Course Reflection

Like most of my fellow class mates, I have had James Mitchell many times as an instructor for various classes throughout my studies at Drexel. I have always enjoyed the way he teaches the classes, always integrated into current topics, trends and new technologies. I expected no less from AE-510 as it may have been my favorite class yet with Professor Mitchell. One thing I did not like however was the seemingly long lectures. Sometimes I felt that Professor Mitchell was having a difficult time finding enough lecture material to fill the void. I believe that it should be at most 2 hours, but since it is a 3 credit class, there should be class at least 3 hours a week. Other than that, I felt that this class gave me a new view into today’s technology and advances, trends and future ideas that are being developed.

                One of the things I liked best about this class is having guest speakers actually in the field come in and discuss what they do and how they feel about whatever topics James Mitchell asked them to talk about. I also enjoyed how Mitchell exposed us to both sides of the argument, from people loving Revit and that one guy (Travis? I believe) who hated Revit. It shows that he is not bias in his views and wants us to make our own decision.

                My least favorite was probably the database portion. I just didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have. I completely understand and accept the power that databases fulfill in our society, but for me to completely understand how to build one, I just didn’t go all out learning it. My favorite part was building the family in Revit, it allowed me to create something that can be used in real life (virtual life that is).

                I thought the open-topic term project was a good idea and allowed the students to explore whatever we like to do in our lives and whatever we find interesting.

                Being a BSMS student in Architectural engineering, I always enjoyed AE classes much more than Cive and Mem classes. So I feel that this class has helped me, as I said before, it helped give me another view on today’s world and for that I give this class at 5/5!

Comments:

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/03/b7-shields.html?showComment=1457475037198#c2482983721249907348

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/03/b7-course-reflection-hamad-al-hajri.html?showComment=1457475182349#c5465718917348124413

B7 (I guess) - Kai Waechter - Group B

I found AE 510 to be one of the most engaging and interesting courses I have taken since I’ve been at Drexel. Leaning about how certain technologies are being enhanced and developed in order to influence the engineering world was fascinating. What set this course apart from others was that we were encouraged to engage with one another in discussion and I learned just as much from listening to lectures as I did from talking with my fellow peers. Since starting the BS/MS program I’ve noticed that the grad courses offered allow for a more intimate learning experience. This class gave me that impression more so than the others as I felt more in touch with the rest of the class through discussions, and the group blog assignments. Seeing how my fellow students were approaching similar topics in completely different ways allowed me to view any given subject from a dozen different perspectives.

I wasn’t quite sure of what to expect when I initially heard the title of the course. “Intelligent Buildings” could have meant any number of things, but I was pleasantly surprised to see where the class went with it. I learned to appreciate certain technologies a lot more than I had before. For example, drones were a technology I initially thought had a few simple purposes; surveillance, entertainment, and crashing into unsuspecting newlyweds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=def16khqPr4. However after the first few classes I learned that the practical applications were limitless for a technology such as this. It took a bit of engineering and some complex programming (I can only assume) but a team of students had a group of drones constructing a rope bridge on their own in a matter of minutes. Seeing the potential of even the simplest of technologies within the engineering world has opened my eyes. I can see potential for any number of advancements to be made, not just in the architectural field, but construction as well.

Another portion of the class I enjoyed tremendously was the guest lectures. Each speaker brought in a unique perspective on some aspect of intelligent building, whether it be how BIM is changing the industry, or how BIM sucks, but is necessary to learn because it is the direction that everything is going. It was enlightening to hear from so many different voices in the industry.

The only portion of the class I found myself disliking was when it shifted from advancements in technology, to the inner workings of databases. While I can appreciate the value of knowing such things, I simply found it less interesting than the previously covered topics. Otherwise I found this course to be an excellent learning experience into how dynamic the AE industry can be and what types of technologies I should be investing my time in, in order to get a leg up in this rapidly advancing environment.

Comments:

[1] http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/03/b7-or-b6-group-b-cummings.html?showComment=1457449524465#c8028564031862670525

[2] http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/03/b6-course-reflection-mark-lodato.html?showComment=1457450006484#c7875299693941164026

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 - Farnelli

When I first registered for the class I had assumed that the class was going to be about responsive HVAC systems and BIM. Though we did spend quite a bit of time on BIM, a lot more of the class focused on construction than I had expected, which was a pleasant surprise. There were three main aspects of the class: blog posts, lectures and a project. Each gave different experiences and benefits, and as a whole I think that I gained quite a bit from the class.

