28 September, 2015

The Finnish National Opera presents a new ballet by Kenneth Greve and Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber


In autumn 2015, the Finnish National Opera presents the premieres of The Little Mermaid, a new ballet for the whole family by Kenneth Greve, and of an original production of the world’s most popular musical, Phantom of the Opera.
The Finnish National Ballet’s new production in autumn 2015 is The Little Mermaid, premiered on 23 October. Based on the story by celebrated Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, the ballet was created by Danish-born Kenneth Greve, Artistic Director of the FNB. The music is by Finnish composer Tuomas Kantelinen, known for his film scores. Greve and Kantelinen previously collaborated on the hugely successful ballet The Snow Queen, premiered in 2012 – also a setting of a story by Andersen.
In The Little Mermaid, Kenneth Greve weaves the story and Andersen’s life together. Andersen is known to have admired dancers for their sensitivity and grace but was unable to pursue a career as a dancer himself because of his deformed body. Andersen and the little mermaid both aspire to the impossible: she wants to have legs, and Andersen wants to dance.
The underwater world in the production is created with the aid of 3D technology. The sets are by takis, the costumes by Erika Turunen, the lighting by Kalle Ropponen, the projections by Jouka Valkama and the makeup by Virpi Ketko. The conductor at the premiere will be Robert Reimer.
The FNB’s season will continue with the revival of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by Wayne Eagling and Toer van Schayk and La Bayadère by Natalia Makarova.

The Phantom of the Opera sold out before its premiere
The world’s most popular musical, The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is proving to be unprecedentedly popular in Finland too. All 70,000 tickets to performances of this production were sold out before the premiere on 4 September 2015 – the first time ever in the history of the FNO that an entire production run has been sold out before the premiere. The production run is also exceptionally long, with 53 performances scheduled up to May 2016.
This is the first time that Phantom is being staged in Finland. Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux and completed in 1986, Phantom quickly became the world’s most famous musical. It has been seen by 140 million people to date, the original production has been running in London and New York for almost 30 years, and replica productions have been staged in at least 30 other countries. The FNO is one of the very few theatre companies in the entire world to have been granted the right to create a completely original, new production with a Finnish team. The FNO production is also exceptional in having a large ensemble of an opera chorus and dancers to draw on.
While the production is a new one, it is immersed in the Victorian Romantic style of the late 19th century in keeping with the original story. Director Tiina Puumalainen identifies emotional intensity along with magic and romance as key elements of the era. Set designer Teppo Järvinen, costume designer Marjaana Mutanen and lighting designer Timo Alhanen drew inspiration from several epochs. The choreography is by Osku Heiskanen, and the production conductors are Nick Davies and Kurt Kopecky.
The FNO programmes musicals relatively rarely, the most recent previous production having been Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim, performed in 1997–1998.
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Electric buses can save millions of kronor for society and the environment


A city with half a million inhabitants would save about SEK 100 million per year if the city’s buses ran on electricity instead of diesel. This is the finding from extensive analysis conducted in collaboration between the Volvo Group and the audit and advisory firm KPMG. The analysis has taken into consideration such factors as noise, travel time, emissions, energy use, taxes and the use of natural resources.
“Standard investment appraisals do not take into account all of the costs that impact society and the environment. Therefore, to quantify all of the aspects, we have now calculated the monetary value of an electric bus line,” says Niklas Gustafsson, Head of Sustainability at the Volvo Group. “The results show that irrespective of the number of parameters taken into consideration, electric buses comprise the leading public transport solution.”
The analysis was based on a city with about half a million inhabitants and 400 buses. If the buses were run on electricity instead of diesel, the total annualized societal saving would be about SEK 100 million. Among other areas, the savings stem from reduced noise and air pollution, which is estimated to lead to decreased care costs of up to SEK 24 million. The annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions would total 33,000 tons, corresponding to about 3,000 Swedish households.
“Electric buses are an excellent example of an innovation that can create substantial societal values,” says Daniel Dellham, KPMG. “By supplementing standard financial analysis with socioeconomic and environmental factors, one arrives at a more complete picture of the investment’s impact on companies and society.”
In June 2015, an entirely new electric bus line was opened in Gothenburg with the aim of developing and testing new solutions for sustainable public transport. The line is the result of a partnership between the Volvo Group and several partners from industry, research and society. 
“The bus line is one of the most modern in the world and interest is incredibly high, not least due to the buses being completely silent and emission-free, and being run on electricity from wind and hydro power,” says Niklas Gustafsson. “But the innovation aspect primarily pertains to the complete transportation system. A system that we can now show meets society’s socioeconomic and environmental challenges.”
The analysis will be presented at a seminar in New York, on September 26, 2015, at 08:00 a.m. A warm welcome is extended to media representatives who wish to participate. Location: KPMG, 345 Park Avenue, New York, USA
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Global CEOs Sign on to New UN Goals at United Nations Private Sector Forum



