Reflection post

Throughout this course, students explored various topics regarding the intelligent buildings and the technological advancements to aid in the effectiveness of these structures. Along with the help of various programs such as Dynamo and Microsoft Access, students were allowed to get a better understanding of these topics by incorporating real-world programs into their classroom lives.

Something that resonated with me in this course was the topic of Additive Manufacturing in construction. The concept of planning and making the design process of the construction industry more environmentally conscious is something that always interested me. Now after this course, I have a better understanding of what that would entail. For the final project of this course, I studied and wrote about this topic - specifically the incorporation of additive manufacturing of concrete in the construction industry, and how this way of utilizing concrete in the construction process is more environmentally friendly than that of typical batch-work of concrete.

For my next co-op, I am working for a large construction company in Philadelphia. It will be a nice change of pace from my previous civil engineering co-op, and I am looking forward to learning a lot more about the industry and how it works on a corporate level. However, utilizing what I have learned in this course and seeing it in application for the first time in my professional career will be the ultimate take-away for me.

Another interesting topic of this course that I have not had much experience with before was the utilization of databases with construction. Throughout my Drexel career, I only took one class before this one where I got to learn about information technology with databases. However, AE410 did a better job teaching it to engineering students, as the previous course was more general. Learning about these databases in relation to something that I would work for in the future made it that much more interesting to me.

Comment to Douha:
Douha,

I think it is very interested that you were able to incorporate things learned in this class to your senior design project. That is something I look forward to in my senior year. Utilizing the concepts and the tools readily available to us engineering students is so important in an educational career.

Reece

Comment to Madeleine:
Madeleine,

I also agree that this course could have been beneficial to us earlier on in our Drexel career. I was not exposed to Revit before this course, and I feel as if that skill is necessary to all engineering students. Some employers have not considered me for co-op due to my lack of BIM knowledge.

Reece

Comment to Jake:
Jake,

Your comment on our multiple guest speakers and how they were able to give us insight about the topics learned in this course used in the real world resonated with me. I think it is always nice to have students talk to Drexel graduates, as that will be us in just a few years. Also, I too believe the incorporation of architecture to the topics of this course could have been beneficial as well. Nice post!

Reece

Uses of Databases in Construction Firms - B5 (Week6)

Databases in construction firms can relate to the actual construction projects, the companies involved in the project, the subcontractors, the owners, and all other relevant person involved in the construction phase. The creation of new and easily accessible databases have been created and used throughout a plethora of construction projects, and here is why:

A database can be defined as a collection of information which is stored and organized, managed, edited and updated throughout numerous phases of a projects life. Thinking about the way a database is typically laid out - various rows and columns which can be edited and deleted, similar to a spreadsheet. The spreadsheets can be used to transfer and communicate information to numerous people involved in the construction project. They can be used for work purposed, to communicate safety information, quality of materials, among many other functions.

Construction company owners can delve into any database that is available to them in order to gain something that would be beneficial for their project. It can be about upcoming projects they will be involved in, they can search for subcontractors, find vendors, or just keep track of information that is important to them. A lot of these databases exist on the internet. This way, contractors and subcontractors can come together and form out work that they can both get involved in and potentially work together.

 Being that construction projects are a very collaborative work environment, an efficient way to communicate and transfer information about any aspect of the project is crucial. Many people are involved and work in construction firms. No project is a one-man band. Keeping in mind that email and general construction information systems are widely used as communication tools, their ability to record and manage interface problems and responses is limited. BIM as an information technology can contribute toward improving the efficiency and success of a construction project within thousands of construction firms worldwide.

Comment to Madeleine:

Madeleine,

I agree with your statement that databases are a good use of communication and collaboration. I think that the incorporation of databases could potentially increase productivity in the design phase. This is because like you stated, architects can resolve conflicts rather than wasting time and money.

Comment to Manon:

Manon,

You made an interesting point in your blog post - The use of queries such as DROP and DELETE allows for an efficient way to flow through your database. The use of these features can allow users a faster way to navigate through their spreadsheets. This faster navigation will improve productivity for sure.