Blog Posts

The blog posts have required us to research various topics in some detail and be able to explain concepts so that others. Some topics had provided reading, such as the Interoperability chapter in the BIM Handbook available online. Others required a bit of outside research, such as investigating what SQL is and how it works. I did learn quite a bit by reading other blog posts, as well. Reading the impressions and responses from the others in my groups gave me some extra perspective on the topics.

Lectures

The lectures, both those run by Professor Mitchell and those which were presented by outside experts, have given us an opportunity to learn more about the topics in application. For example, the videos showing robotic applications were very interesting. The talks by outside speakers were very interesting as well, as they were able to give examples of when the different programs and equipment worked and what needed work for each. In addition, the guest lectures allowed for at least a small bit of networking, and some also very helpful gave career advice.

Project

The project, in my case on 3D concrete printing, gave me the option to look into a specific topic in depth which interested me. I learned quite a bit about the way that the 3D concrete is produced and about the properties of the material. This may not be particularly helpful immediately, but if 3D printing gains as much ground as it is expected to this knowledge could be very helpful in the future.  

Comments:
Bryan Cummings, James Redus, Mark Lodato

B5 - Group B - Hatim Amiji

SQL stands for Structured Query Language, is a special purpose programming language designed for managing data held in a relational database management system (RDBMS). It is used to create, modify, and retrieve and manipulate data from relational database management systems. In SQL, tables and query results are lists of rows: the same row may occur multiple times, and the order of rows can be employed in queries.  SQL is used by most large scale databases to facilitate user and administrator interactions.  Many computer programs need to store and retrieve data.  Instead of implementing their own system of storing and retrieving the data, SQL systems can be used.

SQL works similarly to how an excel spreadsheet is set up; it looks at data in terms of tables.  Within these tables, SQL allows the user to place data, read data, change data, and remove data from these tables. SQL is a natural language for data analysis i.e. the concept of SQL is underpinned by the relational algebra therefore creating a consistent network for organizing and manipulating sets of data. SQL is a productive language for writing queries i.e. SQL engines have multiple ways to execute a query, but the developer does not need to understand any of the underlying database processing techniques. The developer simply specifies the desired set of data using projections (SELECT) and filters (WHERE). SQL engine has a lot of flexibility in how to optimize any given query hence shields the developer from the complexities of the underlying query techniques. In general, SQL provides a robust framework that adapts to new database management requirements.

Overall, SQL is important because it is the most popular language for defining relational database models, which have been the standard in the data industry for roughly the past four decades. Relational databases, as opposed to hierarchical databases, are composed of tables for which the creator explicitly defines the links or relationships. For hierarchical databases, every segment is already implicitly defined in a hierarchical path. The main advantage of relational databases is that they do not limit the user to a strict hierarchy of data and allow the programmer more liberty in regards to defining how the information is joined. As a result, they are more desirable in instances that demand flexible data structures. It is also relatively simple to edit and manipulate those structures.

Citations:

1. http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Is-SQL-and-Why-It-Is-Important?&id=6909544

2. http://www.thesitewizard.com/faqs/what-is-mysql-database.shtml

Comments:

Mohammed,

Your article was an interesting read. Seems like I underestimated the use of databases in the construction industry and its importance. Database can play an important role in the BIM world i.e. contractors, architects and engineering are working on the same model hence sharing big data in one platform thus the creation of databases can improve data organization and accessibility in order to ensure smooth/efficient workflow.

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-mohammed-alqallaf-group-e.html?showComment=1455058585410#c7466918960644081852

Cathlene,

I have never worked with SQL before but by reading your blog, I can imagine how such programming language can be used to obtain specific family sets from a big REVIT family database. Also creation of new family sets can be organized and manipulated to ease of use during extraction by other parties such as contractors, architects and structural engineers who are working on the same platform.

