Bell-Blog 5 Database usage in construction firms

Construction can use databases with as much efficacy as any field and because construction is such an outdated field, it can be highly beneficial. The most important thing that construction firms can use databases for is item indexing. It is much easier to look up items and all of their specifications than going through the code and finding the item you’re looking for. This could easily streamline the processes of construction managers because they would be able have access to the entire array of items and parts without having to manually find them. The next thing that is very valuable is the ability to put plans on the internet. This is just about the most important thing that has ever happened in the engineering world behind autocad because the construction managers and workers don’t need hundreds of papers. They can also write on all these papers, all of this is backed up in databases where the information is stored. This can then be transferred to the client. The client can use the databases for their building in the future because the building manager is supposed to fix everything as it breaks over time. Instead of having complicated drawings that often get lost or damaged, the owner could instead find all of the things they need in a database. These all prove very useful but there is another reason that construction companies can use databases to increase productivity that is harder to exemplify. Databases can store large amounts of data, a potential source could be past jobs. The speed at which past jobs have happened or perhaps past problems could be tracked. This sort of idea could be sculpted to the desire of the construction company, they could use it to calculate bid prices for certain types of projects or circumvent problems that are likely to occur. Although this strays more towards the topic of deep learning where a refined program can find trends that the average human can’t, this burgeoning industry revolution could make construction much more efficient and manageable. By manageable, I mean able to be managed but also predictable, with more possible storage space, more pictures of daily activity could be taken, this was mentioned by a few guest speakers. Also, the workplace would become safer because hazards could be detected faster and hopefully mitigated. Essentially, the two most costly aspects of construction have been covered by implementing databases, identification of unforeseen problems and worker safety, that is why I personally believe that databases and large amounts of new technology will be used in the construction field in the near future.

Michael,

I never thought about buying goods using a neural network, this is a very intuitive idea that could be used in many different industries as well as construction. But then it the question of the accuracy of the neural network because people have tried to predict the stock market but as far as I know, none have succeeded. It is easier to track simple prices over time but, I was just thinking ahead. Also, the majority of the thing you wrote about were similar to ideas I had and I fully support you.

Jake,

Interesting that you directly related databases to BIM, and I do believe that it is true that the more information about a building, the bigger the database, and the more accurate the project model would be. However, hopefully most if not all design will become cloud based very soon so that there will not need to be a server database room in every office and instead in can be put into the cloud. Finally, I believe there are more ways databases impact construction field other than just BIM.

Amanda,

What a great idea, I am hoping that this practice could come into the field soon but this technology could just be sequestered to mechanical engineering. I'm not saying that it would be difficult to transfer to civil and architectural but at this very moment, few people in the field can code databases. Although I do see this type of OODB coming into reality very soon.