B7 - Group E - Alqallaf

Initially, when I signed up to take this course I did not really know what the material of this course would be but the name grabbed my attention. Being an architectural engineering major pursuing a career in the building design industry I always strive to increase my knowledge in emerging technologies. I have learned from studying engineering and from work experience that efficiency and easy access to data/information is key when it comes to design. The notion of working smarter as opposed to harder is extremely prominent in the building design and construction industry. Taking this course has further reinforced my belief in this concept and opened up new interests for me.

Before taking this course I had a very general and basic idea of what BIM is and how it is implemented in the building design industry. Coming into this class my goal was getting better at utilizing BIM and understanding more about interoperability. I learned that BIM and interoperability are tools of efficiency in the building industry. Tools that should be utilized properly to maximize product output. Working for an engineering design firm for my coop I had to coordinate duct work with the structural system in a Revit model. That saved a lot of work and time. It gave more time for the structural engineers to innovate and come up with new ideas for the system.

Furthermore, I learned a lot about databases and the importance of a database in the building/construction industry. Being a mechanical concentration, I had to use multiple databases for HVAC calculations. This includes solar data, weather data, etc. Some databases are huge and are updated by the hour but I never paid attention to the importance of databases. The database assignment helped me better understand how a database is structured and how it helps with easily accessing information. I believe that I can implement using a database for anything in the future for it is a great way to organize information.

In conclusion, I learned a lot from this course. I really enjoyed researching and reading more into innovations and emerging building technologies. The assignments were very helpful and I believe that the class was structured really well. I hope to utilize what I learned from this class in my future career.

Frasca,

I really enjoyed reading your course reflection. Likewise, I believe that the lectures were very long and splitting them up or having a shorter lecture would’ve probably been a lot better. I personally have a short attention span and it’s very hard for me to focus for 3 continuous hours. I agree with the amazing learning experience I had taking this class. There were many things that I did not know about advancements in the building design and construction industry that I know now.

Kate Flint,

I agree with your opinion on BIM being an important aspect for people looking to work in the construction industry. I really enjoyed learning more about BIM. Especially databases. I had little to no knowledge in databases. I did not even know how important databases are until I took this course. I learned that efficiency and easy access to information is key in the building industry. 

B5 - Mohammed Alqallaf - Group E

            Database systems play an important role for every part of the building design/construction industry. Databases have made it easier for designers and engineers to have easy access to information that would help with multiple processes such as cost estimation, energy modelling, and etc. Specifically databases have helped construction firms with cost estimation and lifecycle analysis. There have been many developments such as estimating software and computer cost databases that evolved over the years.

                Databases in the past have been very hard to keep updated due to the large amounts of information that had to be updated very often. Nowadays computers are connected to a larger cloud of data/online database. Online databases are automatically and universally updated when their source is changed. For example cost estimating software would have data for multiple construction materials and equipment, when price rates change the database automatically changes and updates universally. This makes it a lot easier for construction firms to access and use the up to date database. Also, this increases the accuracy and quality of the estimation. [1]

                Construction firms nowadays are progressively utilizing cloud collaboration. For example “Basetone is a system that allows remote sharing of data on a construction site in real time.” The tool is used by architects and mostly construction engineers to review drawings and process on construction projects. The software allows for easier collaboration and the detailed process of installation of everything from steel beams to light fittings. The software also helps pin point issues that happen during construction, so that engineers would have easier access to that information and get to solve the issue as soon as possible. The digitized drawings also help save money for construction engineers because they wouldn’t have to print out paper plans. [2]

                Another advancement in database use in construction firms is the use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Almost everyone nowadays has a smart phone. Smart phones are very powerful and have a very large capacity to do a lot of work. Drawings made on software such as AutoCad, Revit, and Sketchup which are used in the construction industry can be viewed on the smartphone and some also edited on the cellphone. With LTE internet connection the model is always updated through the cloud database making it a lot easier for the construction crew to coordinate with updates and look at changes as soon as possible. [3]

               

[1] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140724234418-100956650-coming-soon-construction-databases-why-use-a-database

[2] http://raconteur.net/business/top-ten-construction-innovations

[3] https://www.augi.com/library/whats-new-technology-advancements-in-the-aec-o-industry

               

Maria,

I really enjoyed reading your article. It was very informative. I completely agree with your view point towards databases. I feel like having extensive databases are extremely integral in order to have a well-designed building. BIM software interaction with different databases has tremendously improved the building design/construction industry. I personally have experience in HVAC energy modelling software such as eQuest and Carrier HAP and it has made it a lot easier to have easy access through that software.

