B9 - Eduardo Borja - Group E - Reflection

             From the beginning, even before starting to attend class I was interested in Intelligent Buildings, but I had a different idea of what intelligent buildings meant. Before I believed Intelligent Buildings were characterized as smart automated buildings. Through this course I understood that intelligent buildings are much more involved than the technological aspects of the final structure. Intelligent buildings take into consideration the design and the time efficiency of building a certain structure.

            I can definitely state that this class has had a great effect on my profession because it has fed my interest in aspects such as the creation of databases and BIM, which are becoming more and more important in the construction industry. Through AE 510 specifically, I have been introduced the creation of databases, as well as further deepening my knowledge about Revit. Through our assignment on databases I learned that planning before executing is quite essential in any aspect of design. If you didn’t plan the database before creating it, then this could have created a lot of problems once you tried to execute it. Also, databases prove to be quite effective once you want to find a specific set of points within a large amount of data. In regards to Revit, I have only scratched to surface on the program capabilities but from what I have learned in this class and from different tutorial videos, I have seen that Revit can become quite powerful. I can say that this class has affected my profession because it has showed me that the industry is changing and that this new technology regarding BIM will certainly be something I will need to fully understand.

            Regarding my future, this class has provided an introduction to an industry that is going to continue to grow and offer a lot of job opportunities. Understanding even a broad aspect of intelligent buildings and be able to discuss different aspects of intelligent buildings can certainly help me in my future job searches.

            Regarding actual class time, I personally would have enjoyed more small projects in order to learn a greater variety of BIM software. On the other hand, the lecture speakers in class gave an interesting perspective on how intelligent building techniques are applied and used outside the classroom. Similarly, the lectures provided by Dr. Mitchell were certainly useful and gave us as well a professional perspective on intelligent buildings and their applications.

Comments:

Alqallaf: From the beginning of your post I could identify with you. I joined this class even though I was taking another professional elective because the name caught my attention. Also, I can relate to the fact that the database project was quite instructive. I enjoyed how you related the project you did for your concentration.

Laura Hill: I enjoyed your post because it made me think of something really important in this class that i took for granted. The blog posts as you stated were quite helpful because it was an opportunity to reflect upon different new topics. The posts actually helped me understand and actually focus on the reading which ultimately helped me fully understand the different topics at hand.

  

B7 - Group D - Ayon

This course gave me insight not only on the newest technological advances in the construction and design industries, but also made me look at things differently. After looking at the key term Professor Mitchell introduced at the beginning of the course (BIM, database, sensors, 3D printing, etc.) you see there is much more there to an intelligent building. The importance of these key terms goes beyond simple definition understating, therefore we were required to do several class projects and write blogs to further enhance out knowledge.

Through the weekly blogs, we were given a specific topic and we had to analyze this topic in relation to BIM, always looking for limitations and advantages. Providing sources was an excellent way to go out of the box, in my opinion, since it made us look for current applications of that topic and compare it to the future. I personally felt curious after writing a blog about robotics, therefore I decided to do my research paper on that.

Also, we had larger projects to complete through the term allowing us to put into practice the definitions we had learned about the key terms. For instance, creating a database using Microsoft Access made me look at the importance of databases and more importantly, how they work. It was a challenging task for me since it was the first time I was creating a database, but it made realize and understand the importance of applying this in the real world. A construction project would run easier and smoother with this application, as not only material properties and specifics would be in the database, but also cost information, schedule, constriction plans, and even contractors information.

Taking these course made me realize there is more out there than simple sketched done through AutoCAD, that there is a whole intelligent world created with the intend to facilitate the job of the engineers, architects and designers. In the future, I hope to get further knowledge on these applications and put them into practice. Technology is something that will keep changing through the years, and us as Engineers need to be able to adapt to what is new out there and willing to implement these new technologies to our work.    

Course Reflection - Faisal Alghati- Group C

The primary explanation for taking this course it was the title “Intelligent Buildings”. I have dependably searched for new data about development, innovation, and energy. Figure out how to work with Revit was the most noteworthy part of this course. I have for a long while been itching to utilize Revit, a great and now simple to utilize molding. Presently I have another expertise to include my profile, and possibly it will be a definitive point in my vocation.

