Course Reflection - Andy Dinh

     Signing up for AE410, I was not really sure what to expect. Reading the course title as “Intelligent Buildings” along with the course being offered as an AE course put me in the mindset of the course having to deal with buildings. I never really thought about it in the capacity of dealing with databases and BIM software though. My first thoughts were that we would be dealing with learning about buildings that were efficient in their ways like energy efficiency. While that was true, it was only a small part of what we would learn.

     The different technologies we got to learn about through the course were very expansive. One week we would learn about AI technology, then we went to different BIM software and all their perks, and we even got to look at how databases store wide ranges of information. These of course are only a few topics in the course, but these are the ones that stuck out to me the most from what we learned.

     AI adaptation to helping with the construction process along with maintenance of a building seems to be a technology that could be more practical to have later down the line, but for now seems to be still early in the development process. The ideas that are coming out of it and those in the works are still very interesting though. With clash detection in the different software, along with being able to tell owners or users where deficiencies may be happening within the building itself, AI can have a lot of advantages we currently don’t have as of now. The different BIM software we got to learn about like Revit and Navisworks also expanded my knowledge a bit. Before this course, I only really knew of Revit through limited use of it before in other classes and projects. So, getting a refresher with Revit in our class assignment along with learning about interoperability between the programs was interesting to learn about. Database building was something I never knew about, and it seems so easy to miss since it is not laid out for users unless you specifically look into it. Being able to learn about them along with creating our own databases was very different and I enjoyed it a little, although with more time to work on it I am sure there would have been a lot more we could have covered.

     I can see all of these technologies having great effect on the industry. Being in school as a civil engineer, hopefully in either site/civil or highways/transportation, I can see the advantages of these technologies greatly shifting the landscape in alter years. These changes won’t be reflected immediately in one year, but I can see small changes building up one after the other over time that can change everything form the way we are working on things now. Technology like AI development and database building could be different required fields for people to learn about and are needed for in much larger demand as the technology improves and becomes more user friendly. I look forward to seeing how all of this develops over the next couple of years.

Comments:

Alexander Koo (link) – I agree with your thoughts on the course. Group work did seem big within this course itself. Whether it was small posts that we did together that required a little bit of critical thinking, or to our own projects and presentations we made for the class, we were tasked to work together quite a few times. This is very important for the engineering fields as we will have to work with others on most, if not all, of our future projects. Allowing us to understand the different parts that are involved within the industry does help in understanding how the different parts of a whole work together to get the best product we can have out there.

Arthur McCloskey (link) – The class was a good introduction into the future. Seeing day by day how the technology is evolving around us is great to see. I do hope all of these technologies become advantageous to everyone, not just people in specific practices or fields. Getting to learn about these forward-thinking technologies was a good experience to have as we go on to be a part of the industry.

Sarah Maminski (link) – Being a civil engineer as well, I understand where you are coming from. With what we learned throughout the term, I hope to see all the technologies we learned about to develop with great efficiency for use in the industry. The engineering field always seems to be a little bit behind, so hopefully all the fields can play a little catch with the technology and use them to their full advantages.

B5 - Andy Dinh - Object Oriented Databases

     "An object-oriented database management system (OODBMS), sometimes shortened to ODBMS for object database management system), is a database management system (DBMS) that supports the modelling and creation of data as objects." [1]. This seems to be the general consensus of a definition that people agree on for an object oriented database. Upon further research, it really is just that, a database that is held either within the servers of a company or in the cloud/internet to be shared with others. This database can have data on different families or classes depending on which software the objects are used for. such as Revit or AECOSIM.

     One of the advantages of having an OODBMS is the extensibility of the database. You can make new types of data from existing objects. This pretty much means that you can modify an exiting object to fit your needs without the need to create a new object from scratch. This would allow for faster development as there is more re-usability of the object and can allow for easier maintenance of the database. another advantage given in having an OODBMS is the handling of a much larger variety of data. Other databases such as network or relational doesn't expand on such capabilities whereas an ODBMS can include pictures, test, numbers, and other such data needed for the objects in use.

     A disadvantage we can look into to see where OODBMS is currently is that there is a lack of experience. I can be a part of such a statistic as I honestly did not know what and object oriented database was until I was doing research on the subject. Even then, I still have not had actual experience with such a database and I am not sure what it would entail to know. The database itself seems to be leaning more towards better use by programmers rather than a beginning user trying to understand the system. Also, there are no standards set in place. This is usually set by whatever company or entity that is using the databases, but there is no universal standard set for all OODBMS.

