Week-10 Presentations

In the last class each group/individual will have prepared a presentation on their term project kusing PowerPoint. These presentations will be no more than eight minutes long and will have been submitted to VistaBB in advance.

Each topic-group will bring five copies of their PowerPoint slides (4 or six per page is economical) to share with the rest of their class group.
Because there are sixteen groups we cannot hear all of them.  The process we’ll follow, therefore, is to initially split into five class groups.

Group	Teams - See PDF for Topic and Members
A - BIM	5, 8, 12,14, 16
B - Green & BIM	2, 3, 4
C - Green & BIM	7, 9, 15
D - Sensors	6, 13, 18
E - Varied	10, 11, 17

The role of these class groups is to:

• Review the slides and hear a brief description from the others in their group.
• Decide which of them will present to the whole class – for an extra-credit point.
• Be prepared to tell the class about other interesting things they learned in the discussion.

The balance of the class will be devoted to the the five presentations by the chosen individuals/groups.

• Eight minutes long
• Five minutes of discussion after the presentation 

CadLab Class Meeting Place This Week 3/6/2012

We're going to do some work in class this week that will be best performed with access to computers.  For that reason we'll be meeting in the CadLab (CAT-167a) at the regular time.

What we'll be doing is looking at the application of the technologies we've discussed in this class throughout the term in more detail to the design and operation of a building throughout its lifespan.  In essence we'll attempt to be much more specific and look further into the future.

I will be taking attendance at this class.

A2b - Databases - Grading Comments

The grading is complete for all A2b submissions except those who received an extension.  Overall most people did well, though some comments are worth making.

• Links
• Those of you who just followed the tutorial had no problems with links.  Those who struck off on their own (admirable) had more problems.  The subject of the different kinds of links and how to make them is not intuitive for most of people, myself included.  It takes work and mistakes, and does eventually come clear.
• Dropdown Boxes
• I didn't want to make dropdown boxes required because it was one more layer of complexity.  Nonetheless they are almost essential in practice for data entry into forms.  One creates them using a "Combo Box".  There are reasonable explanations in the help files.  Without them one has to keep referring to other views (tables or queries) to determine what is the appropriate ID #.
• Extending Access
• As my comments about links and dropdown boxes indicate, to become a proficient database users takes considerable work.  
• Planning initially is extraordinarily important.
• Learning to import data is very helpful - one person did so.
• There are multiple types of queries, many of which are very helpful.
• To get really proficient you need to learn to use VBA - the programming language (:
• Sensor Information
• As I said in my comments to many of you, one of the purposes of this assignment was to give you a gut sense that picking the right sensor isn't as easy a process as one might think.  Manufacturers very often don't provide the information you know is important.  Tracking that down can be a pain and sometimes impossible.  In a work situation, a call to the representative is often the best solution.
• A related issue is how you set up your sensor information table.  Most of you had only a few fields in it.  In fact there's no problem in having many fields, with only a few fields being appropriate to each sensor type.  You can generate good reports by using a query that displays on the relevant fields.  You can also write queries that concatenate info from different fields or leave it blank if there's nothing in a field.
• Sensor Characteristics by Building System
• No one really tackled the criteria addressing whether there were differences between sensors by building system (structure, HVAC) etc.  The kinds of things that might have been addressed here are comments on:
• Size
• Ease of installation
• Appropriate frequency of measurement
• Other Databases
• There are many databases available - I used Access because you all have it with Office (though in future that won't be true thanks to Microsoft's business relationship with Drexel).
• My own favorite (Mac and PC) is FileMaker.  Unfortunately it's expensive, an expense I've found worthwhile because I do so many things with DB.
• Open Office (I prefer the LibreOffice version) has a free DB modeled on Access, but it's been buggy for years and doesn't operate the same way.  The latest LO version seemed pretty good to me when I tested a week ago, though it has some different interface design approaches.

