B6: Course Reflection

Before taking this class, I was only slightly familiar with the various technologies and programs that can be used in the engineering, design, and construction fields. My awareness of these tools stemmed from the exposure I’ve had with BIM interfaces like Revit, as well as the common knowledge I had in regards to robotics, AI, and sensors. I really feel as though this class benefited my general understanding of the abilities we as an industry have at our fingertips and showed how these increasingly incredible advancements impact the work we do daily. I think the most beneficial aspect of the course for me was the exposure to more BIM programs and how they can be integrated into the work of any trades in the field. The main goal I have as I near my entrance into working in as an engineer is to design sustainable and green buildings, which can be greatly benefited by the use of various BIM interfaces. This topic ended up being a common point of discussion for my project group, which ultimately led to our discussion of BIM advancements on sustainable design. At first, I wasn’t too sure how these programs could influence me as a structural engineer, as it is very easy to see the impact programs like eQUEST have on MEP engineers and their work. However, after further exposure to innovative ideas in this class, I think these programs can be beneficial for structural engineers for a multitude of reasons. The first idea, which I discussed in the database reflection, is how the use of relational databases and Dynamo can help with the organization of structural components of design for various buildings or projects. This can potentially eliminate change orders that result in the redesign, manufacturing, and production of structural elements. This concept ties into the second major impact on structural design, which is the use of these BIM programs to efficiently design the structural systems. Interfaces like Athena Impact Estimator allow for the measuring of the energy usage of structural materials from production to demolition, ultimately providing an analysis on the environmental impact each stage of the structural design of a project has. This class has exposed me to certain technologies and allowed for me to explore different ones, like Athena, that pertain to my future in the field, and I hope it isn’t the last time I experience them and I can continue to use the knowledge I gained through this class to grow as an engineer and make a difference, specifically in terms of making energy efficiency and sustainability concepts that are evaluated more thoroughly throughout structural design.

Comments:

Mika,

I completely agree with everything you said. I was unsure about what the course would cover at first, but knew we’d be learning a lot with Professor Mitchell. I wasn’t sure how our futures would be linked to some of the information taught, but this class really made it easy to understand the importance of integrating technology into what we do, especially as the industry grows.

Isabel,

I really enjoyed reading your reflection, especially given your perspective of someone outside of the major. Like you mentioned, the different types of assignments allowed us to be exposed to all sorts of applications that go beyond one specific major. Ultimately, I think this course is a great way to tie everything together and expose people with different backgrounds and experiences to things we’ll all use in some capacity in the future.

Ina,

I completely agree with your post, especially in regards to how AE 410 allows us to stay up to date on the technology used in our field. I particularly enjoyed learning about the use of robots and drones throughout the construction process, and it’s definitely something we should become familiar with given that they’ll become more prevalent as the industry continues to advance.

Course Reflection

When signing up with class, I truly was not sure what to expect. From the course description, the material of the class didn't really seem like it would be relevant to my major or helpful in bringing me towards my goals. Regardless, I signed up for the course as I needed the upper level elective credits and was curious what an intelligent building was. 

Now after taking the course, I certainly don't regret it. The structure of the class gave me a lot of freedom in reading the type of articles I was interested in and picking what kind of project I would complete for my term project. I was able to use this freedom to learn more about the topics I'm specifically interested in and how they relate to the field of construction. The term project provided me the opportunity to complete a project very relevant to my major that helped me to expand my current skillset. The experience working with time series data will certainly be beneficial to me in working professionally and on my personal projects. Additionally, I learned many things that likely won't be relevant to my line of work but that I found interesting and refreshing. One very interesting thing I got to learn about was BIM. I had the opportunity to learn about the different industries BIM is used in and some of the primary troubles found in its adoption. Through this process, I learned how to design a simple house within BIM.

I really enjoyed learning from the professor who taught this course. Professor Mitchell did a great job presenting a very large variety of material in a short period of time. He kept a very open mind and seemed to genuinely care about the well-being of his students. He did a good job maintaining the attention of the students in his course and regularly asked for feedback from students to help guide the course. I am very happy I took this course for one of my higher level elective courses and feel that this course will definitely be beneficial to me in my career and personal life.

