Course Reflection - Nick Pawlikowski

When I registered for this course, I was unsure of what I was getting into.  The course name Intelligent Buildings gave me the first impression that the course would be centered around case studies of buildings that have utilized advanced technologies to meet the needs of the owners, designers, and occupants.  I also assumed that we would be learning about these technologies and how to implement them.  While the course did fall short of my initial expectations, there is no denying that I have gained a significant amount of knowledge through it.

Part of my qualms with this course come from the nature of the course itself.  I understand the difficulties of building curriculum for teaching about the future of the AEC industry.  Any prediction or discussion of the future has to be taken with a heap of salt; the technologies that we are focusing on now (drones, 3D printing) may not end up being the innovation that shakes up the industry, and likewise a currently unknown technology may come out of nowhere and pivot the industry in a new, unpredictable direction.  I recognize the value of discussing the technologies that are currently at the forefront of innovation, even if the discussion is at a cursory level.  However, much of the discussion in this course covered topics that I already knew about, in a depth at which I was already quite familiar.  Many of the lectures in this course, especially those on 3D printing and BIM, seemed to provide the educational equivalent of reading a handful of tech articles.  The most I can say about the value I received from these lectures is simply an awareness of the technologies with no idea of how they are actually implemented in practice.

The greatest value I gained from this course is in the area of Databases.  I had not used MS Access or any type of database before, and now that this course has concluded I am capable of creating a working relational database from scratch.  I consider this a great value because I learned how to actually use database software, rather than simply knowing the theory of SQL and relational databases.  Moreover, the gap between knowing the theory of databases and knowing how to use databases is a significant chasm.  This leads me to assume that the gaps between the cursory knowledge we gained on other technologies and their implementation are similarly large.  No amount of self-directed learning would be sufficient to close the gaps in all these areas.  Although I recognize now that this course was meant to serve as an introduction to emerging technologies, I maintain that the value I gleaned from it was less than expected, and concentrated in only a few areas.

Finally, reading the posts of others makes me consider that the value of this course is relative to one's level of knowledge before the course, their expectations for the course, their academic position, and their professional interests.  While the course provided lower-than-expected value for me, I now recognize that it could provide exceptional value to others who's positions are different than my own.

COMMENTS:

On Aziz AlSaleem's Post:
Aziz, Your post provides some useful perspective for me after writing my post. For me, this course provided less knowledge than I expected, but for you it provided more than you expected.  This makes me consider that the value of this course can be great for some and less for others, depending on the knowledge that one had before the class began.  I also recognize that I may be privileged to have learned about many of the topics discussed before, and that may be why I perceived the value of the class to be lower than my expectations.

On Brandon Mengel's Post:
Brandon, my favorite part of this course was also the personal project.  I agree with you that the freedom given to pursue the project was beneficial, and for me it allowed me to take a deep dive into one particular subject and gain a significant amount of useful knowledge.  I also agree that BIM will most likely be the main driver of change in the AEC industry.  I also think that 3D printing will be used more in the industry, but I am skeptical that it will be as game-changing as some predict.  I am of the opinion that the majority of 3D printing will be reserved for constructing smaller, non-structural elements.

On Rachel Frank's Post:
Rachel, reading your post makes me consider how valuable this course can be to students who haven't chosen a concentration yet.  As a student in the structural concentration, I was looking for specifics about how the technologies discussed in the course are actually implemented in practice, alongside current methods of design.  However, your comment about how this is essentially the only course related to the digital building concentration that can be taken before one decided on their concentration makes me realize that this course could provide incredible value to those interested in pursuing the digital building concentration.

B5 - Abdullatif Alkandari - GroupC

ODBMS

Object-Oriented Database Management Systems (or ODBMS) supports the modeling and creation of data as objects and has the characteristics of polymorphism, inheritance and encapsulation to enable the storage of complex data. It is widely used to facilitate access and retrieval relevant to the archives of a corporation, and having such database systems enables users to modify and create objects faster and more conveniently than other systems.

Other types of databases like the Relational Database Management Systems, are used to support and maintain simple forms of data such as employee name, date of birth and other pieces of information that combine to create a profile. ODBMS on the other hand, are designed to handle more complex forms of data as they have the capacity to store media such as audio, video, CAD modules and Geographical Information Systems. This is because ODBMS combines object-oriented technology to provide integrated development systems.

