Material Considerations in Architectural Design: A Study of the Aspects Identified by Architects for Selecting Materials

Material selection in architecture is not only about choosing the strongest, cheapest, or most obvious materials available. Architects also choose warm, formal, functional, or local materials for buildings. And the material options are not limited by only these considerations. The material selection process is a complex process that is influenced and determined by numerous preconditions, decisions and considerations. The current material selection tools, however, focus mainly on the technical aspects of materials. In order to make well-considered and justifiable material choices, architects have a need for information on the whole spectrum of aspects considered during the design and selection process. Earlier work presented a framework, based on a literature study and the analysis of in-depth interviews, in which the different attributes of materials that contribute to a design project were identified and organized. To refine this framework and make it available for architects during the material selection process, a group of architects was selected and assembled into a focus group. This study presents how the focus group identified, classified and commented on the considerations that are made by architects while selecting materials for a project. The evaluation of the collected data, and the discussion within the group, permitted the formulation of comments and resulted in a revised framework of material considerations, useful during the design and selection process of a material. Material properties (1), Experience (2), Manufacturing process (3), and Context (4) were identified as the different elements that are related to the material selection process. The four groups are presented here in detail. Keywords: Material Selection; Design Aspects; Architectural Experience; Material Attributes; Focus Group; Design Process</p

STRENGTHENING ABG COOPERATION IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)

This study aims to analyze the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility CSR) in the perspective of academic, business, and government (government) cooperation by PT. Telkom, Indonesia Tbk in District Kiaracondong Bandung. The research used qualitative descriptive method. The informants were chosen purposively which included representatives of companies, recipient communities, and local government apparatus. Data collection techniques were conducted through a series of in-depth interviews, field observations and documentary studies. The study found that CSR implementation through the empowerment of women in the process involves elements of academia and local government, so that the implementation shows the success and impact on the benefits felt by the community as reflected in the empowerment index .. Based on the results of the study recommended that the company establish cooperation also with the district level government

Cross-Country Differences in the Effects of Oil Shocks

We compare the economic consequences of several types of oil shocks across a set of industrialized countries that are structurally very diverse with respect to the role of oil and other forms of energy in their economy. We find considerably different effects across countries, which crucially depend on the underlying source of the oil price shift. For oil demand shocks driven by global economic activity and oil-specific demand shocks, all countries experience respectively a temporary increase and transitory decline of real GDP following the oil price increase. The role of oil and other forms of energy seems not to matter to explain cross-country differences for the consequences of both shocks. This role, however, is very important to explain asymmetries in the effects of exogenous oil supply shocks. Whereas net oil and energy-importing countries all face a permanent fall in economic activity, the impact is insignificant or even positive in net energy-exporting countries. In addition, countries that improved their net energy-position the most over time, became less vulnerable to oil supply and oil-specific demand shocks, relative to other countries.oil prices, vector autoregressions, cross-country differences

A systematic literature review on synchronous hybrid learning : gaps identified

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Do financial investors destabilize the oil price?

In this paper, we assess whether and to what extent financial activity in the oil futures markets has contributed to destabilize oil prices in recent years. We define a destabilizing financial shock as a shift in oil prices that is not related to current and expected fundamentals, and thereby distorts efficient pricing in the oil market. Using a structural VAR model identified with sign restrictions, we disentangle this non-fundamental financial shock from fundamental shocks to oil supply and demand to determine their relative importance. We find that financial investors in the futures market can destabilize oil spot prices, although only in the short run. Moreover, financial activity appears to have exacerbated the volatility in the oil market over the past decade, particularly in 2007-2008. However, shocks to oil demand and supply remain the main drivers of oil price swings. JEL Classification: C32, Q41, Q31Oil Price, sign restrictions, Speculation, Structural VAR