Mika: https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/week-10-course-reflection.html

I agree, it is really crazy how fast this term went! I think it's great you were able to expose yourself to relational databases in the course and think this will be beneficial to you as an architectural engineer. This course definitely gave a good overview of relevant modern technologies.

Isabel: https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/b6-course-reflection_7.html

I was in a very similar spot to you coming into this course as a non-architectural engineering major. I agree with you that this course was very eye opening to some of the applications of modern technology to the world of building design. I hope you can use what you learned to better the world.

Abdul: https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/b6-course-reflection_5.html

It is truly crazy how many different topics we were able to cover in just a ten week period of time. I agree with you that getting exposure to blogs was a valuable experience. It was a form of communication I had always heard of but never new much about. I think the blog posts did a job getting students thinking.

Week 10-Course Reflection

This term has gone so quick, it’s weird to think I am writing the course reflection already. When I signed up for this course I was unsure of what I would be learning and how it would apply to my profession, but I quickly found out. As we all know Professor Mitchell has a way of making us learn a ton of information in an easy to manage way, and I thank him for that. This course has provided a lot of insight and background to the tools and programs we use in our everyday lives, either in school or at work. For example, the in class exercise that allowed us to create a "story" where we brought together all of the themes of the course showed how much we have learned in just 10 weeks. I for one, can say that if I was given this exercise in the first couple of weeks I would have difficulty completing it, especially with the short time period. Prior to this course, I did not actually know what databases were and how they operated. By incorporating two unknowns, databases and sensors, into a basic relational database tutorial/assignment, I can walk away knowing what they are used for, why they are used, and how important they are to our everyday lives, even if it is only a basic understanding of databases. Another lesson that stood out to me was the reading on interoperability relating to BIM. Most of the problems I have come across while using BIM programs, specifically Revit, have to do with various systems sharing data or information not being interpreted correctly, which all fall under the category of interoperability. Interoperability is still a work in progress and trouble shooting some of the current issues are more complicated than some may think. As an architectural engineer I am not the one who creates or fixes the artificial technologies, but am instead the one using it. Even though I am not the creator of these technologies, I believe they are important for clients and engineers to understand, because knowing how they operate and how they communicate with each other can help predict or identify problems within the technology being used. That being said, I am glad that I chose this course for my professional elective, as it has given me a deeper understanding of the current and up and coming technologies used in the industry and how I can go forward in my career thinking about these technologies and their benefits.

Comments:

Abdul,

I agree with the “This has been one of the most simple yet, challenging classes” statement. I feel like we have all learned a lot and were challenged with the information at hand, but we were able to be successful because of the format and available resources. Congrats on graduation!

Ina,

I am also glad that we were able to gain experience with programs like Dynamo and Microsoft Access. We have all recently learned that we are expected to know programs like these without having a formal introduction to them, which proves to be extra difficult and most of the time incorrect when we have to teach ourselves.

Isabel,

I also like the variety that this course contains. Not only did we have hands on experience with our learning, but we were able to learn from guest speakers that were once in our seats, which does not often happen in your everyday class. I think that hearing these speakers was helpful, as we found out about various coop options and what people like them actually do on a day to day basis.

B6 - Course Reflection

Coming into this course I had a few different reservations. The course description led me to believe there would be a lot of education about things in which I had little to no experience. Additionally, walking into an architectural engineering course as a mechanical engineer could be a little intimidating. But I needed a college of engineering elective and was interested in learning about intelligent building technology, so AE410 is where I landed. 

Over the course of the term I have learned a lot more about the technological advances in the AEC industry than I ever expected to know. Videos of construction drones and 3D printing concrete structures were enlightening and opened my eyes up to a world in the not too distant future. We were given the opportunity to practice and use Revit in a practical and helpful way; which is an experience I’d been searching for and need for my industry. I definitely struggled the most with the MS Access database assignment, but those challenges opened up the possibility for me to learn the most. The ability to link so many emerging technologies to an industry I expect to be working in for years is an invaluable skill. 

