Reflection

As I look back on what I learned in this course the two main topics I feel will apply to me the most are the BIM and Database topics. I am pursuing more of a career in the construction industry and it is almost a staple in and General Contracting company is to have a Revit model. The Revit model helps the general contractor to estimate, detect any problems with the plans easier, and to also show the owner a pretty picture of their building. This helps streamline the process once the model is built in Revit. Building a model in Revit can take anywhere from a few days to over a month depending on the size of the building. I have worked for a civil construction company that uses Agtek and Sketchup to model the various projects like large sites with a lot of earthwork or bridges to help with estimation. What these programs also do is allow for the contractor to see where the cut and fills are on the site, and also show the owner that “this is a big problem” or this is how you can fix it easily. I find that programs that are able to model the project are very beneficial in the construction industry as it allows both the contractor to see the finished product and to also show the owner what it will look like once completed.

The other topic that I found interesting is the database topic and the assignment that went with the topic. When I was completing the project I kept thinking of how this may or may not relate to my previous co-op positions and how they may utilize it in their everyday work. The one way in which I found this may be helpful in a contractor’s company is to have a relational database about all of their subcontractors. Being able to go into on place and find a subcontractor based on the work they do is very beneficial. The company I worked for was using an excel spreadsheet which made it somewhat difficult at times to find the contractor you were looking for. A database of all of these contractors would help with the estimation process. Another database I think would be beneficial to have is one that stores all of the information from previous jobs and how they long each activity took. This helps ensure the estimator allows for enough time for its company to finish the activity. This is important because if he does not estimate the project properly the company could lose a lot of money. The entire goal of any project is to make as much money as possible.

COMMENTS:

Jacob Wahbleh

I think that BIM is and will become a bigger impact on our industry. I believe that every company I interviewed for asked about the various programs I have used in my time here at Drexel. These companies are aware of where the industry is going and they want to invest in those students who know how to model the buildings, bridges, site, etc. so that they can see it and show it to the owner.

Andrew Maita

I like you signed up for AE 410 for the reason that it could count as a Technical Elective for one of majors. I had also heard from others that it was an interesting class and many recommended it to me. This put into perspective the various technologies that are already in place in the industry that I had not realized until taking this course. Reflecting on my co-ops I am able to see these technologies at work and the potential for them all.

Mark Odorizzi

You bring up the interesting point that having more knowledge in new technologies could and most likely will set you apart from other potential candidates. I believe employers are looking for employees that are able to learn new technologies quickly or have that knowledge already because we are currently in a transition period where our industry is catching up on all the technology out there. Companies are investing in this industry and creating specific departments within to deal with and implement these technologies such as BIM or a generic modeling division.

B7 Course Reflection - Gibson

After going through the course AE 410- Intelligent Buildings, I have found a new passion for future technologies that are going to play key factors in my work field. I relished the use of new programs and learning about how we can fine tune our skills to become the most efficient engineers we can be. The new software I used in this class were Microsoft Access and the incorporation of Grasshopper as well as Rhino into Revit. The weekly blogs become a tradition for me as I got to reflect on the lectures from class and understand how my peers are thinking about these new topics too. Although, my favorite part of this course I would have to say would be the guest lectures.

During the guest lectures I found some real connections between all the new technologies discussed throughout the course and the design/construction industry as a whole. This gave me a first-hand experience from professionals on how they use each of the technologies or how they would use their databases to optimize the project timeline. In addition, this helped me to see what I want to do in the future as I am new to the idea of intelligent buildings and upon graduation.

Comments:

Wicker:

I enjoyed reading your post as I too have similar interest as you. This class really opened my eyes to the applications that Revit and Access can be used for as well as the amount of information each can produce.

Bach:

After reading your post, I see you as well favorited the guest lectures. As it made us feel connected to the real world and see specific ways these technologies are used out in the field.

Strohl:

I too agree with you without the deep intellect that Professor Mitchell has from working in the field so long and working with many students he delivered a great message to incorporate these new technologies.

B7 - Maita

I, initially, enrolled into AE 410 because it was a professional elective that fit my schedule and seemed to be interesting and somewhat relevant to my major. After ten weeks, this course has been a lot more than I thought it was going to be. It was a course that was sort of based on getting out of it what you put into it. Professor Mitchell presented the class with a lot of information on the topics covered and at some times that information was overwhelming. But it was presented in a way where it could be easily understood and used in the in-class assignments. Although we covered some topics that I thought I was familiar with (Revit, BIM, etc.) other topics like databases and even some aspects of Revit and CAD, like Dynamo, that I had no idea existed. One aspect of the class that I really enjoyed were the blog posts. Although they seemed somewhat repetitive and tedious, it was informative to read other students opinions and thoughts on the topics we were learning in class. The blog post format was also set up that depending on what group you were in, you researched different topics. I think I learned a lot more about these topics from reading student’s interpretations than I would have by reading the articles myself.

I think that Intelligent Buildings was a really great class that provided me information that I probably would never have learned if I never took the class. Being an AE with a structural concentration, my major tract never really touches on many of these topics in depth. I think that AE 410 provided relevant information even though it was not directly related to my concentration. Going forward in the rest of my time at Drexel and in my profession career, I would want to learn more about the topics of intelligent buildings. The field is ever changing as technology becomes more and more advanced and it can be used to improve buildings from every aspect, including the design phase and the implemented technologies.

Comments:
Dee Dee: I agree with your point about the guest lecturers; I think that having someone come in and explain and show how all the technology and things we were learning in class are used in industry added to the class.

Sarah: I think also that the Revit project was one of the more enjoyable parts of the class. I do not have a great background in Revit so it was cool to learn how to do some of the more technical things like making a family.

Brad: I agree that the way the scheduling of the class was set up was beneficial to learning. It gave Professor Mitchell a lot of time to go over the topics he was presenting in full without having to rush through anything.