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-sql-farnelli.html?showComment=1455059530903#c56486159632581299

B5 - Group B - Zabiega

Structured Query Language (SQL) is one of the reasons we have the World Wide Web as it is responsible for querying and editing information that is stored on databases around the world that manage the system. SQL has been around since the 70’s but now is far more flexible to users  with its capability of supporting distributed databases, which means computers are networked and connected at all times. This greatly improves processes strength and allows for new functionality such as support for XML, triggers, regular expression matching, recursive queries and standardized sequences.

SQL is based on many different elements that can handle all necessary language commands; Clauses, expressions, predicates, queries and statements make up these elements. This enables SQL to retrieve data, update/insert/delete records from databases, create new databases and can set permissions in those databases. These commands can be summed up as: Select, Insert, Delete, Create and Drop. These commands can essentially enable the user to do anything to databases.

In the end, SQL is a very useful and helpful program to sort, find, view and edit information stored in databases all around the world.

Sources:

https://www.ntchosting.com/encyclopedia/databases/structured-query-language/

http://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_intro.asp

http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html

Comments:

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-group-b-shields.html?showComment=1455054859938#c5669809592686519000

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/sql-what-is-it-and-why-important-as.html?showComment=1455054995412#c4910510389648974239

B5 - SQL - Farnelli

Databases are meant to allow users to efficiently access the data stored in them. SQL is the language behind how information is accessed in many databases, and is important because of how widespread its use is and how it can be integrated into a user’s experience. Unlike other types of data storage which involve nested items and data trees, SQL primarily locates data in tables. The fields of the tables can then be used to sort the data and access specific entries. Tables can be related to one another, such as a table of products and their attributes and another of suppliers and a third of product orders. One reason why so many people dislike SQL is because it is geared only toward this type of information storage, and is not readily changed or reinterpreted. However, the purpose of the language is fulfilled by how it is structured. For example, in the figure below from the Wikipedia page the purpose of the statement is to find the USA entry and increase the population by one. 

Figure of sample statement in SQL

To do this, the user first states what they are aiming to do (update information), where this update is located (in a country table), describe the change (increasing the population) and direct the change (only where the country name is USA). This seem to be a very roundabout way of making this update, but often these changes are made with a graphical user interface or more user-friendly dialogue box, with the coding dictated by what the user enters into the search box, etc. The way users interact with Revit’s databases are similarly structured, which I will discuss. The language was not necessarily written with coding in mind, but with efficiently accessing information from a large set of tables. This can be altered easily to tailor it to a different set of data by changing the parameters which are being referred to in the commands, though this may require work upfront. 

A database needs to be able to be created, read, updated, and deleted (CRUD). In Revit, we see examples of these capabilities in the assignment we completed last week. Most of the libraries come already created, but we were able to create families that added their attributes to the database. Every time you add an instance of this bookcase or of a wall, door or any other item you are reading from the stored information. Updating a piece is also very easy, as you can either edit a family file and reload it into the database or make a duplicate of a family or type and edit attributes. Deleting families is also relatively simple using the same “edit type” dialogue which allows you to duplicate a family. While these may seem like trivial tasks, they are important in the way the allow the information to be stored and accessed quickly. Even if only one person in a group knows how to create a family, most can place it in a model and view its dimensions, etc. By linking the information together, it also becomes more easy to find which piece you need. For example, in Revit you are given a ribbon which allows you to pick what sort of element you want to place (for example a wall). Then you can choose what specific type of wall you want to place based on the attributes (thickness, fire proofing, etc). By doing this you are accessing what Autodesk considers the most relevant aspects of the item before placing it. Without this built-in database query, you would have a much more confusing experience. Instead, the way you interact with the program guides you through the stored information in a way which is understandable. 

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL

https://www.ntchosting.com/encyclopedia/databases/structured-query-language/

http://sql.learncodethehardway.org/book/introduction.html

http://www.thesitewizard.com/faqs/what-is-mysql-database.shtml

Comments:

Kai Waechter: I agree that SQL is important because it is generally the way in which a user interacts with a database. Data is very important and present in today's world, from databases of information about products to the database that holds all of the information of this blog. Having a unified (or at least mostly unified) language behind accessing this information is very important for interoperability and information exchange between databases.
Dianna Vogel: I agree that the coding behind SQL may seem primitive, and this is likely a holdover not only of the age of the language but also of the original use. When it was first invented the amount of data being used in a particular program was not nearly as large as what is used today, and the first uses were likely not web based. Today's use of databases to store so much more information is much more complex and contains many more categories and tables, which is likely why the language seems so cumbersome. The first databases were along the scale of a large Excel sheet, not a set of data which requires a set of servers to hold it as today's do.
 

