Ineta Geipele

Environmental management systems experience among latvian construction companies

Abstract At the present stage of development in Latvia, as well as around the world, essential influence on the enterprise work has the idea of sustainable development. The concept of sustainable development has become widespread amongst government agencies, politicians, corporations and other organizations throughout the world. By the end of 2007, around 129,031 organizations worldwide have implemented environmental management systems (EMS) and certified it according to ISO 14001. About 100 of them are located in Latvia and 40 of them are construction companies. There is a lack of national evaluations of ISO 14001 in many countries, but in many countries no complete lists of the national certified / registered sites exist at all. In Latvia a list of ISO 14001 sites has been complied and regularly updated by the Latvian association for Quality. In spite of the fact that in Latvia increase using of ideas of ecological manufacture and environmental management, nevertheless there has been no any serious scie...

Decisions on Industry Location and Market Capacities in Latvia

The research is drawn on the main hypothesis that Latvia does not use its advantageous location effectively supported by the previous research results where the authors found the modern industrial real property market stock would not need any further growth and pointed on the local industrial real estate market misbalance. A focus of the research is on finding out the key principles in those companies’ choice on the most appropriate territory to the industrial objects and industrial location specifics. The Paper contains the projected results, the analysis of other scientists’ work results on the industrial location research and the model previously introduced. The worked out model is devoted to forecast stock of the modern industrial premises in Europe in the territory of the Republic of Latvia by the original approach of including the European climate change issue as a basis to assign the sustainable supply of the industrial premises. The Paper is a message to professional critical view and assessment on the model and the survey issue.

Measuring Land-Use Efficiency in Land Management

Assessing the land-use measures systematically is an essential procedure in providing sustainable land management practice. Land-use efficiency (LUE) may be measured by using a methodological framework that prescribes the conditions, integrated methods, models, classifications, an indicator system, and sequential evaluation procedures. This paper focuses on development of measuring techniques to assess the LUE on the basis of systems approach and discusses the challenges of measuring LUE according to established methodological framework. The findings of the study show that chosen integrated research methods in distinct variations according to the introduced evaluation framework may be applied for measuring LUE. Systematic evaluation of LUE is necessary to support a decision-making in land-use management and to promote a land use in better and more efficient way.

Construction management - challenges, influencing factors and importance of investment climate

The construction companies as well as other companies operating in the real estate market are facing a number of challenges - both in internal and external environments. At the same time, the industry presents several options. The objective of the study is to identify the construction sector management problems by exploring the real estate market and construction industry in Latvia, while comparing the situation in the Baltic States. The study approaches also the macroeconomic problems and a number of related issues that may be useful to the management of the companies in the construction industry and the real estate market. The comparative, statistical, data processing and analysis, as well as historical methods have been used in the study. Real estate market is cyclical - the development of real estate market affects the real estate price fluctuations, construction cost price fluctuations and changes in the economic situation in general, thus creating a number of challenges to market development and investment decision-making, so it is necessary to pay close attention to the construction industry and real estate market research.

Practical aspects of sustainable construction in Latvia

During the economic crisis in 2007 forced the entrepreneurs of the real estate sector and construction sector and industry as a whole cleansed, educated and development, to think about their actions development, to survive and future perspectives of the development.

The Development and Design of Engineering Economic Indicator System for Nanotechnology Industry Product Manufacturing: A Case Study of Latvia / Inženierekonomisko Rādītāju Sistēmas Attīstība Un Izveide Nanotehnoloģiju Industrijas Produktu Ražošanai: Latvijas Pieredze

Abstract The current scientific paper is developed to continue the research on further commercialisation of the nanotechnology products of manufacturing industries in Latvia. To create the system of engineering economic indicators for multifunctional nanocoating technologies, the scientific indicators and their theoretical justification have been used, the issues from the experts’ analysis and survey of the Latvian companies operating in the nanotechnology industry have been summarised. Kopsavilkums Zinātniskā publikācija ir sagatavota kā turpinājums nanotehnoloģiju industrijas produktu komercializācijas pētījumam Latvijā. Lai izveidotu inženierekonomisko rādītāju sistēmu daudzfunkcionālajām nano-pārklājumu tehnoloģijām tiek izmantoti zinātniskie indikatori, to teorētiskais pamatojums, kā arī Latvijas inovatīvo daudzfunkcionālo materiālu ražotāju aptaujas un ekspertinterviju rezultāti.