            Due to these capabilities, ODBMS allow access to information at the object level in a sense that the required data is already configured and assembled ready to be used once it’s summoned. This gives it a huge advantage when compared with RDBS that tends to deal with data that is broken down into individual chunks which are much more useful once compiled together. Another benefit of having an ODBMS is that it takes advantage of the processing level of the client’s servers rather than depending on the typical network that can be significantly less effective.

            OODBMS have their own disadvantages due to the lack of awareness and experience for the typical user. The comprehension of the concept behind OODBMS is crucial to understanding how to work with such databases because they have specific characteristics that enables them to carry out complex tasks and dealing with huge chunks of data. And perhaps it will become more common knowledge as it continues to be more relevant overtime and more jobs will require experience with them.

Resources:

"What Is Object-oriented Database Management System (OODBMS or ODBMS)? 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>.

"Why Aren't OODBMS as Widespread as RDBMS?" Database - Why Aren't OODBMS as Widespread as RDBMS? - Stack Overflow. N.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2017.

<http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1350044/why-arent-oodbms-as-widespread-as-rdbms>

Comments:

Karianne Vogler: Your post on the use of databases in construction for cost estimates of materials and resources made me realize how important they can be to contractors and construction managers. It can make their job easier as they prepare to bid for a project or in adjusting the project budget if necessary in a convenient and time efficient matter. And the advantage that this type of database has as opposed to other databases is the fact that it is easier to understand and work with.

Ray Powell: I found your post about databases in design offices very informative and provided a clear understanding of how these systems work. The fact that it enables the designers to access the module which they wish to modify and add to the project makes both their and the architect’s job easier. It furthermore makes the components of the design more homogeneous since the entire team is working on the same database with their ability to adjust its details similar to the case with the Revit family feature.

Nick Pawlikowski: I enjoyed your Structured Query Language explanation because it was easy o grasp and it clearly shows the purpose behind it when IBM first developed it. Having a database that behaves as a mediator between the user and the information they’re trying to obtain is a brilliant idea that makes information gathering more convenient. Given the embedded codes, predictions and expressions in a SQL, more people can learn to deal with more complex databases like the Relational Database Management Systems due to SQL acting as a facilitator.

B5 - SQL Description and Benefits

SQL, which stands for Structured Query Language, is a programming language that is used to manage and interact with relational databases.  SQL was originally created by IBM in order to manage the data they stored in their database, System R.  Today it has grown into a vast baseline called SQL Standard, which is an extremely popular language used alongside databases.  Many vendors who design specific SQL solutions choose to include only parts of the behemoth SQL Standard in their permutations, which results in multiple SQL implementations that are different from one another.  SQL was adopted as an ANSI standard in 1986 and by ISO the following year.

SQL is based on a small number of language elements: clauses, expressions, predicates, queries, and statements.  Expressions are like formulas that can calculate scalar values and arrange them in data tables.  Queries are like questions you ask a database; you give it a criteria and it will search for and retrieve the corresponding data.  Statements are commands used to control a wide variety of aspects within databases very quickly.  Clauses are the pieces of code that structure queries and statements.  Predicates are conditions that can be put on queries and statements.

Databases are not just places in which data can be stored; they can also serve as a platform for data manipulation.  SQL provides the tools for users to modify their data through statements.  The statement INSERT is used to add new rows into a table.  UPDATE can modify information in existing tables.  DELETE removes rows from a table, and CREATE can define new tables entirely.  An example of an “UPDATE” command would be:

        

        UPDATE phonebook SET address = ‘North America” , phone = ‘+1 234 567 8910’ WHERE firstname = ‘Steve’ and lastname = ‘Buscemi’

This command updates the “phonebook” table, changing Steve Buscemi’s address column to North America and his phone number column to the new number.^[1]

