Explain the Significance of the Four Marks of the Church - One, Holy, Essay

Explain the Significance of the Four Marks of the Church - One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic - Essay Example Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church has continued to fulfill the marks, and only faith can recognize that the Church received these manifestations from God. The â€Å"One† mark of the Church shows that the Church of the apostles was one. Paul wrote that there is only one body and spirit in (Eph. 4:4-5), and he linked the unity to the Church’s common Eucharistic bread in (1 Cor. 10:17). The Bible says that the Church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23-32) and has only one source. Jesus also promised from the outset in (John 10:16) that there would be one flock, and one shepherd. The Catechism also notes that the Church is one with three reasons namely; first, source of the Church is Holy Trinity, which is a the great unity of three heavenly persons; Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit; the second being the founder of the Church, Jesus Christ, who came to reunite through the blood in the cross for all mankind; and the third, â€Å"soul,† the Holy Spirit that is in the souls of the faithful, unites all the faithful into one communion of believers, and guides the Church. The â€Å"oneness† of the Church is visible in Catholics who are united in their Creed and other teachings, the sacramental celebrations, and the hierarchical arrangement that are based on the apostolic succession that are handed and preserved through the Sacrament of Holy Orders (Brian 2008). The Body of Christ Himself is the Church, and so is whole one, and one as Christ’s Body is whole one. The Church of Christ teaches only one set of doctrines that are taught by the apostles (Jude 3). The unity in the belief in which the Scripture calls all to adhere to (Phil. 1:27, 2:2). The Christian Church is united in faith, worship, and succession from the apostles themselves. The unity manifestation is hard to clutch today with centuries of old divisions and the existence of many Christian denominations spread across the world. Mass is conducted in the same w ay all over the world in terms of prayers, readings, structure, and everything except in difference of language by Catholics who have the same belief, and are offered by a priest who is united by his bishop who is united by the holy Father, the pope. Although, some dissent from official doctrines, the Church understands them (John 16:12-13) and it does not misunderstand them to mean contrary to want they meant before. Diversity is found in the oneness, in that the faithful has different vocations and different gifts, although they work together to continue with the mission of the Lord. The different cultures and traditions enrich the Church in their expressions of faith. Charity must saturate through the Church, for members to continue being together in unity. Example of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that; The Church is one that recognizes one Lord, which confesses one faith, the Church born of one Baptism; it forms only one Body, given life by one Spirit, for the sake of one hope, at whose fulfillment all divisions will be overcome. Churches of all denominations have continued to emphasize the fundamental unity showing that there is only one faith, one Lord and One God. â€Å"Holy† as a mark of Church signifies the Church of the apostles as the Lord Himself as the source of all holiness. This shows that all things that the church has from the all-holy God himself and everything are holy. However,

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Finance - Essay Example standard deviation. GARCH model is used in mathematical finance for evaluating derivative securities. GARCH model works on the assumption that underlying volatility is consistent throughout the life of the derivative and do not respond in the changes of its price (Chance & Brooks, 2009. Ans-1) Six Series Co integrate In order to complete the same, we have to recognize and consider below mentioned table and graph, Â   Oil Gasoil JK Naph LSFO HSFO Mean 41.93075824 49.91961538 51.13502198 41.9046 34.92238 31.07245 Ans-2) Sign of Contagion From the analysis, it is clear that the mean price of JK is the highest as compared to other pricing of oil. The mean price of the crude oil was 41.93, which is comparatively lower than that of other line of services, but it deems extremely beneficial for the company as a whole (Chance & Brooks, 2009. Contingent test has found that the price of JK would remain the same for a long span of time, merely due to low fluctuation in the market. The highest f luctuation among the prices has been found among the prices of oil and Gasoil. By considering the same, it is also analyzed that HSFO has the lowest price provision (average) as compared to other sections. ... Financial markets are those places where organizations and individuals can trade commodities, securities in bulk. Financial markets have both specialized and general markets. In specialized market a single commodity is dealt where as general market trade different commodities (Chance & Brooks, 2009. A number of studies have been conducted over the relationship between crude oil and its impact on financial market in different regions and economies. These economies include both oil dominant and non oil dominant countries. As a result different interpretations were given by various researchers of their analysis conducted (Chance & Brooks, 2009. (Park, 2007) analyzed the impact of oil supply and demand gap