B7: Group C - Alexis

I thought this course was very informative in introducing what to look for as we start our career after graduation. I learned a lot from the guest speakers and liked to see their current projects and challenges. They each gave great insight on where the industry is heading and how building information modeling is so integral in design and consulting today. I learned that BIM is most important for coordination between systems to reduce the number of clashes in the field and reduce the construction schedule.

I was also introduced to topics like robotics, AI, and 3D printing. There are many developments in these fields and it was very interesting to go into depth on these current topics since so much of this industry is based on tradition. I do not think I will be working with AI, robotics, or 3D printing in the near future in an HVAC design and consulting firm, but these topics are starting to apply to the construction sector of the market. I think we will see these applications in fields like surveying and building operations management. The 3D imaging used today has helped designers think in terms of three-dimensional space rather than drafting plans and sections. These programs rely on databases which are used in every phase of design to construction.

I enjoyed this class as elective credits because it was one of the few courses that discussed the future of the industry, new developments, and gave us the opportunity to ask questions to working professionals. I thought the digital design coordinators from Bentley and Burohappold Engineering applied most to my concentration in architectural engineering, but I liked hearing from the other guest lecturers on each stage of design and construction. I had a working knowledge of BIM from past co-ops, but through this course I learned how it relates to other disciplines and even after project completion relating to facilities management. I thought building information modeling software was widely accepted, so it was interesting to hear from the last guest speaker who found disadvantages to using BIM technology.

I also liked that the class was collaborative and each week Professor Mitchell used different presentations and videos to explain the next topic.

Comments:
Laura,
I also registered for this course just on the topic of BIM and came away with an introduction to other aspects like AI, 3D printing, and robotics that could be the future of the design and construction industry. I learned a lot from the Q&A sessions with the guest lecturers what challenges they see in the field today. Like you said in your post, the collaborative part of the course brought many different perspectives to each project or class discussion based on similar interests and course of study. I agree that a lot of information was covered this term, but it was a very helpful elective course that I'm sure I'll refer to after graduation.


Mark,
I also really enjoyed the guest lecturers and learned a lot about the challenges they see in the field today. Their insights to BIM as an integral part of the design process helped to set up the next course topic each week. Like you mentioned in your post, this gave the course many different perspectives by approaching building information modeling from all phases of the design and construction process. I agree that this course was one of the few I have taken at Drexel that is focused on future innovations and developments of intelligent building instead of traditional methods.