     Theses advantages and disadvantages were just some highlights. There is a lot more to know about these databases but that requires a deeper understanding of how these databases are integrated into the project it is needed for. I hope to be able to learn more in the future about this, and from the subjects of some of the topics in class that are upcoming, we may get just that.

References:

[1] Obasanjo, Dare. "AN EXPLORATION OF OBJECT ORIENTED DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS." Why Aren't You Using An Object Oriented Database Management System? N.p., 2001. Web. 12 Feb. 2017. <http://www.25hoursaday.com/whyarentyouusinganoodbms.html>.

[2] Rouse, Margaret, and Krishna Kumar. "What Is Object-oriented Database Management System (OODBMS or ODBMS)? - Definition from WhatIs.com." Object-oriented Database Management System (OODBMS or ODBMS). SearchOracle, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2017. <http://searchoracle.techtarget.com/definition/object-oriented-database-management-system>.

[3] Thakur, Dinesh. "What Is Object Oriented Database (OODB)? Advantages and Disadvantages of OODBMSS." What Is Object Oriented Database (OODB)? Advantages and Disadvantages of OODBMSS. Computer Notes, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2017. <http://ecomputernotes.com/database-system/adv-database/object-oriented-database-oodb>.

Comments:

Andrew Ng (link) - I found it interesting to read about the way that SQL works, especially seeinghow you mentioned that it was given praise to by Facebook and Google. I have never had the experience of learning such programming languages. I like to see that it can ensure productivity, as with more competing markets there is a need for more projects or content to be produced. I would like to see if it could benefit us more in the design.consultant field or work as that is what I aim for working with after graduation.

Kerianne Volger (link) - After writing about my topic on OODBMSs, it was a good read on how such a database can be involved in a specific field of work. I do agree on how important it is for estimators in construction. Having the ease of access to such data along with easier updates on the information itself is very helpful. The database becomes a very handy resource and I hope to see one database that can be shared among many different companies that need such data.

Ronald Herazo (link) - It was good to read about another type of database other than the one I wrote about above. From reading yours, my understanding is that a relational database likes to work with data in tables. This allows for updating of data as a set rather than individually based data. The diagrams that you put in your post also help paint a better picture for me in understanding what exactly is involved in a relational database. 

Week 5 Group C Discussion

BIM Challenges for the Future

Some of the challenges BIM will face in the future include unsustainable file size, lack of backwards compatibility, accessibility for new users, difficulty in learning more complex software, more complicated building design that the software may not be able to handle, usage of different software and inability to compile their plans, the software may become too expensive for the average user, and it may put people out of work due to not needing technical knowledge to use the software.

Abdullatif Alkandari - B4 - Week4

Project description

For my term project, I will be looking into the world of robotics in more detail. By knowing how far Artificial intelligence has come and given the many fields in which robotics managed to revolutionize the industry. I will try to find the underlying reasons causing this technology to be behind in some fields that we wish robotics were more involved with. Thus, identifying the factors that cause AI to be so far ahead of its time in some fields as opposed to others.

why it was chosen

The reason why I am intrigued in this topic is that I believe that once we have a better understanding of what is impeding the progress of A.I. and robotics; we can find the right approach to deal with the issue. I expect this research to improve my problem-solving skills which I believe to be a crucial skill for any engineer to have. This mentality will help me reverse engineer the problems associated with robotics involvement in the construction industry in an effort to arrive at the aspects that need to be considered before any breakthroughs can be achieved.

Relation to Intelligent Buildings

In writing this paper, I will be addressing how these breakthroughs in A.I. as well as robotics can aid in intelligent buildings. This is due to the fact that I expect for my research findings to pinpoint the areas where these technologies can make the most impact in adding to the current construction industry. Even after these areas are defined, I will research how they can be enhanced to further maximize the efficiency of A.I. and robotics in construction sites as well as their roles in manufacturing building materials. As I proceed with this paper, I will be more specific in which fields of the industry will be the focus of my research and that decision will be based on the aspect that will result in the most positive influence to the construction industry.

Challenges

I expect many challenges to arise in proceeding with this research, especially given how behind A.I. and robotics are in the construction industry relative to the car manufacture and nanotechnology industry for example. This is why I expect that in order for noticeable changes to occur in this field, serious time, effort and capital would need to be invested for this cause. And the investors interested in funding such research will only be onboard if they can guarantee their money back through this investment which is a major financial challenge.

