B5 - Group D Jiaao Wu

Use of database in design offices

       When we talk about database, the first field we will think about is the database in the computer science. However, as I have discussed in the first blog pose, database becomes more and more important in an intelligent building. This week’s blog I will discuss the use of database in design offices.

        In architectural design, as the BIM model project we have finished, anything in a BIM software will need the help of database, such as the schedule which we can generate quickly in Revit. Whenever you have decided the material to be used, the database will already attach any related information with the material. This database could provide a great help for architectural designers. They can check the dimensions or any other properties of the material which has been used in the project. In addition, the schedule could also give designers a very close cost estimation based on the material has been used, since the project budget is always one of the biggest concern.

        In structural design, the database will provide more information concerned with the safety of the structure. For example, when the design company is going to design a building structure in a place where they have not designed before, they have to take advantage of database to get the weather conditions such as precipitation and wind speed. Both of two elements will have a great influence in structural design.

        In HVAC design, it reminds me one of the project we have done in AE 390. For that project, it asked us to provide a matrix when the user input the location and the size of the building, the output should be the suitable HVAC system for that specific building. I think this project is implementing database for an HVAC selection. When user picks up the location, the selection system will automatically get the information of that place. After some designed algorithm as well as the picked size of the building, the system will come out the best HVAC system. This is exactly how database will work in HVAC design or selection.

Comments:

To Yanzhao: I agree that database is important for design offices. And actually, anything related with computers nowadays cannot work without database. For design offices, with the help of database, it can reduce a lot of time and improve the efficiency.

To Jonathan: It is good to see that Jonathan has combined his own experience with database used in offices. The database appears anywhere as he described of common blocks, title blocks, and project folder creation. It reminds my co-op experience that the company will have a specific folder for that title blocks.

To Santiago: Santiago also mentioned the databases used in BIM software. Nowadays, almost every design firm has used BIM software to some extent, which means they are taking the advantages of the databases in BIM software. And database would be a basic element for intelligent building design.

Reference:

Simiu, E. "Database-Assisted Design: Why and how?" Reston, VA: ASCEProceedings of the First International Symposium on Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis and Management (ICVRAM 2011), and the Fifth International Symposium on Uncertainty Modeling and Anaylsis (ISUMA); Hyattsville, Maryland, April (TRUNCATED) (04, 2011): 626-632. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/41170(400)76. http://search.proquest.com/docview/1315639933?accountid=10559


Reijula, Jori, Rauno Holopainen, Erkki Kähkönen, Kari Reijula, and Iris D. Tommelein. "Intelligent HVAC Systems in Hospitals."Intelligent Buildings International 5, no. 2 (04, 2013): 101-119. http://search.proquest.com/docview/1500674036?accountid=10559.