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

B5 - Yuyang Shi - Group D

Use of Databases in Design Offices
Before talking about how design offices use database, I would like to briefly talk about what Database is. According to the university systems of Georgia, a database is a collection of information organized to provide efficient retrieval. Those  information could be in a many formats, including electronic, printed, graphic, audio, and statistical. A data base could be as simple as an alphabetical arrangement of names in an address book, or as complex as a database that provides information in a combination of formats[1].
For design offices, database helps architects or engineers to keep track of everything associated with the projects. It usually includes a collection of drawings, books of specifications, handbooks of standard tables and product catalogs. Thus a well organized database can ensure the efficiency of the office. Usually, the organization of database contains three components: data definition language (DDL), which is the means to define data organization; data manipulation language(DML), which provides the procedural accesses for retrieving records from the structure defined in the DDL; and finally, a set of utilities.
Develop a multi-disciplinary design database is crucial nowadays as a project needs to be accomplished by different professions with different software. A figure below is shown as an example of the sequence of applications supporting structural design and the corresponding databases involved[2].


Today, not only it is important to maintain a useful database in practice for design firms, those database should also be able to anticipate the growth of the industry as nowadays more and more hardware and software are being updated. A database should allow upgrading as new equipment are available.


Reference:
[1]: http://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit04/primer04_01.phtml
[2]: http://repository.cmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2609&context=compsci

Comments:
Dianna Vogel
Jon Swartz

B4 - Gary Reiff - Group A

The topic for the final project is how office buildings will change in terms of the intelligence used during the design and construction of office buildings over the next 10-15 years, as this is of great interest to me since chances are I will be working in an office building over the next 10-15 years.  Also, the paper will discuss how the revolution of intelligent buildings will change the work place and the construction industry.  Below is the breakdown of how the paper is going to be formatted and written.

The introduction of the paper will define exactly what an office building is.  Next, the recent history of office buildings will be discussed.  This will include the construction history of the office buildings, the design history of office buildings, and the functionality history of office buildings in general.  From there, intelligent features will be defined.  Lastly, the 3 state of the art office buildings that will be discussed throughout the paper will be stated.

The first office building to be discussed is the Comcast Center in Philadelphia.  Research will be done on both the construction process and the design process that went into creating the Comcast Center.  Next, the specific intelligent features originally and currently incorporated into the Comcast Center will be investigated.  Then, the paper will describe how more recent intelligent features could be incorporated into the Comcast Center, and how these more recent intelligent features could affect the workplace at the Comcast Center.  Lastly, the paper might give some insight on how the new Comcast Center is being constructed, and how its intelligent features differ from the Comcast Center built in the last 10 years.  However, this could be challenging depending on how available the information is on the Comcast Center currently under construction.

The second office building to be discussed is the One World Trade Center in New York City.  Research will be done on both the construction process and the design process that went into creating the One World Trade Center.  Next, the specific intelligent features originally and currently incorporated into the One World Trade Center will be investigated.  Then, the paper will describe how more recent intelligent features could be incorporated into the One World Trade Center, and how these more recent intelligent features could affect the workplace at the One World Trade Center.  Lastly, the paper might give some insight on how the One World Trade Center is being constructed, and how its intelligent features differ from the original World Trade Center.  However, this may be more difficult since I’m not sure how much information is available on the original World Trade Center.

The third office building to be discussed is the Cira Center in Philadelphia.  Research will be done on both the construction process and the design process that went into creating the Cira Center.  Next, the specific intelligent features originally and currently incorporated into the Cira Center will be investigated.  Lastly, the paper will describe how more recent intelligent features could be incorporated into the Cira Center, and how these more recent intelligent features could affect the workplace at the Cira Center.

Finally, the conclusion will discuss future technologies on the rise that have not been discussed already, as well as how all of the intelligent features discussed could impact the design and construction industries of office buildings.  Lastly, a prediction will be made regarding intelligent features and how they will be incorporated into office buildings over the next 10-15 years.