B5 - SQL - Group B - Kai Waechter

               The standard programming language used for interacting with a database structure is known as the structured query language (SQL). It is considered the standard for both ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ISO (International Standard Organization) meaning it is used worldwide for all databases [1].

               In the late 1970s, the premise for SQL was developed using relational models as its basis. In 1979, Relational Software, Inc. it was introduced as the first commercially available application of SQL.  In 1987 it was established as the worldwide standard and has remained such since then. Over time it has been continually revised to include various amounts of additional features.

               Since its creation, SQL has adapted in several substantial ways from its foundation of relational models and tuple calculus. In the older (theoretical) model, a table was treated as a set of tuples. In the revised version of SQL, tables and query results are considered lists of rows. Rows can occur multiple times, and the order of any row can be employed in queries (the basis if the programming language).

               One limitation with the language is that one set of code may not be entirely transferrable from one database to another without some sort of adjustment. Despite this it has a number of benefits which make it useful in managing databases. Most operations in SQL are handled through the use of programming elements. One such element is queries.

Queries are one of the core applications of SQL and allow the user to do a number of operations within the database. These includes things such as selecting, inserting, updating, and finding the location of data. It also includes a programming interface for the user [2].

Other elements of SQL include clauses, expressions, predicates, and statements. Clauses are constituent components of statements and queries. Expressions are used to produce either scalar values or tables made of columns and rows of data. Predicates are used to specify conditions which can then be evaluated in SQL. These can be used to limit the effects of statements and queries and effect the program flow.

What makes SQL so important is that it is established as the standard for all programming language within a database, thus being the prominent way to interact with one. Knowing how to best implement this language is fundamental for any sort of database management, an important skill to have in a world driven by data.

Sources:

[1] http://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/definition/SQL

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL

Comments:

[1] http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-sql-mark-lodato.html?showComment=1454986170425#c8347020655894926365

[2] http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-janet-tran-group-a.html?showComment=1454986703706#c5328340274785439116

B5 - SQL - Mark Lodato

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is the language for relational database management systems, or RDBMS. SQL is used for tasks involving databases such as updating information, adding information, removing information, and linking information among many other tasks. SQL has been certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and has been adopted as the standard for database editing and organizational languages. Many different software companies such as Oracle and Microsoft have their own version of SQL in which to use for their own database needs. If a database is considered to be where all of the data is stored, then SQL is what allows that data to be interacted with. This is important because storing information in a table is incredibly easy. It is just rote data input and organization. However, what makes a database very useful is the ability to find, select, and filter that data from the database which is what SQL allows a user to do.

The main challenge present when using SQL is interoperability. An SQL developed for one database system may not be fully compatible if the same SQL would then be used for a different database system. This is mainly due to differences in programmer syntax and programmer style but there are several other reasons why these compatibility issues arise. Some of these reasons are the complexity and size of the SQL standard means that most developers and programmers do not support the entire standard, some guidelines are not specified in SQL standards relating to important functions which leaves these functions open to individual interpretation and implementation, and certain developers may be unwilling to include backwards compatibility in their program language, among others.

**Edit**
Comment 1: http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-sql-group-b-kai-waechter.html

Comment 2: http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-group-b-dianna-vogel.html

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL

http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html

http://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_intro.asp

https://www.ntchosting.com/encyclopedia/databases/structured-query-language/

B5, Group B - Palma

SQL stands for “Structured Query Language”, and is a method of communication with a database¹. According to ANSI, SQL is the typical method of communicating with relational database management systems. A relational database management system, or RDBMS, is a database which allows you to create and maintain information in a table format, where rows, columns, or entries can have some relation or dependency on one another. Some more well-known RDBMS are Oracle, IBM’s DB2, and Microsoft’s SQL server².

First about the reason for SQL; originally, DBMS were used primarily by programmers in order to maintain and create data. In order to create a system which output some answer (for example, a total revenue or production capacity), a programmer would have to develop new software that often was not worth the trouble.

