According to Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, databases are “a
usually large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and
retrieval (as by a computer)”. An example of a database that most people
are familiar with is a library catalog. Databases are generally very useful and
easy to operate. Databases contain information in various formats including
files, catalogs, tables, reports, and so on. Databases can be formatted to store
almost any type of data.
In a design office, databases
are typically used for either storing/searching for information or libraries in
BIM. They can use more traditional computer databases to hold employee, client,
and project records so that is it easy to find important information when needed.
BIM uses databases to store information about specific elements. BIM contains
this information in tables which can be used to edit an object. In this class,
we have seen this in the Assignment where we created and edited families in
Revit. Databases in BIM can be linked to other programs that hold material
properties, such as type of material, strength, and lifespan in a database.
This connection can help with the analysis of the building including cost estimates,
time estimate, stress/ strain analysis, etc.
Design offices may also utilize external databases. There is a company called Material ConneXion which houses a library of material samples that people from other companies can visit if they become members. This library contains thousands of materials and new ones are constantly being added. The materials contained in the library can range from products that go into a building to fabrics for clothing. They are located in various places around the world, including New York City. A physical database is a very useful tool for design companies because they have the opportunity to examine and compare various items that may go into the building. Being able to see the material in person is much better than looking at it through a computer database.
All of these databases have
the goal of helping people reduce the time working on and cost of a project. This
gives the designers more time and means to improve the building.
Sources:
Bridget,
ReplyDeleteThanks for including the clear definition on databases. Also I appreciated the description on the many ways that databases are used in BIM to make the program intelligent, user friendly and automated. In these situations I often fear that the program makes an error that underestimates the quantities. I am sure that the programmers have made sure to find and fix most of the bugs. If they did not, any errors made while using the program could be a liability for the software company.