Latest news with #Watermark
The Spinoff
4 days ago
- Business
- The Spinoff
Gib monopoly faces heat as building-product floodgates open
The government hopes its new list of approved overseas building materials will push down construction costs across the board, writes Catherine McGregor in today's extract from The Bulletin. New rules aim to break building product monopolies More than a year after it was first floated, the government is today releasing its long-awaited list of approved international building products, promising to give the construction sector faster, cheaper and more flexible options. The Building Product Specifications document will include thousands of overseas-made materials – from windows and cladding to multiple brands of plasterboard – that are automatically cleared for use in New Zealand if used as intended. Building and construction minister Chris Penk says the list marks the beginning of the end for 'costly monopolies' in key materials. Later this year, a further change will see plumbing products certified under Australia's Watermark scheme automatically permitted here. Master Builders and developers have welcomed the list, saying greater choice and streamlined approvals could ease delays, reduce costs and improve supply chain resilience. NZ's reliably high construction costs Aotearoa has long been an expensive place to build – especially recently, with research from QV showing construction costs rose 44% in the last four years. But the government is betting that more competition in building products will help reverse that trend. Penk described the current cost of construction as 'frankly outrageous', noting it is 50% more expensive to build a standalone home in New Zealand than in Australia. Builders have also warned that recent price hikes of up to 7% on key products, including plasterboard and insulation, could add tens of thousands of dollars to the price of new homes in the coming years, RNZ's Anan Zaki reports. However, experts also note that the factors behind the high prices are complex. A weak New Zealand dollar, international tariffs and geopolitical instability (particularly in Ukraine) continue to drive up costs for imported materials, on which the sector heavily depends. While the government's reforms may improve access, it could be some time before the benefits meaningfully affect the price of new-build homes. The plasterboard problem Nowhere is New Zealand's reliance on a single supplier more obvious than in the plasterboard market, where Fletcher Building's Gib brand accounts for 97% of all sales. As management consultants Everedge have observed, the power of Gib lies primarily in its suite of intangible assets, including brand familiarity so high that the name has become genericised and building consent forms regularly specify Gib products as a matter of course. As Stuff's Daniel Smith reported in his deep dive into the questionable tactics used by Gib to protect its market share, the company is also known for aggressively using rebates to encourage sales reps and merchants to promote the brand over its rivals. The 2022 Gib shortage, when builders were forced to pay 'six times the normal price' to finish the job, laid bare the risks of monopoly, Penk said yesterday. Although Fletcher Building has since opened a new factory in Tauranga to shore up supply, New Zealanders still pay 38% more for plasterboard than Australians and up to 67% more than Americans. Under the new product approval list, alternatives certified for use in Australia, the UK or the US will now be automatically accepted in New Zealand. A pause on code changes brings welcome certainty Yesterday's curtain-raising announcement was accompanied by another major regulatory shift. As Luke Malpass reported for the Sunday Star Times (paywalled), the Building Code is being frozen, at least for a while. From now on, significant updates to the code will occur on a fixed three-year cycle, aligning with Australia's system. The aim, according to Penk, is to give builders 'certainty and stability in difficult times', and avoid the confusion and cost of piecemeal updates. While the government retains the right to make urgent safety changes – as seen after the Loafers Lodge fire – Penk says this new system will allow industry and regulators to better prepare and respond. It's the latest in a wave of construction sector reforms intended to remove bottlenecks and prepare the industry for what the government hopes will be a strong recovery later this year.