and its impact on the real price of crude oil in stock market of U.S. The total impact of oil demand and supply is only on the one fifth of the stock market of U.S. It was found that the crude oil fluctuation in the international market has a greater impact on U.S. stock market (Chance & Brooks, 2009. Istemi Berk & Berna Aydogan investigated the impact made on Turkish stock market returns by the variations created in crude oil price. Vector autoregression model was applied on the secondary data of crude oil prices and National Stock Exchange of Istanbul Index (ISE-100) over 21 years of data between 1990 to 2011. The study also looks into the association between stock market returns and oil prices under global liquidity conditions (Chance & Brooks, 2009. The Turkish stock market was slightly influenced by the local prices and was greatly dependent on the global liquidity conditions (Crude Oil Price Shocks and Stock Returns: Evidence from Turkish Stock Market under Global Liquidity Conditions, 2012). Maghyereh & Al-Kandari

Women and Religion Essay Example for Free

Women and Religion Essay Recognizing in religion one of the most powerful institutions for perpetuating sexism and patriarchal authority, feminists have responded in different ways. Some reject all forms of religion, believing that it is an oppressive and negative force, a trap which hinders women in the struggle for material change in their lives. Others believe that there is a spiritual as well as a material aspect to life, and seek alternatives to male-defined religions in goddess worship and other forms of woman centered theology. Still others, while recognizing the patriarchal bias of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, believe that there are spiritual truths in these religions which cannot be denied, and feel that it is therefore necessary to work for reform from within, rather than breaking away (Allen 272). Some religious feminists work for equality, while others believe that female superiority should be recognized in spiritual matters; some reject what they consider oppressive traditions, while others believe that there is strength to be found in reclaiming and redefining womens traditional roles. Like all patriarchal religions, Christianity has been instrumental in creating, perpetuating, and justifying womens oppression. Yet although the Christian church has been for many centuries the most oppressive institution, forcing women to submit to the rule of their fathers and husbands as stand ins for God, this oppression is not necessarily inherent in the religion, and many women have found in it spiritual liberation and truth. Christian teachings may be emphasized and interpreted in varied and quite contradictory ways, as proven by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her co-authors in The Womans Bible, and modern scholars have re-examined the New Testament to argue that despite later interpretations, Jesus was free from sexual prejudice (Allen 273). During the puritan revolution of the mid-seventeenth century the entrenched sexism of the church was challenged as the concept that all human souls are equal in the sight of God gathered force. The more radical puritan sects took the idea of spiritual equality to its logical conclusion, accepting the authority of the spirit over that of church or state, even if that spirit happened to be manifested in a woman or a child. Although not widespread,  and soon subdued, the very existence of this idea allowed feminist theory to develop within women who still defined themselves as Christian (Maitland 217). The discrepancy between Christian ideals and the actual treatment of women within the church began to attract more attention in the 1960s and 1970s as more and more women were influenced by feminist ideas. Individual instances of injustice began to be seen as part of a pattern of sexism. But as women began making demands of their churches they encountered a deep, often hostile, resistance to change, and were forced to ask historical and theological questions of Christianity in a search for the roots of its sexism. In A Map of the New Country: Women and Christianity Sara Maitland argues that the root of the problem lies in the ancient heresy of dualism: the idea that the wholeness of Gods creation can be divided into two and labelled good (spirit) or bad (flesh). According to Maitland: Dualism is a fundamental ground of oppression-the ability to assert that me and mine are better than that which is Other, and justifying this by making God, the ultimate Other, over in ones own imageFeminist theology perceives that dualistic splits are the cause not just of sexism, but of racism, classism, and ecological destruction. How far feminist theology may depart from accepted doctrine and still be considered Christian is a problem faced by feminists struggling to reconcile their spiritual with their political feelings. Some Christian feminist groups are church-linked, others are interdenominational, and others have moved, like philosopher Mary Daly, once a respected Catholic theologian, now declaring herself unconfined by the teachings of church or man, into the new realm of spiritual feminism. In Britain, the Christian Feminist Movement began in 1978 as an active group concerned with examining feminist issues from a Christian viewpoint, and challenging sexism both within and outside the church. They are separate from, but closely involved with, the Christian Womens Information and  Resource Service, a network linking people working to change the position of women in the church, which hopefully will be done soon (Allen 72).

