Database Managemant Systems

This week's required reading was on database management systems.  Even though our assignment was to focus on relational databases, this article was more general. It begins to talk about what a database is and how one works.  It also talked about the characteristics of a database and why they are used in different applications. It goes into how a database collects, uses, and manipulates data for the user and makes large about of data more manageable.
For my additional article I read "Is the Rational Database Doomed?" The purpose of this article is to discuss the possibility of relational databases being surpassed by a newer technology.  First it describes what a relational database it.  It is a group of entities, or tables as described in the article, that refer to each other for information through a query. The majority of the databases that are used today are relational database management systems (RDBMS) including Oracle, SQL Server, and MySQL just to name a few.  RDBMS are used so much because they are the best in simplicity, robustness, flexibility, performance, scalability, and compatibility.  All these advantages are in respect to the user but to make the databases this seamless each command could be very complex.  The problem with RDBMS comes when the number of people using the databases increase significantly the demand on the system also increases.  This may be too much for relational databases to handle.

BIM Part 2

The BIM handbook is a great reference for any BIM beginner.  The first half of chapter two was a great introduction into how BIM is structured.  The second half of the chapter discussed the different types of BIM applications which are on the market today, as well as a few oldies.  I found the discussion of the different BIM applications to be incredibly useful.  It outlined some basic strengths and weaknesses of some of the most popular BIM applications.  This comparison will allow me to anticipate possible errors when trying to convert files from one type to another.  One limitation of this handbook would be its relevance to present day BIM applications.  For example, the handbook discussed the strengths and weaknesses of Revit 9.1 which was released in 2006.  In five years, I'm sure the programs have been updated. 

BIM has many potential applications in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industries.  The first article I read (http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=2526918321&scaling=FULL&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&cfc=1&TS=1328045419&clientId=18133) discusses the role that BIM plays for facilities management.  The article is from the perspective of the building owner.  The article discusses the criteria an owner should expect from an accurate and useful BIM.  One key point is how the owner should define a clear set of criteria that he wants the model to perform within.  An owner should know that BIM can greatly improve a building’s energy efficiency by allowing greater control of HVAC systems.  However the potential savings should be compared against the overall cost of creating the model. For example, a laser scan of the current condition will accurately depict the in-place locations of components.  This allows for easy updating of the building and will introduce a high level of accuracy to the model, but it can be incredibly expensive depending on the building’s characteristics. Overall, an owner must also compare the time it takes to create the model to the level of detail that will produce a given output.  They must make sure that all costs of creating the model are included to make an informed decision.

The second article http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BCRC?srchtp=adv&c=1&ste=31&tbst=tsVS&tab=2&aca=nwmg&bConts=2&RNN=A241945047&docNum=A241945047&locID=drexel_main discusses the role that high definition laser scanning can play in building renovations.  The first building was a 35,000 sq ft college building that included a very complex HVAC system.  In order to accurately depict the HVAC system, the contracted enlisted the help of an engineering firm that specialized in laser scanning.  They estimated that without the scan, an accurate model of the HVAC system would have taken at least 2 months and cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Instead, the high def laser scan produced 5.5 BILLION points of information and took only ONE week to collect the data (an additional 2 weeks were spent detailing the 3-D model with colors, etc.).  This technique, in my opinion, is the future of building remodeling.  While the initial cost can be high, the payouts can be huge.

The future of BIM is barely on the horizon.  With each year’s version, BIM applications are reducing bugs and expanding their capabilities and this trend is likely to continue.  The capability of accurate models to predict cost savings will become important to owners as resources become more competitive.  Ideally, every new building should have a BIM included in the final product, but even without it, the use of high definition laser scanning will enable older buildings to reap the benefits of BIM.

Sensor Information in BIM

In addition to the required reading from the BIM Handbook, I also read Real Time Power Monitoring & Integration with BIM (link). The BIM Handbook provided valuable information about a survey of some of the different BIM products available currently. They primarily discussed Autodesk's Revit software and some of Bentley's various BIM tools. As expected each of the software packages discussed has its own unique strengths and weaknesses.  Adoption of BIM in the AEC industry by the entirety of a design team is still a growing method of project delivery.  The additional article I read deals with monitoring end-use detailed energy consumption data is provided for each load level. The process used to develop this is called Real Time Power Monitoring (RTPM) System.  This data can provide engineers with valuable usage data that can be critically important to maximizing energy. The article goes on to estimate energy consumption savings in the range of $470 per year for the average US household by reducing their energy consumption by around 15% to 31%. It is further estimated that if 1% of US households were to achieve such energy through this program, the equivalent energy conserved would be the same as taking 535,000 cars off the road. The program looks to include both occupancy and electricity load sensors into construction and then be able to integrate this into the BIM model that was created when the building was designed. Having internet capable sensors would allow this information to send to the model stored online. Both end users and engineers could then monitor and tweak the electricity usage.

