B6 - Final Reflections

When I signed up for this course I had already had a significant amount of experience with BIM and the use of data in construction. I had done research and had co-op experience utilizing technology to enhance the quality of work and make workflows more efficient. However, this class challenged me to look beyond what I was hoping to interact with for my career in BIM and Virtual Design and Construction. I have been exposed to relational database structures and how the tools that I use everyday rely on their usage. I also learned quite a bit about the use of sensors in a building; a subject that I was vaguely aware of but had never had any real experience with.

The best experience of the class, in my opinion, was the term-long project. I had the time and resources to explore Dynamo and how it could improve the work that I plan to be doing for a career in the near future. I hope to meet with my mentors and supervisors to discuss CRB’s technology and innovation agenda for the next few years. Referencing this class’ project, lecture content, and Evernote files, I see myself being able to make a real, tangible difference at a firm, even at the co-op level.

This class gave me pointers and techniques to look for to improve workflows and stay ahead of the technology curve. I now have more resources to keep a finger on the pulse of the industry and the vocabulary to have meaningful conversations about intelligent buildings. I also enjoyed the industry professional guest lectures. I felt that they all had different perspectives on the use of technology and where the architectural, engineering, and construction industry is heading in terms of innovation. It was helpful to have the opportunity to ask questions about potential careers related to intelligent building and what we can expect to see at the entry-level when we start full time.

I was excited to take this class with Professor Mitchell specifically before he retired. I enjoyed hearing his perspective on Intelligent Buildings based on his previous experience as a professional and then later as a professor. I appreciated his approach to the course where he gave us small picture solutions to big picture applications. The nature of technological innovation is that it is constantly changing and we may not know what to expect, but Mitchell does a great job with giving suggestions on how to keep up or, better yet, to advance the progress.

Comments:
Amanda,
I agree with you. Sometimes the most difficult part of staying ahead of the technology curve is just learning what all is out there. I thought that this class helped me to broaden my scope to a world outside of just Revit and BIM. Hopefully we can find ways to professionally be exposed to new technologies so that we can be the ones advocating for a strong technological agenda.
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Brian,
I loved your comment about how this course is looking beyond the present industry. I thought that was very insightful and I completely agree. So much of our education at Drexel is based around present applications of theories, it was refreshing to be in a course that extrapolated current trends and explored the possibilities of what the future of construction holds.
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Varsha,
If you're interested in more applications of BIM and technology and construction, I highly recommend taking CMGT 375 next winter term (the prereq is CMGT course, but I convinced my advisor to take my INFO 203 course as an equivalent course to get in). Ben Ferrer from Turner Construction is the adjunct professor that teaches it and he goes more in depth about the applications and uses of BIM rather than the functions. It was my first introduction academically to BIM and I haven't looked back since. Great to hear that you've enjoyed the class as well!
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B6: Final Blog :)

The blogs have increased my knowledge in many topics that were covered in the course. Also, it helped me with my final project.  

I’m an AutoCAD user, also in my senior design project, I used AutoCAD. However, my group suggested that we work on Revit and learn a new BIM tool. I was worried because I have never used it before, but when doing the Revit assignment and following the tutorial the professor provided to us, I realized that it is easier than I thought. In my opinion, it is easier than AutoCAD. Although, I faced some issues and took a while to know how to figure things out, overall I liked it more than AutoCAD. It is one of my outcomes from this course and it will be beneficial if I became professional at using it especially for my future career.  

The database assignment also was helpful especially that I had taken a course about this, but that course was concentrated on creating tables and relations using SQL. However, in this course, I learned how to fill the courses with quires, form and report them. I wasn’t relating the database to AE at first and didn’t think about it before until I did the database assignment. The database is not only used in offices, academic systems, manufacturing systems, but also in building systems like sensors.

I liked how the class was grouped according to our concentrations because when there is something in common, this will expand our creativity by exchanging ideas and thoughts that are related to our major.

