Major Events in our Country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Major Events in our Country - Essay Example ople left displaced and unemployed as a result of the hurricane posed a major economic strain on the government, which was forced to come up with tax relief measures for the affected population. Hurricane Katrina did not have positive effects on anyone, although oil and gas producers may have benefitted from the increased prices of the two commodities. The United States economy has in both negative and positive ways, been affected by the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. On the positive side, illegal immigrants as Jacobe writes, expand the American economy by accepting low wages, paying taxes, and spending money (1). However, critics of illegal immigration, according to Jacobe are of the opinion that the government loses a lot of expenditure in providing basic services to these immigrants (1). This is because the taxes paid by the latter are not enough to cover the costs of their basic services. There is also the notion that illegal immigrants take up the jobs originally meant for Native Americans, the reducing the total wages of the latter group. Illegal immigrants arguably get the most benefits, considering the free public services given to them, regardless of the minimal taxes paid by this group. The rate of high school dropouts in America is at an all time high, with data showing that the graduation rate stood at 52 per cent as of 2008 (Fields 1). The effect of this high dropout rate on the national economy is that there are fewer people joining the workforce, hence reduced tax revenue. According to Fields, if the number of high school dropouts was reduced by half, the United States would collect approximately $45 billion in tax revenue per annum (1). The dropouts also suffer economically, in terms of a significant reduction in their lifetime earnings. According to Fields high school graduates have approximately 40 per cent more lifetime savings than their dropout counterparts (1). In this case, therefore, both the federal government and the

Glazing and Wall Ratio Studies for High Rise Building Envelope to Essay

Glazing and Wall Ratio Studies for High Rise Building Envelope to Achieve Energy Saving in Hong Kong - Essay Example When a curtain wall is made of glass, for example the International Finance Center (IFC) in Hong Kong, a great benefit is that light from the sun can penetrate more easily and deeper into the inner rooms. The curtain wall structure is normally spared of any dead load burden from the construction other than the weight of the materials used in its construction (Hart, 2008). The wall transmits lateral wind loads to the building’s pillars through linkages to floors or columns. Curtain walls are designed to prevent air and water penetration. Additionally, the structures also reduce the load caused by air currents and seismic forces playing out on the external surfaces, and its own sway triggered by the dead load weight. The paper explores how glazing to wall ratio affects energy saving in a curtain wall house. 2.0 Background to the project Curtain walling is essentially build with protruding aluminium metals, although in the past steel was used in the making of the structure. Apart from glass, stone veneer, louvers, vents, and metal panels can also be used as in-fills. Copper cladding can be used by architects to achieve visually attractive features into structural design. The project will revolve around the impact of glazed curtain walls on energy saving. 3.0 Aims and broad objectives The study will explore the level at which the metal can a material in terms of conducting heat. A study will be conducted to establish the significance of aluminium metal in heat loss through the curtain wall mullions made of the metal, especially in hot temperature. On the other hand, when it is cold, numerous ways aimed at checking the amount of heat loss will be explored; in IFC for example, apart from the curtain wall shading, the role of thermal breaks to the window will be explored. Due to the fact that thermal breaks are materials made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the study will explore the significance of the material and how it is used on the curtain wall to provide a substantial reduction in the heat conductivity of the wall structure. 4.0 Methods to be adopted Owing to the significance of the ‘U’ value in energy efficiency, the coefficient will be studied in shaded curtain walls. U value stands for the effectiveness of a curtain wall window structure to prevent heat transfer. In an effort to ascertain the solar factor in the heating and cooling of the IFC building, heat transfers across solid, liquid and gas will be examined. 5.0 Deliverables According to Glassman (2009), the glazed curtain wall models essentially show smaller U value coefficients as compared to concrete wall. Additionally a mechanically fixed system has a slightly higher U value compared to a hybrid system, if an identical IG spacer was employed. The repercussions of the wearing out of the mechanically fixed system gasket are more pronounced. Owing to the significance of wet sealing, most curtain walls constructed through this method achieve better U-values as opp osed to dry sealing method (Donaldson, 1988). Nonetheless, structurally glazed systems which are dry sealed, usually display high efficiency if IG spacer bars are used. Warm edge spaces made of desiccated silicone foam have been rated highest in terms of energy performance