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay The aim of this research is to establish whether an increased use of off-site manufacture will produce a more energy efficient housing stock, as the UK gets closer to its carbon reduction deadline. The objectives of this study are; To identify the key advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication as a construction method, and to establish how these are achievable compared to traditional methods. To identify the current requirements for energy efficiency in new build houses. To identify the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008 and how this will affect the construction industry. To establish the current use and opinion of prefabrication/off-site manufacture in the construction industry The UK is legally bound to cut its green house gas emissions under the Climate Change Act 2008. These cuts are a 34% reduction by 2022 and an overall 80% reduction by 2050, compared to the baseline emission value from 1990. This is not a scientific quantitative study of the actually energy efficiencies of the construction method, but more of an in-depth qualitative study of the features of prefabrication. This will be done by reviewing existing literature on the topic and comparing this to actual opinions and use in the construction industry. These opinions and the level of implementation of prefabrication within the construction industry will be established using questionnaires. From this analysis it is hoped that there are environmental benefits to using off-site manufacture/prefabrication. This should then be shown in the construction industry by its increasingly use. With the UKs housing stock producing approximately 30% of the UKs total carbon emissions, it is a sector where huge environmental gains can be made (House of Commons 2005). Although the Climate Change Act 2008 is not specifically aimed at the construction industry, the Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, David Kennedy has called for action in four key areas; the method by which electricity is produced, increasing the use of electric transport, reducing the carbon footprint of farms in the UK and an increase in the construction of energy efficient homes (Adam 2010). Many reports, especially from prefabrication manufacturers themselves state the benefits of off-site construction over traditional methods. These include an increased speed of construction, better health and safety conditions on-site, better quality of final product and a lesser total cost when economies of scale apply. However when observing construction sites; off-site construction seems to not be included and traditional methods of construction seem to dominate. This study aims to find out the actual use of prefabricated, off-site components within the industry, and the reasons professionals have for either using, or not using this construction method. The hypothesis for this study states that the current use of off-site manufactured components will have a positive correlation to the perceived benefits from using them. For example if the perceived benefits of the using off-site manufactured components are great, then it is predicted that their use will be common within construction. Conversely if the features of prefabrication are not greatly beneficial compared to traditional methods, it is predicted that the use of off-site manufacture in the construction industry will be low. These assumptions have been made due to common reasoning, being that; if something is more beneficial than another, it will be chosen more often. Some basic problems that may occur in this particular research project could involve the participant design. For example because this is a small scale research project, only a reasonably small number of professionals will be contacted to complete the questionnaire. This will mean that the results from the data collected can not be generalised to the rest of the construction industry. Another problem may occur with the return rate of the questionnaire. The expected return rate is 30%; this means that from the 60 questionnaires sent, around 18 are expected to be returned. Another problem may occur because the information produced about the systems is usually produced by the manufacturers themselves, and may be biased. The hypothesis will be accepted if the primary literature search states that there are clear advantages to prefabrication, and the industry study shows that it is being increasingly used as a construction method. It will be rejected if there is no significant correlation between the reported benefits and the use of the construction method. This dissertation will take the following structure. First a literature review will be undertaken to establish all known information on the subject area. This section will include analysis of literature to establish what the stated benefits of prefabrication are compared to traditional methods of construction. Examples of each construction method will be analysed and areas where the benefits or disadvantages arise will be highlighted. The Climate Change Act 2008 will be reviewed to ascertain the requirements the UK is legally bound to fulfil. The current energy efficiency requirements will be taken from a study of the Building Regulations. Then a methodology will be created which will involve formulating questions that have not been answered from the literature review. A participant design will be identified and a justification for its selection made. The selection and the rationale behind the research method chosen will then be made. The questionnaires will then be sent out and the data analysed from the information collected. A series of tables and graphs will be produced to identify any significance in the results collected. A discussion will then take place to deduce why the data collected has been produced and the impact it may have on the information we already know. Conclusions will then be made that will summarise the findings and show any limitations to the study that should be rectified if done again. This section may highlight areas for further research. At the end of the document, a section of references and appendices will be included. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Prefabrication Prefabrication is a term used to describe the construction of buildings or building components at a location, usually a factory, remote from the building site. (Emmitt, S. 2010) Prefabrication can also be known as off-site prefabrication (OSP), off-site manufacture (OSM) and as a modern method of construction (MMC) (Taylor 2010). It has been used in mass production of housing since the early twentieth century (Arieff, A 2002). Prefabrication need only affect the construction process and not the end-product (BRE 2001). It is common practise nowadays to use prefabricated components such as trussed roofs and precast concrete sections, however for the purposes of this study, the terms prefabrication and off-site manufacture are applied to bigger components, such as fully fitted toilet pods shown in Figure 1ab and external wall blocks with windows preinstalled and internal finishes applied. Figure 1a Source; http://www.archiexpo.com Figure 1b Source; http://www.stcinc.net/bahamar.html Figure 1a/1b; a prefabricated toilet and kitchen pod, ready to be lifted and secured on-site. Image and performance problems in the past have hindered the use of prefabrication, so it is useful to study the history to see if the same problems exist today. The mass production of prefabricated components started in the early twentieth century; however there are examples of its earlier use, including the UKs first iron bridge constructed in 1779 at Colebrookdale (BRE 2001). The major push for the use of prefabrication in the housing market occurred after both the First and Second World War (Arieff, A 2002). This was due to the period of reconstruction to account for the lack of new buildings constructed during the conflict, and the existing buildings that were damaged as a consequence of the conflict. Prefabrication suited the needs of the times as it provided a fast and affordable solution to the housing shortage. It addressed the lack in construction skills that existed after the wars and provided jobs in the factories for many people. It also provided a solution as to what to do with the large facilities that were constructed for armament manufacture during the war. Prefabrication enabled effective material management, reducing wastage. This was important at the time as there was a shortage in materials after the massive focus on production of components used for war. In October 1944 the Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act was passed that gave the Government the power to spend  £150M on the construction of temporary housing. This led to around 157,000 temporary houses being erected from 1945-1948 (BRE 2001). This figure is less then was anticipated by the programme and subsequently led to the poor perception of the construction method. Factors that have also slowed development of off-site manufacture include the poor quality of earlier systems, the difficulty involved with the maintenance of systems installed after the war and the poor attention to detail that was incorporated into their design also hampered the development (BRE 2001). Due to the difference in physical construction processes compared to traditional construction, prefabrication produces the opportunity to capitalise on many benefits. Therefore new OSM systems boast many advantages from using off-site manufacture as a primary construction method. These include an increased speed of construction. A case study from modular building contractors Unite Modular Solutions reports of a 76 module, 32 self contained flats scheme in London that was fully erected in 8 days (Unite 2009). A study undertaken by Davis Langdon and Everest found that for the Peabody Trusts Murray Grove project in East London, a saving of 18 weeks was achieved compared with a conventional project (Davis Langdon Everest 2002). Due to the factory conditions in which the components are constructed, a higher level of quality can be incorporated into the end product. Problems occur on-site when adverse weather conditions affect the quality of components such as concrete. When the weather is adversely hot, too much water evaporates from the concrete whilst it is curing. If the temperature is too low the chemical reactions that happen during curing will take place too slow. Both these extremes will have detrimental effects on the compressive strength of the cured concrete (Mittelacher 1985). There is also less movement and shrinkage when the project is completed that means that the quality of the finishes and the level of attention to detail permissible mean that snagging time is reduced at the end of the project. This is the added time of making sure the finishing quality is satisfactory. The use of prefabrication can improve the health and safety conditions on-site. This done by eliminating the congestion on site as well as the amount of working from height that is necessary. This is because anything that is needed to be done at height can be done in the factory conditions on platforms under correct supervision. A paper produced by the Health and Safety Executive reports that HSE: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦statistics indicate that fatal accidents in construction are five times more likely than in the manufacturing sector. (Taylor 2009) The main advantage that makes OSM relevant to this study is the environmental benefits it is reported to bring to a construction project. With a higher standard of quality, optimum thermal efficiencies and air permeabilitys can be achieved consistently using OSM. When construction takes place on-site, there is more of a chance of thermal bridges and insufficient workmanship to reduce the thermal efficiencies of a component. In a factory, standardised components can be used in a controlled environment with correct supervision to achieve minimal tolerances in products. Less waste is produced during the manufacture stage compared to traditional methods of construction. This is due to lean processes and the efficient use of resources. The opportunity to re-use and recycle materials is also increased due to the controlled factory conditions. The factory environment means that components are produced correctly the first time, limiting waste. Another benefit is that the final design is locked at an early stage, so the opportunities for variations on-site are limited, and so less waste is generally produced. New OSM systems are constructed of a light weight steel frame, which has a reasonably low amount of embodied energy compared to materials such as concrete (Greenspec 2010). Clearly systems could be used that are more harmful to the environment than traditional methods of construction, however reports show undoubtedly that there is more potential to produce more environmentally friendly buildings using OSM. However there are disadvantages to using OSM. One contentious aspect is the cost. There are two sides to the argument; the first being that the process of using prefabrication is more expensive. A study by Davis Langdon showed that there is on average a cost premium of using OSM of between 10% and 25% (Rawlinson 2009). Others accept the premium in cost, however believe the loss in money is regained due to the reduced construction time and reduced snagging time due to the better quality. They also argue that the components are better designed for ease of maintenance and repair and so a saving can be made in the long term. The report by Rawlinson (2009) does state that the costs are regained through these savings for some or all of the costs, but does not quantify the amount. Other problems include the high set up costs of using the construction method. The majority of the construction work that is undertaken in the UK uses traditional methods of construction. Therefore there is only a very small skill base of trades people who are competent with the OSM processes. Although the training to learn these skills is not rigorous, over the entire United Kingdom it would amount to a sizeable sum. The cost of establishing prefabrication facilities is also very high and so this may be a factor as to why the construction method is not widely used. The aesthetics of OSM may also be a factor that has reduced the use of the construction process throughout the UK. The poor perception to past systems and very modular design of many OSM structures mean that the construction method does not suit everyones tastes. 