A2b–Detailed Access/Query Question

Question:

In class last Tuesday, we created a list of many, many sensor "fields", and then broke them down based on major characteristics, including Physical properties, Measurements, Communication, etc... I know you said that we would not need to include all of these, and at this point, it is not my intention to. However; I have a question regarding how I might go about including a significant number of them. Hopefully I can explain it clearly enough that you have some context...
My intention is to have one 'Main' sensor table, with Primary Key, Manufacturer, Model, Cost, Parameter Measured, Output Units, Sensor Comments, Date of Installation and Specifications (a link to URL). In addition, I would like to have other tables showing: physical characteristics, additional measurement characteristics, communication, time, power, of each sensor. Each separate table would be comprised of 'fields' relating to those specific characteristics.
Now my question is: what is the best/appropriate way to do this? I have identified two ways that this might be done, but I am not sure which or if either would work:
1. 1 Query -> Multiple Tables
If I create these multiple tables, and then one query (and subsequent form) where I enter the data for every field of each sensor as I enter it into the database, will this in turn populate the tables with the information that each requires (so long as the necessary relationships exist)? I tried to do a simplified case of this, using players for a sports roster, broken down into the positions that they played. I entered all the players, such that each had a Primary Key, and also attached to them a Position Key, both of which were linked to the separate tables for position. However, when I entered all the players, it didn't populate any of the position tables. So this didn't seem to work, though I am not 100% certain that I did it correctly, so I don't want to rule it out completely.
2. 1 Table Filled By Multiple Queries
This was what my initial thinking was. It seems to make sense based on my somewhat still limited understanding of what the query actually does. Logically, if I have one table with all the information for each sensor, then I can have a individual sub-queries that provide specific packets of information, corresponding to the distinct categories we identified (physical, power, time, etc...). However, my experience with Access tells me that the table/tables are populated by information that you manually enter through a form, which is often linked to a query. In this case, for each characteristic query (physical, measurement, power, etc...) to populate column values in the Sensor Table, it will need to be related to that table by a "Key Sensor - Sensor ID" relationship. But wont this create issue if I call out Sensor ID in potential 3, 4 or 5 different queries? Or is database smart enough to take the information from each query and attach it to the correct column places in the Sensor Table.
My biggest confusion I think is my lack of strong grasp of what the query does. It seems to me that this is the mechanism that populates the tables in the database. But logic suggest that they would be how you can request specific groups of information, like Measurement, Sensor, Room, Building or Building, Date, Sensor Type, all corresponding measurements. If the later is true, then that suggests the 2nd option above would be the best, since I am creating queries based on what groupings of information I would like to gather from my database. On the other hand, though, if I am using these queries to populate the database, wont I run into issues of overlap and frustration (overlap wont actually occur since referential integrity would restrict it)?

 

Response:

I’m answering rapidly without having read every word of you question, in order to get something off early.

A query is PRIMARILY a method of drawing together from a carefully thought-through set of tables. Yes, it can do important other things such as updating records, deleting and appending them, but you always start with the tables.

What I think would address your approach is the following, which is what I showed in class using the FreeMind diagram of table relationships.

To be thorough you need two tables for sensors (minimum)

#1 has the information for all sensors of that type – model number, electrical power…. – Primary Key IDSensorType

#2 has the information for a specific instance of a sensor – e.g. the one in building #3, room 342, northwest wall – Primary Key IDSensorInstance + Foreign Key IDSensorType

#2 is linked to number #1 via the ForeignKey as a many-to one-relationship

You CAN have multiple table linked through 1:1 relationships that break a big table into multiple smaller ones, but for our purposes there really isn’t any need to do so.

If you set things up this way and get your links working properly, then a query can display information from ALL the linked tables simultaneously. Putting information into that query in each field will put information into the appropriate fields automatically.

A2b–Required Sensor Information

Question:

I am looking up sensor information to put into my database and, as you said in class, there is a lot of information that is not available on the manufacturer's website. Do we need to find sensors and manufacturers that give us ALL the information to fill in our fields in our database? or can we indicate in some way that this information was not available in some cases?