Compared to other methods of organizing and managing data, databases combined with SQL contain natural and intuitive capabilities to perform complex and fast data analysis.  One of the most attractive qualities of SQL is its user-friendly statement structure, which allow it to be used by all types of users, not just those familiar with programming.  Although it is simple on its face, SQL provides the option for more savvy and experiences developers to get under the hood of the program and make changes and optimizations.  The language can also be extended to keep up with new challenges in the programming world.  Open source versions of SQL, such as MySQL, allow databases associated with SQL to be used at low to no cost, which is a tremendous incentive for  startups and other low-capital software ventures.^[2]

Comments:

On Maria Raggousis's Post: 

Maria,
I liked your statement example from Microsoft, specifically how it started with a very basic SELECT statement and built on top of it to structure a more complex statement from the original.  It really helped me contextualize what each of the parts of the complex statement meant and what their functions were.  I also liked how you tied our SQL topic back into the AEC industry through BIM.

On Maissoun Ksara's Post:
Maissoun,
I appreciated the relational database example and the images that went along with them.  I wrote my whole post on SQL, the language that interacts with relational databases, without fully knowing what a relational database was.  I found myself wondering what the "relational" part of the term meant and how it was actually implemented.  The simple example of poets and their works related using a numbered code allowed me to understand the term, and gave me an idea of how relational databases such as the one in the example would become complex as they scale up.

On Hayley Selden's Post:
Hayley,
I liked your summary of databases in the Construction industry, specifically how you broke up the topic into known uses and less common uses.  Like you mentioned, it's unsurprising that one of the most common uses for databases in the AEC industry is for estimating; ralational databases seem to be tailor-made for summation and pricing.  I did find it interesting that databases can be used to store information from legal contracts and documents.  Upon thinking about it longer, it does seem useful to have a repository of those types of documents on hand at a moment's notice.  I am also wondering what databases could be used for as technology in the AEC industry continues to develop.

Citations:

[1]       NTC Hosting. (2017). SQL (Structured Query Language). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://www.ntchosting.com/encyclopedia/databases/structured-query-language/

[2]       Systemantix LTD. (2016, August 11). 12 Benefits of (Structured Query Language). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://www.systematix.co.uk/12-benefits-of-sql-structured-query-language/

Week 5 Class Discussion - Group B - Opportunities in BIM

Opportunities in the Future of BIM

• Virtual Reality Building Modeling with simulation and real world & hand drawings turns into the computer model

• Scanning of 2D drawings and turning that in to a Computerized plan

• Specifications - the ability to create and edit specs based on Revit models

• Better interaction between modeling and analysis software

• Room scanner that doesn't just do geometry - identifies objects and models them automatically

• Glasses for construction workers that can show and tag items while they are on the site

B4 - Term Project: Revit Family Database

Project Description & Why it was Chosen:

My project has two main goals: the first is to create a database in Microsoft Access that houses Revit family parameter data, and the second is to create a function in Revit to programmatically generate new families (.rfa files) from the information if the database.  The database would contain all families that exist in a current Revit model, and can be used to perform inventories and cost estimates.  It would store the parameter values of each family and type in a tabular format which could be edited and synced with the Revit file to update the existing families.  Additionally, new families and types would be able to be generated from the database by inputting family parameters into the appropriate rows and calling a corresponding function in the Revit model.  The function would serve as an automated version of Revit’s family creation tools which pulls family data from the database in order to construct new families. 

I chose this project for several reasons, the first being that it would allow me to practice some programming, which I enjoy but do not get enough of in my curriculum.  The second reason is that the final products, a database that can compile family data and a script that can generate Revit families, seemed to be very useful tools that I and others would be able to make use of beyond the scope of this class.  I also chose this project because it will force me to become familiar with Revit’s API, which I know will be a valuable skill when I enter the workforce. 

Relation to Intelligent Buildings:

                This project is a combination of two central themes of this course: databases and BIM.  As was discussed in class, the future of intelligent buildings will almost certainly involve automation, of both construction and design.  My project serves to automate a small portion of the design process, specifically the modelling and editing of families in Revit.  Editing and creating families in Revit is a tedious process, and reducing it to entering information into a few boxes would increase productivity substantially. 

Challenges:

Some of the groundwork for this project has been laid by others.  Information can be exported and exported between Revit and various external databases via the Revit DB Link plugin.  Function calls already exist within the Revit API and Revit Python Shell that can generate new families programmatically.  The challenges would lie in creating the database, figuring out how to export and import only pertinent information to and from the database, and formatting the script so that family parameter values are drawn from the database.

