Applying insulation to the interior side of the wall often is the only option for a thermal retrofit, especially when heritage buildings are concerned. In order to avoid harmful condensation beneath the interior insulation, most systems include a vapor retarding layer which also reduces the drying potential of the wall. Therefore, vapor-permeable insulation materials have been developed that are capable of wicking condensing moisture away from the wall/insulation interface back to the surface in contact with the indoor air. A widely used and extensively studied material with such characteristics is Calcium-silicate. Following an increasing demand, several water-wicking insulation materials have appeared on the market. However, there is no consensus yet on how to quantify their efficiency in preventing critical moisture conditions at the interface.Since the water absorption coefficient of a porous material is dominated by the largest capillaries, this coefficient does not seem appropriate for the characterization of the material's liquid transport properties in the hygroscopic region. Therefore, a new measuring method for wicking insulation materials has been devised. One side of a laterally sealed material sample is controlled at a temperature below the dew-point by a Peltier-unit, while the other side is exposed to the air of a climate chamber. At the dynamic equilibrium of the opposing moisture fluxes (liquid and vapor), moisture distribution recordings are performed using Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This allows the determination of the material's liquid diffusivity function in the hygroscopic region, whose magnitude is a measure for the wicking efficiency of the material.
At first sight, Mexico appears to be a textbook example of a state affected by offshore finance. Offshore financial services allow corporations and the wealthy to plan taxes, avoid regulations or to launder money. The literature holds that large, developing, open economies, with geographical proximity to offshore centers and problems of crime and corruption are particularly affected by offshoring. By this logic, we should expect Mexico to show a significant demand for offshore financial services. Yet, new empirical evidence derived from interviews and banking statistics suggests otherwise. Mexican firms and individuals make only limited use of offshore finance. The article explains why. Building on a Weberian notion of the state, the article shows that the historically exclusive nature of Mexico's state concentrates political and economic power such that the onshore economy offers similar rents for economic elites as offshoring. Moreover, in instances where economic actors use offshore services it is driven by banking, not taxation. These findings have two theoretical implications. First, they confirm that institutions matter, though differently than hitherto thought. Second, we must look beyond taxation to include banking into our analyses.
Non-Western countries such as Saudi Arabia, China, Brazil, and Turkey have all started to take part in global humanitarian action. Their engagement raises a number of fundamental questions: how will the diversification of government donors affect humanitarian activities and principles; and how will it affect the people and governments of crisis-affected countries or humanitarian organizations? This article finds that the rise of non-Western donors involves both risks, such as normative conflicts, and great potential, such as increased access and more resources. It also finds that non-Western humanitarian engagement has become too substantial to ignore and that opportunities can only be seized and risks mitigated if traditional actors actively engage with non-Western donors on a level playing field.
The 'Policy Debate' section of International Development Policy offers a platform where academics, policy makers and reflective practitioners engage in critical dialogue on specific development challenges. The initial lead paper is not peer-reviewed. Instead, it is followed by reactions and critical comments from different stakeholders. The lead paper below, written by Jean-Marc Biquet (Médecin sans Frontières, MSF), is followed by reactions and analysis from Andrea Binder (Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin). Despite repeated requests to-and commitments from-the UN (UNOCHA in particular) to provide a response, we did unfortunately not get any written reaction to MSF's article. Readers who are intetested are invited to contribute to this policy debate on our blog
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