Laura,

I enjoyed reading your blog post. I have never heard of WEB-CONS and I found that very interesting. I agree with your view point on how databases have tremendously improved the construction industry. I believe that the more information we have the better estimations and designs we’d produce. With advancements in databases I believe that there have been numerous improvements in cost estimation and construction analysis. Also, general knowledge in the construction field has been drastically improved. 

B4- Group E - Mohammed Alqallaf

For our term project, Faisal Alghati and I are going to be working on part of our senior design project, which is the Renovation of the Alumni Engineering Labs Building. We are going to be converting old AutoCAD plans and drawings of the Alumni Engineering Labs to a BIM integrated Revit Model. The building is old and is in dire need of renovation due to poor circulation and occupant discomfort. This project will include renovations of the architectural, mechanical, and structural systems of the current building. The renovations will tackle the current issue and improve the buildings efficiency and sustainability. Newer material will be used for the building envelope to give the building a more modern look. The HVAC systems of the building will be improved and made more efficient by the changes made to the envelope and also the addition of VAV systems to accommodate zone specific temperature requirements. In addition two floors will be added to the building to increase current square footage to accommodate for new and larger spaces. The Revit model will consist of floor plans, 3d model, structural plans and mechanical plans. My partner and I have already started the project and we are currently familiarizing ourselves with Revit. I believe that this is a great idea for us to get to learn more about Revit and applying BIM in it. The use of schedules in the software will be utilized to help with cost estimation and analysis. I believe that it is going to be very challenging to learn how to utilize Revit’s complete BIM capabilities. There are certain issue with having to import certain families from companies that provide them such as for the HVAC units and such. But doing so will help us have a more accurate cost analysis.  I believe that having hands on experience with BIM technology will help us better understand how such technology will increase building performance and efficiency. In addition it will also help minimized the buildings cost. Upon reading an article about BIM and green design it really helped me understanding how BIM makes every aspect of the building transparent to the other helping every sector in the building design work in unison to create a well rounded efficient building.

Sources:

[1] https://www2.buildinggreen.com/article/building-information-modeling-and-green-design

Comments:

Allison,

I found your topic to be very interesting. As an architectural engineering major with a concentration in mechanical/HVAC I found this topic to be very relevant to my field. I have looked into dynamic buildings and I have seen a building on YouTube that actually has a dynamic façade in which the exterior walls would be uncovered in the morning to allow for natural solar heating and at night the façade would move and close the building off making it look like a black cube to maintain the heat gain and reduce the heating need for the building. I look forward to seeing you present and to hear more information about this topic.

Cristian,

I really enjoyed reading your post. I found your topic to be very interesting. I really like the effort you are putting into the project. I like how the buildings design is made so that it matches the architectural style of the location chosen. That is very considerate. I believe that you will learn a lot of Revit making plans for the building. I wish you best of luck

B3 - Group E - Mohammed Alqallaf

Computer aided drafting has revolutionized the building design industry. AutoCAD has made it easier for engineers to draft drawings on a computer in which everything would be standardized. This makes it easier for contractors and anyone that’s looking at the sheet to understand it. On the other hand, a program that actually sprung out of AutoCAD is Revit. Revit has been of great use specifically for building design and drafting. The incorporation of BIM to Revit has also helped make the software great. There are many ways that Revit and AutoCAD relate to each other and many ways in which they’re different from each other. Also, Revit and AutoCAD can be used together and actually compliment each other for different projects.

During my coop at a consulting engineering firm, we had many projects that involved the use of both Revit and AutoCAD. AutoCAD was mostly used for detailed drawings that were later imported into Revit sheets. Another interlinked use of AutoCAD and Revit was downloading 3D AutoCAD drawings of certain HVAC equipment and uploading it into Revit to be placed in the building model. Revit floor plans were also uploaded into AutoCAD specifically for line diagrams which were easier and more convenient to make using AutoCAD.

Both AutoCAD and Revit are computer aided design software that is used for drafting in the building design industry but Revit is geared more towards building design. Revit makes it a lot easier to draw floor plans and to place doors windows and materials used for the building.  On the other hand AutoCAD is better for drawing details of certain equipment or their connections. The primary barrier between AutoCAD and Revit is the level of detail in AutoCAD for drawing and the lack of preset design tools for the ease of building design in AutoCAD.