Comments:
Varsha,
You did a good job on your final project also when presenting it! You and your group introduced me to a new topic in the robotics field "cobots".
This course really had a great coverage on several topics which we all took advantage of. I'm happy that the course has taught you some new things and increased your skills on BIM tools like Revit.
I strongly agree with you on your last point.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/b6-reflection.html

Reece,
First I would like to wish you all the best on your next co-op!
We have something in common where we both had the same general background on database. The database assignment was fun. It taught me in-depth how it works and I'm glad that you thought the same.
In your co-op try to incorporate what you have got from this course especially what the guest speakers told us, and you will feel that everything is realistic and make more sense.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/reflection-post.html

Manon,
I liked your reflection!
Me too at first I didn't know what an intelligent building course would look like and what will be the topics and assignments covered until I received an email from the professor illustrated that including the syllabus. He mentioned that if someone is not interested, just drop the course. However, in my point of you, I was pleased with the syllabus because he is covering technologies that are part of our future.
I learned many things and believe that we all have learned from this course.
Guest speakers also gave us opportunities to see things from different aspects in the career field.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/reflection_9.html

Reflection

Class Reflection 

Coming into the class, I was not sure what a class on Intelligent Building would entail, but I was not disappointed. I think that dividing the class intro BIM and  Databases was a good way structure the class, since they are both relevant to the future of engineering. In the BIM section of the class, I was able to learn about new softwares that are being used, such as Dynamo, and how they are being applied in the field. This was my favorite part of the class since it showed me what a future in Digital Building concentration could look like. I enjoyed hearing representatives from companies talk about the future of BIM and Virtual Reality in engineering. Thanks to the presentation from the consulting/engineering firm, I interviewed with a couple companies for a position in Virtual Design Construction for my third co-op. Thus, I am more excited about the job possibilities within my field. It was also interesting to learn about all the advancements in engineering with the introduction of new technologies, such as drones in construction and the use of AI for generative design, and how they haven’t become a popular trend yet. Almost every guest speaker mentioned the pushback that new methods receive within our field, which I hope is something that will start to change in the next couple of years with new generations being introduced into the industry. 

Furthermore, I found learning about databases useful, as this is what allows for the development of intelligent buildings. From our definition of intelligent building at the start of the course, intelligent building are able to respond/adapt to their surrounding to optimize performance and efficiency. Thus, the collection of data is key.  The collection of large amounts of data allows for insightful and well rounded decisions concerning building design, whilst also providing real-time feedback on the conditions inside the building. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this class and thought it provided good amount of information regarding a future in intelligent building and the current technologies being implemented. 

Amanda, 

I think you provided really thoughtful analysis of how this class was beneficial for you as a structural engineer. I agree that this class was really helpful in making us realize the multiple softwares that are available to us and how they can become the future of our fields. 

Andrew,

I completely agree that one of the most important things this class taught me was that we have to be constantly learning. Everyday there are new technologies and softwares being introduced and it is really important for us to understand this and how they can help us in our careers.

Ina,

I agree with your point that one of the most enjoyable things of the class was its diversity. I really enjoyed having people from different experiences and concentrations in the class as it proved to create more interesting discussions in class. It is always interesting to see the different perspectives shared in class.

B5-Relational Database Mynaugh

So here we are, Blog post number 5, and as a part of Group A, we have to explore what Relational Database Theory. Just a forewarning before reading up on the subject, I had no background knowledge of databases(but hey, that's why we're here). So like what many others have said, a database is a collection of information that can be accessed freely and updated over time. Now focussing on Relational databases, it takes the stored information and puts them in categories or tables that then put relations between them according to their attributes. The times I've used something similar was in my construction management classes when coming up with a work breakdown structure. This is fed by collecting data from certain aspects of each task. This includes resources, time, location, and responsibility. So if I were pouring foundations for a gymnasium going by a Relational Database method by connecting the aspects that are needed to complete the task. Firstly I would first identify who is completing (ie, what subtractor) then determine when that work will be done and how long it'll stake. From there on i can see what other tasks are related to this work being completed and how that would affect my scheduling. I guess in other words of saying relational databases in a way are in a way how the information gathered is organized by means on the effect of the data to other information. 

https://dvikan.no/ntnu-studentserver/kompendier/an-introduction-to-relational-database-theory.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_database

Comments

Hey Stephen,

I've found your blog to very inciteful perhaps this is due to my lack of background with databases, not to mention Structured Query Language. Now, as you stated that this a type of coding that companies use to find data rapidly, I can see why companies slike amazon and Facebook value people who are well versed in its use. I can't say if ever I'll be using it, but its good to know that it is relatively easy to pick up.

Hey Reece,

All the points you picked out as to why this is relevant to construction were talking points for my CMGT 467 class that I take Wednesday nights. The most important one that stood out to me is that of Job responsibility. From my estimating job, it was crucial to find subcontractors quickly by having them sorted by their appropriate fields. Having a way to sort through hundreds of subs was greatly mitigated by able to sort for the trade I wanted.