The estimated order of tasks is as follows:  

1. Learn the basics of the Revit API
2. Learn the basics of MS Access
3. Learn how to export Revit Family data to MS Access
4. Learn how to edit family data in MS Access
5. Learn how to update existing families with altered parameters form database
6. Learn how to create a family programmatically using random values
7. Learn how to get information from outside Revit API in a script
8. Integrate family generation script with database import script
9. Learn how to perform computations for inventory and cost estimation in MS Access

Comments:

On Hayley Selden's post:
Hayley,  AI in homes is something I've been interested previously, and I've wondered what the home environment would look like 20 years or so in the future.  I'm eager to see what you come up with, specifically what aspects of the home environment should be optimized, what information should the AI provide to the resident and at what level of detail, and what choices the AI should be allowed to make for the resident.

On Drew Hovey's post:
Drew, the crossover between "Green" and "Intelligent" buildings is an interesting one that I have not considered much before.  We constantly hear in our classes, and in the media to an extent, about how the building industry is trending toward green building and that the future of the industry lies in intelligent buildings, but I haven't though much about how these two aspects match up.  Certainly the sensor and monitoring capabilities of intelligent buildings would further enable sustainable building design, construction, and operation, but to what extent?  I'm excited to read more about your topic as it develops.

On Maria Raggousis's post:
Maria, I think your and Rachel's approach to this topic is solid.  I think that segmenting the topic in to robotics in construction vs robotics in homes (or in operation) is the way to go since the applications are very different.  I too had trouble believing that robots would be able to take over many tasks is the construction industry, and still remain somewhat skeptical.  I am eager for your paper to potentially convince me otherwise!

Nick Pawlikowski - B3 - The Problems with Revit/BIM Today

The adoption of BIM into the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry has resulted in a multitude of a benefits, but nevertheless challenges and difficulties still exist.  As BIM has been adopted further, clients that were used to a traditional architecture or engineering workflow suddenly see increases in fees at the beginning of a project.  This is because programs like Revit requires a heavy amount of up-front work to get the model to completion before calculations can be run or drawings can be produced from it.  According to Kelvin Donaldson, director of the UK architecture firm Gilberts, this is a problem because many clients are not willing to put forth the increased fees required to spend time producing a complete BIM model at the beginning of a project.  They may fail to see the value associated with the increased cost, and may just regard BIM as unnecessary complexity.

However, these such clients often forget that early implementation of BIM means less confusion and more efficiency in the later stages of the project, resulting in substantially lowered costs.  To solve this issue, Donaldson recommends that the benefits of BIM should be demonstrated to the client as early in the project as possible, and the billing process should be restructured to better align with the modern BIM-oriented workflow. ^[1]

Another problem that stifles adoption of BIM is its demand for improved hardware and software.  The high computer specifications required to run BIM efficiently put a heavy hardware demand on firms, especially smaller ones where the cost of adopting BIM may be greater than the return on investment of adoption because of the scale at which they work.  In terms of software, the annualized upgrades of BIM programs like Revit mean that firms must constantly update and become reacquainted with the new version.  If there are substantial changes, it may take firms 3-6 months to make efficient use of the new version, leaving them with less time before the next version comes out to operate at maximum efficiency.

To mitigate the inefficiencies that accompany continual software iteration, BIM software companies would be wise to limit upgrade rollouts to biannual releases at most, and with minimal changes to the program’s user interface so that users do not get lost in a sea of new changes.

COMMENTS:

On Drew Hovey's Post:
Drew, I thought that the legal issues with BIM that you raised were particularly interesting.  The problem of ownership of the model at the completion of a project is a bit of a puzzler.  I can see it becoming especially complicated if BIM becomes further used for operation and management of buildings.  If the model needs to be used continually over a building's lifetime, how should the ownership of the model be shared between owner, designer, and manager?  It will be interesting to see how these issues are addressed as the industry moves forward with its adoption of BIM.