Comment to Michael:

Michael,

It is interesting that you pointed out the use database systems has in storing memory. Like you stated, the bigger companies have large amounts of data that needs to efficiently be stored without the risk of that data becoming corrupt. This way, smaller portions of data can be stored throughout numerous devices that way the memory is safe.

B-4: Sustainable Design Through Additive Manufacturing

From class discussion, Reece and I became interested in additive manufacturing from the presentation on 3D Printing concrete. Initially, we wanted to focus on how additive manufacturing would affect the future of construction. However, we quickly realized that this would result in too broad of a paper. Thus, we decided to focus on using additive manufacturing to increase sustainability in design. We will be looking at the current issues in the construction industry in terms of sustainability and whether 3D printing can help resolve those issues. Some of the current issues we will focus on from construction are construction waste, energy consumption, and efficiency of current methods. The paper will look at the current state of additive manufacturing and how much has been implemented in large scale construction. In addition, we will look at how additive manufacturing can help create structures using standard materials, such as concrete and steel, but also whether new material (made of recycled material or invented materials) can be used to increase sustainability and overall performance of the material. Our topic relates to intelligent buildings as the overall construction of buildings affect the building’s efficiency and performance. The paper would look at the advantages and disadvantages of additive manufacturing. This will be compared to the criteria we have set as to what makes a design sustainable. We will be focusing at reduced waste and cost, performance, reduced carbon footprint, and building’s life cycle. Based on preliminary research, we hope to conclude that there is a future of sustainability improvements through additive manufacturing, and analyze the setback this might face when being introduced, but also propose solutions as to how they might be overcome.

Ina, 

I think your group chose an interesting topic for your paper. I relate to your starting issue of having a broad topic. It was also hard for my group to narrow our topic from additive manufacturing to sustainable materials in additive manufacturing. I look forward to hearing about your findings and how much can robotics get involved in the construction process. 

Dane,

This is a great topic for your paper. I agree with you that is hasn't been covered in depth in class, so I am happy that your group decided to research this. I look forward to hear your conclusion on how generative design will impact architecture and whether this is the future of design. I am also interested what are the pushback that this type of design would have to overcome in order to be adapted. 

Jake, 

This is a really interesting topic, and I think it is a great spin to compare robotics between Philadelphia and Dubai. I agree with the fact that Dubai is one of the leaders in architecture and construction, so it'll be interesting to see how far is Philadelphia from reaching this. I was also intrigued by one point you mentioned, which was what are designs that would only be possible with robots. I look forward to hearing the examples you find and the end results of your paper. 

B4 - Additive Manufacturing

My topic that I will study is 'The Future of Additive Manufacturing: How 3D Printing Can Lead to Sustainable Design." This topic interested Manon and I because the incorporation of 3D printing with construction fascinated us from the moment we discovered its existence. The project will be broken down into numerous sections, but overall, the concept revolves around these questions: How is additive manufacturing being used in the industry today? What are the future advantages it may have in order to create sustainable structures? What are the limitations and challenges it can face?

Manon and I set a criteria for Sustainable Design. What does Sustainable Design mean to us? Manon and I defined this as a design focused on optimizing a buildings performance by reducing its negative impacts on the environment, and the health/comfort of the buildings occupants. We then set some parameters of some objectives we think should met in order to be considered a sustainable structure. These parameters are: using renewable resources, keep waste at a minimum, reduce the amount of energy consumed, and be cost effective. 

In order to analyze how 3D printing in construction can be considered sustainable, we needed to study the construction industry of yesterday and today. Looking at the history of the construction industry, we are able to see how far we have come, and how far we have to go. Of course, there is always room for improvement. By looking at how additive manufacturing has already been implemented in construction, we can see the advantages it has.

The introduction of new materials is present with the use of additive manufacturing, such as Geopolymers. Geopolymer cement is an inorganic, usually ceramic materials used in construction. They have unique characteristics and are capable of forming long range bonds. They harden at room temperature, and is a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional Portland cement. 



