Jurga Naimaviciene

Social and regional aspects of housing situation in lithuania

With respect to the assessment of Lithuanian housing situation in the context of other EU countries, it is important to consider it more thoroughly in social and regional aspects. It is also necessary to evaluate the situation on a scale of emerging housing problems and specify the strategic trends as well as goals to deal with these problems. This article discusses the following issues: social and regional aspects of housing and the quality of it; the possibility to obtain or rent a home in the context of current market situation; State financial support for housing; sociological assessment of living conditions.

Crisis Management Model and Recommended System for Construction and Real Estate

Integrated analysis and rational decision-making at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels are needed to mitigate the effects of recession on the construction and real estate sector. Crisis management involves numerous aspects that should be considered in addition to making economic, political and legal/regulatory decisions. These must include social, culture, ethical, psychological, educational, environ- mental, provisional, technological, technical, organizational and managerial aspects. This article presents a model and system for such considerations and discusses certain composite parts of it.

Biometric and Intelligent Student Progress Assessment System

A number of methodologies (Big Five Factors and Five Factor Model, intelligence quotient tests, self-assessment) and strategies for web-based formative assessment are used in an effort to predict a student’s academic motivation, achievements and performance. These methodologies, biometric voice analysis technologies and 13 years of authors’ experience in distance learning were used in development of the Biometric and Intelligent Student Progress Assessment System for psychological assessment of student progress. Also the BISPA system was developed in consideration of worldwide research results involving the interrelation between a person’s knowledge, self-assessment and voice stress along with instances of available decision support, recommender and intelligent tutoring systems.

Selection of the insulation materials for refurbishment purposes

AbstractRefurbishment of the building facades of residential buildings, including insulation, is often considered as the most energy efficient renovation measure with the largest potential. One of the solutions to increase energy efficiency is the selection of the appropriate insulation materials of the external walls. The article proposes the approach for selection of the insulation material based on SAW multiple criteria assessment method. The proposed methodology is applied for the case of insulation material selection in refurbishment of 12-storey building in Vilnius, Lithuania. Research reveals that rock wool outperforms other materials by thermal conductivity, light weigh, water vapour diffusion resistance, highest flammability class, durability and lowest emission of CO2 and is an efficient insulation to be used for sustainable refurbishment solutions.

Selected Aspects of Real Estate Appraisers' Professional Training on the background of Economic Theory

Th is study is aimed at presenting the role of economic principles in the real estate valuation process raised in appraisal theory. Th e formulated theses suggest that the reasons for not appreciating economic issues in the appraisal process should be sought in the education system of persons authorised to perform real estate appraisals. In order to research how economy theory was adapted by appraisal theory and practice, several commonly available information sources were reviewed. Th e table shows the kinds of principles, in the order mentioned by the authors of studies. Some information about education system of property valuers in Poland and Lithuania was discussed. In order to verify how the appraisal principles described herein are used in practice, a survey was conducted among Polish appraisers. Th e Polish respondents’ answers confi rm the diagnosis of the article’s authors as to the necessity to devote more time to these issues when preparing candidates for the profession of property appraiser.

Recommender Thermometer for Measuring the Preparedness for Flood Resilience Management

Abstract A range of various thermometers and similar scales are employed in different human and resilience management activities: Distress Thermometer, Panic Thermometer, Fear Thermometer, fire danger rating, hurricane scales, earthquake scales (Richter Magnitude Scale, Mercalli Scale), Anxiety Thermometer, Help Thermometer, Problem Thermometer, Emotion Thermometer, Depression Thermometer, the Torino scale (assessing asteroid/comet impact prediction), Excessive Heat Watch, etc. Extensive financing of the preparedness for flood resilience management with overheated full-scale resilience management might be compared to someone ill running a fever of 41C. As the financial crisis hits and resilience management financing cools down it reminds a sick person whose body temperature is too low. The degree indicated by the Recommender Thermometer for Measuring the Preparedness for Flood Resilience Management with a scale between T min =34,0 and T max =42,0 shows either cool or overheated preparedness for flood resilience management. The formalized presentation of this research shows how changes in the micro, meso and macro environment of resilience management and the extent to which the goals pursued by various interested parties are met cause corresponding changes in the “temperature” of the preparedness for resilience management. Global innovative aspects of the Recommender Thermometer developed by the authors of this paper are, primarily, its capacity to measure the “temperature” of the preparedness for flood resilience management automatically, to compile multiple alternative recommendations (preparedness for floods, including preparing your home for floods, taking precautions against a threat of floods, retrofitting for flood-prone areas, checking your house insurance; preparedness for bushfires, preparedness for cyclones, preparedness for severe storms, preparedness for heat waves, etc.) customised for a specific user, to perform multiple criteria analysis of the recommendations, and to select the ten most rational ones for that user. Across the world, no other system offers these functions yet. The Recommender Thermometer was developed and fine-tuned in the course of the Android (Academic Network for Disaster Resilience to Optimise educational Development) project.