Comments:

Ng Andrew: I expect incorporating Virtual reality to be a major breakthrough for AI in the construction industry. It will not only make inspecting buildings more convenient and enjoyable, but also reduce the chance of error in the construction progress as one can physically see where the parts need to go. I am truly excited for your team’s project and I expect it to be a fun and educational experience for everyone involved.

Mridul Pareek: I found your topic really interesting, and I do agree that Wireless sensor technology is under-utilized once we take in to account its true potential. I expect the implementation of this technology to be a huge leap forward in intelligent buildings as it will facilitate building monitoring and maintenance and save a lot of time and effort. I’m truly glad to know that a team is covering this topic.

Andy Dinh: I think that comparing the two leading programs in digital design (Revit vs Bentley Architecture) to be educational. In designing the same building in both programs it will became clearer to you which tasks are wiser to be attempted in one program instead of the other. I hope that towards the end of your project, you will have a clear understanding of (Revit and Bentley Architecture) and the advantages that each of them has over the other. Also, it is a big plus to have both of them on your resumes!

B4 - Andy Dinh - Term Project

For this term in AE 410, my term project will be about the comparison between Revit and Bentley Architecture. I will be working with Ronald Park on this project. The purpose of this project is to compare the use of each of the two programs, along with being able to share projects between the two programs. To accomplish this task, we will be creating a two-story residential building with some furniture made as families along with other elements that usually go with a building like floors, a roof, windows, doors, walls, etc. To first start with this assignment, we have to familiarize ourselves with the two programs first. Recognition of what each program is capable of and what files they take for the specific program will be fairly important as to what our project will result in.

As with working with Revit in the past, and even for an assignment already for this class, there is already some familiarity for us with Revit. As for Bentley Architecture, I found that Architecture is an extension of Microstation, to which I have a little familiarity with it after using the program on my first co-op with Taylor, Wiseman, and Taylor. So, getting acquainted with the two programs should not be as difficult compared to if I was a new user with both programs. The problem I do see coming up that we will have to solve is to see how we can have the two programs cooperate each other, especially with file sharing. I have shared files between Microstation and AutoCAD before to do some work, but never with Revit and Microstation, so this will be very new to me and I look forward to what I can learn from this experience. We will be using some youtube tutorial videos to help us with this project. Some tutorial videos have already helped us in seeing how people complete tasks through their expertise and they make things a little more comprehensible rather than reading instructions from a book.

Once we have completed these tasks, our report should include what was done and how our experience was with both programs. I hope to see both programs being of use in their own ways. Our paper and presentation should include all of the experiences compiled together. Either one of the BIM programs can be easier to use than the other, or both can have their own advantages in which we are investigating for.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2A8A1C3167E4A4E6


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfMt5IThYdU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEtQNnChG74

Comments:

Alexander Koo (link) - Virtual reality has certainly been on the fast track in recent years. With its recent rise in the gaming market, to now slowly being integrated into other services, it is exciting to see the development of such technology. I look forward to seeing what can be seen on how the technology is being developed for intelligent buildings. Being able to see 3D models live would be very cool to see.

Kerianne Vogler (link) - Lifecycles of buildings are very important, because not a lot of people who are outside of the business think about what else goes on after the building or structure is complete. They just see a building standing there and probably know some of the simpler things like air conditioning and what is holding the building up. I would like to see how much further BIM can go into getting the details of a building for more use in maintenance of it and hopefully being able to extend the life span of a structure.

Nick Pawlikowski (link) - I have never had experience in creating a database before. I know we are suppose to learn about creating a database during class, but it would be interesting to see how much more depth there is into creating a database. It would be cool to see how the database is integrated with Revit families, especially after our own Revit family assignment.

B3 - Group C - Andy Dinh - Possible future advantages of Revit/BIM

As we have seen through the few weeks so far from in class discussion and through research of our own, we can gather many advantages that Revit and other BIM software can already offer. compared to the days of hand drawings, Revit and other software offer much more accessibility to designing buildings and other structures without the need of such practice. This helps streamline projects more and allow for better turnarounds on design. Such simple tasks like drawing a straight line is made a lot easy without the need for needing a tool to keep your pencil straight. In the early days there are certainly kinks that needed to be worked out, but seeing how the technology has developed thus far gives high hopes to what the future can hold.

