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Article
Publication date: 9 November 2010

Fikret Okutucu, Ahmet Kochan, Yusuf Yildiz and Sengul Oymen Gur

The purpose of this research is to discover the underlying reasons for the failure of solar energy architecture in Turkey in order to be able suggest methods of improving it in…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to discover the underlying reasons for the failure of solar energy architecture in Turkey in order to be able suggest methods of improving it in Turkey and worldwide.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology employed in this research is on‐site observations of Turkish solar houses built with respect to the details of their application, and depiction of heat gains provided with applied solar measures, and to compare them with an ideal gauge to determine the deficiencies involved in applications.

Findings

The investigations discovered that various buildings under consideration share several errors. In order of importance, these items are: faulty applications, erroneous choice of methods and lack of precautions in the summer.

Practical implications

The practical implications of the study are that measures must be taken to prevent heat loss during winter nights; outer walls with a resistance to heat transmission of u=1 W/m2K would have been preferred rather than ordinary old‐fashioned Trombe walls; in order to prevent overheating the surfaces of the sunspaces, Trombe walls and air collectors contacting the outer environment need to be made movable or pliable to avoid sinking of heated air into the sunspace.

Social implications

The social implication of the study is that only continued exploration into solar energy use via exemplary practice may encourage adoption of these systems by society itself.

Originality/value

The value of the research resides in translating knowledge gained from previous solar projects into design aspects which are expected to avoid these errors and deficiencies, demonstrated herein through Malatya solar housing, from which everyone involved in passive solar house design may benefit.

Details

Structural Survey, vol. 28 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-080X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 January 2022

Joep Hofhuis

The Netherlands' national government (Rijksoverheid) is an example of a large public organization that strives to recruit and retain employees from different cultural groups, and…

Abstract

Purpose

The Netherlands' national government (Rijksoverheid) is an example of a large public organization that strives to recruit and retain employees from different cultural groups, and aims to reap the benefits of workplace diversity. Research has shown that a major predictor of the effectiveness of diversity policy and interventions is the diversity perspective of employees, i.e. which outcomes they associate with cultural diversity in their work environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study compares public servants' diversity perspectives in two similar independent samples, from 2008 (n = 1,617) and 2018 (n = 2,024), using the Benefits and Threats of Diversity Scale (BTDS; Hofhuis et al., 2015).

Findings

Results show that in 2018, employees of the Netherlands' national government perceived more benefits of diversity for gaining insight about and access to different groups within society. Additionally, contributions of cultural diversity to creativity and innovation within teams are reported significantly more often in 2018 than in 2008.

Originality/value

The findings may be of interest to diversity scholars, since data on changes in cultural diversity perspectives across time are rare, and the paper provides a unique comparison of measurements at two time points, one decade apart, within the same organization.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 41 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

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