2.2 The Climate Change Act 2008 The Climate Change Act 2008 is a piece of legislation that legally binds the United Kingdom to reduce its green house gas emissions. The main green house gas (GHG) which causes concern is carbon dioxide (C02). The reduction targets are an overall GHG emission cut of 80% by 2050, with an interim deadline of a reduction of 34% by 2022. This is compared to a baseline figure from 1990 of 593 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtC02) (National Audit Office 2008). Therefore a reduction of 34% is an emission level of 391MtC02 in 2022, and a proposed emission of 119 MtC02 for the year of 2050. The other GHGs named in the Act are methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride (Climate Change Act 2008 s24.1). The Act also makes provisions for other gases to be added to this list by the Secretary of State if they become of interest (s24.1g). Section 32.1 of the Act states that an independent body must be created, named the Committee on Climate Change. The duties of this body include providing advice on whether the GHG reduction targets should be altered and to what extent in order to meet them (s33), advising on the carbon budget (s34), advising on aviation and shipping emissions (s35), presenting progress reports to Parliament (s36) and to provide advice and assistance upon request (s38). The Act states that the Secretary of State, currently Chris Huhne, must set a carbon budgeting system. This is the process of stating the allowable GHG emissions within 5 year periods. This figure is set with the advice of the Committee on Climate Change (s9). Three of these periods are set at a time. The first 3 periods are 2008-2012, 2013-2017 and 2018-2022. The next 3 budget caps must be set by June 30th 2011 (Climate Change Act 2008 s4.2a+b). The United Kingdom is the first country to legally show its intentions for cutting its carbon emissions. The Act is aimed to pave the way for cutting emissions for other countries. In a video made by the Committee on Climate Change about building a low-carbon economy, Martin Parry member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that the Act will set a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦landmark example to what other countries can do. It is hoped that the Act will increase the UKs energy awareness and help improve our carbon management. The Government hopes that this will move the UK into a low-carbon economy. It is hoped that because the Act is a long term measure, covering 40 years, it will encourage businesses to invest heavily in low carbon technologies, as there is reassurance that returns will be made from investments now. It has been established that the main area where the UKs GHG emissions can be reduced is in electricity production. In EcoCentroGen newsletter August 2009, it is reported that the Government predicts that around 40% of electricity will be from low carbon sources by 2020. However significant savings in emissions can be made in both the transport and housing industry. In the same newsletter, it is reported that by 2020: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦7 million homes will be involved in energy saving schemes, and more than 1.5 million households will be supported to produce their own clean energy The Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, David Kennedy, highlighted four key areas where emission cuts can be made. These were electricity production, housing, transport and farming (Adam 2010). With about 27% of the UKs energy being consumed in the housing sector, there are substantial savings to be made (Farookhi 2008). Producing more energy efficient homes will reduce this figure. The Government will try to implement these savings through a variety of means. Examples of these may be through more stringent Building Regulations, financial initiatives for implementing renewable energy technologies, such as grants for installing solar panels or feed-back tariffs or by raising fuel prices. There is however some concern and criticism over the rate of decarbonisation the Act implies. The Kaya identity is an equation that shows the relationship between energy and human factors and the effect the combination of these has on total carbon emissions of a country. This equation states that the only method for reducing carbon emissions is to reduce either population, per capita GDP or the carbon intensity of the UKs economy. Governments tend not to manipulate population or GDP per capita as they do not receive public backing and disrupt economic growth. Therefore Government policies for reducing carbon emissions tend to focus on reducing the carbon intensity of the economy, and the Climate Change is no exception. It is argued that by using the Kaya Identity, the Climate Change Act 2008 has not taken into consideration the effects of population growth and per capita economic growth. It is argued that with the effect of a growing population and economic growth, to meet the reduce d emission targets of 2050, the UK would have to reduce the energy intensity and increase energy efficiency by a rate of 5.4% a year (Pielke Jr 2009). Pielke Jr argues that for this rate of decarbonisation to occur, the UK would have to have the same carbon efficiency as France achieved in 2006, by 2015. This would involve constructing around 30 nuclear power plants. It is argued that this is simply not feasible. Pielke Jr concludes by pointing out these unachievable targets have been set as the Acts approach to emissions reduction is backwards. Opposed to assessing what the ultimate rate of decarbonisation the UK is capable of achieving, and setting targets suitable to this, the Act has set practically impossible targets, and only now they have been made in law, the UK is thinking of ways of achieving them. 2.3 Building Regulations The current Building Regulation requirements are of interest to this study as they show the current energy efficiency standards of houses being constructed today. They will also be the means by which the Government will