The Irish Sun
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside Enya's reclusive life in lavish €3.8m castle – private relationships to stalker hell after 1st sighting in years
SHE sailed away from fame when she decided back in 1988 to step back from the spotlight. One of Ireland's top musical exports, Enya was earlier this year Advertisement 6 Rare performing in Berlin back in 2016 6 Enya purchased her Killiney castle abode back in the 1990s 6 Enya was seen out in May for the first time in several years 6 Enya told how growing up in a large family led her to seek solitude Her music has travelled right across the globe, with Enya's songs just this week played in the background as Taoiseach Micheal Martin was hosted in Japan by the nation's prime minister. Advertisement Caribbean Blue hitmaker Enya has sold over 80 million albums worldwide since her career started in the 1980s. As Ireland's best-selling solo artist and one of the world's most successful female musicians ever, she is said to have a net worth of over €118million. But the singer, 64, has become notorious for her reclusive lifestyle, spending time in her Victorian castle home. The Donegal native lives in a €3.8million compound in Killiney, south Dublin, which she bought in 1997. It's said she outbid Michael Flatley for the plush gaff, which needed extensive redecorating after the purchase. Advertisement It was formerly Victoria Castle and Ayesha Castle, but renamed Manderley Castle by Enya after the house in the 1938 novel of the same name. It's here that she has garnered a reputation as a recluse, although as she told the Independent in 2015, she has "just always been a very independent person". She also told the publication: "I am single, yes. "But as the song (Even In The Shadows) suggests, there have been… relationships. "It's quite hard to have someone accept that – well, not that they are second to the music, but that I do need a certain amount of space for it. Advertisement "And even though the person will understand that at the beginning, there is something like jealousy towards the music after a while. It's difficult." GOING IT ALONE Enya has always gone it alone, it seems - well, mostly. Eithne Ní Bhraonáin grew up as one of nine siblings in Gweedore, Co Donegal. She was a shy child who loved playing the piano and singing, later explaining how the pandemonium of a large family instilled her lifelong love of being alone and describing silence as a luxury. At 19 she joined her family's band, Celtic music group Clannad, on synth and backing vocals. Advertisement She left two years later, moving into the Dublin home of Nicky Ryan, the group's producer, and his wife Roma. Following her acrimonious split from Clannad, the three wrote music together, culminating in her 1987 self-titled debut album. But it was with the release of second LP Watermark the following year that she entered the stratosphere. Speaking around the release of Watermark, Nicky said Clannad had "sort of settled into a formula that was very boring". He added: "I brought Enya into the group, hoping that it would add new textures--and it did. Advertisement "But two years later they were back into the same old routine again, and I got bored. We fought about this and eventually split. "And because I put Enya into the band, I offered to take her out. Six years later, here we are." Featuring her best-known track, Orinoco Flow (Sail Away), Watermark shifted 11 million copies worldwide. Since then the trio have worked closely on a string of albums which have quietly sold by the bucketload. She has won four Grammys and got an Oscar nod for her work on the Lord Of The Rings soundtrack. Advertisement SONG OF HEALING After the September 11 terror attacks in the US in 2001, Enya's song Only Time became somewhat of a healing theme song. Because it had never been released as a single, Enya released it and donated the proceeds to the Uniform Firefighters Association's Widows' and Children's Fund in the wake of one of New York's darkest days. She said: "Basically, we got news from people in America who saw footage, where CNN were using the song, Only Time. I was out there promoting it that year. "And when I saw the footage it was absolutely so moving. But, in a way, I think everybody in the world felt that if there was any way that we could help them in New York, because it was so traumatised. And they felt there was going to be no more normality ever in the city. "And they leaned toward certain songs and one of them was Only Time because the song is about time will heal. Advertisement "Only Time can tell, and this is what their hope was. So, what we did then was we released the single, the single had never been released there, so we released the single, and then gave all the proceeds then to the fire department." However, Enya rarely performs live - the last time was in 2016 - and never tours. MUSIC FIRST Enya told The Irish Times in a 2015 interview: "From the beginning, with Watermark, the success came with the music. "People loved enjoying listening to Orinoco Flow