Tran_D - B7 - Course Reflection

At first, I would admit that learning BIM software was my mandatory purpose to register for AE-510. However, course material offered by this class has more topics than what I expected. Intelligent Building is a wonderful seminar about the current trend of AEC industry, and future technologies that would apply to this industry. Moreover, Professor Mitchell constructed this unique class content that would avoid the traditional method in learning course materials: quizzes, exams, and long lecture. In fact, the structure of the course as a combination of short lectures, group works, and self-study allowed me to explore a lot more about the certain topics.

The design-based project offered a great opportunity to learn and practice Revit software. It is an interesting project for me as this is my first chance in modeling structure system, and MEP system in Revit as I came to AE-510 before taking Architectural Engineering Design (AE-390 and AE-391. In fact, I could conclude that MEP system design was the most challenge tasks on Revit, and Plumbing design is the most complicated and annoyed part within a MEP system. Thus, I enjoyed modeling a building in Revit, and would agree that BIM software will be a standard in AEC industry. However, as I mentioned in my project presentation slide, interoperability with other design and/or analysis software within a project is recommended since Revit is a jack-of-all-trade, but master of none software in building sector. 

Guest lecturers from AEC industry makes this course wonderful, as they introduced many different ideas and current trends in the industry. In fact, guest lecturers from the industry offered a different viewpoint in Revit application and other software relates to BIM. Dynamo, introduced by a first BIM guest lecturer, will become a good supplemental programming software to benefit Revit, but will also offer a challenge to engineers on coding and programming. Moreover, virtual design and construction (VDC) is an evolution technology on construction management, which helps manage the project from the beginning to end. Navisworks is a great software in project control, which allows professionals to integrate and review models from different stakeholders. I wish I could use Navisworks in Senior Design to have a chance to evaluate my design abilities. Moreover, a guest lecture for database topic would make its more interesting than driedly theoretical definition, and the repetitive process in database assignment.

In conclusion, this is one of the best graduate-level courses in terms of professional development. Building sector is actually the career path that I would love to pursue even though I got Water sector firms on both Co-Op cycles through ranking. This course helped me understand the nature of Revit, and BIM in a wide picture. My last wish after finishing this course is to experience future technologies discussed in lectures and Evernote articles throughout ten weeks that will become a new standard on AEC industry.

Comments

To Cody Johnson: 

Cody,
I found that your final project is interesting, as how 3D laser scanning benefits to Building Information Modeling (BIM), and I hope I could experience about the technology that you will introduce. I believe that available technologies are changing daily with the advancement of computing devices and equipment, and that current technologies would be phased out after 10 years. You are right that we will become valuable for the industry by having a good knowledge on current technology trends. I wish you could success in contracting industry after graduate.

To Alyssia Deutsch:

Alyssia,
I have a good time reading your course reflection by the complaints about heating issues in our CAD Lab. I hope that the air conditioning in this room will work properly during Summer time. Also, I like your discussion about the integration of technology and engineering knowledge discussed in Intelligent Building, and how they are applied in a real-life project. I believe this is a biggest aspect of the course. Throughout my project, I also learn that while designing an architecture model, and a structure system for a typical building, we will have to leave some spaces for MEP system, and AI devices to monitor the building. 

To Dee Dee Strohl:

Dee Dee,
Professor Mitchell, and our guest lecturers who he invited for AE-410/510 are very knowledgeable, and have a solid experience in these topics discussed in this course. I also believe that our course is one of the most unique course offered in CAEE departments that briefly introduces current technologies in building sector, and leaves rooms for us to explore more in our career. Blog post is also a powerful tool in this class to communicate with classmates, and learn from their experiences about the certain topics of intelligent building.