Upon reading the article “AutoCAD or Revit – Where do you draw the Line? “ [1].  I learned that the fundamentals of both drafting tools are pretty much similar and interlinked. Like I stated above both software are used for building design and drafting. What makes Revit the primary choice for building design is the ease of its use to design buildings.

[1] http://blog.digitaltutors.com/autocad-revit-draw-line/

 

Laura,

I completely agree with your opinion on problems that may arise with BIM and Revit. During my coop, which consisted of building energy modeling and HVAC analysis, I was faced with many difficulties with the software. The largest problem I had was losing certain information when transferring a building model to HVAC analysis software. Certain inputs would be lost or sometimes even completely erroneous. Certainly there have been updates and software companies have been pushing to perfect the interoperability of BIM software. But, I completely agree with your statement on potentially destructive reliance on BIM technologies with minimal to no understanding of the actual basics in which the software works on.

Alex,

Great post! Your first point on current problems using BIM and Revit is interesting but I do not completely agree with it. Working in a large consulting engineering firm for my coop, I learned that their Revit files are actually a compilation of multiple Revit files. The whole model is on a network, which can be accessed by multiple users on the network. The whole model then can be compiled and compressed into one big file if needed. Although, I do agree with you on how sometimes these files even when split into multiple files can get slow and lag a lot.

B2 - Group E - Mohammed Alqallaf - BIM for Contractors

Before reading chapter 6 of the BIM Handbook which is about the integration of BIM in the construction industry/contracting I did some further research on BIM. I came to a full proper understanding of BIM, its impact, and how it’s utilized. BIM technologies and application have drastically improved the building design/contracting industry. It has given a chance for every sector in the building design/construction to be involved in making projects economical, efficient, and timely.

Specifically, BIM has given a chance for contractors to be involved in the design phase. This gives the opportunity for contractors to share their knowledge from the construction field to allow for better planning and design. The involvement of contractors can also help with cost estimation and field specific issues to be solved while in the design process. For instance, certain conflicts may arise with the engineer’s drawings. The contractor whom has a lot of field experience can intervene, hence avoiding a waste of time and energy to mitigate the conflict or fix it. Chapter 6 of the BIM handbook specifically mentions that contractors use BIM technologies for clash detection, quantity takeoff, cost estimation, construction analysis, planning, integration with cost and schedule control. The problem with BIM technologies is that it has a learning curve and some software is not very user friendly which makes most contractors resort back to using hand/manual calculations for cost estimations and etc. BIM has certainly evolved in the past few years to become more user friendly and easy for contractors to use.

Reflecting what I read to my experience in working with a large engineering design firm for my coop, has lead me to the conclusion that BIM is the future of the building design/construction. I worked with a vast amount of people from different departments. Although I have never worked with a contractor, my supervisor had a large project coming up and he would take me to meetings where the contractor would be there to discuss the future of the project and his input. The project the firm was accepting was a large project that completely utilized BIM technologies.

Comments:

Kai,

I found your blog post about interoperability very intriguing. In my previous experiences with BIM and working for an engineering firm during coop, I would say that it is the most important aspect of having an efficiently functioning engineering team. I have come to realize that having systems linked to each other properly saves a great amount of time and work. I remember coming across an issue when I tried linking a Revit drawing to an HVAC program that calculates cooling and heating loads. The Revit model did not have the proper design inputs so I had to change all the imported inputs to inputs I calculated manually. It was a waste of time and energy.

Kate,

I really enjoyed reading your blogpost it was very informative. I believe that the design/construction industry is seeing an increase in the utilization and proper use of BIM. The engineering firm I worked for during my coop had both large and small projects and all of them used proper BIM. My employer was telling me how the proper use of BIM has changed the industry and how it actually made things a lot easier than it was before. This in return gave way for more energy to be spent on thinking of ways to improve the building, giving time for everyone involved to further improve their input.

Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Contractors. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2008. Web.

B1: Group E: Mohammed Alqallaf

Databases, networks, and sociology all play an important role in the future of building construction and the building design industry. Databases for instance are an important part of building design. A large number of information is collected as data and filed daily in different databases. For instance, ASHRAE has weather data and standards for building cooling and heating for international locations. Data analysis has to be performed in order to obtain averages, deviations, and other information that would be used for building design. So the future of databases and data analysis is crucial for the future of building design.  Advancements in data analysis are being made such as the “Data Science Machine” from the first article I read [1]. MIT researchers have been working on developing a system that would “replace human intuition with Algorithms.” This means that people used to analyze the data and recognize patterns are no longer needed. This also involves sociology in a sense, where people are no longer needed because machines can perform the tasks.