 

Response:

You do NOT need to find sensors that have all the information – that’s quite likely impossible.  Leave blank the info you cannot find or put in something like “unavailable”.  What these gaps will illustrate is how difficult it is to find the “right” information.

P3–Term Project Draft–Comments

I’ve completed the grading of the term project drafts. 

• For those who provided Word documents I returned the marked-up draft with my comments at the end, and often pasted into the VBB comment box if they weren’t too long. 
• For those who submitted as PDF, I only pasted my comments into the text box of the grading form.

Overall Comments

A few students took a specific idea and pursued it in depth, providing information about the sources and drawing a specific conclusion(s). 

A number of you, however, had problems that I identified in the comments, with at least one suggestion of how to correct the problem.  The kinds of problems I identified included:

• Staying far too general in what you’re saying.  In several cases the papers read as though they could have been prepared without the benefit of anything we’ve discussed in this course.
• Not developing a logical argument leading to a conclusion.  It’s important that your paper first identify and then develop an idea, providing supporting (or sometimes contradicting) evidence for it.
• Not providing evidence for your assertions, either experimental or citations of sources.
• Not taking seriously into account the material that we’ve addressed in this course so far.  This was particularly important for those dealing with BIM issues.  Some of the papers read as though you’d had no experience with BIM and were just reciting manufacturer’s claims.

For those of you addressing the implementation of an “Intelligent Building” in some way I would have hoped that you’d consider the definition that I gave early in the course.  Only one group did so.  It’s not that you have to agree with my definition, it’s that it exists and should be considered, if only to be rejected.

A2b–Sensor Types

Question:

For the sensor entries, are we entering specific sensors? For example, the manufacturer name and model number of the sensor. Or are we just entering genres of sensors, i.e thermocouples or infrared laser?

Response:

Specific sensors with as much information as possible about manufacturer, characteristics, etc.

A2b - Building Systems Question

Question
I was looking over the rubric and noticed a section regarding the sensors addressing the building systems. I could find no further explanation of this in the assignment details. Is this referring to sensor fields that address the building systems being monitored by the sensing device?


Response
My intention is that the types of sensors you choose address the needs of the different building systems:  Structures, HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing etc.

P3, P4 Paper Formatting

Question

I was wondering if our paper should be formatted as a formal research paper or is this more user defined.

Answer

What I care about is that you’re clear, organized and thorough.  That includes citing references and being careful to put in quotes any words taken from another source, including something you’ve written for another purpose (e.g. Senior Design document).  A bibliography is appropriate.

I guess that adds up to a research paper, but the specific format is not critical.

A2a & A2b Clarification on Requirements

I discovered today that I was inconsistent in what I asked for A2a.  The grading form expected a word document describing what you'd done and problems you have, but that was not made explicit in the assignment itself or in what I said yesterday in a blog post.  I'll stick with the lesser requirement this year.  You do not need to provide a Word document for A2a,  everyone who turns in the assignment will get those points automatically.

Today I updated the assignment to reflect this clarification.  I also made it explicit that I do expect a word document for A2b. I also updated the grading form for A2b to reflect this expectation.  The total points are not changed.

A2a - Questions on Database Deliverables

Question 1

What deliverables are required for the rough draft?

Answer - Just the working database, as stated on the assignment.

 

Question 2

Can the file be in a OpenOffice format?

Answer  -Yes, though I warn you it’s less stable than Access.

 

Question 3

What is needed for the word document, if necessary? 

Answer – No word document is required – though it will be welcome to read what you’ve learned.

 

Question 4

Do we need queries and, if so, how many?

Answer – Queries are not required, but certainly welcome.  A great deal of the power in databases comes from using queries

Fields in MS Access

Question:

I am starting to work on the database assignment and am confused by what you mean by the "fields" to describe the sensor, as well as the "records" for each sensor. I have watched the videos you posted to learn how to use MS Access, just am confused by the actual terms of the assignment and what to put in to our database.

