What LEED Certification Really Is

December 30th, 2011 by admin

If you are in the building or construction industry, it is likely that you have noticed a move afoot to make building projects more green and environmentally friendly. This seems to be all the rage now and it is likely that this is not a passing phase in the construction and building fields. The fact is that green building is here to stay and it will only grow larger as time goes by. For that reason, it is a good idea for builders and construction professionals to cater to a more environmentally friendly way of building structures. To do this successfully, it is important that any project built in a green methodology also be eligible for LEED certification.

The question, even many experienced builders have is what is LEED certification. This certification recognizes that a project was designed and constructed following specific environmentally friendly practices and materials. These certifications break down into 4 specific categories. The first is a simple certified status. The next is a silver certification. After that you have the gold and then the platinum certification.

How you get a LEED certification is by submitting an application to the Green Building Counsel. This application must be accompanied by documentation that the structure was built in regards to the specifications for green building that is stipulated in the LEED certification mandates. Once the application and documentation has been submitted and reviewed, the Green Building Counsel will award a certification that is reflective of the extent of green building practices and material that was used to construct the structure.

The bottom line is that environmentally friendly building practices and materials are nothing new. they have been used for years and years, but today, with a LEED certification, the building community finally has an established set of guidelines to follow to allow them to not only maximize their green building efforts but to cater to a public that is increasingly eco conscience.

In order to succeed in the building industry in the future, a builder is going to need to be attentive to a more environmentally friendly way of building and have documentation that this has actually occurred. With a LEED certification, the builder can make sure that they are building in a way that will not only please the environment but will please a more green consumer as well.

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Home Remodeling Inspiration From Pictures

December 28th, 2011 by admin

When it comes to the home we always want everything to be perfect. We want it to have a look that we will love to see every day when we come into the house. The problem is trying to find the best way to achieve that look. That is why so many people will spend hundreds of dollars and a ton of time trying to remodel one room at a time. The room that most will start in is the bathroom.

Of course trying to come up with the perfect bathroom remodel ideas is not always an easy thing to do. Sure, we might have a few thoughts in mind – but these do not often work well with each other or they require the use of expensive materials. So what do we do than? You need to find something that will give you some inspiration.

When in doubt you will need to use bathroom remodel pictures. Go to the nearest book store and look at the latest interior design magazines. Get a peek into what the latest trends are. You will be able to find some help on what type of appliances you would love to use or what colors the walls should be.

You might even be able to learn about what floors are better to use and how you will be able to save money by purchasing ones that look like the real material – but really are not. Just remember to use the things that you love and it will all turn out perfect when you are done with it.

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Why You Should Play Games for the Brain

December 24th, 2011 by admin

Games, memory games, brain teasers, brain games, math games, math, education, family, children, learning, numbers

Games for the brain come in all shapes and sizes.  There are brain teasers that range from skill levels of easy to extremely difficult. There are games for the brain that can be played and enjoyed by young children as well as by adults of high intelligence. A brain game is simply a riddle, puzzle, word, or numeric problem that must be solved using logic, critical thinking skills, and creative thinking. These games allow a person to solve a problem through multiple tacks, allowing the mind to communication inside of its various regions all the while developing new avenues for thought and consideration. It is important for the many regions of the brain to be able to work together as this is a difficult skill to teach but a necessary one in life both in the educational system and in the workplace.

Games for the brain are excellent assessment and teaching tools and have been widely accepted throughout most educational systems as a way to introduce students to creative and critical thinking. Brain games can allow parents and teachers to evaluate a student’s learning strengths and weaknesses and offer additional assistance for whatever subjects the student may be struggling with. Brain teasers and games can also help to boost a student’s confidence and teach them to work well independently and within a group. Many parents begin introducing age appropriate brain games to children before they enter the educational system in order to give their kids a head start and a love of learning. 

These brain games are not just for children, however. Games for the brain are recommended for all plausible age groups and the benefits derived from regular participation can be extremely motivational. Brain games increase the brain’s memory functions and allows for those in their later years to have a firmer grasp on the memories they have collected throughout their lives and a better chance of forming and recalling new memories. Brain games also work to strengthen the brain’s associative cortex which is in charge of interpreting the senses. With regular use of games for the brain a person can keep their associative cortex healthy and strong well into their later years, allowing them to avoid the dulling of their senses, specifically vision and hearing, which is associated with aging. Brain games are most beneficial when practiced on a regular basis just as exercise of the body is most beneficial when practiced four to five days a week.

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Network and Learn with the Solar Energy Industry at PV America West

December 16th, 2011 by admin

solar energy industry

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is pleased to offer a limited number of scholarships for utility employees to attend PV America West 2012, March 19 – 21, in San Jose, CA. The spirit of the scholarships is to encourage attendance from utility staff that would not otherwise be able to attend due to budgetary and/or travel restrictions. This will provide opportunities to network with and learn from members of the solar energy industry.

PV America West is your opportunity to interact with regional legislators and policy makers who support solar energy technology implementation, join 4,000+ solar energy industry professionals, including residential and commercial application experts, municipality decision-makers, and experience a dynamic education program with tracks in the Utility, Finance, Policy, Markets, Technology and Cross-Cutting areas.