German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and others discuss role of business 
in achieving sustainable development goals


(New York, 25 September 2015) – More than 300 CEOs, Heads of State, UN and civil society leaders attended the United Nations Private Sector Forum (PSF) to discuss the role of business in implementing the world's 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Addressing the meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel reflected on the success of the past 15 years, noting her optimism for the implementation of the SDGs. She called for the world to build on this momentum and continue to work together to achieve these global goals for 2030.

On 25 September, Heads of State and Government engaged in a General Assembly plenary that gave final adoption to the SDGs, which will replace the Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015) in January 2016. The result of extensive inter-governmental negotiation and input from the private sector and civil society, the overarching purpose of the SDGs is to eradicate poverty and combine elements of economic, social and environmental action, including climate change.

“First, companies need to do business responsibly and then pursue new opportunities, “said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “We would be closer to the world we want if companies everywhere took baseline actions like respecting employee rights … not polluting land, sea and air … and punishing corruption.”

Since 2008, the UN Private Sector Forum has annually gathered CEOs and Heads of State to the United Nations to discuss pressing issues such as climate change, global development, and human rights. Against the backdrop of the UN Sustainable Development Summit 2015, this year’s Private Sector Forum – organized by the UN Global Compact, in close collaboration with UNICEF, UN Women, UN Volunteers, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UN Office for South South Cooperation, the UN Foundation – focused on the role of the private sector in implementing SDGs.

As a keynote speaker, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the critical role of business – in collaboration with other stakeholders -- in advancing the new United Nations global agenda adopted yesterday.  He announced Facebook’s commitment, together with a number other organizations, to make universal internet access a reality in the next decade.  “Connecting the world is one of the fundamental challenges of our generation,” said Zuckerberg. “For every ten people that get connected to the internet, one gets lifted out of poverty.”  

Emerging today from the PSF were announcements of more than 35 corporate commitments to benchmark sustainable development actions, including investment in low-carbon infrastructure, combatting corruption, gender equality in the workplace, access to and strengthening of healthcare services in the Least Developed Countries, and more.

The urgent refugee crisis was a major topic of concern among participants. Responding to the Business Action Pledge in Response to the Refugees Crisis launched last week by the UN Global Compact and UNHCR (High Commission for Refugees) to mobilize business on this issue, several new commitments and partnerships were announced, including educational opportunities, job training, and healthcare for refugees as well as funding for refugee aid organizations in war-torn countries.   

The event also saw the launch of the SDG Compass – developed jointly by GRI, the UN Global Compact and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) – which is a guide for companies on how to take a strategic approach to the SDGs and enhance their contribution to sustainable development through core business activities.