enforce changes in construction practice in order to meet the GHG emission reduction targets. Building Regulations are statutory instruments that are used to enforce the relevant legislation that dictate good standards of construction and safety in England and Wales. Schedule 1 of the Regulations consists of fourteen approved documents that cover the following subjects (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations); Part A Structural safety Part B Fire safety Part C Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture Part D Toxic substances Part E Resistance to sound Part F Ventilation Part G Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency Part H Drainage and waste disposal Part J Heat producing appliances Part K Protection from falling Part L Conservation of fuel and power Part M Access to and use of buildings Part N Glazing safety Part P Electrical Safety The Building Regulations are the statutory instruments of the Building Act 1984. The Act makes provision for the Secretary of State to update or create new regulations for the purposes of health and safety, increasing the conservation of fuel or power and preventing waste of water (Building Act 1984 s1). Building Control was first used in London in 1189. This involved the enforcement of rules dictating party walls, rights of light and drainage. Around this time the introduction of consideration in design for fire-resistance buildings and means of escape in case of a fire were developed (Stephenson 2005). After the Fire of London in 1666, the first building Act became law. This Act made provisions for surveyors to be selected to ensure that the regulations we obeyed on construction sites. In 1984 the Building Act was passed and consolidated the various previous regulations to produce one main piece of legislation. Most building work requires Building Approval. This is the process of checking work done onsite complies with the Building Regulations. The duty of checking compliance with the Regulations is undertaken by Building Control Bodies. These approved inspectors can be from the Local Authority or they can be from the private sector (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk). Some forms of construction are exempt from the Building Regulations. These include porches, conservatories and some garages which are all subject to size, use, description, design, location and other requirements. If these requirements are not strictly met then the construction work requires building approval (http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/buildingcontrol). The responsibility of following the Building Regulations falls to the person carrying out the work. To whom this responsibility falls to should be confirmed at the start of the work (Building Regulations Explanatory Handbook s2.4 2005). The Building Regulations state the allowable U-value of components to be used in new dwellings. U-values show the ability of a building component to conduct heat. Approved document L1B 2000 outlines the target minimum U-value of building components. To increase the energy performance of the overall building, the U-values of components must be as low as possible. Under Part L 2002, the U-Value of new build cavity walls is 0.35 W/m2K. For a comparison a 225mm solid brick wall has the average U-Value of 2.0 W/m2K (http://www.syec.co.uk/factsheets/U_value_factsheet.pdf) The Building Regulations also state the allowable air permeability of new build dwellings. This is the rate of air leaving the building as well as the rate of new air entering the building. A low air permeability figure means that the air will not escape and energy will not be wasted. Under Part L of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations the allowable air permeability is stated as  10m3/hm2 at 50Pa. These figures are relevant to this study as the benefits of a higher quality product coming from a factory environment, mean that these figures may be more easily achieved using prefabrication and off-site manufacturing techniques. 2.4 Literature Review Summary From the research of the respective literature the benefits of prefabrication have been presented. These are the increase in quality, speed of construction, health and safety on site and the environmental benefits these bring. The disadvantages the OSM produces as a construction method are an increase in the project cost, a potential unattractive aesthetic aspect and the high set up costs associated with new OSM facilities. The Building Regulations have been studied to show the standard to which new homes are built as a comparison to OSM. The targets of the Climate Change Act 2008 have been established. These are a 34% reduction by 2022 and an overall 80% reduction by 2050 compared to a baseline figure from 1990. In order for the UK to meet these targets, four key areas have been highlighted for action; one of these is the energy efficiency of the UKs housing stock. Studies have shown that these targets are very ambitious and for them to be achieved a radical change in how we design and build houses must be undertaken. From identifying the benefits of prefabrications, an argument can be made that this construction method could be the answer to producing more energy efficient homes. A methodology must now be formulated in order to collect data from the construction industry. This will involve identifying the participants for the study and a method for collecting data from them. It will also involve creating questions that will produce the required data. 3. Methodology 3.1 Scope of the Chapter This chapter will establish the method for collecting the data relevant to this study. It will set out the research aims and the rationale behind their selection. A section that explains the types of information studied will be included as well as an explanation of the participant design. A method for the analysis of the collected data will then be established. 3.2 Statement of Research Aim The aim of this research is to establish whether an increased use of off-site manufacture will produce a more energy efficient housing stock, as the UK gets closer to its carbon reduction deadline. The objectives of this study are; To identify the key advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication as a construction method. To identify the current requirements for energy efficiency in new build houses. To identify the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008 and how this will affect the construction industry. To establish the current use and opinion of prefabrication/off-site manufacture in the construction industry 3.3 Rationale of the Research With the UKs housing stock producing approximately 30% of the UKs total carbon emissions, it is a sector where huge environmental gains can be made (House of Commons 2005). Off-site manufacture enables an improved finished quality so that optimum thermal efficiencies and air permeabilitys can be achieved consistently. Other benefits are that less waste is produced during the manufacture stage compared to traditional methods of construction and there is an increased opportunity to re-use and recycle materials in factory conditions. With the UK legally bound to reduce its GHG emissions by 34% by 2022 and 80% by 2050, action is required to make housing more energy efficient. 3.4 Secondary Research To establish the advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication, the current Building Regulations for energy efficiency and the targets set by the Climate Change Act 2008, a literature review was undertaken. This was done to establish all the information that is already known on the topic and to highlight any areas of study that have already been conducted. 3.5 Primary Research 3.6 Research Sample 3.7 Method of Analysis 3.8 Summary of Chapter