AE410 definitely covers a vast array of different topics that are quite difficult to tie together. There are a lot of different technologies, as we now know, as well as a lot of different methods in which they can be applied. But the progression of the course, group activities and guest speakers all help to paint the bigger picture. In my final project I chose to specifically research different technologies that aid in improving the efficiency of building mechanical systems. I wanted to take the opportunity to look deeper into sensors, BIM and building controls’ advances that will be impacting my day to day life in the near future. It was very enlightening to read about so many different technologies that exist, as well as to see the many advances that are coming. Despite being hesitant about being a mechanical engineer in a room of architectural engineers, I really enjoyed and am glad to have taken this class. AE410 has given me a new perspective on the AEC industry and prepared me for the future of intelligent building technologies. I am looking forward to being a part of the technological advances in the building industry, and using what I’ve learned in this class to build a better world.

Comments:

Dane:https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/bell-blog-6.html

I really like that your reflection touches on people's unwillingness to change; this industry is one founded on many old and well established principles. I also agree that it is hard to believe that there will be a time where people in the field are obsolete and that technology will do all the work. It's clear that there are a lot of different advances that could be helpful but just because something is new and exciting that doesn't make it ideal. Great post!

Amanda: https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/b6-course-reflection_9.html
As an MEP engineer I really appreciate you adding a structural engineering perspective to the mix. The idea of using databases and dynamo to help with change orders is very innovative! If people could get on board with using something like that on a day to day basis the process could be made very efficient. Looking into energy usage for structural materials is very cool and impactful; I really appreciate the perspective you've taken on the things we've learned in this class.

Michael: https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/course-reflection.html
I like that you highlighted how this class provided some freedom to look into things we individually found interesting. There was a certain level of guidance of course that led the class through the right topics and down the right path but it was helpful to have free reign to look into things that seemed interesting if you wanted to. I agree that Professor Mitchell did a great job tying a lot of topics together and regularly asking for feedback helped the students feel heard. Great post!

B6 - Course Reflection

Ten weeks have come and flown by. These previous few weeks I have learned so much about robotics, AI in construction and future, 3D Printing in construction, designing in Revit and much more. In particular, I have learned a lot about digital building. This has been one of the most simple yet, challenging classes. I am grateful that I took this class as my professional elective. This class will ponder my future as an architectural engineer. The number of things I have learned in this class tremendous and to briefly condense what I learned in class, I would have to say that I learned how to use blogger. I have a superior understanding of how different ways of intaking data can prompt different versions of understanding. 
For instance, I believe that the weekly blogs and writing comments to others empower the student to take look at the two sides of arguments and form opinions from incorporating their general and personal opinions to new pieces of information. Also, this class has a lot of exercises that were challenging yet, helpful. For instance, using the MC Access database. The main difficulty I faced with this exercise simply stemmed from a lack of experience. However, as an engineer, I am always looking forward to new challenges and expanding my own abilities. In turn, I embraced the challenges faced with this exercise and was excited to learn more.

Although it took me some time to get used to the new, complex system, I eventually worked my way through my initial troubles to gain a better grasp on how all of the various functions of the database operates. In turn, I can now say that I understand the basics of kinds of databases and how specifically Object-Oriented databases function as well.

In conclusion, I am very thankful I engaged in this class, especially as a senior who is about to enter the labor force and work with new and modern types of programs and databases. 

Comments:


Ina Sison: Ina, I agree with you, following the instructions of the assignments was really straight forward for me as well. Professor Mitchell did an amazing job teaching this class. Also, good luck with your last coop.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/b6-course-reflection.html?showComment=1583459434620#c8209191462985013245



Amanda Kolar: Amanda, I agree with how the use of relational databases and Dynamo can help with the organization of structural components of design for various buildings or projects. When I first began to work on the database, I became quicker and better at navigating its resources. This especially helped me with defining, finding, and recording sensor characteristics in the database of design for various buildings.https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/b6-course-reflection_9.html?showComment=1583635808830#c4862027143751070328