Hey Madeleine,

Reading over your blog helped me connect the dots and spurred my interest in how design firms need to have a well-managed database.

Just thinking of how much time will be saved in seeing how projects of the relatively same scope can be designed if you had success in the past. Also, connecting your blog to construction was a nice tie in on how both design and construction rely the quick access of information to deliver quality content in a timely manner.

B5 - Relational Database Theory Basics

A database is simply a series of tables that contain data. Within the series of tables, mathematical operations connect data to each other and record attributes and characteristics about that data. These attributes and characteristics are what connects data and help the database identify relationships. Databases are used in all disciplines: business, STEAM, agriculture, and more all utilize databases to perform more efficiently and store past data. Google is one of the most widely-known examples of a database, however the company does not publicly publish how large their database is.

Relational database theory states that these data tables are split up into sets of tuples (aka relations) and attributes. Each row in a matrix of data represents a tuple and each column represents the attributes. How a database organizes its tuples and attributes is called the database schema. Scripts can be written to only allow valid entries into certain tuple/attribute locations. For example, if the tuple was “animal” and the attribute was “mammal”, an entry of “banana” would not be valid in that data entry space. These scripts are called keys, and there are many different kinds of keys that can exist in a database that function slightly differently from each other.

In addition to keys, databases can have scripts that function between tables and perform operations that results in notifications. For example, if certain values of a database change to a given range, this may result in a warning output or update. These scripts are also what helps secure database editing and can make certain tables password protected, read only, or confidential.

Searches within a database are called queries. Queries use Standard Query Language (SQL) syntax to perform searches between tables and relations. Some of these operations include projection, selection, and join. Projection isolates a set of data entries based on specified attributes of the tuples. An example of this would be samples of concrete sorted by their mass, compressive strength, tensile strength, and water-to-cement ratios. Projection isolates only the necessary data called by the query. Selection is similar to projection, but it isolates certain tuples identified by a certain characteristic (for example, a list of US Senators that have served at least 1 previous term). Join is a function that combines two similar sets of tuples into another table. An example would be fast food restaurant locations and their list of managers.

Data farms are a fast-growing subsection of the construction industry because of their increasing demand. The ability to efficiently (and securely) search for data maximizes productivity and will continue to be the case in the future as we rely more and more upon historical data.

Reference: Rosenberg, B. (2007). Relational Databases. Retrieved from http://www.cs.miami.edu/home/burt/learning/Csc598.073/notes/reldb.html


Comments:

Isabel,
I am not a coder myself, so I found this brief synopsis of what SQL is and where it came from to be very useful. While I don’t understand the ins and outs of coding, I do recognize the importance of being able to store, retrieve, and analyze data efficiently and securely. Thanks for the info!
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Varsha,
Last co-op I worked for a General Contractor who mainly relied on those “old-school” record keeping techniques (I liked to call it “death by spreadsheet”). We had decades of information about contractors, owners, past projects, estimating tools, and others, but no truly efficient way to share that information among coworkers or new hires. This siloed many of the people into a certain job responsibility (ex. MEP estimates, casino jobs, $25mil+ jobs, etc) and made the operation very inefficient. I would like to be one of the advocates for company-wide databases of information of all kinds that can be used as a valuable training tool for employees. I agree wholeheartedly with when you talked about mutual benefits from shared information and hope to see more of that moving forward in my career.
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Andrew,
Thank you for your analogy for OODBs, it made understanding how they work incredibly easy for someone who does not have very much experience with coding databases. I wonder how difficult it is to repair incomplete or inaccurate databases; for example, if inheritances and extensibilities are used from a parent database that has wrong information, what would the process be to repair these databases? Is it automatic or would the data scientist have to start the new databases from scratch? Thanks for your post!
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B-5: Relational Database Theory

RELATIONAL DATABASE THEORY

Moving on to the second focus of the course, this blogpost focuses on databases, specifically relational databases. A database consists of collections of organized information that can be easily accessed, managed, and retrieved. These are managed using database managements systems (DBMS), which are softwares that allow users to update, retrieve, and define data.  The type of database we are looking at for this course are relational databases. At its most basic form, a relational database organizes data into tables and relates them to one another. They consist of more than one table with one to many relationships with other tables. These databases are used to track inventories, process electronic transactions, manage huge amounts of mission-critical customer information, and much more. A relational database can be considered for any information need in which data points relate to each other and must be managed in a secure, rules-based, consistent way. They can be created using any tote of database system such as MySQL, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL. 