Time, as noted before, is a key factor in the turnaround of projects. There are always deadlines to meet, and the development of BIM is certainly helping reach those deadlines at a much better rate. Coordination and collaboration is a part of this as well. I believe that through better accessibility, even for owners and facility mangers, information on the design of the building can get to those who need it in a much more proficient way with greater ease. Not only is collaboration between those involved is important, but coordination between the user and the program or software is as important. Revit can already detect clashes within the design itself between objects. With adapting AI that has started to get better over the years, these clashes could possibly be fixed without needed human interaction, or at least what the recommended solutions are given for a problem that the user might run in to. Such solutions are already being worked on like ClashMEP [1].

Another future advantage we can look into is cost analysis. This topic can cover a wide variety of items, such as lighting, materials, energy use, and other items that play into how much a structure costs. Being able to gather and display how much everything will cost will help eliminate costly components for more sustainable alternatives. Also, having developing technology in covering maintenance requirements, and with the possible development of AI building maintenance, this technology can help mitigate both short term and long term costs. Different solutions can help solve different problems, so being able to collect all these solutions together and compare them in a much more efficient manner can help push things along.

References:

[1] Calvert, Neil. "10 Points and the Benefits of BIM." VDC and BIM Construction Blog. Synchro Software, 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. <http://blog.synchroltd.com/10-points-and-the-benefits-of-bim>.

[2] Digital School Technical Design College. "Advantages of Revit's Building Information Modeling." Digital School. Autodesk, 17 Oct. 2016. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. <http://digitalschool.ca/advantages-of-revits-building-information-modeling/>.

[3] Zeiger, Mimi. "The Future of BIM." Architect. N.p., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. <http://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/the-future-of-bim_o>.

Comments:

Arthur McCloskey (link): It was interesting being able to read your post and comparing what the other side thinks about Revit in the future. Your drawbacks that you posted certainly do have ground to it and make sense. We can already see how over reliant we are as a society on technology, even with technology outside of BIM like our evolving smartphones and social media and such. Hopefully, we can learn on how technology can help us innovate more rather than be hindered by it, but we will have to see what the future holds in store for us. Also, with ever evolving technology in most fields, I hope we have computers that can handle such demanding tasks from the software we use, but that depends on whether the computer or software has a leg up in development.

Zhijing Zheng (link): Seeing what current issues we have with BIM software was an insight into how it is perceived today. Many can say how much it has helped in a project, but some do not really give much on how it hinders certain aspects. The point that stood out to me from your post was about the cash flow involving the program. Seeing how fees are being lowered through the ease of what the program can provide is a little depressing. Hopefully there is a better demand for it later on that will increase interest, effectively increasing competitiveness and more proportional costs for the work demanded for.

Ray Powell (link): Reading your post about what current advantages we already have for BIM gives me more credence into what I hope to see for the future of BIM. BIM is advancing as much as it can, and being able to see how it has changed from my first involvement with it back in high school about 5 or 6 years ago, there is hope that BIM can stay on that track of rapid development or it may even evolve faster than the current rate it is going right now. It would be good to see the current advantages stay true in the future.

Week 3 - Group C - Future Advantages of Revit

Future Advantages of Revit

Possible future advantages of Revit include 3D printing full scale Revit models, energy analysis incorporation, robotic installation of HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical building components, increase project collaboration between different disciplines, fix clashes automatically using AI, better cost analysis, labor cost estimates using factors such as union rates, more user friendly API, embedded geotechnical surveying that can be imported, and inform the user of code violations.

Organizational/social changes that will come with BIM use

Less mistakes will arise on the construction site, shorter project design and construction times, require Revit experience, and engineers/architects will have a greater understanding of other discipline's roles in their projects.

B2 - Group C - Andy Dinh - BIM for Owners and Facility Managers (Chapter 4)

BIM software can offer many benefits to owners and facility managers to receive better overall higher quality buildings. The use of BIM can also provide buildings with better performance within their systems. Buildings will have different functions for different owners and managers, but BIM with its continual development allows for a wide range of building planning. With different people being able to collaborate on the same BIM model, it allows for better communication of ideas with less errors. With this reduction, project time and cost can also be reduced. BIM certainly is not for everyone, and it will take time for those who are new to it to learn, but the development of software and technology has certainly made it easier than it has been in the past. BIM can provide many benefits to building program through such areas as:

Performance of buildings: Use of lighting and energy based programs through BIM, building performance can increase overall with better accuracy through these programs. This will help in reducing costs overall through building efficiency and with better turn over time for projects.

