Week 10 - AE 510 Reflection

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this course, but it sounded interesting and, like all Mitchell classes, enlightening to an aspect of buildings that I wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to.  I can honestly say that I enjoyed the class and learned a great deal. 

Over my past two co-ops, I dealt a lot with sensors/monitoring equipment, building programs, and networks/databases (specifically relating to sensors).  So right away, I could see the professional applications of the information we were researching and discussing during class. I think one thing I learned that really stuck with me is the application of sensors and their dependency on databases and networks.  Knowing how a database functions and stores/relates information is very useful when deciding what sensors to install in a building, how many, and what the information those sensors are recording is going to be used for.  I have always been very interested in emerging technologies, however, this class showed me how much of that technology is being incorporated into buildings in various ways.  

My favorite portion of the class was having the employees form software companies come to speak to the class.  Working for a software company is something I would like to do at some point in my career, and it was nice to hear form various levels of employees from the top engineering software companies. 

Comments:

Andrew Paladino: This was a, unique, way of describing the class.  I'm not entirely sure if you found the course helpful, however. 

 Brian Benson: Very well written, it seems like the topics we discussed really interested you.  

Week 7: Motion Sensors

Commercial buildings consume a vast amount of energy, and one way to reduce that is through the use of motion sensors.  In the simplest of explanations: motion sensors help buildings reduce their energy consumption by altering systems of occupancy, signaling them to turn on or off.  Occupancy information can be used to control various systems within a building: lighting, HVAC, computers, etc.  Passive infrared (PIR or PID) is the most common type of motion sensor found in buildings today.  PIR sensors work by detecting changes in infrared radiation and maps it against a predefined gradient.  This type of sensor has a low resolution: it has the ability to detect a change, but not specifics about the occupant.  This keeps costs low for both the physical sensor and the installation/maintenance costs.

Due to the inability for motion sensors to reliably communicate with other sensors, limited accuracy, and a lack of data collection capabilities, motion sensors are typically only used to control the lighting system.  The electrical consumption due to lighting can be upwards of 60% of the building’s total electrical use.  Occupancy sensors need to be able to sense movement in the room, so accurate calibration and placement within the room are a key aspect of them functioning properly. 

I think the accuracy and interaction between motion sensors will increase very rapidly due to the fact that sensors are becoming more powerful and cheaper – allowing more to be used and the data gathered and studied for further improvements.  The ability for systems to turn on and off automatically will greatly reduce the energy consumption of buildings.

Sources:

Melfi, Ryan; Rosenblum, Ben; Nordamn, Bruce; and Christensen, Ken, “Measuring Building Occupancy Using Existing Network Infrastructure.” IEEE, 2011.

Garg, Vishal and Bansal, N.K., “Smart occupancy sensors to reduce energy consumption,” Energy and Buildings, vol. 32, 2000, pp. 81-97.

Leephakpreeda, Thananchai, “Adaptive Occupancy-based Lighting Control via Grey Prediction.”  Energy and Buildings, vol. 40, 2005, pp. 881-886.

Comments on Other Blogs:

Audrey Ryan: Your post was extremely enlightening.  I like that you went through the different types of temperature sensors.  I am interested to see which type of sensor is used in different applications.

Ryan Taylor: I found it interesting how you thought about movement sensors: I was very narrow in my scope limiting my view on motion sensors to lighting control in rooms.  This is a great way to showcase how many different ways one type of sensor can be used.


Dave Barbalace: Do these seniors have the ability to interact with the HVAC unit to control the moisture or are they more used for alerting someone of the moisture level?  I think it is amazing that it is so small!  

Week 6: Database in the Construction Industry

The key to a successful construction firm is the ability to get jobs done on time and on budget.   A 1998 report by J. Egan addresses the importance a project manager has on the performance of the construction of a building.  While databases are ever improving, the concept of having all data pertaining to a project in a centralized location available to all stakeholders of the project holds true.  A major factor that has driven the need for the construction industry to improve and embrace the use of project management and BIM software is the complexity of projects (Alshawi).  Not only are project becoming more complex, but are having expedited construction schedules and tighter budgets. 

A few factors that Alshawi discusses in his 2003 paper on web-enabled project management are:

·      Lack of adequate communication

·      Lack of integration between project teams

·      Lack of integration in software

·      Lack of a standard process for project management

·      Lack of adequate project planning software

Although there have been great advances in the software for use in the construction industry, this list is still prevalent today as we have discussed in past posts and class discussions. 