Response:

Every table has at least one, usually multiple, “fields”.  They are the equivalent of columns in an Excel spreadsheet, and will be created that way if you import an Excel spreadsheet.

Similarly, the rows of an excel spreadsheet correspond to the individual records of a table, and will be imported that way.

MS Access Tutorials

I’ve looked for tutorials that will help you learn about creating a database.  Here are the results of looking at what a Google Search turns up, plus what you can find from Microsoft.

Tutorial	Comment	Time to Use
Quackit.com Access Intro	Very basic step-by-step.  Does not deal with relationships, but does walk you through creating a table, form and quary.	30 min
M. Brydon Tutorials	This looks like a pretty good textbook-like set of 15 tutorials with supplied sample database and other support files.  It deals with concepts and planning, not just step-by- step.  It’s based on an older version of Access so the menu references will be somewhat different, but the principles are the same. Note that you’ll want to use the support file univ0_v7.mdb, not the earlier version.  You’ll have to OK upgrading it to your version of Access, which may give an error, but not a serious one.	Hours
Microsoft’s Access Support Site	There are multiple tutorials on this site, most of which are pretty good.  It’s where I’d start.	Hours

P2–Project Outline Grading Comments

I’ve graded your project outlines and made returned specific comments to each group.  I’m happy to respond to any questions you may have about your specific topic or the project as a whole.  Below are several general comments.

Definition of intelligent building

A number of groups were explicitly addressing Intelligent Buildings in some manner.  Several of them adopted what I would regard as a somewhat narrow definition, albeit one that is accepted in the industry – the most used being one from CABA.  You’re welcome to adopt whatever definition you choose, but I’d at least ask you to explain why you’ve chosen that definition which tends to leave out BIM, databases, robotics and other topics that I’d argue make sense.

Topic Breadth

In almost every instance I advised groups that, given the time available and the number of words in the paper, the ambition for the project exceeded what seemed likely to be accomplished.  I urged narrowing the focus and doing some aspect in depth rather than a journalistic broad sweep.

Building Lifecycle

In many cases there seemed to be an assumption that only one of the phases in a building’s lifecycle needed to be considered.  I urge all of you to think about how your topic may be considered in respect to each phase from project conception, through design, construction, move-in/commissioning, occupancy, renovation and demolition.

Resources Current Through 2/8/2012

I’ve created updated printouts (PDF) of all the resources that you’ve entered so far as part of the weekly readings, organized by Topic, Content type, Source Type and title.  They are:

• Full Version – 98 pp
• Brief Version – 9pp

These reports are generated from an MS Access Database that I created.  Its updated by downloading the information from the Google Docs into a “Table” and then using “related Tables” and a “Report” to make it all organized.   We’ll discuss these in class in Week-6.

Cumulative Grade Visible

You can now see your cumulative grade in AE-510, current through Reading-4 and Assignment-1.

A1–Revit Assignment Comments

Most people did a good job on this assignment, whether they were a novice, a semi-experienced user who was advancing to families, or a truly experienced person striking off on their own.

Unfortunately there was one group of people who’d already performed the novice tutorial at least once.  For them just repeating the tutorial was insufficient for a good grade.  Anyone in that group who wishes to provide a revised project that goes beyond the basic tutorial to families may do so by Thursday 2/9 at 12 Noon.  I’ll award up to 2/3 of lost points in that case.  If you do choose this route please email me the revised “sheet” pdf, your Revit family file (*.rsa) and a revised MS Word document when you’ve completed the revision.

From those who were addressing the question of how important were families in Revit, I received a variety of answers, many of which addressed their utility to the users.

• To that undoubted use I’d add the following - Everything in Revit is a family.  No families, no Revit.

Week-4 Reading Comments

I’m pleased with how well you’re addressing the reading and thinking about it.  There are many very thoughtful posts and good links to resources that may be helpful to many of you in your term projects.