Several other SDG-related resources were launched in the context of the PSF including the SDG Industry Matrix and the Poverty Footprint.
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Intertek expects significant growth in Building Enclosure Commissioning in the Gulf region by 2020


Abu Dhabi, UAE – Intertek, a leading provider of quality solutions worldwide, predicts a major increase in Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) in the Gulf region over the next five years.  As the region continues to witness its highest value of infrastructure and construction projects planned to date — over $172B in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) construction projects in 2015 alone — it is also experiencing stricter building codes and regulations aimed to raise the overall quality standards of building materials and projects. Building Enclosure Commissioning allows governments, private owners and investors to ensure that they are investing in better quality products and buildings which keep people safer and increases the lifespan of their assets.
BECx is a holistic quality assurance program that confirms that the building envelope is built as per the owner project requirements (OPR). During the process, a team of third-party experts documents that the necessary steps have been taken into consideration by the design and construction teams to deliver a fully integrated exterior enclosure that meets or exceeds the requirements of the initial intent. It addresses concerns such as air and water leakage, thermal heat gain, and structural performance. Other building physics such acoustics, moisture control, and building movements can also be considered through the same process. BECx reduces the cost of construction and maintenance by ensuring that potential problems are captured early in the process, such as during drawing reviews and mock-up testing, prior to manufacturing and construction on site.   
“The focus of the GCC countries in the last few years has been on sustainability in the construction of their infrastructure and buildings,” says Gilles Vandevoorde, General Manager of Building Sciences, from Intertek, who addressed delegates at the recent Façade Design and Engineering UAE Summit. “This change in focus requires advanced testing, and certification of products and assemblies, in the lab and in the field.  It is estimated that 65 percent of post-construction expenditure goes towards water-related damage or problems. Specifically, moisture damage contributes to 90 percent of all building and building material failures. Through the BECx process, a building is much more likely to avoid such issues from occurring.”
“We have witnessed an increasing interest in energy-efficient, environmentally conscious, and higher-performing buildings” adds Hussain Al-Atrakchi, Regional Managing Director for Intertek in the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan.  “Companies like Intertek, work with developers and owners to assure the delivery of sustainable and safe buildings at a reasonable cost, while complying with local and international regulations.  Although BECx is an additional line item on the project, the benefits of the process often outweigh the cost and can be a significant cost-saver over time.”
The awareness on BECX benefits is gaining momentum. In the last few years, regulations have become more stringent and it is the foreseen continuing trend in the region to implement pro-active strategies that will contribute to the quality and safety of products that could affect people’s lives. 