and then the album – but they didn't know if [Enya] was a band; they didn't know anything... Because the focus was on the music. "Firstly, I didn't know that I had to become famous to sell it. There's no rulebook, so I felt like if I was younger, maybe I would have done things differently. Advertisement "But I was 27, I was really excited about the music – and therefore, I asked questions about the interviews and the promotion that I was doing. I'd say, 'What does this entail? Does it focus on the music? Or is it going to make me more famous?' "And sometimes, when it was more focused on me, I actually would refuse, because I didn't feel the necessity. I wasn't looking for the fame; it was more the success that I enjoyed. I'd do the promotion and I'd enjoy talking about the music – but then it was back to work on another album. "And it was important to me to retain privacy, because I was kind of worried that fame might interfere with my writing, with my music; that it might have changed what I was working on. "I was guarding everything really carefully and closely." Meanwhile, Enya's isolated life with her cats has been well-documented. Advertisement We previously reported how she also bans herself from listening to other artists' music and once claimed to have never bought an album — to keep her own work as original as possible. Her songs are painstakingly put together, often overdubbed with vocals more than 500 times. They are sung in a bizarre mix of languages. Initially a mixture of English and Gaelic, she now records in Sindarin and Quenya, both created by author JRR Tolkien, and Loxian — which she invented herself with her songwriters. Bono is Enya's closest neighbour in Killiney, fitting that she is Ireland's second best-selling music act, second only to U2. Advertisement She said of the U2 frontman: "He's a good neighbour for me and everyone. He loves a chat." ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS Romance is about as high on Enya's to-do list as going out, describing music as her "first love and my present love". She once said: "After a bad day in the studio I'm dark and difficult to be with, I want and need to be on my own. What sort of man would be able to adapt? "Falling madly in love and getting married would be the most horrific thing that could happen. "My affairs are with melody and words and beautiful sounds. Advertisement "I had partners. But I find long relationships, well, how can I say it without appearing strange? "I'm too much devoted to my music. Some people think it sounds sad but believe me, I'm happy. I am my music.' SECURITY BREACHES The singer has unfortunately suffered from her fame through a variety of concerning incidents and security breaches down the years. In 1996, a 31-year-old Italian man, who'd moved to Dublin to be near the singer and was seen wearing a photograph of Enya around his neck, stabbed himself after being thrown out of her parents' pub in Donegal. In 2005, there were two separate security breaches at the castle that led the singer to beef up her defences - despite having already spent €250,000 on doing so in 1998. Advertisement In August of 2005, a stalking incident saw a man caught in the house after he somehow got past security. The English man was subsequently arrested by gardai. Within the space of a week, Enya then had to lock herself in a panic room at her home and hit an alarm after finding another man in the house. The intruder tied up a maid during the two-hour incident but escaped before gardai arrived. While he opened a safe, he stole only personal items, leaving behind cash and valuables. Advertisement A source told the Evening Herald at the time: "We initially thought it was an aggravated burglary but soon realised that it was a stalking situation. "Enya is hyper-sensitive about security and the place was already like a fortress so this guy did well to get in. "Apparently she has hired two security guards to patrol at night while there is also a man there with her at all times and she is very nervous, which is understandable." The Irish Examiner later reported that Enya was "uncomfortable" staying home alone after the burglary. They reported she said: "We still have no clues as to who it was and why he did it. Advertisement "I suppose this is the downside of my success, some fans say they've got life's answers from me. "It makes me slightly uncomfortable, this level of interest in me." RECENT SIGHTING However, it hasn't all been doom and gloom for the musician. A snap in May of this year showed the 64-year-old stepping out from her castle in a rare sighting. The vocalist could be seen smiling as she posed for a picture at a wedding at Drumhalla House in Rathmullan, Co Donegal on May 16. Advertisement The Donegal Dancers crew Thomas and Emily Colangelo said in a post on social media that it was a "privilege to have them in the crowd". They wrote: "There may be a couple familiar faces in the first pic… Some of you may know them as the world famous Clannad & ENYA." Fans were quick to gush over the fresh snap on