References
1.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cira_Centre
2.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcast_Center_(Philadelphia)
3.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center

Comments

1.) Sam Boyce's Comment

2.) Yuanjin Li's Comment

B3 - Group E - Hamad Al-Hajri

           AutoCAD and Revit are rendering programs used by many building design firms because they offer more that what can be done with pen and paper. Although AutoCAD has been around for a longer time and is more popular, Revit is gaining followers by offering a bit more. What's similar between the two programs is that both are able to render plans or models in 2D and 3D. The user can create floor plans, floor elevations, construction material, and incorporate the structural systems with the architectural designs to virtually analyze how every building component works with the other. The plans and 3D models created can be presented from every angle, which is helpful when creating many floor plans and elevations from the single model created. Although the programs' interfaces look quite different, and the ease of use varies from one to the other, both are generally easy to understand and navigate through. Finally, as complex as these programs can be, they remain easy to use. Both have many tutorials from books to websites to online videos which make it possible for even a novice to design to imagine and create impressive buildings. 

           The difference between AutoCAD and Revit is the way of modeling. With AutoCAD, the design process is similar to many other design programs, such as Solidworks, in which lines and angles and shapes are used to then present 3D models.
Revit on the other hand offers more. It immediately creates real life dimensions and offers many components that can be added with ease, such as doors, windows, columns, foundation, floor, ceiling, and roof. Also, components families can be added, such as HVAC, plumbing, structural, or any other system. All these can be incorporated into the building, and any change to one reflects on the rest and on the design. Finally, as the models are being designed, elevations and views are immediately generated. Levels heights can be easily adjusted from elevation view. From these reasons, Revit proves to be far more superior than AutoCAD.


References

1- http://blog.digitaltutors.com/autocad-revit-draw-line/
2- http://www.autodesk.com/products/revit-lt/compare-products

Comments :
Maria Ayon
Yasmina

B1 William Whitesell-Group C

Artificial intelligence (AI) can exist in many forms and is already part of our everyday. Intelligence is the ability to acquire knowledge and apply skills. Autocorrect on your phone is a simple form of AI which decides if the word you typed is incorrect, then replaces the word. A more complex form is being provided by Google with an automated car and humanoid robot. These make apparent informed decisions while operating in their environment. What if this ability to determine what is right and wrong was given to a robot. It would require a form of intelligence that so far has not been found.

Robots are ideal to repeat precise work with extreme accuracy. Ideal for manufacturing, China currently is on the forefront of this movement due to their high demand of exports. A robots current work environment is in a factory and does not introduce many variables. An ideal for the construction industry would be for the robots to function in changing environments. This will require manufacturing robots to be both mobile and have ability to identify a given area of operation and potential hazards. As Kate Flint pointed out in her blog that more and more robots are slowly being integrated into our society in our everyday interactions.  An ability to be completely automated and function on their own. Marvin Minsky, a leader in cybernetics at MIT believes there will come a time when anything can be automated, he says “the idea that because a brain is alive does not mean it can’t be simulated in other architectures such as cybernetics.”(1)

Robotics have slowed down its progression over the last 10-20 years in comparison to its introduction where new revelations were discovered on a weekly or daily basis. 3D printing however is still in that infantile stage, one where new advances are discovered weekly if not more often. The printing of models and limited production capabilities are a thing of the past. Companies have been able to produce 1:1 scale models out of concrete and other products in order for building application. This is only possible with the advent of robots in order to produce the complex and exact shapes. Foster and Partners is responsible for pushing the forefront of this technology and believe with this technology the future is limitless in building conception, design and construction.(3)

So what do these spell for the future of construction and industry in general. Is it possible that robots with AI could replace all human forms in a construction process? Holding meetings in order to cooperate with one another? Making material using 3D printing and install it on site? This possibility could also greatly reduce the cost of construction in the long run if no wages were paid week to week only maintenance fees. I don’t believe this will take place anytime soon.