The database task likewise shows me something about Windows Access, a software I had never utilized. Through recordings class, it was conceivable to find effortlessly out about utilizing the Access programming, how to create tables, inquiries, and reports. Beforehand, the majority of my partners and I likely knew nothing or nothing about Database.

 For the Senior Design Project with BIM I did with my partner was extremely constructive. Revit is imperative these days, because of the way that more organizations are utilizing BIM as a crucial apparatus for the incorporated task. Building Information Modeling is utilized to maintain a strategic distance from potential outline mistakes. BIM is an extremely proficient instrument in connection to coordinate the work of the different experts, for example, specialists, engineers and designers. Toward the end of another term, I understand that I took in a considerable measure about new advances, both genuine and future.

A viewpoint that I truly appreciated in AE 510 was the manner by which Professor Mitchell could get visitor speakers to go to the class and give a real case of how the innovation we were finding out about was being utilized as a part of the field. It gave me knowledge into the innovation that was all the while creating and the change that is sufficiently productive to be utilized as a part of a certifiable application. It additionally demonstrated to us how not everybody concurred with the innovation being exhibited

Similarly, as whether BIM and Intelligent structures are something that I will require in my future vocation and design life, I can dare to dream that I will have the capacity to work with this sort of innovation.

Comments:

Bryan  

Reflection Group A: Tran

Course Reflection

This course gave me insight on the architecture, engineering, and construction industry through the lens of different guests’ speakers. These presentations and discussions provided me with an idea of the future for buildings. It made me evaluate my skills and how it could be best used. Additionally, it informed me of what skills are in demands, signaling me to pay attention to what I should be considering on improving on in the job market. One particular presentation on business and client relationships struck me as extremely interesting. It provided to me perhaps with a more jaded perspective, however, the struggles are real. Academics and education provides students with idealized beliefs in creativity, innovation, and how it interfaces with design. However, the stark reality of entering the job market and becoming a slave to clients who are not so concerned with real energy savings (rather sustainability marketing) was a little demoralizing. Nonetheless, I learned that energy savings are tailored to individual buildings and its operations. It taught me that the design process is a small fraction of the bigger picture. It showed me that there should be bigger emphasis on considering building operations and how to improve upon the control system. I thought this was a great segue into the database part of the course. Though it was a bit banal, I think it provided me with technical and theory based knowledge on building a database. It made me think: how can I use this tool to help me design?

The culmination of BIM, sensors, databases, and intelligent buildings has resulted in a design endeavor that goes beyond this course. Upon working on my term project- I realized some missing links and weaknesses of Revit, especially pertaining to mechanical design. Most engineers would think twice before using Revit for load calculations, despite its capabilities. This is largely because it is not reliable. So a lot of mechanical engineers tend to tediously input information from Revit into Trane TRACE to conduct calculations. This process I have realized is extremely fragmented and can be dealt with more efficiently. How exactly? I’m not sure. However, I think course has provided me with some immense building blocks to solve that issue. My future intent is to try and streamline mechanical calculations by extract the necessary ingredients from Revit models. 

Comments:
Comment on Flint's Post 

Comment on Aikin's Post 

B6 - Course Reflection - Allison Lock - Group E

The AE 510 course was a compelling introduction into the various up and coming technologies related to architectural, civil, and other building design professions. Throughout my college, high school, and work experience I have encountered and become very comfortable with many of the industry tools that are common in engineering firms. This course forced me to assess the future of the field I intend to work in and how effective I will be in that field.

The main exercises that I completed throughout the class broadened my outlook on the developing technologies today. First we learned about robotics development and their implementation into both engineering and other fields. That was one of my favorite lectures. We also looked at BIM systems; which in my opinion are likely to become one of the major new industry technologies with proper development. The course also covered databases (which I had never even thought about the construction of before) and Revit. Students had the opportunity to interact with one another and share their real world experiences and ideas via blog posts and in class discussions. I enjoyed these aspects of the class as they offered interesting insights to work practices and material studies. Generally I found that every lesson of the course introduced me to a technology that I was unfamiliar with or expanded greatly upon one that I had previously used.