"إنترتك" تتوقع نمواً في أعمال تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية للمباني مع نمو متطلبات الجودة في منطقة الخليج العربي"
أعلنت "إنترتك"، وهي الشركة الرائدة في توفير حلول الجودة حول العالم، أنها تتوقع نمواً كبيراً في قطاع  أعمال مراقبة وفحص تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية للمنشآت في منطقة الخليج العربي في السنوات الخمسة القادمة. ويعود هذا الأمر إلى أن المنطقة تشهد حالياً نمواً هائلاً في مشاريع البنى التحتية ومشاريع البناء والإنشاءات، حيث فاقت ميزانياتها ما مجموعه 172 مليار دولار أميركي خلال عام 2015 في منطقة دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي وحدها، وهو أعلى معدل إنفاق على الإطلاق في سنة واحدة في هذا القطاع، كما تشهد بشكل متوازٍ وضع معايير وأنظمة لجودة البناء وأعمال الإنشاءات وتطبيق قوانين صارمة في هذا المجال كجزء من جهود جادة و حثيثة لرفع الجودة الشاملة لمواد البناء وأعمال الإنشاءات. وتساعد أعمال مراقبة تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية للمنشآت كل من الحكومات وأصحاب تلك المشاريع والمستثمرين فيها على التأكد من أنهم يستثمرون في مواد و منشآت عالية الجودة تساهم في تأمين سلامة الناس وإطالة عمر المنشأة.
هذا ويعتبر برنامج مراقبة تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية للمنشآت (Building Enclosure Commissioning-BECx) برنامجاً شاملاً لضمان الجودة والذي يؤكد أن هيكل المبنى أو المنشأة في المشروع بحسب المواصفات التي طلبها المالك أو ما يسمى (Owner Project Requirement OPR). وخلال هذه العملية، يقوم فريق من ذوي الاختصاص من جهة خارجية معتمدة بالتأكد من أن الخطوات اللازمة قد تمّ اتباعها من قٍبل فريقي التصميم والبناء لتوفير مبنى متكامل يفي بالمتطلبات والمعايير التي وضعت في بداية المشروع أو يتفوق على تلك المتطلبات و المعايير. وينصبّ اهتمام الخبراء على مراقبة الجودة في مواضيع تشمل تسرّب الهواء والمياه و الكسب الحراري بالإضافة إلى الأداء البنيوي. كما يمكن أيضاً التركيز على مكوّنات أخرى في المبنى مثل توزّع الصوت و التحكّم بالرطوبة وحركة المبنى. هذا ويقلّص برنامج مراقبة تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية للمنشآت تكلفة البناء والصيانة لكونه يضمن اكتشاف المشاكل المحتملة في مرحلة مبكرة من عملية التصميم و الإنشاء وذلك قبل حدوثها، كمثل مرحلة مراجعة الرسومات الهندسية والاختبارات التي تجري على النماذج التي تصنع قبل مرحلة التصنيع والإنشاء في الموقع.
صرح جيل فاندفورد، مدير عام علوم البناء في "إنترتك"، والذي ألقى كلمة أمام المشاركين في مؤتمر تصميم وهندسة واجهات المباني الذي انعقد في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة: "بدأت دول الخليج في السنوات القليلة الماضية بالتركيز على موضوع الاستدامة في مشاريع البنية التحتية لديها وأيضاً في عمليات إنشاء المباني. يتطلب هذا التغيير في الاستراتيجية اختبارات متطورة وفحص واعتماد المنتجات والمكوّنات المستخدمة في هيكل المنشآت، حيث يجب أن تتم هذه الفحوصات والاعتمادات على مستويين، الأول في المختبر والثاني في الموقع. وتشير التقديرات إلى أن 65 في المائة من الإنفاق في مرحلة ما بعد البناء يذهب نحو الأضرار المتصلة بالمياه أو مشاكلها، وعلى وجه التحديد، تشكل الأضرار الناتجة عن الرطوبة ما نسبته 90 في المئة من جميع حالات الضرر الناجم في الأبنية أو المواد المستخدمة في البناء. ومن خلال برنامج مراقبة تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية للمنشآت، يمكن للمبنى أو المنشأة تلافي حدوث مثل هذه المشكلات."
قال حسين الأطرقجي، المدير التنفيذي الإقليمي لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا وباكستان: "نحن نشهد اهتماماً متزايداً بإنشاء مبانٍ تتسم بالكفاءة العالية في استهلاك الطاقة وتعتبر صديقة للبيئة، وبشكل عام تتميز بجودة وأداء أعلى مما كان مطلوباً في السابق. إن الشركات المتخصصة مثل ’إنترتك‘ تتعاون مع مطوري المشاريع العقارية والملاك للتأكد من توفير مبان مستدامة وآمنة بتكلفة معقولة، في حين تفي في الوقت ذاته بمتطلبات القوانين المحلية والعالمية." ومع العلم أن اعتماد برنامج لمراقبة تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية للمنشآت يضيف بنداً جديداً إلى المشروع، إلا أن فوائده غالباً ما تتفوق على الكلفة ومن الممكن أن تؤدي إلى توفيرات كبيرة على المدى الطويل."
ومن الجدير بالذكر أن الوعي بفوائد برامج مراقبة تجهيز الهياكل الخارجية في تزايد مستمر. ففي السنوات القليلة الماضية، باتت القوانين أكثر صرامة حيث من المتوقع أن تواصل المنطقة سعيها الدؤوب لتطبيق استراتيجيات فاعلة تسهم في تعزيز جودة وسلامة المنتجات التي تؤثر على حياة الناس.

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New Philips monitor offers great Quad HD pictures on compact 25-inch

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