*.A structure which can adapt to the changing environmental conditions is called SMART.
*.This smartness can be achieved by using smart materials like Shape-memory alloys (SMA), piezoelectric crystal, magneto-rheological fluids etc.
*.Smart structures can take care of their own health and resist natural calamities.
MAIN FACTORS AFFECTING STRUCTURAL HEALTH:
*.Differential settlement
*.Earth quakes and vibrations
*.Structural distress
*.Corrosion of reinforcement
*.Temperature stresses
.........to be continued.
Hazina Trade Centre Towers :Tallest trade building in Kenya.
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| Hazina Trade Centre Towers Architects Impression |
The proposed 39-Storey Hazina Trade Centre Towers will upon completion be a likely contender for recognition as Africa’s third tallest building.
Chinese construction firm Jiangxi International won a bid for constructing the tallest trade building in Kenya, the National Social Security Fund’s (NSSF) Trade Centre/ Hazina Trade Centre Towers.
Kenyan Cementers had also bid for the project, but the Chinese firm won the project.
According to media reports, the Kenyan firm had earlier won the tender to build the 39-storey building following a US$68Million bid, which was later disqualified by the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.
Kenyan Cementers had also bid for the project, but the Chinese firm won the project.
According to media reports, the Kenyan firm had earlier won the tender to build the 39-storey building following a US$68Million bid, which was later disqualified by the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.
This led to the NSSF inviting new bids for the Hazina-owned trade centre in January this year.
Kenyan Labour Cabinet secretary Kazungu Kambi said, “This project has previously been dogged by a number of false starts due to legal hurdles, which have now been overcome.”
From a historical perspective, the Hazina Trade Centre project commenced in 1994, with construction works kicking off in 1997. However, due to financial constraints NSSF was unable to complete the tower block leading to its lease out as a shopping mall in 2003 to Nakumatt Holdings.
The 31-storey office tower will be, constructed atop the existing 8-storey Hazina Trade Centre building that currently houses the Nakumatt Lifestyle Hypermarket store along Nairobi’s Monrovia and Mokhtar Daddah Streets, which currently has eight floors, four basement levels, a ground floor, two mezzanines and one podium.
The construction works is to be completed at a contracted cost of Kshs 6.7billion.
The proposed Hazina Trade Centre Towers will feature an architectural design inspired by the outline of a Maasai Moran standing with a crossed leg and leaning on his spear. The construction works on the building is architecturally designed by local consultant’s Mruttu & Salmann Associates.
The high-rise, which will be completed in 18 months, will feature a vegetated roof terrace, a ventilated atrium, helipad and city’s viewing gallery.
It will also constitute a high-end hotel that will be expected to increase competition in the hospitality industry.
The project, amongst others, will attract US$1.15mn in lease collection income after completion, while it will also sell off some floor space, which will see it retain its real estate investment below the regulatory maximum of 30%.
The high-rise, which will be completed in 18 months, will feature a vegetated roof terrace, a ventilated atrium, helipad and city’s viewing gallery.
It will also constitute a high-end hotel that will be expected to increase competition in the hospitality industry.
The project, amongst others, will attract US$1.15mn in lease collection income after completion, while it will also sell off some floor space, which will see it retain its real estate investment below the regulatory maximum of 30%.
Reinvent the Toilet : Burning, Not Flushing
http://youtu.be/C_28r9c0Dgs
The Ultimate Portable Toilet: “Next-generation” toilets as showcased at Gates Foundation offer innovative sanitation solutions that can save and improve lives around the world.
Read more here The Ultimate Portable Toilet!
The Ultimate Portable Toilet: “Next-generation” toilets as showcased at Gates Foundation offer innovative sanitation solutions that can save and improve lives around the world.
Read more here The Ultimate Portable Toilet!
Prefabricated Buildings Are An Excellent Solution For Shortage Of Space
Great Technologies for a better world
8 Things Productive People Do During the Workday
Forget about your job title or profession – everyone is looking for ways to be more productive at work. It’s time to set down your gallon-sized container of coffee, toss out your three-page to-do list, and put an end to those ridiculously long emails you’ve been sending.
Experiencing a highly productive workday can feel euphoric. But contrary to popular belief, simply checking tasks off your to-do list isn’t really an indication of productivity. Truly productive people aren’t focused on doing more things; this is actually the opposite of productivity. If you really want to be productive, you’ve got to make a point to do fewer things.
According to project management and productivity genius Tony Wong here is the secret to a more productive workday. He has provided some excellent insight into what he and other like-minded productive individuals do during their work week.
Harness your productivity by taking note of these eight things:
1. Create a smaller to-do list. Getting things accomplished during your workday shouldn’t be about doing as much as possible in the sanctioned eight hours. It may be hard to swallow, but there’s nothing productive about piling together a slew of tasks in the form of a checklist. Take a less-is-more approach to your to-do list by only focusing on accomplishing things that matter.
2. Take breaks. You know that ache that fills your brain when you’ve been powering through tasks for several hours? This is due to your brain using upglucose. Too many people mistake this for a good feeling, rather than a signal to take a break. Go take a walk, grab something to eat, workout, or meditate – give your brain some resting time. Achieve more productivity during your workday by making a point to regularly clear your head. You’ll come back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.
3. Follow the 80/20 rule. Did you know that only 20percent of what you do each day produces 80 percent of your results? Eliminate the things that don’t matter during your workday: they have a minimal effect on your overall productivity. For example, on a project, systematically remove tasks until you end up with the 20 percent that gets the 80 percent of results.