Network on the other hand is also an important part of the future of building construction and the building design industry.  For instance many people have used the term “Internet of Things” to refer to future advancement in network and how everything will be linked to one another. This synchrony is attainable with new technology and with advancements that are currently being made.  For instance, in the second article I read, Intel chip makers are currently working on numerous advancements involving RealSense cameras that detect obstacles to actively avoid colliding with them [2]. This innovation can be applied to the building industry the same way drones were used to build an architecture model in the video we watched in class.

Sociology is also linked to all these innovations because advances in robots are being made and many people are worried that robots would take over jobs, and that would socioeconomically be disastrous.  For instance the third article I read referred to “adaptable robots” meaning robots that have the capacity to learn and adapt to certain situations [3]. Such advances are amazing to the industry because it means that less man labor would be required for certain tasks. Eventually robots might be able to construct buildings in the same fashion a 3D printer would construct something.

[1] http://scitechdaily.com/data-science-machine-replaces-human-intuition-with-algorithms/

[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/ces/11329790/Intel-shares-futuristic-vision-of-the-connected-world.html

[3] http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32884768

Comments:

Alexis,

I found your subjects very interesting and relevant to future advancements in the building design industry. The application of 3D models and how they can be analyzed in certain situations is very beneficial for helping better understand the reaction of buildings. The ease and time efficiency of additive manufacturing of 3D printing technology has made it surpass that of models manually machined for wind tunnel testing. What I also found very interesting is the advancement in digital fabrication with robotics. Designers were previously confined by the size of the printer but now with the robotics, size is essentially a non-existent issue.

Kai,

I myself did not know the depth of BIM. I am really glad I read this article and learned more about BIM. Also, 3D laser scanning seems like a very great idea for building surveying. The fact that the process only takes as little as 30 minutes as opposed to the conventional surveying and modeling which would take a large amount of time is intriguing. I also found it interesting that using a 3D laser scanner can identify many problems and how some problems might go undetected when using conventional methods.

List of our thoughts Group E

castle: placement of objects needed to be more precise than when tying the ropes

Bridge:
the qudracopters were producing more complex structures, and they were better integrated and programmed - very "tightly woven" and synchronized, flew smoother and faster, more applicable as time goes on, more systematic approach and showing developed ideas of capabilities

Implications: less physical human labor and therefore less risk of harm/injury, and buildings/structures more feasible in difficult-to-construct locations, theoretically could build 24-7

Introduction: Mohammed Alqallaf

Hello, my name is Mohammed Alqallaf. I am an international student from Kuwait. I’m currently a senior in Architectural Engineering HVAC concentration here at Drexel University. I strive to learn about what intelligent buildings are in this class. I believe that having all the knowledge and being up to date with innovations in the field of my career will help me succeed. I really want to learn all the information this class provides to be able to apply it in the future. My definition of intelligent building is a building that is smart in a sense that it changes certain conditions to certain stimuli induced by indoor or outdoor environments to conserve energy and provide convenience.   

Student Names - To Create Tags

Here are the names of the students in AE-510 as of 12/30/2015.  This post is mostly here to create the tags for labeling posts by students.  A second one will be necessary because blogger limits the length of tags that can be added at one time.

Alexis Aikins

Mohammed Al Qallaf

Hamad Al-Hajri

Faisal Alghati

Cristian Almendariz

Hatim Amiji

Maria Ayon

Danielle Beynon

Eduardo Borja

Samuel Boyce

Nikita Chauhan

Mridul Chulet

Sean Coffey

Alexandria Crouthamel

Bryan Cummings

Cathlene Farnelli

Katherine Flint

Bridget Frasca

Laura Hill

Adrian Kuzniarowicz

Yuanjin Li

Mark Lodato

Rebecca Lynch

Alex Palma

James Redus

Gary Reiff

Danielle Schroeder

Yuyang Shi

Yasmina Shields

Karan Sagar Sinha

Jonathan Swartz

Janet Tran

Dianna Vogel

Kai Waechter

William Whitesell

Laura Worley

Haoying Ye

Matthew Zabiega

Derek Zaccheo