross-ventilation: Position of openings: Size of openings: Control of openings: Literature review The following are studies that have been made of different aspects of wind using Computational Fluid dynamics. CFD evaluation of wind speed conditions in passages between parallel buildings: This analysis undertaken by Blocken B et al (2007) mainly focuses on the wind speed conditions in passages between parallel buildings in combination with the accuracy of the commercial CFD code Fluent 6.1.22 when the wall-function roughness modifications are applied to them. The Venturi effect is also studied to determine the amount of increase in wind speed in the passage due to the decrease in flow section. The results obtained were compared with various previously proven experiments carried out by experts in the field. As the title indicated the case undertaken involves a pair of rectangular buildings measuring 40m x 20m x 20m, placed adjacent to each other and separated by a narrow passage. The width of the passage is widened (for example, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100 m) with every case to clearly understand the Venturi effect. The dimension of the computational domain is 20.5x14x18m3; the whole setup is placed at a distance of 5m from the inlet and simulated with a wind speed of 6.8m/sec based on initial results. The results recorded at the end of the simulation process are discussed as follows. They are based on the amplification factor, which is defined as the ratio of the mean wind speed at a certain location to the mean wind speed at the same location without the buildings present. As such it is a direct indication of the effect of the buildings on the wind speed (Blocken B et al, 2007). Pedestrian level wind profile: In context to this research, for narrow passages (example w=2m) this amplification factor occurs maximum at the centerline immediately behind the entrance. When the distance between the buildings are slightly increased (example w=10m), the flow streams deflecting off the inner edges of the buildings combine into a large jet stream and records an increase in the amplification factor. However this property is lost when the width of the passage is of a high order (example w=30m). Overall wind profile: To understand the overall wind profile, six vertical lines were identified along the passage’s center plane for the case of w=6m. The lines depicted the fact that there was an increase in the wind speed at the ground level due to the downdraft of the wind along the front faà §ade of the building and a decrease in wind speed at the end of the passage due to the exit of flow from the passage. Also for these cases, there was no significant increase in the wind speed with the increase in height. Flow rates at different points in the passage: To evaluate the Venturi-effect three fluxes were defined, one along the vertical plane, another along the horizontal plan and the final being similar to the former one but in the absence of the buildings. When the flow rate was calculated for narrow passages, it stated an increase in wind speed by only 8% due to the Venturi effect. However for larger widths the flow rate was lower than the free-field flux. This shows that the wind has a tendency to flow over and around the building rather than be forced through the passage as previously believed. Thus there is a lack of strong Venturi effect and the flow in the passage can be attributed as the channeling effect for these cases. The research also concluded that there were discrepancies in the CFD results due to the use of the roughness factor and advised future users to simulate an empty field before positioning the buildings to clearly identify the difference in results. Further research into the Venturi effect was also implied. Computational analysis of wind driven natural ventilation in buildings: Evola G and Popov V (2006) research focuses on the application of three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier-Strokes (RANS) modeling on wind driven natural ventilation with specific detail to the pressure distribution and flow pattern within the building. The various cases would be simulated with the standard k-e model and the Renormalization Group theory (RNG). Within the framework of natural ventilation both single sided ventilation and cross ventilation would be studied and the results obtained using CFD will be compared with LES models and empirical methods for its reliability.