Investigating the ecological efficiency of widely utilized bio-sourced insulation materials in the building lifecycle

Because of rising pollutant emissions, potential global warming results, and rising energy demands, environmentally friendly and renewable building insulation materials are increasing in popularity. The changes in fossil-based energy resource prices, climate variation, and ecological menaces have resulted in important requisitions for bio-sourced and renewable materials, with building products accounting for an important volume. The building sector has important social, environmental, and financial effects. C-footprint of 15 insulating materials was investigated to compare the ecological efficiency of a building over its entire lifecycle. The values calculated were crosschecked with the thermal insulation’s real impact. The benchmark was made with the ecological effect evaluation rating by accounting for each material’s density and also variances in thermal conductivity degree. This research characterizes how to choose the most environment-friendly construction insulating material from the present alternatives based on a series of qualitative and quantitative parameters. It is suggested that the analytic hierarchy process be used to evaluate options and select the best option. The article presents the findings of a search for the most environmentally friendly bio-sourced thermal insulating material for buildings

Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Turkic Republics and Turkey: Economic and Business Dimensions

An ever-increasing globalization in last century is enforcing many countries to come together and create organizations to take advantage of a greater power in the global stage both in political and economic issues. Regional organizations are one form of such organizations. In addition to many of such groups, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental mutual-security organization which was founded in 2001 by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In a short period of time since then SCO has proved itself to be a powerful organization promising to be an authority in Central Asian region. The research at hand is formed to investigate the development of this organization along with its effect on Turkey as well as the member countries. This effect is also analyzed in two dimensions. The place of SCO in region is analyzed not only in terms of economic side but also the business side. The fact that business and economics are difficult to isolate from each other, makes it a necessity to use this approach, thus, making this study a valuable source. Key words: Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Turkic Republics; Central Asia; Transitional EconomiesRésumé: Une mondialisation en constante croissance dans le siècle dernier oblige de nombreux pays de se réunir et de créer des organisations afin de profiter d'un plus grand pouvoir dans les événements politiques et économiques au niveau international. Les organisations régionales sont une forme de ces organisations. A part de ces groupes, l’Organisation de coopération de Shanghai (OCS) est une organisation intergouvernementale de sécurité mutuelle, fondée en 2001 par les dirigeants de la Chine, la Russie, le Kazakhstan, le Kirghizistan, le Tadjikistan et l'Ouzbékistan. Dans un court laps de temps depuis lors, OCS s'est avérée être une organisation puissante promettant d'être une autorité en Asie centrale.La présente recherche est ménée pour enquêter sur le développement de cette organisation ainsi que son effet sur la Turquie et les pays membres. Cet effet est également analysé en deux dimensions. Le statut de l'OCS dans la région est analysé non seulement du point de vue économique mais aussi commercial. Le fait que le commerce et l'économie sont difficiles à isoler l’un de l’autre exige une nécessité d'utiliser cette approche, ce qui rend cette étude une source précieuse. Mots clés: Organisation de coopération de Shanghai; Républiques turques; Asie central; Économies transitionnelle

A Modelling Study of Renewable and Stored Energy Sharing and Pricing Management System Developed for Multi-Apartment Complexes

5th IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference Europe (ISGT Europe) -- OCT 12-15, 2014 -- Istanbul, TURKEYWOS: 000393467600070A unique system that will enable the efficient and shared usage of PV panels in multi-apartment complexes and sharing of energy is developed in this study along with a modeling scheme. Efficient and shared usage of the panels which is suggested as the solution requires sharing and pricing the energy in the apartment complex. In this modeling study which is conducted in Matlab and Simulink environment, the available energy is initially allocated for all the apartments and has them use it for free. The modeled system is applied to a three-apartment complex and the simulation results are obtained based on the electricity pricing tariff in Turkey. The amounts reflected in the electricity bill in the cases where the solar energy used and not used are calculated separately and compared later in the experimental results. It is demonstrated that the shared energy of the apartment complex can be allocated in an efficient and fair way. Moreover, it is proved that the budget generated by using the cheap energy can pay off the fix costs such as battery charge and renewal costs.IEEE PE

Comparing consumers’ value perception of luxury goods: Is national culture a sufficiently explanatory factor?

The aim of this paper is to explore the grounds for commonalities and differences between customers’ value perception of luxury goods (CVPL) from different countries. An international e–questionnaire was conducted amongst 1,193 respondents. Data from 5 different countries (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Germany, Portugal and Poland) were analyzed with adopted and modified scales from Wiedmann et al. [2009], Vigneron and Johnson [2004] and Holbrook [1999, 2006]. The country comparison of functional, social and hedonic value components in CVPL indicates strong cultural grounds for the existing differences, but diverges from similar studies in the field. Differences between CVPL between countries cannot be sufficiently explained by reference to the cultural traits of the specific country setting (for example, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions). CVPL is more an outcome of a subtle interplay between the economic, cultural and religious facets of the given country. Longitudinal studies of dynamic interplay between economic, social and cultural country-specific factors explain the differences and commonalities in a far more precise and detailed manner than referring only to a single category of explanatory factors. Research shows the need for “glocal” marketing strategies within the luxury goods sector when it comes to the local CVPL attributes