B6 Course Reflection

AE 410 is not quite what I expected when I signed up for it, but now that I have finished the course, I can say that I am happy I decided to take it. The main surprise is that I did not think that we would get into the technology that is used to design a building. As a computer engineering student, BIM and Revit were completely new to me. I was expecting the Revit assignment to take a long time, but professor Mitchell’s instructional videos made it very easy to learn the basics of Revit so that we could complete the assignment. Another thing that I was surprised to see in this course was the inclusion of databases. I have worked with databases in the past and have never thought about their importance in the design, construction and maintenance of a building. It was interesting to use Microsoft Access for the first time and see how different relationships between tables in a database could be helpful. I thought it was interesting how we spoke about how different technologies can be used in the architectural industry. Such as how sensors can be used to automate building processes, or how virtual and augmented reality can be used in the design and construction process to give a better visual representation of what the finished product can look like. Something I really enjoyed about this class is that we were able to choose the topic for a final project. I chose the dive into the use of AI in the architectural industry which is something that we barely touched on in class. This project gave me a glimpse of what the future holds for artificial intelligent’s role in the industry within the next 10 years. I also enjoyed getting a different perspective from all the guest speakers that we had. All of them worked in the AE industry but all played a different role which gave us a wide variety of perspectives to learn from. Overall, I thought going to class was an enjoyable experience and I have learned quite a bit considering I am not an AE major.

B5: Uses of databases in construction firms

A database is simply a collection of stored information that can be used by management and applications within a certain enterprise. The construction industry is a prime example of an industry that could benefit from the use of a database. More specifically the construction industry can benefit from relational data model databases. The relational data model is a database that can be organized in a series of relations. On the left-most side, there will be a column of attribute names, with subsequent columns having descriptors of the attributes listed. According to Carnegie Mellon, some data that is important to keep track of in the construction field are: intermediate analysis results during planning and design, design documents, including drawings and specifications, construction schedules and cost estimates, quality control and assurance records, chronological files of project correspondence and memorandum, construction field activity and inspection logs, legal contracts, and regulatory documents. [1]

All this data can be incredibly useful on a construction project, but it is also important that there is a centralized database management system. This ensures that everyone on the project would have access to the data with proper authentication. This reduced redundancy because it eliminates the need for multiple databases for different areas of the project and it also reduces inconstancy because all the data is constant across the board. If one data value is changed then it changes for everyone.

The data here can then be used in certain applications used in construction. These values can be the input to perform tasks such as structural analysis, heat loss computation and material quantity calculations. Having a centralized database also make it easier on the application side of the project. If a project had multiple databases with all different layouts, then each application would have to be configured to work with every database type instead of just one. The additional programming required for that configuration would cost the firm unnecessary time and money.

Comments:

Blas Andres Rodriguez Vieira- I agree that SQL is a skill that many more people are going to need in the future. With the use of databases only increasing over the years, we are going to need more people to know how to manage them.  

Tyler Madden- I never thought about location disparities when I was looking into databases for this assignment. I think that’s a very important reason that databases are so important in the industry. A lot of the time, people that are working on a project may not be on the project site. Having a central internet connected database allows anyone to work on the project from anywhere.

Julie Hansted Anderson- Good job at explaining rational database theory. The visual really helps put into perspective how the items are related to each other.

Citation:

[1] https://www.cmu.edu/cee/projects/PMbook/14_Organization_and_Use_of_Project_Information.html#14.4%20Organizing%20Information%20in%20Databases

Blog Post 4 Borrelli

Title: Use of AI in the Lifecycle of a building

Topic: I will discuss how AI is used now and how it can be used in the future during the Design, Construction and Life of the building.

Project Type: Paper

Key Points

1. How the Architectural Industry is using AI right now 
2. How The Architectural Industry can use AI in the future
3. How the Architectural Industry benefits from increased use of AI
4. Potential Downfalls of using AI in the Architectural Industry
5. Feasibility of Implementing AI in the Industry 

1. Introduction to AI
1. What is AI 
2. How does AI work
3. Can AI be used in the Architectural Industry 
2. Current Use of AI in the Design Process
1. How is AI currently being used 
2. How is it currently benefiting the industry 
3. Inclusion of AI in BIM
3. Future use of AI in Design 
1. My personal view on where AI can be used in this sector
2. AI projects that are already in development 
3. How the projects claim to improve the industry 
4. Current use of AI in construction 
1. How is AI currently being used 
2. How is it currently benefiting the industry 
3. Inclusion of Doxel Robot
4. Inclusion of Built Robotics autonomous bulldozer 
5. Future use of AI in construction
1. My personal views on where AI can be used in the sector
2. AI projects that are already in development. (Humanoid Robots)
3. How the projects claim to improve the industry 
6. Current use of AI in Building’s lifetime 
1. How AI is currently being used 
2. How is it currently benefiting the industry 
3. Inclusion of Zaha Hadid Architecture Analytics 
4. Inclusion of Google Deepmind AI HVAC
7. Future use of AI in Buildings Lifetime
1.  My personal views on where AI can be used in the sector 
2. AI projects that are already in development. (Security, HVAC, Productivity)
3. How projects claim to improve the industry 
8. How Feasible is implementing AI 
1. Challenges of implementation 
2. Likely Timeframes 