SQL is one of many “query languages” developed to solve this problem. When a user is requesting something from a database, this is called a “query”. As such, query languages were developed in order to allow the user to efficiently request from the database in a customized manner. For SQL, database management systems follow a particular process at the creation of a query. The system must first break up the input statement, checking syntax, then validates the statement, ensuring all relevant tables or entries exist. The system then creates an access plan to retrieve the data, and optimizes this plan. Once optimized, the system performs the access plan to retrieve the answer for the request³.

This process is used on the data retrieval side of SQL. As mentioned before, however, SQL is also used for the creation and updating of databases. SQL has standard commands, such as “Select”, “Insert”, “Update”, “Delete”, “Create”, and “Drop” that allow the user management for most purposes when working with the database.

“Embedded SQL” is the first technique for sending SQL statements to a DBMS. Here, SQL is used as a sublanguage, hosted by some other programming language which contains variables or statements³. Furthermore, embedded SQL can be broken up into static and dynamic SQL. Static SQL queries consist of requests that do not change when the database is accessed⁴. Conversely, dynamic SQL queries are a flexible form that allow for queries where data access cannot be pre-determined. For example, if the database is located elsewhere, then although the request can be entered, there is no way of validating the statement, as mentioned in the process before⁵.

References

1 - http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html

2 - http://searchsqlserver.techtarget.com/definition/relational-database-management-system

3 - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms713599(v=vs.85).aspx

4 - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms712349(v=vs.85).aspx

5 - https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms709342(v=vs.85).aspx

Comment to Dianna Vogel

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-group-b-dianna-vogel.html?showComment=1454944655909#c6765232892333845012

Nice part about the importance of SQL. As mentioned, SQL is relatively old, and compared to other programming languages, has been around for quite some time. That being said, I don't see it disappearing any time soon. SQL is an efficient and logical method for working with databases. Even with newer programs, optimal languages for this form of work will likely always have some basis from SQL; it's probably not going away unless databases do, which certainly won't happen.

Comment to Bryan Cummings

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b5-group-b-cummings.html?showComment=1454945117088#c1043703076217096240

I liked that you related this back to BIM. Take Revit for example (since I know it fairly well). The amount of libraries and commands that are likely based of something like this, or very similar, is huge. You mentioned how most systems have their own proprietary languages built in to use with SQL; I also discussed this a bit in my post, where systems use embedded SQL.

 

B5, Group B - Cummings

SQL stands for Structured Query Language, and it is the standard language used specified by ANSI to communicate with a database, specifically a relational database.  A relational database, as a digital relational model, organizes data into tables which represent relations between the column and row vectors.  SQL is used to perform tasks on the database, which can include database updates, modification, and data retrieval [1].  These transactions are made through SQL via language elements which include clauses (such as “update” or “set”, etc.), expressions (which are the arguments and can either be a vector or scalar), predicates (which specify evaluated conditions through logical statements, e.g. true/false/equal/etc,), queries (which retrieves the data based on the previously established criteria—often makes use of the “select” statement). [2]

The following depicts a simple SQL query, taken from Wikipedia.  Here, the “Select” query is to retrieve points from the “Book” vector (expression) whose corresponding prices (from a “price” vector) are greater than 100.

SQL of this type is standard for overall database communication.  However, most systems also have their own proprietary languages added on which they can use on their own internal system. 

A significance of SQL is that is the operator behind nearly every movement on a website [3].  Websites are not much more than a series of databases, and interaction between different parts of the site require at the least communication and exchange to the databases (for actions such as switching from one page to another) and sometimes modification of the database (which can happen during online purchase) [4].  All of these interactions are based on queries in SQL.  It is such a universal language that many other tools have been built off it used for other application.  In relation to the scope of this course, the importance of SQL is that most—if not probably all—BIM software is built upon relational database, as described above.  Therefore, SQL is crucial part and limiting factor of BIM’s functionality.

[1]       http://www.sqlcourse.com/intro.html

[2]       ANSI/ISO/IEC International Standard (IS). Database Language SQL—Part 2: Foundation (SQL/Foundation). 1999.

[3] http://sql.learncodethehardway.org/book/introduction.html

[4]       http://www.iheavy.com/2011/06/05/sql-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important/


Comments:
Danielle Schroeder
Alex Palma