This increasing of use of sensors into BIM models will allow for more intelligent buildings. The use of BIM for facilities management and operation allow for energy conservation. This is a service that will quickly be demanded by building owners due to the fact that they could acquire large utility savings through a relatively minimal capital investment at the start of a project.

BIM Reading - Week 4

            The BIM Handbook reading compares several different BIM design systems.  They are distinguished by user interface, drawing generation, ease of developing custom parametric objects, scalability, interoperability, extensibility, complex curved surface modeling, and multi-user environment.  The strengths and weaknesses of both well-known and uncommon systems are discussed.  More powerful tools require a steeper learning curve to unlock their full potential.  The user interface is perhaps the most important aspect of a design system because a more intuitive user interface reduces the learning curve.  

            I also read the article “BIM for Facilities Management” which discusses the integration of facilities management tools with different BIM products.  The article describes the history, capabilities, and case studies of the FM software.  FM:Interact is a suite of products that directly integrates with Revit to provide BIM data from the model to the facilities management and operations.  ArchiFM is another directly integrated tool, working with an ArchiCAD BIM model as a source for data and graphical reporting.  Bentley Facilities is a suite of products for different applications that features web-based integration for Bentley drawing and BIM products.  The Onuma System is a cloud-based tool for facilities management that keeps model and spreadsheet data neutral for use in different applications.  EcoDomus is another tool that can integrate with multiple BIM products, working with FM systems, BIM models, geographic information systems (GIS), and building automation systems (BAS).  The future of facilities management as projected in the article involves BIM models providing spatial, asset management, and maintenance information for facility managers from the start of the project.

            BIM for FM will be slow to grow, as BIM use in general has been slowly expanding, but the growth will accelerate in upcoming years.  Examples of successful applications of this technology include ArchiFM managing the building portfolio for Hungarian Oil Co. and EcoDomus integrating NASA’s existing asset management software with BIM for the new Langley headquarters.  Large clients including the General Services Administration (GSA) are pushing the capabilities of BIM for FM technology forward.  BIM is still not commonplace in design and construction, but when it becomes commonplace, BIM for FM technology will soon follow.  This technology will significantly improve building management by increasing efficiency and reducing waste.

Week 4 - BIM II

I like that the assigned reading mentioned user interface as an important part of an BIM model generating system. A good user interface goes a long way in any type of software. When I started the BIM model project for the class (which was my first experience with Revit) I was surprised with how well the interface was. I felt at home since it had such a similar layout to AutoCAD, which I think is a big plus for Revit. The section also mentioned interoperability, which I am sure will have a major impact in the widespread adoption of BIM as not compatible software and files makes BIM usage difficult. I  thought the last discussion question was a very good way to wrap up the chapter. Trying to chose which BIM model creation tool to use for your firm must be difficult. Each has its distinct advantages and disadvantages, but overall I think that share the same major disadvantage of no interoperability. Even if you chose the software your firm felt most comfortable using, there is no guarantee that that software will be still be in use long term, possibly even short term, due to unification of parametric modeling.

The first article I found during my own search called Building Information Modeling & Facility Management used a case study of the Sydney Opera House to look at BIM from a facility owner standpoint. BIM’s “digital repository of all building components” allows for a seamless compilation of building information needed for facility management and planning, making it much more useful than traditional construction documents. The opera house studied did not have accurate paper drawings so it was believed that the management of the building would benefit greatly from BIM. Its management also relied on multiple, incompatible systems for maintaining different aspects of the facility. A BIM model was commissioned to incorporate all maintenance, service and history records of all systems within the building as well as information on the relationship between all systems. The model was successfully constructed by designing a master model composed of multiple discipline specific sub-models. They also used IFCs to integrate information from facility management programs with Bentley (used for the BIM model). There were many benefits seen as a result of this model including the sharing of information between staff and contractors for facility maintenance and better budget management.

I then found an article from Autodesk titled BIM and Facilities Management. This article too looked at BIM from a facility owner’s view while addressing how interoperability issues prevent it from being used at its full potential. This article lays out how a facility owner can take advantage of all the software packages offered by Autodesk, including Revit, to make facility management as efficient as possible. The article greatly focuses on how the coordination of information between compatible programs allows for reliable and consistent data to be maintained and used in facility management.