On Joseph Chaudhari's Post:
Joseph, I thought your comment on BIM becoming too advanced was particularly interesting.  I agree that it's not a huge leap to say that BIM might become too user friendly, given the rate of software and AI development in other industries.  A danger that could emerge is that the programs become so comprehensive that little room for engineering judgement is left, and fewer checks and balances exist to make sure what the program is doing is accurate and safe.  Hopefully the developers of BIM keep this potential problem in mind as they expand of BIM's capabilities.

On Brandon Mengel's Post:
Brandon, you mentioned a problem with Revit that I ended up omitting from my post: the steep learning curve.  I think that's one of the biggest obstacles to the adoption of BIM in the industry.  During my previous two co-ops I worked for a firm that didn't use revit to generate construction drawings (only AutoCAD) and one that did, so I got to experience the different workflows firsthand.  The Revit workflow for drawing generation is much more complex than the AutoCAD workflow.  It took me my entire six months of co-op to become efficient with revit, and I'm still not proficient.  Not only do users have to learn a new program interface; Revit is also littered with small problems and nuances that make creating a readable construction document painstaking and downright frustrating at times, compared to AutoCAD where you can get what you want to appear on the drawing by simply drawing the lines.  I agree that better tutorials and help functions in revit would help speed up adoption of the software and flatten the learning curve substantially.

CITATIONS:

[1]          Donaldson, Kelvin. "The Problem With Revit." Web log post. N.p., 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2017. http://www.augiuk.co.uk/index.php/articles/17-articles/31-the-problem-with-revit

Week 3 Class Discussion - Group B - Current Problems with Revit/BIM

We have discussed many current problems with Revit and BIM modeling based on our experiences.

Firstly, just as Kayleigh mentioned, he Phasing of projects has very little capability without making new models. It can get tedious and hard to make sure you are not interfering work between each construction phase.

Another problem that we have observed is that the file size can become very large very quickly and the computers cannot handle those files. Revit Models frequently crash and lag behind - this is both an issue in compressability and the massive amount of information in the model. It would appear that the code is not optimized and is hard on your graphics card to handle.

The next problem we discussed is that we notice the Electrical Engineering field has not had attention in the BIM - it is hard to model because of all the components and there are not these quick fixes that we may see in MEP models. Turning the 3D model in to a 2D CAD printed drawing to be used in construction is also sometimes difficult - lines don't translate as well as symbols do and there is this "double" work that technicians are doing, one for the 3D and one for the 2D.

We also feel that it takes longer to understand the Revit model - it takes more time to set it up in the beginning of the project and may come more easily at the end. Because it is so powerful, there are so many features and it is complicated - so balancing an easy user experience to the capabilities could be improved.

Nick Pawlikowski - Interoperability

In its most general sense, interoperability is the ability to pass data between applications so that the applications can work jointly on a single task.  Interoperability can be achieved in part by standardization of file formats.  An early example is IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification).  NASA told the CAD companies it had been working with to develop a standard format to make translation between their applications easier.  The result was IGES, a “middle ground” format that all companies were able to import, export, use and exchange, rather than creating translators for every companies’ proprietary formats.

The diverse nature of the AEC industry and the applications that exist within it demand interoperability to ensure effective collaborative design, planning, and construction.  There are four methods of data exchange in BIM: Direct proprietary links, Proprietary exchange formats, public product data, and XML-based exchange formats.  Direct links provide direct connection between two applications, and rely on middleware software interfaces.  They can have better support for files being exchanged, but are the product of and thus require a business agreement between two companies, and the exchange lasts only as long as the agreement does.

Proprietary file exchange formats are developed by a company to interface outside data formats with that company’s application.  Many are text format, a well-known example beign DXF (Drawing eXchange Format).  They are designed to address specific capabilities needed by the company that created them.  Public product data model exchange formats are designed as an open-standard building model that allows companies to utilize applications jointly beyond what would be provided by any single software company’s specific proprietary method.  Interoperability on this level is critical for projects with large, diverse teams that utilize a variety of software programs with their own data formats.  An example is IFC (Industry Foundation Class), which carries object and material properties, as well as the relationships between objects and geometries.  XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is an extension to HTML.  Exchange formats that are based on XML allow different data structures (called schemas) to exchange many types of data formats between applications. 