Mika Awai: Mika, I agree with what you wrote. I am too had no idea what was the database and how it operated. This was my first time using MS Access. Moreover, I agree with how Professor Mitchell has a way of making us learn a ton of information in an easy to manage the way. I watched the video uploaded in BBLearn the process became a lot smoother and easier for me. Professor Mitchell expertly laid out how to use the database and programs and as a result, I found the exercise a lot more simple and straightforward. https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/03/week-10-course-reflection.html?showComment=1583637126688#c8292613843515964582

Story Time - Teaching Hospital

Once upon a time, there was a new teaching hospital being constructed at Anchorage, Alaska. During the programming phase, the main idea is to utilize virtual reality, networks, and BIM to give Brian, an established member of the hospital board, a good idea on what they are investing in. This was also used to inform Ina, a highly respected community member representative, what to expect and keep them up to date on their neighborhood. Steve, the architect and engineer, started designing the new and innovative teaching hospital. He was using BIM software to model the building's architecture and internal systems. These systems included smart sensors, artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced building system controls. Throughout the design phase, Steve consulted with Izzy, the structural engineer, to ensure the integrity of the building and where to locate his heavy equipment. He also spoke with Brian and Ina to provide weekly updates on the design of the building. After the design phase passed, the building went into bidding and approval. Steven represented the contractors and construction workers for Buildermon, the company chosen for this project. During the construction phase, many RFIs were sent to the engineers due to difficulty accessing the BIM software. This interoperability issue cause a 6-month delay in construction. Integrated networks were used to upkeep the building and sensors were implemented as well. Controls, databases, sensors, and networks are used during move-in and commissioning to compare to the intended design and insure functionality of the system. Because this is a teaching hospital, the doctors, employees, and patients were consulted for the designers to understand their needs. Stephen, the code official marked the building to be good and the teaching hospital started being used. About 5 years down the line, renovations were done to increase the occupancy capacity. Employees, patients, and the hospital board were all a part of the design of the building since their inputs were heavily considered. 10 years later, it was demolished to become green space.

B6 - Course Reflection

This course was nothing like I was expecting it to be, in a good way. I originally chose to take this course because I needed a professional elective and saw that Professor Mitchell was teaching it. What caught my attention while reading over the syllabus before the start of the term, was the fact that we would be learning new skills and getting more experience with Revit. It seemed like a ton of work at first, but the assignments were very straightforward and worthwhile. What made the class even more interesting was the diversity in the class. There were people of so many other majors besides architectural engineering, and they were able to provide different insight to the topics we were learning. Initially, I was unsure of how all the different topics related to buildings, but I thought Professor Mitchell did a great job at relating things like databases and robots to buildings. I did my final project on robotics in the construction industry, and it was really intriguing to research how companies are trying to integrate robots on construction sites. This project particularly encouraged me to stay up to date on new technologies that are being used in the building design and construction industries, and I now have a better understanding of how technology can be used to improve the efficiency and sustainability of buildings. I also believe that the knowledge I gained from this course will benefit me in my future career. We learned a lot of new programs, such as Dynamo and Microsoft Access, throughout the course and it would be really impressive if I could use those programs at my future workplace. If I did not take this course, I definitely would not have known about these different programs and learned how to use them during my time here at Drexel. I wish there were more courses that we could take to learn and advance in our skills in these programs, especially Revit. I am grateful that I will be entering my last co-op with a new set of skills that I can hopefully implement in my work.

Comments:
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Abdul, I agree that this class was simple yet challenging. It forced us to step out of our comfort zones and learn completely new software. I also had some difficulty with MS Access, but I now have more respect for databases and people who manage databases for living. I am glad you learned something meaningful from this course and I wish you the best of luck in your final term!

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Izzy, It's been a pleasure to work with you throughout the term! You provided a different perspective on the topics we were learning and it made our conversations more interesting. I, too, was excited to get more experience with Revit during this course, and I wish we were able to do more assignments using it. I commend you for taking an AE course as an MEM student, and I am glad this course was as meaningful to you as it was for me.

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Mika,

I also learned a lot from reading about interoperability. I was aware of the issues that come with sharing information between different programs, but I did not know there was a term for it. I also agree that Professor Mitchell does a great job at teaching us a substantial amount of information in a simple and interactive way, and this is one of the reasons I decided to take this course. I wish you the best of luck in your career!