Project Management: All the ideas and designs of the buildings are just as important as the building itself. As an owner or manager, having a small understanding of BIM technology can help communicate ideas between you and the designers. Better communication within projects can lead to shorten project schedules and a reduction in errors by knowing which owner and local code requirements to follow.

Reduction of costs: Money always plays a big part into any project. Projects can be stalled if not enough financial backing is provided. With more reliable cost estimates, owners can get better feedback on the design of the building which can allow for allocation of resources needed in other departments. Providing earlier feedback in the project's lifetime is very beneficial as well when decision making is needed on what is to be provided.

Information streamlining: As stated a few times above, communication is a pretty big factor. It is not just about communication between designers and constructors, but it is also as important to relay information to the owner or facility manager. This allows for the owners or managers to play a bigger role within the building industry, rather than being left to just handling typical problems like delays and quality issues. There are even tools specifically geared towards owners and facility managers to gather the information they are looking for.

References:

http://osp.mans.edu.eg/elbeltagi/Fac%202%20bim%20facility.pdf

http://www.mpwengineering.com/bim-benefits-for-owners/

http://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/www/solutions/bim/BIM_for_Owners.pdf

Comments:

Hayley Selden (link) - It was an interesting take to read about how BIM is for others involved in the building concept. There are definitely different advantages for contractors and owners through BIM software, especially through implementation. Owners know what they want out of a building versus contractors knowing what is possible to be built. Communication of these ideas and restrictions helps a project move along much more smoothly.

Maissoun Ksara (link) - Knowing how much parametric modeling has developed certainly puts a perspective on things. I like being able to see how modeling has developed over the years, allowing for more complex creations. Your listing of the pros and cons certainly highlights the advantages of such modeling techniques, and how beneficial it can be. Seeing how popular Revit has been among the industry (at least in my experience) really does show how much it has come along to help contractors.

Nick Pawlikowski (link) - Before this class, I had never really heard of the word interoperability. Things can be assumed of it based on what is within the word, but reading your post helped me gain a lot better insight as to what it stands for. Having the ability to give data across to others to work on a joint task is very useful, especially in our class with a focus in construction and buildings. The different formats companies have to work around with and how complex is has gotten with the development of newer software and technology does provide a challenge. Having the answer in using building model repositories is smart and hopefully this helps in reducing further issues that interoperability still has.

Andy Dinh - Week 2 In Class Blog Post

I think my project may end up dealing with robotics in construction. Robotics can prove to help with efficiency and productivity in the work field. This can help with quality of the projects along with consistency of quality for projects, no matter the shape and size of the building, although technology still needs to be developed to do so.

Group C - Week 2 Group Blog Post

Future Advances in Robotics, AI, and 3D Printing

We expect that in the next five to ten years AI would have the capability to recognize patterns and adapt to new workplace scenarios in an attempt to self improve similar to how algorithms are used with AI to play games. We also expect that robotics will become more widespread and cheaper. With the rise of STEM education we also expect that with more people knowing how to program, robotics and AI will be easier to implement into construction projects. 3D printing will also have more options in regards to materials and this will greatly increase the capabilities of 3D printing technology and it's place in construction. As autonomous vehicles become more prevalent, we expect that they may start delivering construction supplies to sites as well as doing site work such as grading and moving obstacles onsite.

Group C - Week 1 - Implications of intelligent buildings

Implications of intelligent buildings

Efficiency is increased by eliminating the need for menial labor force as much as possible.
Overall production cost may be reduced once the system becomes more affordable.
Less room for human error; work will become more precise and accurate
Timely completion of the project
Less overhead and provision required in construction

Andy Dinh - About Me

My name is Andy Dinh, currently a senior in civil engineering. My background in Intelligent Building is basically through the use of Revit. I have used this program multiple times throughout the the years for a variety of courses, mainly with designing some sort of building. My expectations for this class are already described by Prof. Mitchell. That is that what we get out of the class is the work we put into it as well, so I hope to be able to expand my knowledge quite a bit since I don’t have any real experience to call upon in regards to BIM.

My initial definition of what “Intelligent Building” means to me is what is involved in the building and construction of the building itself. An intelligent building will have gone through a construction process that uses the most efficient way possible. Also, for post construction, using the most efficient systems within the building itself for different requirements such as HVAC and others.

Names Placeholder Post for Labels, Tags

This post creates the first half of the last names of everyone as a label/tag in the class as of 1/4/2017.  I have to add in several posts because it’s limited by Blogger.