9. Cons of implementing AI
1. Why AI might not be the future
2. How AI can hurt the industry
10. Conclusion 
1. Do the pros of AI outweigh the cons 
2. Reiterate facts about future and current use of AI as it relates to the feasibility

For my term project I will be researching the use of AI currently and in the future throughout the life cycle of a building. I will be starting at its conception in the design phase, then move to its use in construction and lastly, how it can be used for the rest of the life of the building. For the design process I aim to focus on AI being leveraged in BIM modeling. I would like to see how it is being used now and what its limitations are which can be improved upon in the future.  Next I will go over the current use of AI in the construction industry. I will review the Doxel Robot that we have seen in class as well as autonomous construction vehicles. I will then go over some humanoid robot projects and how they claim to function and improve the industry. Lastly I will go over the rest of the life of the building. I will talk about Zaha Architecture Analytics and how they are improving productivity in buildings with the use of sensors and then I will discuss Google’s Deeplearn AI’s ability to reduce HVAC running costs. Then I will talk about the future of AI as it relates to security, climate control, productivity and networks in a building. By the end of the project I hope to have a much deeper understanding of where this industry stands and where it is headed with respect to Artificial Intelligence. 

Comments:

Alec Silverstone: I’m excited to see what you find as far as robotics in the construction field. Like you said there are a lot of industries that are benefiting from robotics already such as the car industry. I’m curious to see what solutions are out there to make those types of robots more mobile. 

Christian Tait: I agree that AR is going to be a huge part of the Architectural Industry. Being able to overlay data and items over a project site in real time will be incredibly valuable in making the design and construction process run more fluidly. I’m excited to see what you find as far as what is being done already and what can be done in the future with this technology. 

Kyle Breiman: I like the idea of looking into 3D printing of steel. I’m curious how viable it could really be in a wide variety of scenarios. I personally believe that there is enough space in the paper to include the glass and concrete though.

  

B3 "Bill Allen Future of BIM" Robert Borrelli

B3

Robert Borrelli

In 2016, AutoDesk University’s Bill Allen Claimed that the future of BIM will not be BIM and it’s coming faster than you think. Bill Allen believes that within the next 10 years the AEC industry is going to become more automated than ever. Instead of deciding where doors, windows, walls and rooms will be located, we will rely on AI to maximize functionality an efficiency. This will be done by letting the computer make decisions when given a set of parameters to abide by. Then there will be multiple options for the user to choose from and they can see what is best for the project.

I believe that Bill Allen is correct as far as where the future of the AEC industry is going. I believe that the use of AI will dramatically improve the speed at which designs can be finalized and will give birth to new ideas that humans have never thought of. I do, however, believe that the time frame that Bill Allen suggests is a bit short. It will be hard for automation to take place on a large scale in as little as 10 years. I believe there will be much hesitation from the people in the AEC industry. More specifically, I think that the older generation will have a hard time accepting this as a new norm. They have been doing things their way for a long time and they may see this as a threat to their job. It will be much harder for them to get a grasp of this new technology compared to recent graduates who may have been exposed to it during their education. In addition to some people feeling threated by the new technology, cost also has a great deal to do with the feasibility of automation becoming mainstream in the AEC industry. While larger firms may be able to dive into this technology, smaller firms may not be able to afford the software, or the training required to operate it. I believe it will take longer than the 10 years that Bill Allen predicts for the price of implementing automation to lower to an acceptable level.

Comments:

Christian Tait- I completely agree that BIM’s uses are just going to increase over time as more technology is introduced into the field. I think that using AR and VR with a BIM model could really help get a close to real-life visualization which will help architects make a more informed decision about a project.

Hanyan Chen- I also agree that Data is an extremely important part of the future of this industry. Being able to neatly store and share data to whoever needs it will make the process of designing and building a structure much more fluid.

Aaron Goldberg- I agree with your “adopting” analogy. I don’t think that what Bill Allen is talking about will be fully integrated into the industry and will only be done by the biggest, most forward-thinking companies. I think that 20 years is a good estimate as to when full integration will happen.

Chapter 6 BIM in the Construction Industry (Borrelli)

Chapter 6 BIM in the construction industry

Robert Borrelli

B2

BIM modeling is an incredibly helpful tool that can save both time and money on a construction project. One important benefit of having everyone on a project contribute to the BIM model would be to avoid any clashing. Without a modeling tool like BIM, many clashes are not detected until the build process has already begun. Reworking clashes this late can cause serious time and cost issues.

