Databases in Design Offices

Databases are becoming incredibly useful for designers to communicate their ideas in a quick and organized manner. A database can loosely be defined as an easily organized set of information on a computer. This can take many forms and building information modeling (BIM) certainly fits this definition essentially by storing this database of information in a model. Currently, these models are typically accessible by most people in the design and construction industry.  As this technology becomes more common, it is quickly becoming more accessible, such as Autodesk’s Navisworks free 3D viewer. Modeling the building, and providing the owner with a way to visualize the complex information, allows for accurate decision-making and designs that better meet owner’s wishes.  There have been multiple situations where I am showing and explaining two-dimensional drawings to people and have trouble explaining how to read the drawings. This is much easier with a model where all information is similar to how it will be constructed. As this visual model is created, a database of information can be collected in family parameters. This information can consist of dimensions, count, ratings, specifications, even manufacturers and product numbers where possible. As this is created, it is stored in the object and placed accurately in the model for display to any interested parties.  This will benefit project organization, cost analysis, and fabrication information that is necessary for architects to communicate to their colleagues, whether they are coworkers in the office, a subcontractor, or the owner. Having a modeled database with this information becomes very useful. Furthermore, database BIM is typically digital information stored to a file, maybe several files, even dozens on very large projects, but recordable information that can be stored to the internet and accessed by any stakeholder. Architects can organize information into the BIM database so that facility managers can quickly access accurate data for the equipment within the building. This benefits the maintenance and overall use of the building, leading to satisfied owners and building their relationship with the architect. The designer generates much of the data for the building, typically making them the person with the most information on the building, but it is not their job to manage the facility and someone cannot manage what they do not know. Providing this information in a modeled database makes it easy for facility managers to understand the design intensions and ensure that the building can meet its requirements. This information can include data about the materials, dimensions, and utilization of a space or analytical, simulation data about how the structural, mechanical, and electrical systems should be operating. It is a huge amount of information, but the modeled database information approach makes it very easy to understand and communicate the data as needed. 

Sources:

Azhar, Salman, Malik Khalfan, and Tayyab Maqsood. "Building Information Modelling (BIM): Now and beyond." Australasian Journal of Construction Economics and Building 12.4 (2012): 15-28. Web. 08 Feb. 2017.

Davis, Daniel. "How Big Data Is Transforming Architecture." Architect. Hanley-Wood Media, Inc., 23 Apr. 2015. Web. 08 Feb. 2017.

Ikerd, William F., II, P.E., CWI. "The Importance of BIM in Structural Engineering." The Greatest Change in Over a Century. STRUCTURE Magazine, Oct. 2008. Web. 08 Feb. 2017.

Wang, Ying, Xiangyu Wang, Jun Wang, Ping Yung, and Guo Jun. "Engagement of Facilities Management in Design Stage through BIM: Framework and a Case Study." Advances in Civil Engineering. Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2017.

Comments:

In Peter’s post, he describes the object-oriented database structure. I have worked very minimally with these sorts of database and it makes the programming aspects of database management possible for people who haven’t learned coding. The object, typically representing a small set of data, can easily be selected and used to determine an action, or command, to interact with these objects. This grouping method keeps things consistent and allows updates to all data defined within the object to easily change the entire dataset, just by modifying the object. This typically makes modifications to the data much faster and thorough. Implementing things like classes and property inheritance also makes the database usage, and creating objects within the database, very easy and consistent. Setting up this inheritance system works as a template so that objects created within the class maintain similar traits and properties, as the designer wants. BIM software definitely fits within the object-oriented database realm, where the database information is stored as parameter data for each family and then subcategories of types, where the parameters can be adjusted for the same object. This is one of the traits that make BIM so useful in our industry by using and reusing families and quickly adjusting the parameters.

Hayley shows how databases can benefit the construction industry. Recently, databases have been introduced throughout the architectural, engineering, and construction industry to better manipulate and organize the information. Two dimensional, simple drawings have evolved into models, integrated with database information. This process and organization keeps the information easily accessible and consistently accurate to eliminate, or at least minimize, errors communication errors between the designer and constructor. The database usage examples that Hayley presents show some of the many ways that the usage helps manage information of the construction industry. The accurate information from the modeled database best shows how the construction should look upon creation and helps the constructors to manage the data that goes with each element. This helps construction teams to better see the completed project as a whole, instead of just the aspect of each subcontractor. Implementing costs into this informational database greatly increases quantity of materials and equipment and the accuracy of cost estimates. Additionally, the implementation that Carnegie Mellon presents shows that BIM is also useful for quality control and information accounting for regulating legal contracts.

Brandon does a good job of explaining the structured query language that is typically used in computing and coding. Thinking of this language as being query communication makes the concept much more basic. Constantly asking questions and then providing actions that are associated with the answers can be used to compute specific processes. Some of these processes often include updating, retrieving, and modifying data. Traditionally, this data manipulation has required human interaction, but implementing this language into the database systems helps to improve and automate this monotonous process. Adjusting this language would make it complicated to communicate across different companies, but the fact that so few commands are needed to operate within the database can make communication and utilization much easier. Math processes, especially algebra, typically model the most direct way of achieving a solution, despite various inputs, so it makes sense that programming and coding language would develop from these theories. Though the language can be difficult to learn, there are endless, complex tasks and capabilities that are achieved with it. As this language becomes more common, it should become more consistent, simple, and useful so that eventually laymen can utilize programming capabilities and advance in their own development.