Comment to Michael:
Michael,

You have an interesting project. I have had a bit of experience with Kaggle before, as I was required to do a project on it from one of my classes about a year ago. It is cool to see you bring this knowledge from a different class and incorporate it into your term-long project!


Comment to Jake:
Jake,

Your topic interests me because I am particularly fascinated with architecture and construction located in Dubai. It is definitely on my bucket list to visit this city and study some of the structures there. I did not know that Dubai was not only the leader of architecture, but now the leader in robotics for the industry.

Comment to Ina:
Ina,

Your topic is particularly interesting because I am too fascinated at the incorporation of robotics in construction. What comes to my mind is the video of the robotic arm lifting packages and placing them onto the conveyer belt, getting ready for their shipment. I think it is funny though that people are frightened of robots taking over the world, because robots are only as smart as they are programmed to be.

Group E - Week 4 Discussion

Overall, our group decided that AutoCAD and Sketchup are helpful in producing rough drafts, then ultimately using them as references to create a more comprehensive, polished final product in Revit. That's not to say that this is Revit's only use, though. 3D visualization is vastly helpful. Minute details, such structural member connections, are easier to view in 3D in Revit than in 2D in AutoCAD. Revit makes section cuts easier once the geometry is in place. In summary, Revit combines many of the best features of other drafting programs into a comprehensive 3D modeling software.

Blog Post 3 - How does Revit relate to AutoCad and other drafting programs?

AutoCad and Revit are two programs used widely in engineering as well as architecture firms. Both programs are capable of creating drawings for projects. Both AutoCad and Revit are used to aid one another and work together, rather than compete with each other. While AutoCad is used more for drafting, Revit can be far more advanced. 

AutoCad is capable of communicating with numerous programs, such as Microsoft Excel, a software for structural analysis, and Microsoft Word for text documentation. The thing is, one would have all of these files separately. Transferring the files manually can be tedious and is very much prone to error. Revit, however, can transfer and communicate with other programs much more efficiently. Your data would be held in one file which makes working that much easier. 

If one was capable of mastering both Revit and Autocad, the projects worked on will be completed more efficiently. This is due to the fact that each program is better suited for certain situations. Long-distance collaboration is hassle free thanks to a cloud system that has been implemented. This system enables Revit and Autocad files to communicate with one another, deleting the hassle of transferring data back and forth.  

Revit is also capable of communicating with Bluebeam. Revit can output certain files into PDF format and import them into the Bluebeam software. Bluebeam can be useful in taking measurements. For example, you can find out specific measurements and specifications of certain HVAC equipment that may not have been so easy to be done in Revit. 

Being that Autocad is roughly 20 years older than a software like Revit, people who have been in the field longer than students now are much more educated in Autocad. On the other hand, a student may be more equipped in Revit than an engineer who has been doing work for 20 years now. This change in dynamic will influence what other programs will be eligible for communication with Revit. Developers will see that future engineers will be better equipped in Revit than other programs and will design their software to communicate as such. 

sources:
https://www.ny-engineers.com/blog/how-do-autocad-and-revit-compare


Comment to Varsha:

Varsha,

I totally agree with you. Tools like Revit and AutoCad have made drafting much more simple than hand drawings. I think hand drawn drafts are much more personal however, and I sometimes catch myself wishing hand drawings were still popular! I like how you were able to make the comparison between the two software from your first co-op!


Comment to Brian:

Brian,

I agree with your reasoning as to how Revit can make people run into some errors within their projects. I also think some problems in Revit would be how complex the software actually is - learning completely all the tools and functions is a battle in and of itself. The complexity of it can cause issues on its own.

Comment to Amanda:

Amanda,

I agree with your assumptions about future advantages of BIM/Revit. Like you mentioned, the implementation of drones in construction is what interests me the most. The drones will be capable of flying around the building during the construction phase in order to detect errors that would not be seen by the naked eye. I am eager to see this in real life myself!