The Old Testament :: Religion Influence Religious Bible Essays

The Old Testament The Old Testament is a compilation, and like every compilation it has a wide variety of contributors who, in turn, have their individual influence upon the final work. It is no surprise, then, that there exist certain parallels between the Enuma Elish, the cosmogony of the Babylonians, and the Book of Genesis, the first part of the Pentateuch section of the Bible. In fact, arguments may be made that other Near Eastern texts, particularly Sumerian, have had their influences in Biblical texts. The extent of this 'borrowing', as it were, is not limited to the Bible; the Enuma Elish has its own roots in Sumerian mythology, predating the Enuma Elish by nearly a thousand years. A superficial examination of this evidence would erroneously lead one to believe that the Bible is somewhat a collection of older mythology re-written specifically for the Semites. In fact, what develops is that the writers have addressed each myth as a separate issue, and what the writers say is that their God sur passes every other. Each myth or text that has a counterpart in the Bible only serves to further an important idea among the Hebrews: there is but one God, and He is omnipotent, omniscient, and other-worldly; He is not of this world, but outside it, apart from it. The idea of a monotheistic religion is first evinced in recorded history with Judaism, and it is vital to see that instead of being an example of plagiarism, the Book of Genesis is a meticulously composed document that will set apart the Hebrew God from the others before, and after. To get a clear picture of the way the Book of Genesis may have been formed (because we can only guess with some degree of certainty), we must place in somewhere in time, and then define the cultures in that time. The influences, possible and probable, must be illustrated, and then we may draw our conclusions. If we trace back to the first appearance of the Bible in written form, in its earliest translation, we arrive at 444 B.C.. Two texts, components of the Pentateuch referred to as 'J' and 'E' texts, can be traced to around 650 B.C. Note that 'J' refers to Yahweh (YHVH) texts, characterized by the use of the word 'Yahweh' or 'Lord' in accounts; 'E' refers to Elohist texts, which use, naturally, 'Elohim' in its references to God.1 But 650 B.

Intolerance: Minority Group and Society Essay

1. What are some of the ways groups of people are identified? There are many ways that a group of people can be identified but the four criteria for classifying minority groups are race, ethnicity, religion, and gender. Race is mainly determined by the color of someone’s skin, hair (in some instances eyes), height, and bone structure of the human body: big head, narrow eyes, tall short. Ethnicity is determined by where you were born and raised and what cultural patterns. Religion and is determined by what your beliefs and religious group you are a part of. Gender is determined easily enough but it does matters if you are male or female for the fact that each is treated differently. Males seem to have it easy most of the time and woman are always treated as though they are weaker. These four criteria’s are the main ones but there are so many more such as age, disability status, physical appearance, and sexual orientation they all are used to group people. There is always another factor that is sometimes over looked and that is our appearance; skinny, fat and even what we wear are we well dressed and clean all of the time or are we in regular day to day clothes or are we dressed in rags torn, ripped and dirty clothing. Also there is the money factor how much does one have or don’t have to many people the money factor matters most people like to know that they know people with money. Are these people wealthy with more money than they will every need or do they just have enough or do they struggle or worse yet do they not have anything leaving them going from home to home or street to street or going to government and privet programs for help. 2. Why do people label and group other people? I have thought about this question and it made me realize that not only do people label and group other people but we also label ourselves putting ourselves in categories that please us. Plus it gives us our sense of belonging to something that most people â€Å"need† to feel. Getting back to the question; I think it is something that we all do whether we realize it or not. Labeling and grouping help people to determine who we should or who we should not interact with. It helps people and sometimes it does just the opposite and destroys people it’s like having a power a power to have some control over other people. I can almost see it in another time a man running through the streets with a label machine placing labels on everyone’s forehead yelling â€Å"You are who I say you are! † Scary thought! We constantly label people in a negative light due to difference of opinion due to religion, political view, sexual preference, parenting method you name it we do it, even children do this and it is not done intentionally they were not taught this, too me it almost seems like it is a defense mechanism keeping themselves even ourselves safe from what we may consider to be harmful. In the end people are just that â€Å"people† we are nothing more and nothing less. People label others either to feel empowered or to praise someone but in the end we are Human Beings and that is it. We may think and act differently but we are what we are and if people could just except that then the future might not ever have to deal with the positive and mainly the negative effects that come with being labeled and tossed into a group that was thought up by others. Resources Schaefer, R. T. (2012). (Ch. 1 & 2) Racial and ethnic groups (13th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Abstract for Literature review based on Dentists’ Knowledge of Ionising Radiation dental radiography.