 As previously mentioned, a relational database stores data points in the form of tables. Each row in the table represents a record. Each record describes information about a single item, such as a specific college course. Each row is unique and is identified with a primary key, while every column is composed of attributes that describe characteristics of each record, such as the class time. The combination of records and attributes make up the entity, which is what is being described. For instances, the entity name of the described example would be College Course. 

 Relational database is a helpful management system as it allows users to filter out unwanted data. The use of tables provide a straightforward, efficient and flexible way to manage data. An advantage of relational databases is that a single database can be spread through several tables. In addition, this type of database is the best at maintaining consistency across copies of the database, known as instances, since the structure of the database remains unchanged when information is edited.  

Another strength of relational model emerged as developers began to use structured query language (SQL) to write and query data in the database.. Relational Databases use queries, such as INSERT, DROP, DELETE, and SELECT to change and retrieve the desired data. This allows users to navigate databases more easily and at a faster rate. 

Sources:

https://www.oracle.com/database/what-is-a-relational-database/

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/introduction-of-dbms-database-management-system-set-1/

Brian, 

You did a good job describing what SQL is and why it is important. Databases are being used more and more everyday, and it is important to have a language that allows us to use them efficiently. I am currently learning SQL and I can see how its application is beneficial in managing databases and the advantages there are to being proficient in it. 

Abdul,

I hadn't heard about this type of databases until now, and i think you did a good job explaining what it is. I found the diagram really helpful in visualizing how the information is stored through this database system. Object-oriented databases seem to be more efficient in sharing data between different users than relational databases.

Michael,

I found really interesting the predictions you were able to make in terms of how databases are going to help create more efficient designs by accessing previous data and using AI. I think that this relates to what was mentioned in class for generative design, since AI would be able to access various databases in order to generate a design that will provide the highest performance at the lowest cost. 

B5: Relational Database

Relational database is a set of tables that are connected with relations such as one to many relations. These tables carry data or values. The tables consist of tuples which are the rows and attributes which are the columns. Each table represents one entity. For example, a database for a shipping company; if we created two tables one for truck information and the other one for shipment information, truck and shipment are two separate entities. These tables consist of primary keys and foreign keys. A primary key should be unique or null like a truck number or a shipment ID. To connect tables together, we need to recall our primary keys to be foreign keys in the other table or in a new separated table that connect our original tables. Then tie these tables by relations such as many to many or one to many. One too many means each truck can carry one or many shipments (as shown in the figure below). Another example, each student can register for one or many courses. The “many” relation can be either (minimum zero and maximum many) or (minimum one and maximum many). It sounds confusing, but it is really easy and could be easier when we work on it in class. These tables could be modeled using Oracle or as Structured Query Language (SQL) statements using MYSQL.

Database is everywhere. You use it every day. It is really important not only for construction firms but for all companies to manage their businesses. We as students need it to register for our courses. When students go to Drexel's page and register, they are actually using the database that has been formed by professionals. These databases consist of tables that have the student's, instructor's, course information like student's name, student ID, course name, CRN, instructor's name, instructor's name.

Also for other companies, it could sort products according to your statement choice of SQL. For example, sort by quantities. Moreover, regarding employees, it can sort their salaries by values like >1000 dollars.  

Sources:

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/80b7/054bc925ca45d7cecabbf5b2a5c059619050.pdf

https://dev.to/lmolivera/everything-you-need-to-know-about-relational-databases-3ejl
I.Song. Assigment 1. INFO 210. 2019. Drexel University

Comments:
Dane,
You are right! Database is very important for every business including construction firms. It helps to manage the work in the companies between the parties. I mean between the owner, the employees and the clients. It actually holds all the information and records. I liked how you mentioned papers because I don't imagine a construction firm full of papers not only the construction paperwork, but also other general forms. It would need some space.

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/02/bell-blog-5-database-usage-in.html

Ina,
Thank you for your post! Although I had a slight background about SQL and I read more about it for our assignment, but your post added more to my knowledge. I didn't know that data could split into two categories. What I understood that professionals can make some changes in their data without affecting the original one that is being used until they run these changes, am I right?

I haven't heard of NoSQL nor Hadoop. That is interesting because I thought all the examples you mentioned are SQL database.

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/02/b5-sql.html

Cory,
You hooked me with your title! At first, I was wondering how could database be useful in designing, but after reading your post, you gave me a good idea of how. You are right! Database could sort materials and fixtures according to the categories you apply. This is all because of SQL. Every post I read had the word SQL in it which means as you said the importance and the power of it.

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/02/databases-in-design.html