This class also caused me to do some serious self-inspection. Towards the end of the term we completed exercises that intended to provide us with the opportunity to assess how the technologies we studied would be implemented into the design processes that we have been studying for years. Groups were required to invent a construction scenario. Descriptions of major stakeholders and the technologies that they would utilize throughout the process were to be provided. I found that, unfortunately I did not even think about incorporating new technologies into the process apart from sensors in the final design despite the focus of the class. This was disappointing to me. I am fascinated and interested in learning about new technologies. When new lessons were presented they were just really cool however I found that I have a hard time integrating them into my own personal design process. I learned that if I do not actively follow developing ideas and do not continually try to integrate them that I will overlook them. This is a lesson I intend to keep with me as I continue on into my professional life as to be effective as an engineer I will need to adapt and incorporate new technologies into my projects. I really enjoyed the course. It taught me material and about myself but was fun.

I commented on Gary Reiff’s and Rebecca Lynch’s posts.

B7 - Gary Reiff - Course Reflection

This was a very interesting course in my personal opinion.  I have never had a class go into this kind of depth on futuristic technology.  The first thing we discussed in class was artificial intelligence.  While this does not currently have as much of a direct effect on my future profession (structural engineer), I can see it impacting the profession in a major way in the future, especially during the construction phase of structures.  Artificial intelligence could have a positive or negative impact on my profession in the future depending on whose point of view your looking from.  From an owners point of view drones and other forms of artificial intelligence can be beneficial by saving money on laborers, as well as on insurance for the workers or any other type of injuries.  At the same time, artificial intelligence can take jobs away from hard working and innocent people just because owners want to save money and reduce the chance of injury on the job.  I will be very interested to see how this plays out over the next 10-15 years.

Next, in class we went into great detail discussing BIM and databases.  These two topics I believe will have less of an impact on my profession in the future.  While BIM can be very useful for a structural engineering working on buildings, I personally am working more on the transportation side with bridges.  Therefore, I will not be working with BIM very much.  Also, BIM is used more on the architectural side of buildings rather than the structural side.  The same can be said about databases.

So overall, I would say this was a very good course to have taken during my time here at Drexel University.  Not only did I learn an incredible amount about the future of the architectural engineering field, I learned a little about how the field of structural engineering might be effected as well.  I would highly recommend others to consider taking this course in the future.  My only critique is to focus a little less on databases on the future.  I just have trouble seeing myself ever making databases in my field in the future.  While I can't say that is the same for everyone else taking this course, I can personally say that about me.

Comments
1.) Rebecca Lynch's Comment
2.) Laura Worley's Comment

B6 - Course Reflection - Mark Lodato

AE 510 or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love BIM

                This course was very interesting and one of my favorite courses that I have taken at Drexel. It provided valuable insight on technological advances in the recent past and suggested possible advances that could take place in the near future as they relate to the construction and engineering industries. Examples of these advances were increased BIM integration in the architectural and structural design and construction processes, the increased roles of robotics in manufacturing and construction, and the importance of sensors and their outputs being stored in databases. The prevalence of guest speakers providing real world examples and stories about technology also helped to cement these ideas about technology.  I also enjoyed the emphasis of working in groups with my peers during class time. The ability to collaborate and gain multiple perspectives and viewpoints on the class topics was invaluable in regards to learning and fully digesting these topics.

                The portion of the course that I enjoyed the most was the guest lecturers. It is always beneficial to learn about BIM and how other technologies impact the world during normal class time, but actually hearing it first hand from engineers in the industry working for larger companies reinforces the class topics greatly. Each of the guest lectures was beneficial, worthwhile, and distinct enough so that each lecturer was separate from one another while still providing valuable information about the same topics. I also enjoyed how each of the lecturers had different perspectives and attitudes regarding BIM and technology in general as it relates to construction. I thought it was very important to look at the same issues from all possible sides and reference points in order to critically think about each topic effectively.

                The topic that I enjoyed the least was databases. This is not to say that the material was not relevant or applicable to the course or to us as engineers, but rather it just did not have the interest and wide appeal that the BIM discussions had. I think it would be beneficial to have a guest lecture about databases for future sections of the course to get another perspective and viewpoint about databases in general and the specifics about how they are applied in the industry.

                Overall, this course was definitely my favorite of the quarter and one of my favorite courses that I have taken at Drexel. I feel that it provided valuable information on the trends that the industry is taking in the professional world as it relates to technology and intelligent building. It definitely impacted me in terms of how I feel about the role of BIM in my professional career and the impact that BIM will have on me in the future. I definitely need to take a closer look at BIM as the technology develops further and familiarize myself better with more BIM software.