Abstract for literature review Despite there is a rapid growth in the technology that has myriad benefits in improving the interventions of dental health, only a fewer dentists are well aware of the risk hazards of some these modern technologies (Praveen, et.al. 2013). Large body of evidence suggests the lack of knowledge in dentists in regards to the risks associated with ionising radiation while giving dental service (Rout and Brown, 2012). More importantly, only a handful of studies have attempted to unveil the facts and current state of knowledge and awareness associated with detrimental effects of ionising radiation in Australian and Jordanian dentists. This study, through questionnaires and interviews, examined the dentists that are giving services in Australia and Jordan and assessed their knowledge of such effects that are linked with ionising radiations. The study was carried through intense literature review was carried out to collect the current background in the subject area and the findings of these s tudies were critically reviewed. Focus of the literature review was based upon the different factors, such as the complications of ionising radiation, complications in different age group people, preventive measures and the current state of knowledge in the dentists all around the globe. Praveen, et.al (2013) suggests that radiation in dentistry is mainly used for diagnostic purposes and in a dental set-up usually the practicing dentist exposes, processes and interprets the radiograph. Although the exposure to such radiation is kept as very less, it is essential to reduce the exposure to the minimum to the dental personnel and patients in order avoid the carcinogenic and organ damaging effects that can be produced by it.. Several radiation protection measures have been advocated to ameliorate these effects. Dose dependent radiation exposure was identified as a one of the key measures in limiting the use of ionising radiation. As suggested by White and Mallya (2012), wise selection of patients to treat with ionising radiation and implement patient-specific reason, which ensures greater benefits than the harms are the two easiest ways to tackle with the risks associated with ionising radiation. However, Ayatollahi et.al (2012) suggests that this practice is not adequately implemented in majority of the dental clinics. Secondly, the review identified children as most susceptible to radiation exposure. Preventive measures such as use of special radiation protection equipments and dose dependent exposure were suggested to be central in minimising the effects of ionising radiation in children in dental clinics. Moreover, it was suggested that knowledge of such risks in dentists can make a significant contribution in the improvement of safe dental practice, ensuring adequate safeguards of both patients and dentists. The literature came up with a conclusion that up to date and evidenced based knowledge is still lacking in dentist regarding the risks of radiation hazard. This will need re-educating and re-training the dentists, make them aware of ionising radiation risks, and make them able to answer any queries from patients about the risks of ionising radiations (Praveen, et.al. 2013). As part of the clinical practice, all dentists are required to undertake radiography as part of the clinical practice in which dentists and members of the dental team, must understand the basic principles of radiation physics, hazards and protection, and should be able to undertake dental radiography safely with the production of high quality, diagnostic images (Rout and Brown, 2012). Although the grey area that was identified was that, dentists are poorly informed on how to use medical imaging tools safely and efficiently. Furthermore, they are found to underestimate the radiation risk and their devastating effec ts in patients’ long term health. In addition, some of the studies revealed that despite some knowledge on the harmful effects of ionising radiation in patients, as well as in their own health, the knowledge of patient’s protection including the exposure distance and prevention of radiation leakage, protection of personnel, i.e. the occupational risk hazards of ionising radiation, dentists were reluctant to employ these safety measures in day to day practice (Rout and Brown, 2012)). Considering the context of this study, no research has evaluated Australian and Jordanian dentists’ knowledge on the risks associated with ionising radiation in the dental clinics; suggesting the importance and need to carry out this study. This puts patients of different age groups in significant risk of developing pathological conditions that are induced by the exposure to ionising radiation. Thus, designing a training module to teach dentists about radiation safety and risk is mandatory for safe dental health practice. This study provides insights into developing new strategies, policies and practices to minimise or even avoid such risks in the future. References Gray, C.F. 2010, â€Å"Practice-based cone-beam computed tomography: a review†, Primary dental care : journal of the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners (UK), vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 161-167. Lalla, R.V., Saunders, D.P. & Peterson, D.E. 2014, â€Å"Chemotherapy or radiation-induced oral mucositis†, Dental clinics of North America, vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 341-349. Metsala, E., Henner, A. & Ekholm, M. 2013, â€Å"Quality assurance in digital dental imaging: a systematic review†, Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, . Praveen, B.N., Shubhasini, A.R., Bhanushree, R., Sumsum, P.S. & Sushma, C.N. 2013, â€Å"Radiation in dental practice: awareness, protection and recommendations†, The journal of contemporary dental practice, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 143-148. Rout, J. & Brown, J. 2012, â€Å"Ionizing radiation regulations and the dental practitioner: 1. The nature of ionizing radiation and its use in dentistry†, Dental update, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 191-2, 195-8, 201-3. Verma, S.K., Maheshwari, S., Singh, R.K. & Chaudhari, P.K. 2012, â€Å"Laser in dentistry: An innovative tool in modern dental practice†, National journal of maxillofacial surgery, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 124-132. White, S.C. & Mallya, S.M. 2012, â€Å"Update on the biological effects of ionizing radiation, relative dose factors and radiation hygiene†, Australian Dental Journal, vol. 57 Suppl 1, pp. 2-8.