Here are a couple of problem areas for some of you

• Some of you didn’t provide the ability to find the articles you describe.  For online sources the easiest way is to link them.  For books and other non-web sources then you need to provide the standard bibliographic information – Author, Date, Title, Published-In etc.
• Several students didn’t submit comments to other’s work this week.  They lost points and, more importantly, the benefit of your classmate’s thought.

Resources Printout–Through 1/26/2012–From MS Access

All your entries so far for the resources that you’ve submitted are now in this 55pp PDF.  I’ll update it as we move forward

• Here’s a short version that can serve as an index
• It should be useful for those of you working on BIM projects
• It’s an example of how one can manipulate information in a Database
  • I downloaded the information from GDocs into Excel
  • I then put it into MS Access and converted it to a relational database using the “analyze” tool in Access.
  • I produced a “report” to print it in this form

Term Project Selections

I’ve compiled your choices for term projects.  They’re in this PDF on Google Docs.

Your choices of subject area (my definitions using the themes of AE-510) are:

• BIM – 5
• Databases  -0
• Green – 6
• Networks – 0
• Robotics – 0
• Sensors – 3
• Technology – 1

For most of the topics I replied with a comment that it was potentially interesting but that to make it useful the person/group would need to narrow the topic considerably.  It’s for more interesting to explore one aspect of a topic in depth than a broad overview.

A1–Submission Requirements

Question:

If we are doing the project for advanced users we also need to create the model of a house?

Response:

Yes, you need to create a simple “project”, not necessarily with a roof or lots of partitions, etc.  The goal is to show that you can load the family you created and then use it in a project, including creating a schedule (furniture) that shows you the number of instances of the different types you’ve put in the project.  To do that I ask that you create a worksheet and a PDF of it as you did in the beginner’s tutorial.

Autodesk Resources on BIM - Webcasts

For those of you interested in BIM beyond what we'll do in this course there are many resources.  One that's probably quite good (no guarantees) are the occasional webcasts from Autodesk.  Here's the info one one I just received.  It was recorded last November and you can watch it by registering.

Building Information Modeling and Emerging Green Codes- On-Demand Webinar

This one-hour webcast discusses how states and communities are adopting green codes and how to apply these updates in future green projects.
You will go on to discover how the advent of BIM provides opportunities to investigate issues of design performance relating to code factors. 

Revit Assignment Question

Question:
Can you please give me some more information on what "Your continuous wall is = 10 x the number of letters of your last name (e.g. Mitchell -> 8x10 = 80') - a dimension and a note showing the computation indicate this on the "sheet"" corresponds too?  I was working without sound on the video so I am not sure if there is a part where we are told to make the wall with a length related to our name.

Response:
The goal here is to make certain that you do indeed make a wall (It doesn't absolutely have to be the longest wall) a length that varies from student to student.  I'm asking you to put a dimension on that wall in the "sheet" and a note on how you calculated it.

My tutorial wasn't created specifically for this class (and indeed goes further than the assignment requirements) so it probably doesn't address this question specifically.

Notes on Creating a Family

The following notes may be helpful in working with the Revit Families Assignment.  I made them while working my way through the tutorial the first time.

• Watch out for interface changes between different versions - I think these used Revit 2012 Architecture

Notes on Working with Family

Will put on Desktop or place where can retrieve

Note that will not be able to insert in same way into project unless working on own computer

Bookcase - Chapter 7 - p.157+

Setting Up References & Types

Creating Reference Planes in Plan View (Ref. Level)

• 1 Open and save in place can access - give it name with your initial - e.g. JEM_BookCase

• 2.Verify that reference planes are pinned

• 3 Properties is box that appears in left - there's a toggle on-off in the ribbon

1. 
   

2. 
   

• 5-10 Reference Plane Creation - click on Reference plane icon
1. It is on "Home" Tab in 2012
2. Which to choose

1. 
   