Reece - BIM for Contractors

The section 'Off-Site Fabrication and Modular Construction' talks about the importance of planning accordingly for an accurate design in terms of manufacturing materials off-site. The use of off-sire manufacturing is becoming increasingly popular. This is due to the fact that BIM is capable of making information available faster, cheaper and a lot more accurate and reliable at the level of detail that is desired. This tool reduces the time of construction, the cost of labor, and most of the risks that come with manufacturing the materials on site. With the increase of off site popularity, we can start to see an increase in the variety of materials that are being fabricated in in these factories which are then delivered to to the site for installation.

BIM allows contractors to get much more involved and increase their value in the project by coordinating the subcontractors' activities and designs. This is done by enabling contractors to detail 3D geometry, finish requirements, and even edit scheduling. Contractors having access to exchange accurate information to other fabricators via BIM saves time by verifying the model.

A process known as Modular construction is a very comprehensive implementation of off site manufacturing. It deals with construction smaller volumetric units of an assembly, and delivering them separately to the site. Once at the site, they are then assembled together to form the larger part of the building.

This section I found particularly interesting because currently I am in a class called 'Techniques of Projects Control'. Within this class, I have been learning about the importance of scheduling and how making a clean and efficient schedule can ultimately determine the success or failure of a project. Some tasks the class requires are making a schedule by hand. After reading this article, I learned that it is now eligible to be done using tools like BIM for a quicker schedule with a lot less risk.

Works cited:

Eastman, Chuck, et al. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Architects, Engineers, Contractors, and Fabricators. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, Newark, 2018.

Comment to Michael:

Michael,

Interesting post! I agree when you state that communication can ultimately decide the success or failure of a project. With better communication between the owners and the designers will benefit the progression of the project. Also, in terms of the barriers you mentioned, I did not think that society was not caught up with the technology. If you ask for a 3D model and a bidder does not have one, they simply won't supply you with a bid which would indicate a higher cost.

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/bim-for-owners-and-facility-managers.html

Comment to Pritesh:

Pritesh,

From your post I can conclude that you retained from your article the importance of communication across the BIM platform. You stated that the lack of communication may result in a delay in your project, which I agree with 100%. Also you mentioned about your co-op, which is interesting and cool that you get to relate to your previous work environment to what we are learning in class!

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-2.html

Comment to Cory:

Cory,

You made some great points in your blog post. I learned from my Architectural Engineering Design II class that with a lack of communication with the owner, the builder and/or designer can interpret their description completely wrong. With the aid of BIM however, the communication can be more seamless to eliminate the risk of a failure in a project.

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/bim-handbook-chapter-5.html

Intelligent Building Group E

Intelligent Building

An intelligent building is one that is adaptive. It senses the environment and makes appropriate changes. It is aware of its users and occupants and their needs. It aims for efficiency, ultimately trying to create a more green building.

Reece Masucci - B1

When one thinks of technology, they may think of the little devices we keep in our pockets that we have a very intimate relationship with. The phone in my pocket is mine and nobody else's. In the article titled 'In 10 years, we won't use personal technology', Nir Eyal talks about how our tech is not shareable. Although my cellphone is the same smartphone as the next guy, if we switched devices for a day, the phone he gives me will not nearly be as useful as my own phone. For example, if we both have an iPhone X, you would think that I would be able to do everything as I would normally because I received the same model iPhone. The thing is, a lot of our tools in our phones require us to log into a certain platform, such as a Google account. While I can do that on someone else's phone, going through the various apps individually and logging out of their account to log into mine would be tedious. Forget about switching my cellular data over to receive phone calls and texts with my actual number. Moral of the story: our technology is not shareable.

The future of devices could change that. "A new world of shared devices is upon us",  Nir Eyal states. Why does everyone have to have individual phones and computers? Imagine being able to pick up any device, log into the phone using your authentication, and have all of your stuff at your finger tips, with the exact layout of your choosing. Rather than buying physical devices every two years, places like an office, school spaces, coffee shops, the subway, etc. all have devices available for you to log into. When you're done using it in that space, simply log out and go about your day.