Reddit, which marked her first real public appearance since the Grammys in 2017 - although she did celebrate her sister Moya Brennan getting an honorary doctorate from DCU in 2022. One loyal fan said: "Omg, I'm so happy to see her finally", while another added: "I recognise her outfit from this 2016 performance of Orinoco Flow in Japan edit: and Enya's live US performance of Echoes in Rain — re-worn very stylishly." Fans are still clamouring for more music, with the singer's last release Dark Sky Island dropping in 2015. Advertisement One said: "She looks so lovely here, but girl drop the mixtape already omg it's been 10 years." Enya's appearance at a Donegal wedding may not be the last fans see of her for another eight years. HIGHEST HONOUR In her native county, the Council have proposed giving Enya the Freedom of Donegal. Former Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Niamh Kennedy said the council acknowledged her privacy and didn't expect a public appearance when it came to accepting the potential Freedom of Donegal. Cllr Kennedy said: "We are all very proud of her and her family. Despite her immense success, this woman remains a figure of mystery, preferring the solace of her Dublin residence to the spotlight, the privacy adding to her mystique, making her a music refuge for listeners all around the world. Advertisement "Marked by multi-million album sales and critical acclaim, reflects her unique ability to create music that transcends borders and speaks to the soul. "Her album Watermark introduced the world to her signature sound, and A Day Without Rain became a global sensation with Only Time providing solace to many during the 9/11 tragedy, when she donated the songs proceeds to the Fire Department NY families. "We honour Enya with offering her the Freedom of her home county Donegal. We celebrate not just her music but for her to craft a world of tranquillity and beauty through her art. "We also acknowledge her privacy and don't expect her to join us here at the County House to honour her but for her to know that we are so very proud and that she deserves the highest honour that her home county can bestow." 6 Enya was pictured with sister Moya and dancers at Donegal wedding Advertisement 6 Enya has enjoyed incredible success as a solo artist
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Watermark Launches AI-Powered Instructor Insights, Honors Institutions Driving Student Success Fueled by Innovation
WASHINGTON, June 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Watermark Insights' annual Engage conference brought together higher education and accreditation leaders in Washington, D.C. This year's theme, "Tell Your Story," recognized colleges and universities facing increasing pressure to demonstrate clear impact in a complex environment. The conference reinforced Watermark's commitment to helping institutions showcase their achievements, driving student and institutional success. Representatives from national accreditors explored the evolving role of accreditation and the importance of continuous improvement. Panelists emphasized that institutions that combine strong data practices with compelling framing are well positioned to demonstrate their achievements, contributions and drive ongoing improvement. Watermark unveiled several new enhancements designed to drive faculty professional growth, simplify cumbersome tasks through system integration, and make institutional outcomes easier to see and share. Some of these enhancements include: Instructor Insights for Course Evaluations The first of its kind in course evaluation and survey solutions, this capability, powered by AI, transforms student feedback into clear, actionable insights helping instructors quickly identify strengths and areas for growth. Watermark Planning & Self-Study Integrations New connections with D2L and Council for Advancement of Standards (CAS) streamline assessment workflows, making it easier to measure outcomes and demonstrate institutional effectiveness in one place. Watermark Faculty Success Redesign A refreshed and modern interface and interactive CV view improve the way faculty track achievements and navigate reviews, spending more time on student initiatives and less on administrative burden. Engage award winners announced At this year's Engage Conference, Watermark honored three institutions that are driving innovation and delivering meaningful results on campus. Insights Award: Texas State University Texas State University was honored for its exceptional use of data to inform strategic decisions and improve outcomes. By making assessment and student feedback data more accessible and actionable, the university has empowered faculty and staff to better support student success. This work is supported by Watermark solutions including Faculty Success, Student Learning & Licensure, the SL&L Data Export Service, and Course Evaluations & Surveys. Innovation Award: Mohawk Valley Community College Mohawk Valley Community College received the Innovation Award for achieving full campus adoption of