As new building system models were being developed (such as for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems), new standards were needed.  The International Standards Organization (ISO) launched committees to develop STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data), which was based on a few defining principles, such as the development of machine-readable language instead of a traditional file format and the reference of sub-models that are made as subsets of larger, standard models for generic classification.  The ISO-STEP initiative culminated in the creation of the EXPRESS language, which utilized an object-oriented programming.

Many data models used today, including IFC, are based on the EXPRESS language.  The International Alliance for Interoperability has been pushing IFC as a neutral product model for applications in the AEC industry.  IFCs are designed to provide standard data models of building information to allow for exchange between various applications, through the entire lifecycle of a building.  They are designed in a “framework” model; they provide broad, general definitions of object elements from which more detailed models can be developed for specific workflows.  For example, the standard “geometry” framework entity can be specified as a wall, floor, or other sub-entities.  A specific building element is specified in a tree format, with each “branch” holding properties and relationship specific to that branch. 

In IFC data exchange scenarios, modeling information needs to be transferred from a source application to a receiving application.  An export translator within a source application extracts the data and assigns it to the relevant IFC entity classes.  The entity data are mapped from IFC objects to a text file format, which is received by the receiving application and interpreted by the import translator in terms of the IFC objects represented by the text.  The import translator writes the data from the IFC objects into its own data structure.  IFC viewers can be used to access the IFC object data directly.  Specific IFC Views can be developed by companies to interpret IFC object data and integrate it into their own applications.

                As IFC becomes more automated and widely used, the rigor of building model creation and review will need to become more stringent.  Models of all stages of design will need to be checked carefully for accuracy before hand-off to another team to ensure bad data is not transferred.  A new version of the IFC data model standard is released every two years, hich resolves issues and improves upon features in the previous versions.  IFC views will be developed further to include extensive testing to ensure reliability before their release and use in the AEC industry. 

An alternative to IFC is the use of XML schemas.  HTML uses tags to specify the type data that is being transmitted.  The XML extension allows for user defined tags, and therefore user-created schemas.  A few XML schemas that have been developed for the AEC industry are OGC, which deals with geographic information, gbXML, which handles green building information, and aecXML, which represents contract and specification documents, RFIs and RFPs, and other administrative resources. 

Web-based formats such as DWF and PDF to not address the interoperability issues supported by platforms such as IFC and XML, but they are a good way to publish building information for review.  Web-based formats can be generic for basic viewing purposes, or have embedded views of project information which contains non-editable object meta-data.

                Management of file versions is becoming increasingly complex and challenging as they support more and more applications.  An alternative to these file formats are building model repositories, which are database systems based on a published object-based format that allows query, transfer, updates, and management of project information from different applications.  In basic terms, instead of passing a file between applications over and over, all applications draw from and modify the same “pool” of building data.  Repositories are expected to be important for dataset preparation for such processes as energy analysis, building material tabulation, and building operation and management. 

Significant improvements to interoperability have been managed in the past few decades, but there are many issues that are still left to be resolved.  Only a few exchanges allow editing, most are just for viewing.  However, all BIM tools now support IFC in ways that allow basic exchanges to be made with good completeness and accuracy.  The figure below presents the current formats common in the AEC industry and their relative geometries and structure:

COMMENTS:

(On Drew Hovey's Post)
Drew, I think your CFD example explains the concept of parametric modeling well.  In general i think that parametric modelling is a great method of quickly iterating on a design to discover the best option.  Your mention of the different branches of Revit (Architecture, Structure, and MEP) relate to the interoperability chapter of the BIM handbook that I read.  I think that breaking up the Revit software into different sectors allows for the workflows that are specific to a particular sector to be performed with efficiency, and because each branch of Revit is based on common entities, the different sectors can by synced and compared with relative ease. 

(On Peter Dannemann's Post)
Peter, reading your post made me aware of a benefit of BIM that I had not thought about deeply before. I knew BIM was a powerful tool for designers, but your mention of BIM's ability to better inform owners of the state of their projects made me think more about how people other than designers could use BIM to their advantage. I am wondering if extensions or independent software exists that can calculate the cost of a change in design at certain stages in the construction process; that would be use useful tool for owners, contractors, and designers alike.