**Edit**

Comment 1: http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b6-group-b-alex-palma.html

Comment 2: http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b7-group-b-schroeder.html

Course Reflection

Laura Worley

Course Reflection

I have found the intelligent building class to be very interesting and informative. When I first signed up for the class, I was unsure of exactly the type of material that would be covered. I have always had a particular interest in intelligent buildings and innovative technology. We were taught the basis of these systems and also given a chance to explore the systems. In this class, we had a chance to work with Revit and database software. These projects helped me to learn much more about the programs and the user interface. I think that we had an ample amount of time to complete projects and were encouraged to do research through the weekly blog posts. The lectures were also coordinated well with the course material and we were able to learn much about a topic before being given an assignment. I feel as though after the given lectures, I am fully able to understand the concept of Intelligent buildings and the many up and coming technologies associated with these buildings.

Another interesting aspect of this class was the opportunities we were given to collaborate with one another in class. Throughout the term, we were given groups in which we would review material/projects and posts. During this time we would collaborate on our thoughts and the process. This helped to review material and also learn so much more. The given groups were also chosen in regards to our major and program. This was also helpful for us to see the ideas of people with similar interests.

The guest speakers that were brought into our class made it so that the things we were learning in class were more relatable. Many of the guest speakers were very informative and also helped us to gain a better idea of potential career opportunities. I also thought that it was very nice that they spent the time to come speak to us. Many of the employers gave out business cards which could be helpful for networking in the future. The speakers were all in different fields. Some of the speakers were new out of college and have just begun on their career paths whereas others were established in the companies and had many other stories of previous experience as well.

The blog posts were very interesting and it was great to see other people’s perspectives on certain topics. I found them also to be very informative and I have learned a lot about BIM technology that I did not quite understand before. The weekly comments on the blog posts kept us attentive to other ideas and perspectives.

Overall, I found this class to be very helpful in understanding the topics at hand, giving the class new perspectives, and teaching us new material. Even though the Drexel quarters are very short, I felt as though this class relayed a lot of information to the class.

Comments:

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/course-reflection-farnelli.html?showComment=1457028578629#c6943592498784363696

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/03/course-reflection-adrian-kuzniarowicz.html?showComment=14570290457

Course Reflection - Adrian Kuzniarowicz

Prior to entering the Intelligent Buildings course, I did not have much knowledge about the capabilities of BIM programs or how databases worked at all. During my time in the course, I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge on the possible applications in which BIM software could be utilized. I found that Professor Mitchell's guest speakers were all very passionate about the BIM software which they use on a daily basis and really did an overall good job on explaining the benefits and downfalls to using BIM technology to model various systems within a building.

Throughout the term, I found Professor Mitchell’s weekly lectures to be very informative. The various examples which he presented, in both presentations and videos, to be highly interesting and informative. I also found the group discussions and activities that were held weekly during lecture to be very collaborative and intriguing. Having the opportunity in class to break into smaller groups and brainstorm creative ideas amongst other classmates was also very beneficial. The classes in which Professor Mitchell provided how-to tutorials were, in my opinion, the most beneficial, especially during the database portion of the class.

Between the in-class information and online video tutorials provided by Professor Mitchell, the assignments related to the course became much easier. The goal of the class was for students to understand the importance of BIM and databases and how they work. The class provided a good analysis of how each of these technologies work and how they can be integrated with one another.

Since starting this course in January, the best aspect I found in the class was having industry professionals come in to class to speak to us about how the engineering field is changing to incorporate Building Integration Modeling software into the design process at a very early stage. Given that I am planning on working as a transportation engineer in the rail discipline, I will most likely not be using Revit to assist in my designs. Although my goal is to become a rail engineer, the ability to understand the way Revit works may serve me in the future if the opportunity to change disciplines presents itself. 

Comments:

Samuel,

I completely agree that after taking the course, I feel as I can actually hold a conversation about intelligent buildings and have meaningful input. Unfortunately, I did not have as much ease as you with the database assignment. Although the class helped me understand how they work, I still don't know if I'd trust myself creating one in a professional setting. 