Bentley, as discussed last week, is in a partnership that will allow for a searchable database of specifications accessible by construction firms.  Having a centralized, standard database for specifications would save significant amount of time in the construction industry.   The traditional method of specifications would be print outs in binders stored in the trailer on site.  The first step would be to, at the very least, computerize these files that would, at least, allow for a ‘search’ command to be performed.  However, Bentley is taking this one step further and making a web-based (cloud based) system; which would allow for instant updates to every team member and access anywhere there is an Internet connection on virtually any device.

The few papers I read on the topic were prior to 2008, when the construction industry was hesitant to move to computerized web-based managing systems/software.  I find it very enlighten to read older papers such as those that I referenced because it shows the progress the construction industry is making. 

References:

Alshawi, Mustafa, Ingirige, Bingunath.  "Web-enaabled project management  an emerging paradigm in construction." Automation in Construction, Elsevier. 2003.

Bentley, Spec-Wave. http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/SpecWave+Composer/

Egan, J. "Rethinking construction: report of the construction task force on the scope of rim proving the quality and efficiency of UK construction." London, 1998.

Cheung, S. et. al. "PPMS: a Web-based construction Porject Performance Monitoring System." Automation in Construction, Elsevier. 2004.

Comments on Others:

Mike Wright:
Mike, this was a great over view! I knew nothing about SQL and I think your post makes a good introduction/small history lesson. I find it interesting that this was standardized by two organizations. The Bentley guy last week commented on the fact that even though they are 'standardized' doesn't mean firms have to use them. Is that the case in with this?

Signe

Did you find any research that said how databases have improved the work done by design firms?  You reference BIM, what type of information can BIM store/how is that utilized specifically by the design firm, or is it information that will make the construction progress more efficiently, etc.?


Michael Kilgallon

I agree with Ivan, your post explained a relational database very well.  It is interesting to see how many different ways information has to be processed within a database and how different methods handle the data.

Term Project Idea - Does an Intelligent Building Inherently Make the Building Sustainable

Project Description:

For our term project we have teamed up to discuss if an "Intelligent Building Inherently Makes the Building Sustainable".  Looking at this topic will be interesting because both of these building descriptions, sustainable and intelligent, are still somewhat undefined by the industry.  While there have been many strides in the sustainability world to write standards on what makes a building sustainable these standards are still a little ambiguous and vary depending on what system you use to measure the sustainability (LEED, Green Globes).  The term, Intelligent buildings, has really just broken into the market in recent years and in doing so the exact definition is still rather vague.  Our paper will focus on first defining the standards for both sustainability and intelligence and then will look more into how the two work together.  We may find that some features we call intelligent today may actually not help the sustainability of the building.  Being such a vague topic we are going to have to do a lot of research to provide specific detailed examples and their individual comparisons.

We chose this topic because of our interest in sustainability and what new trends in intelligent buildings can do for sustainability.  This unique interplay of intelligent buildings and sustainable buildings lead to the discussion of how they impact each other and we decided we wanted to look into this in greater detail.


Outline:

Does an Intelligent Building Inherently Make the Building Sustainable

1. Introduction
1. Why we chose the topic/the need to discuss the topic
2. Background (brief history of the transition of buildings incorporating technology)
2. What Makes an Intelligent Building
1. Definition
1. Industry Definition
2. Public Perception
2. What systems are currently being used in intelligent buildings
3. What Makes a Sustainable Buildings
1. Definition
1. Industry Definition
2. Public Perception
3. LEED’s Definition (Benchmarking)
2. Systems that make a building sustainable
1. Major systems (electrical, water, HVAC/energy use)
4. How Do These Buildings Relate
1. What features of Intelligent buildings enhance the building’s sustainability
2. What features of Sustainable buildings need to be addressed with Intelligent features
5. How Can Intelligent Buildings Further the Sustainability Within Buildings
1. Future Technology
2. Where the Industry is Going
6. CONCLUSION
1. Do Intelligent buildings inherently make the building sustainable

Sources: The main portion of our paper will be how these buildings relate: the definition of the buildings will keep the scope of the paper narrowed enough to compare the two aspects.  These definitions will be a combination of our personal opinions, scholarly articles, and news articles (to get a public opinion).  The future technology will be any additionally information that we come across while researching and feel strongly enough about to warrant further research, but not included in the scope of this paper.