a centralized planning and assessment process in just six months. Its bold leadership and collaborative approach were supported by the creative use of Watermark's Planning & Self-Study solution. Impact Award: Harris-Stowe State University Harris-Stowe State University was recognized for achieving measurable improvements in student outcomes, faculty support, and operational efficiency. The university moved from fragmented processes to a unified and data-informed approach using Watermark's suite of solutions. "Every year at Engage, I'm reminded of the heart and purpose behind the work happening on campuses," said Erin Shy, CEO of Watermark. "Our customers are meeting complex challenges with creativity and care, and we're here to make sure our technology helps them do it better." To learn more about Watermark, visit About Watermark Watermark gives higher education institutions the tools they need to easily track, manage, and examine their data. For over twenty years, colleges and universities have used Watermark solutions to complete assessment and accreditation requirements, capture and analyze student feedback, showcase faculty accomplishments, and improve student engagement. Watermark's Educational Impact Suite (EIS) puts data into context so faculty and staff can focus on what really matters: institutional and student success. Learn why Watermark is trusted by over 1,700 colleges and universities to support continuous improvement at View source version on Contacts Media ContactLindsey Gilllgill@
Business Wire
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Watermark Launches AI-Powered Instructor Insights, Honors Institutions Driving Student Success Fueled by Innovation
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Watermark Insights' annual Engage conference brought together higher education and accreditation leaders in Washington, D.C. This year's theme, 'Tell Your Story,' recognized colleges and universities facing increasing pressure to demonstrate clear impact in a complex environment. The conference reinforced Watermark's commitment to helping institutions showcase their achievements, driving student and institutional success. Watermark unveils AI-powered Instructor Insights and honors institutions driving student success at Engage 2025, highlighting innovation, faculty support, and measurable impact across higher education. Share Representatives from national accreditors explored the evolving role of accreditation and the importance of continuous improvement. Panelists emphasized that institutions that combine strong data practices with compelling framing are well positioned to demonstrate their achievements, contributions and drive ongoing improvement. Watermark unveiled several new enhancements designed to drive faculty professional growth, simplify cumbersome tasks through system integration, and make institutional outcomes easier to see and share. Some of these enhancements include: Instructor Insights for Course Evaluations The first of its kind in course evaluation and survey solutions, this capability, powered by AI, transforms student feedback into clear, actionable insights helping instructors quickly identify strengths and areas for growth. Watermark Planning & Self-Study Integrations New connections with D2L and Council for Advancement of Standards (CAS) streamline assessment workflows, making it easier to measure outcomes and demonstrate institutional effectiveness in one place. Watermark Faculty Success Redesign A refreshed and modern interface and interactive CV view improve the way faculty track achievements and navigate reviews, spending more time on student initiatives and less on administrative burden. Engage award winners announced At this year's Engage Conference, Watermark honored three institutions that are driving innovation and delivering meaningful results on campus. Insights Award: Texas State University Texas State University was honored for its exceptional use of data to inform strategic decisions and improve outcomes. By making assessment and student feedback data more accessible and actionable, the university has empowered faculty and staff to better support student success. This work is supported by Watermark solutions including Faculty Success, Student Learning & Licensure, the SL&L Data Export Service, and Course Evaluations & Surveys. Innovation Award: Mohawk Valley Community College Mohawk Valley Community College received the Innovation Award for achieving full campus adoption of a centralized planning and assessment process in just six months. Its bold leadership and collaborative approach were supported by the creative use of Watermark's Planning & Self-Study solution. Impact Award: Harris-Stowe State University Harris-Stowe State University was recognized for achieving measurable improvements in student outcomes, faculty support, and operational efficiency. The university moved from fragmented processes to a unified and data-informed approach using Watermark's suite of solutions. 