Case Study on Employee Competence Regarding Competitiveness and CSR Issues of the Forest Industry Companies

t would be helpful if the companies operating in the forest industry in Latvia in the management process used advantages of strategic management. To make further progress in competitiveness management, the developed strategy should be effectively managed and the achieved progress - assessed. [8.;13.;14.] The strategy consists of the intended activities and the required improvements. [5.] The aim of the case study on forest industry employees competitiveness competence is to find out internal problems of the companies operating in the forest industry, as well as to provide recommendations to balance potential changes of the external environment of forest industry. [9.] If to choose optimal and economically, socially and environmentally balanced way of the development, an appropriate strategy and tactics of competitiveness management, based upon employees competence within the industry competitiveness and CSR should be applied.

Environmental and Energy Aspects of Construction Industry and Green Buildings

Abstract Green building is an important component of sustainable real estate market development, and one of the reasons is that the construction industry consumes a high amount of resources. Energy consumption of construction industry results in greenhouse gas emissions, so green buildings, energy systems, building technologies and other aspects play an important role in sustainable development of real estate market, construction and environmental development. The aim of the research is to analyse environmental aspects of sustainable real estate market development, focusing on importance of green buildings at the industry level and related energy aspects. Literature review, historical, statistical data analysis and logical access methods have been used in the research. The conducted research resulted in high environmental rationale and importance of environment-friendly buildings, and there are many green building benefits during the building life cycle. Future research direction is environmental information process and its models.

Rental and Management Policy of Municipal Residential Buildings: Housing Policy. Case Study of Riga (Part One)

Abstract The present scientific article is the first part of two publications, where the authors obtain results from the scientific research for municipal residential property legal aspects and housing policy, as well as risks in the maintenance of the housing stock. To ensure the fulfillment of the functions prescribed by law in relation to the provision of living space, each municipality owns a number of rental apartments. Some municipalities even build special dwellings aimed to fulfil this function. Housing management involves the implementation of a specific process prescribed by both the law and the principles of good governance. However, all management processes are subject to risks that can endanger the implementation of the entire management process. To ensure efficient and high-quality maintenance of the management process, risk assessment is required. In order to successfully implement all these activities, first of all, there is a need for a legal framework that will stipulate the obligations, responsibilities, rights of the persons involved, as well as a series of measures that determine the actions to be taken to ensure the successful maintenance of the housing stock. The aim of the article is to investigate and analyse the regulation of the rent of the legal relations of the municipal property that is used as rental apartments, the management processes of municipal residential property and their compliance with regulatory enactments, as well as to define risks that prevent the efficient and high-quality maintenance of the housing stock.

Case Study of Standard Multi-Storey Residential Building Owners and Tenants’ Perception of Building Technical Conditions and Renovation Issues

Abstract The majority of residents in Latvia live in standard multi-storey residential buildings, which were constructed between 1950 and 1992. At present, these buildings are obsolete; besides, in the course of construction process the durability and reliability levels were planned to be insufficient. In Riga, residents of standard multi-storey residential buildings do not support building renovation and are passive, despite the availability of the EU and government support as well as co-financing of building renovation projects. The majority of the respondents assume that the apartment is the most significant asset of the family. Moreover, 34 % - 69 % of the participants have renovated their apartment and save resources within their apartment boundaries. Only some respondents evaluate the technical condition of communal property, but most respondents do not have information concerning resource supply and energy accounting as well as are not interested in resource saving possibilities within the building in general, and do not understand the importance of technical maintenance of the building.