Creating Family Parameters and Types

Use "Annotate" panel to get Dimensions

Tool will "finish" dimension when click not on an element - only way

Create Family Parameters

Modify to give name to dimension

Organize the Parameters

To modify the family types click on Modify / Properties Icon for types

Step 11 is unecessary since they are under Dimensions already

Flexing the Family p.168

Creating Panels p.170

Need Align Tool - Modify Tab

Term Project Questions

Questions

1. I was unclear about what is due next week for the term project.
2. 1. Do I choose a broad topic or is it more specific?
3. 2. Is this supposed to be a four page research paper with an 8 minute PPT?

Response #1

• A very short submission by each person to VBB containing
• Teammates – if any
• Topic – a sentence or two

Response #2

• The more well defined (narrower) the topic the better.  You’ll need to narrow down a general topic to get anything meaningful at the end, but I’m not insisting on super-specific at this stage.

Response #3

• You are welcome to make it a research paper OR a project of some sort with a document that comments on the project.  The project could be of many types:
• Extension of your BIM capabilities – e.g. Macros
• Building something using 3d Printing
• A video on a related topic
• A website addressing some topic

R2–Grading Comments

I’ve now completed review of all but one of your submissions.  Here are some general comments.

How I graded

• Checked that comments were submitted as required
• Checked that references were submitted to the Google Docs spreadsheet
• Note that I’ve created a database (FileMaker) containing the references and created a PDF that is now in the resources folder.  I’ll add an additional one each week.
• Read the posts and graded them using the grading form, usually with a short comment.

Overall Results

• You did a good job, taking all elements of the assignment seriously.
• One or two were fairly short.  I gave full credit this time, but will be more strict in future.
• There were a wide range of articles providing an excellent starting point for anyone pursuing a robotics term project.

Improvements for Future

• Many of you did not make much of a comment on the assigned reading.
• In future I’ll expect that integrated into your blog post
• Please include a link to the reference in your post
• Many of you did so, but a number did not.
• If you use a book rather than a website you can give the Amazon link to that book
• Professional Language
• There were a few instances of colloquial language.  I’ll be tougher about expecting professional language in future.
• Labels/Tags
• Most of you put at least one – good.
• Please try to use established tags where possible, but don’t be afraid to add a new one.

Gradebook in VistaBB

• As you complete more assignments I’ll calculate the cumulative grade as well as the ones for individual assignments. 
• I may not update that cumulative grade each week.
• I’ll announce here when I’ve updated.

Student Blog Format–Use Current URL

When I set up the format for the student blog I experimented with a format that allows you to view it in multiple views. The URL that was in VistaBB until today (1/19/2012) brought up that format.   Unfortunately none of views showed the list of posts or the links by “label”.  I therefore changed the format and the links in the VistaBB site.  The correct link is

http://ae-510-ay11-2-students.blogspot.com/

Now you’ll be able to use the “labels” to find multiple posts on a given topic.

One unfortunate result of this formatting issue is that a few of you used different labels for the same concept.  I corrected several to be consistent.

Student Blog Format–Give me your format preference

I set up the student blog format so that it allows seven different views of the blog (in the black band at the top).

I’d appreciate feedback if you’d like me to convert it to the standard, single format like this “official” blot. The advantage of this format is that you have the entries along the side by date, by tag, by author.

Posting to the Student Blog–You must accept Invitation

In order to post to the student blog you need to have “accepted” an invitation that should have come to your GMail address.  About a dozen of you have accepted the invitation, with currently thirteen who have not.  If you lost or deleted the invitation please email me from your GMail account and I’ll try having Google resend the invitation (I’m not quite clear what will happen).

Question About Reading Assignments

Question: 
 I was going over the the assigned readings and I just wanted to clarify the requirements of the reading assignments.We don't have to submit the assigned reading to the reading submission, only the article that we find on our own. But we have to mention the assigned reading and the article we found in our blog post each week? Let me know at your earliest convenience.

Response:
You are correct.

Welcome to AE-510

I’ll use this blog to provide “official” information about the course throughout the term.  There is a separate blog where everyone in the class can post to discuss topics in the class.

Jim Mitchell