Course Reflection

AE 481W / 482 provided a great opportunity to do original research in various fields of study which centered around the Pegula Ice Arena. The course proved extremely successful. . In Fall 2012, architectural engineering research was done. This provided a basic understanding of the building systems and how they coordinate with one another. Additional to this, construction management research was done to help determine building system costs, general condition costs, scheduling issues, use of Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) during the Fall semester. This research done in the first semester helped transition into the second semester where original research was done. It gave me great insight into different fields of study including scheduling / sequencing, building enclosures, and subsurface investigation methods. The four analyses done in the Spring semester helped me realize things that I had not previously known. Extensive critical analysis into building sequencing helped me identify beneficial and not so beneficial work sequences in the first two analyses. The third analysis, the building enclosure, helped me engineer a new wall system. Finally, the fourth analysis explored the advantages and disadvantages of boring and ground penetrating radar. Thesis helped explore these areas of interest which no other class allows the student to do. It proved very beneficial and insightful and will be carried forward into my professional career.

CPEP Reflection

The senior thesis estudio platform for submission and documentation proved extremely successful. It allowed for an interactive submission technique that allows professional industry members, professors, family and friend to review our work. Additional to this, it allows the upcoming senior students to review and assess past work. This not only helps upcoming students understand the requirements from this course but also helps push them to strive for improvement from previous years. Altogehter, technology based platforms are being pushed throughout the industry. More and more companies are utilizing internet based platforms to help distribute project information. Therefore, utilizing this web based platform helps prepare us as students for a system that we will inevitably need to use in the future.