This article is especially interesting to me because I fall into the habit of forgetting a charger or a certain device. In classes, I see all the time people forgetting their laptop and are forced to take hand written notes. The majority of platforms that are used in todays society are designed to be used by one person on their own device. What if we can change that? What if we can share devices rather than hiding away behind our own screens.

Source: https://www.evernote.com/pub/view/aengineer/ae-510/ce65af55-7742-4524-b949-89e41bbdc0ed?locale=en#st=p&n=ce65af55-7742-4524-b949-89e41bbdc0ed

Comment Links:
Comment on Michaels post: Michael,

I really enjoyed your post, especially your opinion on the topic. I too agree that in no way should AI ultimately replace teachers. I do believe, however, classrooms can be improved by incorporating modern devices to enhance the learning environment. For example, my high school was totally paperless. All tests, notes, textbooks, etc. were on an iPad that was given to all students. This feature of my high school enhanced my experience there. In no way does this mean that I believe teachers should be replaced with AI, some of my greatest memories from my younger school years are all thanks to my many great teachers.

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2403473360137505969&postID=7045217485780800940&isPopup=true

Comment on Varshas post: Varsha,

Interesting post! You did a great job explaining the scary but true side of the web. I think we can all agree that we have been victims of this form of targeted advertising. I have seen videos of people testing this theory but taking it a step further: rather than specifically searching for a product (they used cat food for the example) they made sure to say the word 'cat food' loud and clear throughout the day in sentences such as 'we are running low on cat food'. Being that they had a Google Home or an Amazon Alexa in the house that is always listening, they saw an advertisement for cat food within just a few days. This frightening revelation proves your article to be accurate.

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2403473360137505969&postID=7294340268031630445&isPopup=true

Comment on Abduls post: Abdul,

I found your post especially interesting in the 3D printing used in construction section. To think of the extent that a 3D printer would be capable of printing and building walls is mind-blowing. I would understand the concept of printing tools that would aid in construction, but to go as far as building walls for us is very impressive. Nice post!
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2403473360137505969&postID=4434645644003679977&isPopup=true

Reece Masucci - First Post

My name is Reece Masucci, I am a Junior and I study Architectural Engineering. My background relevant to the course is I am familiar with the way the professor works, but he can always throw a curve-ball at us. When thinking about the term 'Intelligent Building' I have little to no experience with the phrase.

My expectations for the course: I am expecting to learn more about computer technologies, such as BIM tools as well as getting an exposure to tools like Blogger and Evernote. I have yet to use either of these websites, so I am excited to jump into them. I have been exposed to a blog structured class before, but we did not use Blogger.

The Evernote I found most interesting fell under the Sociology tag, titled 'What will the future of work look like?' It talked about the amount of people that would need to worry about finding a new job by 2030 due to Artificial Intelligence. Low skilled and low paying jobs are the ones expected to be hit the hardest. Up to 375 million people may need to change their career. This idea now includes the fact that machines could be programmed to make more machines that replace jobs.

My initial definition of an Intelligent Building is a structure that takes efficiency and functionality into consideration while automatically operating some of the buildings functions.

Student Names - Placeholder

This is a placeholder post to allow creation of the last few names as labels.  You can ignore it. 

Students in the Intelligent Building

These students are taking Intelligent Building in AY19-2.   This post is mostly here to allow creation of the labels.

Varsha Ajith Abdulrahman Alhafath Dane Bell Douha Alqudaihi Mika Awai Isabel Brooks Cory Christopher Manon Flamini Jacob Hall Brian Huynh Vishist Jain Spencer Kociba Amanda Kolar Abigail Kryszan Michael Manley Reece Masucci Brian Mynaugh Andrew Norris Liam Ossenfort Stephen Pettit Pritesh Prajapati Michael Sciarra Ina Sison Madeleine Walker-Elders