4. Start your day by focusing on yourself. If you begin your morning by checking your email, it allows others to dictate what you accomplish. Set yourself in the right direction by ignoring your emails and taking the morning to focus on yourself, eat a good breakfast, meditate, or read the news.
5. Take on harder tasks earlier in the day. Knock out your most challenging work when your brain is most fresh. Save your busy work – if you have any –for when your afternoon slump rolls in.
6. Pick up the phone. The digital world has created poor communication habits. Email is a productivity killer and usually a distraction from tasks that actually matter. For example, people often copy multiple people on emails to get it off their plate – don't be a victim of this action. This distracts everyone else by creating noise against the tasks they’re trying to accomplish and is a sign of laziness. If you receive an email where many people are CC'd, do everyone a favor by BCCing them on your reply. If your email chain goes beyond two replies, it’s time to pick up the phone. Increase your productivity by scheduling a call.
7. Create a system. If you know certain things are ruining your daily productivity, create a system for managing them. Do you check your emails throughout the day? Plan a morning, afternoon, and evening time slot for managing your email. Otherwise, you’ll get distracted from accomplishing more important goals throughout the day.
8. Don’t confuse productivity with laziness. While no one likes admitting it, sheer laziness is the No. 1contributor to lost productivity. In fact, a number oftime-saving methods – take meetings and emails for example – are actually just ways to get out of doing real work. Place your focus on doing the things that matter most as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Remember, less is more when it comes to being productive during the workday.
What’s your secret to productive workdays?
Post by Ilya Pozin: Founder of Ciplex . Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn.
Experiencing a highly productive workday can feel euphoric. But contrary to popular belief, simply checking tasks off your to-do list isn’t really an indication of productivity. Truly productive people aren’t focused on doing more things; this is actually the opposite of productivity. If you really want to be productive, you’ve got to make a point to do fewer things.
According to project management and productivity genius Tony Wong here is the secret to a more productive workday. He has provided some excellent insight into what he and other like-minded productive individuals do during their work week.
Harness your productivity by taking note of these eight things:
1. Create a smaller to-do list. Getting things accomplished during your workday shouldn’t be about doing as much as possible in the sanctioned eight hours. It may be hard to swallow, but there’s nothing productive about piling together a slew of tasks in the form of a checklist. Take a less-is-more approach to your to-do list by only focusing on accomplishing things that matter.
2. Take breaks. You know that ache that fills your brain when you’ve been powering through tasks for several hours? This is due to your brain using upglucose. Too many people mistake this for a good feeling, rather than a signal to take a break. Go take a walk, grab something to eat, workout, or meditate – give your brain some resting time. Achieve more productivity during your workday by making a point to regularly clear your head. You’ll come back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.
3. Follow the 80/20 rule. Did you know that only 20percent of what you do each day produces 80 percent of your results? Eliminate the things that don’t matter during your workday: they have a minimal effect on your overall productivity. For example, on a project, systematically remove tasks until you end up with the 20 percent that gets the 80 percent of results.
4. Start your day by focusing on yourself. If you begin your morning by checking your email, it allows others to dictate what you accomplish. Set yourself in the right direction by ignoring your emails and taking the morning to focus on yourself, eat a good breakfast, meditate, or read the news.
5. Take on harder tasks earlier in the day. Knock out your most challenging work when your brain is most fresh. Save your busy work – if you have any –for when your afternoon slump rolls in.
6. Pick up the phone. The digital world has created poor communication habits. Email is a productivity killer and usually a distraction from tasks that actually matter. For example, people often copy multiple people on emails to get it off their plate – don't be a victim of this action. This distracts everyone else by creating noise against the tasks they’re trying to accomplish and is a sign of laziness. If you receive an email where many people are CC'd, do everyone a favor by BCCing them on your reply. If your email chain goes beyond two replies, it’s time to pick up the phone. Increase your productivity by scheduling a call.
7. Create a system. If you know certain things are ruining your daily productivity, create a system for managing them. Do you check your emails throughout the day? Plan a morning, afternoon, and evening time slot for managing your email. Otherwise, you’ll get distracted from accomplishing more important goals throughout the day.
8. Don’t confuse productivity with laziness. While no one likes admitting it, sheer laziness is the No. 1contributor to lost productivity. In fact, a number oftime-saving methods – take meetings and emails for example – are actually just ways to get out of doing real work. Place your focus on doing the things that matter most as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Remember, less is more when it comes to being productive during the workday.
What’s your secret to productive workdays?
Post by Ilya Pozin: Founder of Ciplex . Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn.
THE STONE THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CAPSTONE
This wisdom in the words quoted, appearing first at Psalm 118:22, recurs many other times in the bible making it one of the New Testament's most repeated phrases.
Repetition is the teacher's most powerful tool, so evidently these Christian writers and the Spirit who inspired them are trying to get us to listen up.
How does the rejected stone become the capstone?
How does the presence of the outsider improve life for us all?
Repetition is the teacher's most powerful tool, so evidently these Christian writers and the Spirit who inspired them are trying to get us to listen up.
How does the rejected stone become the capstone?
How does the presence of the outsider improve life for us all?
New techniques can beautify concrete buildings
Unattractive concrete tenement blocks in most regions of our country have given concrete a poor reputation. But new techniques mean that concrete can be used for exciting construction projects and for building robust housing in places with difficult access............
To be continued...........
To be continued...........
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