Scholarship recipients will receive a complimentary full solar energy industry conference registration, plus a travel stipend for coach airfare and hotel accommodations. Scholarship recipients will receive complimentary full conference registration, and a travel stipend for coach airfare and hotel stay (receipts reimbursed). The deadline to apply for PV America West is January 20, 2012. More details and eligibility requirements are listed in the application.

SEPA will also provide scholarship opportunities for the Utility Solar Conference, April 17-18, 2012 in Tucson, AZ and Solar Power International, September 10-13, 2012 in Orlando, FL. Click here for more information.

Only one scholarship is available per utility, per event, and scholarships are open only to utilities. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Sliva at jsliva@solarelectricpower.org.  The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

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A Good Way to Get into a Stable Health Career

December 13th, 2011 by admin

Many students as well as adults are looking for a career where they can escape unemployment or unstable job prospects. One of the best places to be is in health care. That is why many students are considering the move to Take Up A Nursing Degree Online. This is a great way to get into the field without having to spend as much time commuting from home or work to school. This means more free time. However, keep in mind that online courses generally have the same time requirements as in-person courses. However, there is time saved by not having to drive or take the bus to school.

There are a couple of degree options in nursing. The important thing to realize is that any degree will yield the same eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN exam to get the RN license. At the end of the day, the RN license for somebody with a graduate degree will be exactly the same as one from an AS degree. That is why many people are choosing an Associates Degree in Nursing. It is possible with this degree to get into nursing within two or three years. That means less time in school and an earlier entry into this exciting career.

Another great option to consider is a BSN Degree. This degree will take long than the associates degree. It will generally take four to five years in order to graduate However, there is one key advantage to having the baccalaureate degree. Many hospitals and other facilities are requiring that job seekers hold a higher degree such as a bachelor’s. This means there will be more job options in the long term for those who hold a bachelors’ degree or better. That is why it may be well worth it in the long run to get a BS instead of an AS.

There will continue to be demand for nurses as access to health care in the United States is expanded. Even in bad times, nurses are needed in order to provide medical care. And this is not a job that can be done remotely in places like India. That’s why those who are looking for a stable career might want to get a nursing degree.

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Theory of the Firm, by Phin Upham

December 9th, 2011 by admin

Phin Upham, Business, Strategy, Firms

In a broad intellectual tour, Phin Upham takes us through a set of theories of organizations using the core propositions contingency theory, resource-dependence theory, transaction-cost theory, institutional theory, and organizational population ecology.  Using these intellectual frameworks be looks as organizational structure and its functions, authority, the environment. Lastly, Phin asks what, if anything, do organizations maximize?

Organizational theories are divided into many, many schools of thought. These schools posit different tenants, take on different simplifying assumptions, and use very different methodologies.  Given that there are these divides in the field, it is an interesting question to ask why?  One possible explanation is that they are not mutually contradictory, but that they deal with different sorts of organizations and that they are thus a jigsaw puzzle of the truth – neither contradicting each other nor stepping on each others toes.  But while many organizational views focus on different domains, this happy state does not seem to hold (at least not always).  It does seem that theories posit different, conflicting, or at least mutually exclusive, causal inferences, basic driving forces, etc.  Thus, we might hope, different schools are each pursuing a different facet of organizations, viewing reality through differently colored glasses.  Thus, one might argue that they each illuminate a different aspect of reality, perhaps sometimes overstating its importance, but nevertheless all valuable.  This is a possibility I will discuss. Lastly, we could view this multiplicity of views, this quagmire of predictions, this tangle of tenants as indicative of some fundamental inscrutability of reality, some fundamental limitation of the field.  If organizations are either 1) enormously, hopelessly complex or 2) societal embedded reality – where organizations exist – is not neatly or easily partitioned into cause-effect or static models (i.e. changes over time) then this provides a reason for the lack of unity of organizational theories.  Is this quilt work of theories is a good thing for the field of organizational theory, or at least necessary for the field.  Other fields, such as physics, for example, are neater and more universal with their theories (though complexities and conflicting theories emerge there too so it is hard to say whether this is a type of token distinction!).  So we will explore “what is it about organizational theory that produces conflicting or non-complementary theories?” and “what effect does this have on the field?”. While each of the above points could be a book (or a library of books) I will attempt to begin an exploration into these questions.  While answering these questions, I will draw on contingency theory (Thompson, Lawrence and Lorsch), resource-dependence theory (Pfeffer, Burt), transaction-cost theory (Williamson), institutional theory (principally Selznick, Scott, Meyer and Rowan, DiMaggio and Powell), and organizational population ecology (Carroll and Hannan) in order to attempt to reify these theoretical considerations with specific examples.

Like this article? The full article can be found on The Contrarian Macro

About the Author

Phin Upham has a PhD in Applied Economics from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania).  Phin is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  He can be reached at phin@phinupham.com

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Who Needs Everblue LEED Certification Training?

December 9th, 2011 by admin

The increasing interest in building efficient buildings has created a need to have a system which specifically quantifies how one building design compares to another in this area. The primary way of determining this is to use the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, system. With Everblue LEED certification training you can develop and demonstrate that you have the skills to be one of the people responsible for determining where buildings score within this system.