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The building undertaken consists of a 250mm x 250mm x 250mm cube punctured with a centrally located 84mm x 125 mm opening on the wind ward side (Case 1). In Case 2 the door like opening is placed on the leeward side and in Case 3 both the openings are retained to test the cross ventilation principle. On comparison between the CFD results obtained for Case 1 and 2, Case 2 portrays a better flow pattern especially at the mouth of the opening. This leads to a better ventilation rate than Case 1 though in contrast to the theoretical data that good ventilation rate and flow patterns are achievable only when the opening faces the incoming winds. To establish the phenomenon further experimentation into the field was suggested. Between Cases 1, 2 and 3, cross ventilation clearly stands out as the best option of them all, both in terms of velocity and distribution. Also the study concluded that the measured RNG results matched approximately to the theoretical results of Cases 1 and 2. But a significant amount of deviation was observed in Case 3. The RNG model was only slightly intense than the k-e model generally used. The research also concluded that there were discrepancies in the CFD results due to the use of the roughness factor and advised future users to simulate an empty field before positioning the buildings to clearly identify the difference in results. Further research into the Venturi effect was also implied. CFD modeling of unsteady cross-ventilation flows using LES: This research undertaken by Cheng-Hu Hu et al (2008) employs the LES method to investigate the fluctuating ventilation flow rate induced by the wind for a cross-ventilated building. The results from CFD were compared with those previously acquired from wind tunnel tests.   Ã‚   The building proposed for the study consists of a rectangular box with two openings of equal size located opposite to each other. The wind is simulated from 0 °(Case 1) and 90 °(Case 2) to the building at a rate of 1m/sec, to study the flow pattern in and around it. When the air approaches the building the ventilation rate is unsteady at the mouth of the openings due to turbulence and in the flow separation layer due to shear. In Case 1 the wind is accelerated through the opening and directed downwards inside the building. This phenomenon brings about a circulation of the internal air before guiding the wind upwards and out through the window on the leeward side of the building. The air exchange occurs due to the mean flows through the opening. In Case 2 where the wind is parallel to the windows, the air moves in and exits rapidly causing fluctuating flows thereby leading to air exchange. In this case turbulence prone areas are formed at the rear of the building. When these results were compared with the wind tunnel data, Case 1 portrayed similarities while Case 2 had major deviations. Further study was proposed for understanding the reason behind such deviations. Case studies The Bahrain world trade centre was the world’s first building to ‘aesthetically incorporate commercial wind turbines into the fabric of the building’ [ ]. The complex consists of a three-storied sculpted podium and basement from where the 240m high towers rise up into the sky. The two towers comprise of 51 floors each and are connected by means of three, 31.5m span bridges at 60m, 96m and 132m levels [ ]. They are oval in section for aerodynamic reasons and follow a shallow V-shape in plan for adequate blade clearance. Sitting on each of this 70 ton spandrel is an 11-ton nacelle to which the industry approved horizontal axis wind turbines are fixed by special means. The turbine has a rotor diameter of 29m and is stall controlled with centrifugally activated feathering tips for air brakes (Killa S Smith Richard F, 2008). The turbines are oriented facing the Arabian Gulf intercepting the path of the dominant winds. The decision to harness the prevailing wind was thought of from the initial stage drawing inspiration from ‘the regional wind towers and the vast sails of the traditional Arabian Dhow which utilise the wind to drive them forward’. Numerous Computational fluid dynamics models and wind tunnel tests were carried out to determine the final building form. The result was a skyward tapering, elliptical structure, carved out by the wind that functions as aerofoil sections (Wood A, 2008). The shape and spatial relationship of the towers aid in adhering the wind in a â€Å"S’ flow whereby the center of the wind stream remains nearly perpendicular to the turbine within a 45 ° wind azimuth, either side of the central axis (Killa S Smith Richard F, 2008). This increases the turbine efficiency, number of working hours and minimizes the stress on the blade caused by yawing [ ]. Furthermore, the two towers were placed such that they create a ‘V’ shaped space in between them, as well as a negative pressure behind the blocks, thus creating an opportunity for the Venturi effect to accelerate wind velocity onto the turbines (Binder G, 2006) by as much as 30% more than the source wind (Killa S Smith Richard F, 2008). The tapering profile combined with the increased onshore wind velocity at higher altitudes creates a near equal regime of wind speed on each of the three turbines, irrespective of its location, allowing them to rotate at the same speed and generate approximately the same amount of energy (Wood A, 2008). Table 1: Annual energy output