(On Ronald Herazo's Post)
Ronald, I really enjoyed reading about the advent of 3D computer graphics.  The chapter of the BIM Handbook I read (chapter 3) touched on the Boolean operations that allowed the initial creation of shapes, but you went more in-depth which I appreciate and enjoyed reading.  I would be willing to bet that these same operations, coupled with parametric design, allow the easy creation of families in Revit, such as the combination of a rectangular prism and several cylinders to create a pile / pile cap assembly (which I have had the pleasure of doing many times during my previous co-op).  

CITATIONS:

All information in this blog post was gathered from the BIM Handbook, Chapter 3 – Interoperability:

Eastman, C., Teicholz, P., Sacks, R., & Liston, K. (2008). BIM Handbook. Pages 65-91. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Retrieved January 21, 2017.

Week 2 - Term Project Initial Ideas

I think it would be interesting to research the intersections between AI, BIM, and sensors in the design, construction, and operation of buildings for my term project.  To me it seems that there are many areas in the AEC industry where an innovation in one technology would have an effect on the others if implemented jointly.

Group B - Week 2 In Class Discussion

Today our group came together to make a prediction of what we believe is going to be the most impacted in intelligent building design within the next 5 or 10 years. Our main focus of our discussion was to discuss the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the operation and construction of structures. We also concluded that the use of BIM software in line with AI could be beneficial in referencing repetitive circumstances that would not be cost efficient to the project. While it's already minimally implemented in some BIM software, we believe within the next 5 years this same software would be able to give the user more automated information to cut costs and improve design. The software would dramatically improve circumstances.  Next, we believe the future of construction is based on 3D printing and more customized materials, shapes, sizes. Within the next 10 years, we concluded 3D printing could certainly become advanced enough to implement this less expensive and cumbersome form of design in construction with numerous options for owners and designers to choose from.

Assignment B1 - Group B - Nick Pawlikowski

From 2007 to 2012, BIM adoption in North America jumped from 28% to 71%, and contractors are adopting BIM faster than Architects, according to a BIM SmartMarket report by McGraw Hill Construction. ^[1] Contractors that adopted BIM at a deeper level saw a better return on investment from their initial adoption.  They also cited reduced errors and omissions and reduced rework as major project benefits of BIM adoption.  It was concluded in the report that contractors will continue to drive BIM innovation, as opposed to architects or engineers.  McGraw Hill suggested that contractors should pursue new technologies in order to increase the value of their BIM investment, as well as to push the industry forward.  BIM helped contractors to improve project efficiency through increased collaboration, standardization of deliverables and refining workflows that could be repeated from project to project.  Currently, contractors see the next innovation lying in ways to bring BIM models to the field through mobile platforms.  Many in the building industry are also interested in ways to integrate BIM with 3D printing technology.

At its most basic, 3D printing is a manufacturing process where material is applied in layers to form a 3D object.  This is known as an additive process.  Several types of 3D printing have been developed that use different materials and methods of printing.  Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a process by which hot thermoplastic is extruded out of a nozzle into layers to form a 3D object.  Stereolithography uses UV lasers to solidify layers of photopolymer, a liquid that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light.  Multi-jet modeling uses spray binder to bond layers of powder together into a 3D object, and can support multiple colors of powder for manufacturing multicolored objects. ^[2] 

3D printing has largely been used as a rapid prototyping method and not for mass manufacturing.  However, this is starting to change.  Some parts for tools, toys, cars and airplanes are manufactured using 3D printing.  Medical components such as prosthetics can also be made using 3D printing.  Electronic circuits can be printed in 3D into rigid or flexible configurations.  Some of the anticipated future innovations in 3D printing include printed electronics from plans, printing tissue and organs for medical use, and printing building components.

In the practice of Architecture, 3D printing is widely used to make models but not extensively used to construct buildings.  However, Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill has been investigating 3D printing for use in the building industry, and has shown their interest by completing the Additive Manufacturing and Integrated Energy demonstration project, a building constructed primarily with parts made from additive manufacturing.  One of the biggest benefits of 3D printing the structure was the tight integration of its enclosure and structural components, leading to very efficient use of material.  Arup is also investigating additive manufacturing.  The company used 3D printing combined with structural analysis and parametric modelling to create “nodes” that connected members of a tensegrity structure.  At the end of the design process, the final node was 75% lighter and half the height of the conventionally fabricated node they started with.  Arup demonstrated that 3D printing can help firms make for efficient use of materials when designing structural components. ^[3]

Todd Desmarais, a director at Gensler, predicts that the technology to construct a fully 3D printed building is at least a decade away.  However, in the meantime additive manufacturing can solve a variety of problems and inefficiencies that occur in the building industry.