Another major advantage to BIM would be the ability to create a more accurate cost analysis. A computer-generated design helps a contractor know exactly how much material is going to be needed to complete a project, which makes it easier to calculate the correct cost for the material. Having an accurate 3D model isn’t the only benefit to BIM, however. The program is also capable of analyzing performance levels of different components on the build. This could include knowing the structural loads that will be exerted and even the heating and cooling loads for HVAC systems. Data like this can improve structural stability and give an insight into the type of components that need to be used to fulfill the needs of the building.

Another helpful tool that BIM has is the ability to list the specifications of every single component that is planned to be included in the building. This becomes especially important when working with electrical equipment. Certain electronics can only be powered in a certain voltage and current range, so it is extremely important to know the specifications of all electronics to ensure proper functionality.

BIM is also an incredibly powerful tool to track the process of a project. Status of completion and scheduling can be assigned to each component to create a visual representation of what is done and what still needs to be done. Another advantage to computer generated model design as opposed to sketching a design is the fact that different elements of the project can be placed in layers. This allows a contractor or designer to get visuals of only the layers they want while hiding unnecessary layers. This can be helpful when modeling temporary structures that are only there for the construction of the project such as scaffolding. The ability to hide and show different layers on a project gives the user a greater ability to understand and present the parts of a project that are important to them.

Sources:

[1] Sacks, Rafael. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, and Facility Managers. Wiley, 2018.

Andy Kuriatnikov:

I completely agree that using BIM to store data about components is a very crucial step to make the job easier for many workers down the road. Having arrays of data saves both time and money throughout all the steps of the construction process.

Hailey Ihlow:

It may be very easy for people to think that BIM is simply the solution for everything in this field, but as you said, there are still some specified areas where BIM falls short. While it may be great to try and code a solution that works in BIM, many companies do not have the money or expertise to create a solution.

Nana Lin Rasmussen:

Interoperability is extremely important in any field considering there is never just one solution that will work in all scenarios. I agree that increasing interoperability is going to be a massive part of the future of Architectural Engineering.

Blog 1- Database, Network, Sociology, Future (Borrelli, Robert)

Week 2

Robert Borrelli

B1

Database, Network, Sociology, Future

Database [1]

Throughout the span of an architectural project, there are a lot of pieces of information that have to be kept track of. The most important pieces of information include:

• intermediate analysis results during planning and design,
• design documents, including drawings and specifications,
• construction schedules and cost estimates,
• quality control and assurance records,
• chronological files of project correspondence and memorandum,
• construction field activity and inspection logs,
• legal contracts and regulatory documents. [1] 

One of the best ways to organize most of these types of data would be a database. The way that a database is typically used can be described as a relational data model. This can be accomplished by having rows of data, where each column contains a certain relationship to a specific attribute. Databases will become increasingly important as time progresses and processes become more automated. Having an organized bookkeeping system will make it easy on the coders and automated system that the coders plan to implement.

Network [2]

Internet Protocol networks are extremely important for all kinds of buildings. Sensors that automate climate control and security are often connected to a network. Cameras can be connected to the internet so they can be accessed from anywhere in the world and climate control systems can gather real-time climate data from network-connected temperature, pressure and humidity sensors. While this does make buildings a lot easier to manage, it raises some potential threats. Anything that is connected to the internet can be hacked and taken advantage of. This makes it necessary to take cybersecurity measures to keep unauthorized users from having access to the network, cameras and climate control systems.

Sociology [3]

Architectural Sociology tries to explain the impact that architectural design has on people. This is a very important idea that a designer must think about while in the process of designing a building. Their choices have a big impact on how people act and what people do in the space that they design. The design of a building also has to take into account the environment it is being put in to. Sociologists can give extremely important information to an architect in terms of what the community needs now as well as in the future. The author of the article referenced admits that this is a small field and it will likely take a lot of time to make a difference in the architectural field.

Reference:

[1] https://www.cmu.edu/cee/projects/PMbook/14_Organization_and_Use_of_Project_Information.html

[2]

https://www.hpac.com/managing-facilities/understanding-networks-modern-building-automation-systems

[3]

http://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/footnotes/dec02/fn17.html

Comments

To Kunlun Ren (AI, Computer, Software)

It’s very interesting to see how China’s use of AI in the public transportation sector is far ahead of the US. Some of the US rail systems still don’t have swipeable cards to enter a train. China’s use of facial recognition in this field is sure to make public transportation easier, faster and safer for all involved.

To Richard Kimball (Security, AI, Computing)

I completely agree that many people only see the positives to adding more technology and connected devices into our daily lives. If more things become connected to the internet, the value of hacking will only increase as time goes on. Many companies are more focused on making a “smart device” without thinking of the security risks that come along with it. There are a lot of steps that can be taken by the consumer to help protect themselves from a cyber attack, but the majority of the population either doesn’t know there is a risk or don’t have the technological background to prevent it.

Dummy Post2 - Other Names

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