Karan,

Before coming into the course at the start of the term, I had also imagined it being similar to AE 390 and AE 391. I found the way that this course is taught to be much more open ended and I feel like that is why it was much easier to learn. I also agree that the Revit assignment was definitely a good refresher in demonstrating the power of this BIM program as well as other related ones. 

B5 - Group C - Sean Coffey - Object Oriented Databases

Object Oriented Databases

Before researching object oriented databases, I did not know what object oriented databases were and was not aware how they were extensively used for to enable BIM software. Object oriented databases simply put are databases made up of complex objects that are defined by simple data and algorithm attributes. These attributes can be edited and modified manually and automatically.

Differences from Other Databases

Object oriented databases are unlike traditional databases in some important ways. They contain simple and complex attributes while more traditional databases like relational databases only contain simple data. The simpler databases store data in tables that are often reference other tables to return useful information.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Object oriented databases have their advantages and disadvantages over other less complex and traditional databases. Some of the advantages include their programmability to act more intelligently and automatically than other databases. This is accomplished with the embed code and algorithms. This code and how the database interacts with other databases makes object oriented databases more complex and due to the increased complexity they are harder to maintain and edit. On the other hand, if object oriented databases are setup properly they require less maintenance, while more traditional databases require regular maintenance. Also object oriented databases are work better when implemented to communicate and interact with other databases.

BIM’s Use of Object Oriented Databases

One of the best ways to use object oriented databases is when programing CAD and BIM software. Autodesk leverages the advantages of object oriented databases to make the intelligent programs such as Revit. Object oriented databases are fundamental to how Revit acts parametrically. An example of how this database type is implemented in Revit is to create families that are intelligent and modifiable. Revit families are defined by simple and complex properties or attributes. Example simple attributes are the dimensions of a door. They can be quickly and easily modified by user to customize the door to match the actual door that will be installed into the real life building. While a complex attribute would be how the door interacts while placing the door on walls with different widths. The frame for the door has to have an intelligent algorithm that determines how the door will automatically modify its width to match the wall width. The use of object oriented databases makes Revit seemingly simple, work intelligently and nearly flawlessly.

References

http://www.archdaily.com/302490/a-brief-history-of-bim

http://www.comptechdoc.org/independent/database/basicdb/dataobject.html

Comments

Mohammed Alqallaf
http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-mohammed-alqallaf-group-e.html

Bridget Frasca
http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-group-d-frasca-uses-of-databases-in.html?showComment=1455059965158#c2225312694583606569

B5 - Group D - Maria Ayon

Uses of Databases in Design Offices 

Databases are used for different purposes depending on the various design tasks. They are not only required for generating models, but also they provide important information such as the material and element information which a designer would need in order to facilitate the design task. Material selection is always a difficult task when a construction budget is provided.

In structural design offices, the databases will hold all the information concerning the design members and materials, as well as information concerning safety. When designing for a new structure, all the properties of a certain material will be stored in the database, facilitating the material selection process to the engineers. Also, environmental information of a specific location is also provided, such as weather conditions, wind speed and precipitation level. This will allow for engineers to design for a location knowing how the structure will be affected by external conditions year round.

In architectural design offices, as mentioned in class before, BIM software needs a database to perform accordingly. When using Revit for instance, the database provides information of every element and material available, from metal’s failure values, to window’s dimension, properties and R-values. If the database does not provide an element the designer specifically wants, new element packages can be simply uploaded to the database. From these, schedules can be easily generated specifying the material, properties, manufacturer, and even color selection of a specific element. This not only helps the designer maintain organization, but BIM allows for the designers to have all the information enclosed in one area. In addition, with the BIM database, designers are also provided with a very close cost estimation based on the materials used, and construction schedules can also be generated.

In HVAC design offices, the database is used mainly for the purpose of an adequate HVAC selection. An example of an HVAC database would be EQuest. This works by the user providing a specific location and specifying the characteristics of the building (size, materials used and its R-values, its fenestration and shading systems, etc.) in order to get the most accurate outputs of the building. This output number will allow the designer to select the most suitable HVAC system for that specific building.

Sources:

http://www.aconex.com/blogs/2014/01/global-state-of-bim-construction-market-data.html

http://continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com/article.php?upgrade=new&L=12&C=838

Comments:

Janet Tran Comment

Cristian Almendariz Comment