Course Reflection

This course opened me to the possibility of BIM and its potential to thrive even more in the future. Prior to, I didn’t fully grasp the concept of BIM or Revit, specifically how these technologies vary (i.e. Revit and AutoCAD are two different programs with minor differences in how they work and what they are capable of) and how they could evolve to become more interactive tools that my generation can use to implement building design. Learning about the BIM revolution and hearing different opinions allowed for me to relate the context of this course to experiences which I will likely have in the future.

I believe that this course and what I have learned will impact my professional career. Just recently, I went to an interview in which the company was adamant that their employees be familiar with Revit and gave less concern to the use of AutoCAD. At the same time, different companies are integrating the technology at varying rates, with some of them still only hand drawing their designs. I can identify with these traditional companies in that they embody the type of work that I always envisioned myself doing as an engineer and architect lover. While I understand the benefits of artificial intelligence, I am not passionate about using it because it is daunting to place reliance on machines. I have concerns about the security of information, both about buildings and the users within them, which could be compromised by using this technology.

I still see value in the human experience of reviewing building design, and I initially had a hesitancy towards technology due to the stereotypical depictions of machines overpowering humans which are portrayed in mainstream media. However, this class has addressed my concerns with a levelheaded argument which suggests that humans and technology can work alongside one another to maximize building design, speed up construction, and accommodate clients more completely. The predictive or automated abilities of the technology are most exciting to me because as humans, we are always interested in having answers and planning ahead—this technology permits us to do just that. Furthermore, these technologies should and probably will be monitored by people to ensure that their performance is consistent with the reasons for which it was designed.

Prior to this class, I had no understanding of the vocabulary and theory behind the systems like databases or sensors that collaborate to act “intelligently.” I think it is useful for clients and architectural engineers, even though they are not designing artificial technologies, to understand how they communicate with each other in order to be able to identify potential problems with the technology in application. Also, standardization of this technology is imperative to its success—my generation will be in a position to watch this change occur and help perfect the process of using this technology in traditional engineering and design fields.

To improve this course, I would delve further into existing intelligent buildings. While the technique and theory behind configuring artificial intelligence technologies gives a baseline from which to study intelligent systems, I feel that the course lacked connection to building design and focused more on the function of various technologies that could be used in buildings or other areas.