'Every year at Engage, I'm reminded of the heart and purpose behind the work happening on campuses,' said Erin Shy, CEO of Watermark. 'Our customers are meeting complex challenges with creativity and care, and we're here to make sure our technology helps them do it better.' To learn more about Watermark, visit About Watermark Watermark gives higher education institutions the tools they need to easily track, manage, and examine their data. For over twenty years, colleges and universities have used Watermark solutions to complete assessment and accreditation requirements, capture and analyze student feedback, showcase faculty accomplishments, and improve student engagement. Watermark's Educational Impact Suite (EIS) puts data into context so faculty and staff can focus on what really matters: institutional and student success. Learn why Watermark is trusted by over 1,700 colleges and universities to support continuous improvement at
Los Angeles Times
30-05-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Artist celebrates growing old with ‘Feeling Our Age' exhibit in Laguna Niguel
Kathleen Cosgrove used to be a lobbyist, but when she turned 50 she sold her business and went to art school, trading persuasion for paintbrushes. Cosgrove, raised in Berkeley in the 1960s, believes both pursuits are connected. 'It's all about the same thing, and that is feeling like I want to make the world a better place, pining for social justice and human rights,' she said. 'I had that ingrained in me at a very young age, and it stuck with me all the way through. The only thing that's really changed is that art has become my voice, and that's really what this project is all about.' That project is the 'Feeling Our Age' exhibition, featuring 60 portraits of women ages 60 or older from around the country and all walks of life. Cosgrove, who is based in Vancouver, Wash. and also has a studio in Portland, painted all of the artworks. She also asked each woman who sat for a portrait to write a personal essay about her experiences as she grew older. The 'Feeling Our Age' exhibit will be on display at the Watermark Laguna Niguel senior living community through the end of June. Cosgrove, 73, said the project was partially born from the coronavirus pandemic. The loneliness of that time meant something specific to her, as her maternal grandmother contracted the Spanish flu during World War I and suffered brain damage from it. 'She was locked away in an insane asylum in South Dakota and I never met her,' Cosgrove said. 'It's just so wrong. [The COVID-19 pandemic] triggered a lot of personal emotion in me.' She found Watermark Laguna Niguel while looking for a place for a friend who had fallen and suffered a brain injury. Cosgrove ended up chatting with Troy Hollar, Watermark's national director of marketing and sales. 'We really had the same viewpoints about how people have been mistakenly treated, that ageism does exist, and how Watermark works to not only redefine the image of older people but to give them opportunity,' Cosgrove said. 'The portraits are one thing, and they're great, but each woman wrote a personal story about how it feels to be their age and what they aspire to at this point in their life. Those are all in their own words, and that, to me, is so inspiring. It just makes you feel good, and I hope it has inspired some of the people at Watermark as well.' The World Health Organization projects that one in six people worldwide will be 60 or over by 2030. But studies have shown that older workers often are victims of ageism in the workplace. The 'Feeling Our Age' collection is displayed throughout the property, said Sundeep Jeste, executive director of Watermark Laguna Niguel. It has sparked family members of residents, as well as members of the general public, to visit the property and check it out after an opening reception on May 15. Cosgrove also led abstract art workshops with residents. 'The pictures and the images really encapsulate the diversity of the community, what we strive for and what we're all about here,' Jeste said. 'Their stories are really a reflection of not only the residents living here, but also the team. It's really cool to see that come to light.' Jeste added that he's talked with Cosgrove about having local artists have a sort of residency at the retirement community in the future. Watermark and Cosgrove also put together, 'Feeling Our Age, Sixty Over Sixty,' a book featuring each of the portraits and essays. Cosgrove said pulling together this collection of strong women has been life-changing for her. She feels the project resonates with the facility's residents because she herself is the same age, 'not some young whippersnapper,' she said. 'I was a little bit cranky about the personal isolation I was feeling [during the pandemic] and how I felt that older people were being treated,' she said. 'That was my response to what was going on, so I figured that if that's how I felt, other people must feel that way too. '[The project] really made me shift my way of thinking and the way I approach my own life. I'm not quite so cranky anymore.'