There is an inherent risk when we give too much power to any one entity without proper checks and balances in place.  Bill Gates states, “First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent…a few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern.”(3) This is a scary look at the future of robotics and AI. Human nature is to survive, Darwin’s theory, so if this life like intelligence is given to a superior creature what does that spell for the existence of the human race. It could mean possible annihilation. This was also mentioned in other blogs such Al-Hajar's discussing the implications of superintelligent machines. This is decades off but should be considered as advances in this industry are considered. For now, it is convenient for a race of humans, constantly looking for and easier or simpler method of completion to incorporate robots into their culture as much as possible.

(1)    http://www.technologyreview.com/news/544901/what-robots-and-ai-learned-in-2015/

(2)    http://www.viatechnik.com/3D-printing-and-looming-changes-in-the-construction-industry/

(3)    http://www.craveonline.com/design/817357-future-technology-according-bill-gates

comment on Kate Flint's post
Comment on Kai's post

B1 - Group B - Hatim Amiji

3D printing also known as additive manufacturing is a process of producing a three-dimensional object/structure by laying down successive layers of material until entirely completed. Each layer is a thing horizontal cross section of the finished product. 3D printing technology has evolved over the years to an extent that it is now capable of producing bigger structures/objects of varying complexity. My concentration is structural engineering and therefore I am interested in how 3D printing technology can be used in the construction industry. In 2014, A Chinese Company “Winsun Decoration Design Engineering Co” printed 10 houses in 24 hours using a 3D printer with a mixture of recycled construction waste and quick-drying cement. In 2015, the same company demonstrated exceptional capabilities of the 3D printing technology as they built the world’s tallest 3D printed building i.e. a five-story apartment building. The building was created using a 6.6 by 10 meter printer which pours layers of a mixture composed of glass fiber, steel, cement, hardening agents and recycled construction waste. Sections of the building were printed in the plant and were assembled on site which is similar to prefabricating concrete designs to create the final building. The building met relevant national standards in terms of building code, it was declared safe, reliable and features a good integration of architecture and decoration. However, 3D printing is a relatively new method of construction and therefore specific building codes for this method are non-existent, hence something to be developed in the future by IBC. Furthermore, the company built a full sized 1,100 square meter mansion with construction cost of only $160,000 using 3D printing technology. A CAD design is used as a template, and the extruder which lays down the material is controlled by a computer. Overall, the process saves between 30 – 60% of construction waste, decrease production times by 50 – 70% depending on the complexity of the structure, reduce cost of labor by 50 – 80% hence resulting in a construction method which is environmental friendly and cost effective. [1] [2]  

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the process of integrating different aspects of construction into a single system. It goes beyond the planning and design phase of the project, extending throughout the building life cycle as it incorporates construction management and facility operations i.e. design, build and maintenance of the structure. Using BIM software such as Revit by Autodesk, different phases of construction can be simulated beforehand, hence opportunities such as pre-fabrication or pre-assembling of certain systems can be done off-site which saves time and money. Delivery of construction materials can be scheduled efficiently and thus waste can be controlled/minimized on site. Planning using BIM also prevents possible hazards that can occur during construction of a complicated structure. Models in BIM can be used to detect possible maintenance failures in the building for example: leakage of plumbing systems or HVAC ducts. BIM is now extensively used in large scale construction projects as it enhances efficiency hence reducing cost of construction as it lays the playing field for architects, structural engineers, construction managers, mechanical and electrical engineers who all work together in a unified system. [3]

Skyscrapers are heart of the skyline of any city, they are beautiful however they cast long shadows, hence limiting sunlight and reducing visibility. Therefore the future of such high rise structures is to design a mirror glass façade which would reflect sunlight of the surrounding buildings to minimize shade. Computer modelling can be used to calculate the different angles at which sunlight hits the building façade which can be used to design the curvature of the glass mirror needed to minimize shadows. [4]

References: 

1. http://www.archdaily.com/591331/chinese-company-creates-the-world-s-tallest-3d-printed-building

2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/08/3d-printed-houses_n_5773408.html

3. http://extreme.rs/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/2011_realizing_bim_final.pdf

4. https://www.evernote.com/pub/view/aengineer/ae-510/20e74c1f-70eb-4d10-9070-7359b759be25?locale=en#st=p&n=20e74c1f-70eb-4d10-9070-7359b759be25