An exciting example of 3D printing of structures has occurred not in the States, but in Europe.  An Amsterdam based 3D printing company, MX3D, has teamed up with designer Joris Laarman to design and construct a steel bridge in the heart of Amsterdam.  MX3D developed a multi-axis robotic 3D printer that can form structural steel components in midair, as well as forming support structures for itself so it can operate continuously.  The 3D printer welds small increments of fast-setting steel to previous increments to create strong structures quickly in an additive method.  Laarman believes that this method draws nearer to the future of building structures digitally and locally. ^[4]

This method provides insight on the problem with 3D printing in construction of having to set up and move supports for 3D printers.  In the future, perhaps the 3D printers will begin on the ground and create their own scaffolding as they need to during construction.

In Egla Qori's blog post, she mentioned that the 3D printing of concrete for building construction has begun to be experimented with.  She said that its innovative method of forming concrete allowed the creation of shapes difficult to achieve with typical formwork construction, such as curved structures.  This led me to think about how innovations in 3D printing could lead to the imaginations of artists and architects being translated to the actual built product more easily, and unique architectural forms could become more prevalent and accessible.

Reading Maria Raggousis' blog post on the advantages of BIM made me realize that I had skimmed over what is perhaps the most obvious benefit of BIM: the ease of collaboration and synchronization of the design process across disciplines.  For example, when I was a structural engineering co-op at EwingCole, I witnessed the introduction of a workflow that took the Revit models of the Architecture, Structural, and MEP departments and laid them on top of one another in order to run a clash detection program.  From the very beginning of the modelling process to the finalization of construction documents, meetings were held where the clash detection results were analyzed and members of each department discussed how to resolve the clashes in the best way.

While reading Maissoun Ksara's blog post about masonry-laying drones and having Maria's post on BIM fresh in my mind, I began thinking about how future innovations in BIM could involve internalizing various construction methods in the BIM code in such a way that, as a building model is refined, the optimal methods of construction could be specified and communicated to the contractor.  For example, if a masonry wall is modeled in BIM, the program could analyze it, determine if it is able to be constructed via drones, and create a pattern file of the wall that can be used directly by the drones in the field.  This kind of consistency across design and construction software could tighten the workflow required for burgeoning construction methods like bricklaying drones.

CITATIONS:

[1]       Bottari, T. (2014, January 23). The Global State of BIM: Current Market Data [Web log post]. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from https://www.aconex.com/blogs/2014/01/global-state-of-bim-construction-market-data.html

[2]       Hoffman, T. (2016, January 04). 3D Printing: What You Need to Know. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2394720,00.asp

[3]       Gonchar, J. (2016, May 1). Continuing Education: 3-D Printing. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from http://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/11652--d-printing

[4]       Starr, M. (2015, June 15). Gravity-defying 3D printer to print bridge over water in Amsterdam. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from https://www.cnet.com/news/gravity-defying-3d-printer-to-print-bridge-over-water-in-amsterdam/

B Team

We do not believe automation advancements in the construction process will be implemented in the very near future (approx.30-40 years) because of current technological innovations, expenses, and social aspects.  However, advancements in the design process will most likely be quick to advance; some advancements are already being seen today.

Nick Pawlikowski - Background

During my previous co-op I used Revit Structural to perform various tasks associated with building design, including modelling building structures, creating families and editing databases.  I have also done some light data analysis in some of my previous classes.

In this course I expect to learn about current and future methods of designing and constructing buildings more efficiently and effectively using advancements in BIM, AI, and networks, as well as how these advancements allow the buildings themselves to better perform their functions.

My definition of an "Intelligent Building" would be a building or design process that is integrated with contemporary and burgeoning technology that allows it to be more effective.

Names Placeholder Post for Labels, Tags -2

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