Using LEED is quickly becoming the norm within the construction industry, and so more and more people are seeking out Everblue LEED certification training so that they will be qualified to use this system and make decisions that are based on it. The system is designed to provide a scale similar to gas mileage ratings on cars so that it is easier to determine what efficiency decisions on a building are most worthwhile and what may not make sense in a particular setting. Anyone who wants to work in construction and sustainability needs to have a solid understanding of this system so that they will be able to communicate about it with their coworkers and get the best possible results from applying it.

You can use Everblue LEED certification training both to prepare for exams and to maintain your certification once you have acquired it. Most people prefer to take the live courses, but if your schedule does not allow for that you also have the option of attending courses through the use of live webinars or training online at any time. This ensures that these training courses will be available to anyone who needs them regardless of their scheduling or location requirements.

If you want to have a stable position in the construction industry, you are going to need to be able to work with the demands of building for sustainability. Everblue LEED certification training can get you started on the skills and knowledge that you will require to understand how to design and build a LEED building and deal with the application process. It is a fantastic investment in your future.

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Theory of the Firm, by Phin Upham

December 8th, 2011 by admin

In a broad intellectual tour, Phin Uphamtakes us through a set of theories of organizations using the core propositions contingency theory, resource-dependence theory, transaction-cost theory, institutional theory, and organizational population ecology.  Using these intellectual frameworks be looks as organizational structure and its functions, authority, the environment.  Lastly, Phin asks what, if anything, do organizations maximize?

Organizational theories are divided into many, many schools of thought. These schools posit different tenants, take on different simplifying assumptions, and use very different methodologies.  Given that there are these divides in the field, it is an interesting question to ask why?  One possible explanation is that they are not mutually contradictory, but that they deal with different sorts of organizations and that they are thus a jigsaw puzzle of the truth – neither contradicting each other nor stepping on each others toes.  But while many organizational views focus on different domains, this happy state does not seem to hold (at least not always).  It does seem that theories posit different, conflicting, or at least mutually exclusive, causal inferences, basic driving forces, etc.  Thus, we might hope, different schools are each pursuing a different facet of organizations, viewing reality through differently colored glasses.  Thus, one might argue that they each illuminate a different aspect of reality, perhaps sometimes overstating its importance, but nevertheless all valuable.  This is a possibility I will discuss. Lastly, we could view this multiplicity of views, this quagmire of predictions, this tangle of tenants as indicative of some fundamental inscrutability of reality, some fundamental limitation of the field.  If organizations are either 1) enormously, hopelessly complex or 2) societal embedded reality – where organizations exist – is not neatly or easily partitioned into cause-effect or static models (i.e. changes over time) then this provides a reason for the lack of unity of organizational theories.  Is this quilt work of theories is a good thing for the field of organizational theory, or at least necessary for the field.  Other fields, such as physics, for example, are neater and more universal with their theories (though complexities and conflicting theories emerge there too so it is hard to say whether this is a type of token distinction!).  So we will explore “what is it about organizational theory that produces conflicting or non-complementary theories?” and “what effect does this have on the field?”. While each of the above points could be a book (or a library of books) I will attempt to begin an exploration into these questions.  While answering these questions, I will draw on contingency theory (Thompson, Lawrence and Lorsch), resource-dependence theory (Pfeffer, Burt), transaction-cost theory (Williamson), institutional theory (principally Selznick, Scott, Meyer and Rowan, DiMaggio and Powell), and organizational population ecology (Carroll and Hannan) in order to attempt to reify these theoretical considerations with specific examples.

Each theory of organizations can be seen to have some core propositions which capture the essence of that approach.  While there will be much confusion and simplification in the presentation of these propositions in substation for the richness and details of the works themselves, it is necessary in this essay and for simplicity and clarity.

The rest of this article can be found on Venture Cap Monthly

About the Author

Phin Upham has a PhD in Applied Economics from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania).  Phin is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  He can be reached at phin@phinupham.com

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How to go about seeking help with Outlook.

December 2nd, 2011 by admin

Outlook is an email reader that many email account users use in order to ease their email access. Sometimes it is very hard to keep opening up your email account in order to check out your emails especially when you have an email that you are waiting for, and it is taking longer to come than you were expecting. That is why many people use an email reader in order to ease their work when accessing emails. Outlook is one of the computer programs from Microsoft company that have to be installed in order for the computer user to enjoy their services. Problems, just like with other computer programs are inevitable, that is why you need to know how to deal with them first so that they will not become a hindrance when you are in a hurry to check your emails or even to send an email. One way in which you can seek help with outlook, and the best way, is through the microsoft outlook 2002 support. The company has set aside a few customer care representatives to offer this kind of help only, and you can easily trace their address from the company’s website. This is only to be used by computer users who have an urgent need for help. The others who do not mind taking their time before they can get help can use the general Microsoft home office help. The help button in each computer program from Microsoft will direct you to that page where you can present your problem and wait to be helped. Help is also immediate in this case, so you will not have to wait for long with your issue.

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