Showing posts with label Construction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Construction. Show all posts
Over the course of my college career, which is quickly coming to a close, I often wondered if I was retaining anything that the hours of lectures drilled into my head. I wondered if I could succeed in the field I'm studying in the "real" world. I imagine most students go through this on their journey through education. Many of which switch majors, or even schools all together. I have been blessed with one goal in mind from the start; to be involved in construction. However, through my general knowledge gain, other opportunities and interests blossomed. So now I occasionally wonder if I was truly meant to be a Structural Engineer or Construction Manager.
With each passing day my worries grow smaller. Somehow, from somewhere, I actually learned something. Some of you may know, I am involved in a Senior Design project to design a 14 story high-rise in downtown Milwaukee. This project has been a blessing in disguise. It not only thrust me into a role of leadership, but it made me realize that "hell I know what I am doing...". The scope of the project is incredibly daunting, especially when given an incredibly short deadline of one week to complete a full design of a high-rise building! I have to admit that I have been incredibly stressed this past week, but out of the pressure I seem to have succeeded. Well I have kept our group on pace to finish the design by Wednesday.
This project is a year long process that involved a research phase in the fall termed as "programing", an architectural design in the winter, and a full system design in the spring (Structural and MEP). I was nominated as project leader from the beginning; due to my experience from last year working on a much smaller project for my Structural Senior Design project. Don't think that I got the position merely on that fact alone, as there is another Structural/CM whom has the same experience as myself in the group. I took the responsibility with a bit of skepticism, as it is a large task and an even larger project. I accepted the job, and immediately took the team on the right path.
The programming phase went incredibly smooth. Our rough draft was finished a day in advance, and we received the highest grade between the 3 teams in the section. Then we continued to stay on track by finishing the final draft far ahead of the deadline, by establishing in-house deadlines days in advance. While the other groups were working late into the night on the weekend before the final product was due, our team was out enjoying a night on the town. Giving us time to grow as a functional team that enjoys each others company. Being comfortable with each other really helps to make a group succeed.
Now with Winter quarter upon us, the Architectural portion of our building (the most in-depth and time consuming portion) must be completed in a weeks time. Granted this first meeting, which will be in-front of two professional Architects and the owner, is merely a rough proposal so we can take feedback and correct any issues that they see. It doesn't nullify the fact that a high-rise building, much bigger scope than my 4 story apartment building last year, needs to be 75% designed. As soon as I was given the time-frame for this task to be completed, I wasted no time in producing a schedule that broke up the immense project into manageable portions to be completed by various people, and set-up two in-house deadlines so we were well prepared for Wednesday. It is now Thursday, the week before the deadline, and we have significant structure in place. We have our overall concept drawn in Revit, and we are on track to meet all on my in-house deadlines. Even after we switched gears and totally rethought our design once already...
I'm not in anyway trying to be full of myself. I am just amazed at the ability that I have shown during this project. I just may have picked up more than I thought over these past 4 1/4 years at this very expensive school.
NOTE: I am writing this late and after I just got done writing a paper titled "Green Globe vs. LEED", so I am sick of writing well :). Oh and I will be sure to keep you updated on my project; posting pictures of our building weekly so you can stay in touch with how the project is moving along.
Update! The presentation on Wednesday went well. The owner liked our overall design, with a few things that he would like changed. Now that we have a substantial design completed, the next 6 weeks just might be a bit more relaxing.
With each passing day my worries grow smaller. Somehow, from somewhere, I actually learned something. Some of you may know, I am involved in a Senior Design project to design a 14 story high-rise in downtown Milwaukee. This project has been a blessing in disguise. It not only thrust me into a role of leadership, but it made me realize that "hell I know what I am doing...". The scope of the project is incredibly daunting, especially when given an incredibly short deadline of one week to complete a full design of a high-rise building! I have to admit that I have been incredibly stressed this past week, but out of the pressure I seem to have succeeded. Well I have kept our group on pace to finish the design by Wednesday.
This project is a year long process that involved a research phase in the fall termed as "programing", an architectural design in the winter, and a full system design in the spring (Structural and MEP). I was nominated as project leader from the beginning; due to my experience from last year working on a much smaller project for my Structural Senior Design project. Don't think that I got the position merely on that fact alone, as there is another Structural/CM whom has the same experience as myself in the group. I took the responsibility with a bit of skepticism, as it is a large task and an even larger project. I accepted the job, and immediately took the team on the right path.
The programming phase went incredibly smooth. Our rough draft was finished a day in advance, and we received the highest grade between the 3 teams in the section. Then we continued to stay on track by finishing the final draft far ahead of the deadline, by establishing in-house deadlines days in advance. While the other groups were working late into the night on the weekend before the final product was due, our team was out enjoying a night on the town. Giving us time to grow as a functional team that enjoys each others company. Being comfortable with each other really helps to make a group succeed.
Now with Winter quarter upon us, the Architectural portion of our building (the most in-depth and time consuming portion) must be completed in a weeks time. Granted this first meeting, which will be in-front of two professional Architects and the owner, is merely a rough proposal so we can take feedback and correct any issues that they see. It doesn't nullify the fact that a high-rise building, much bigger scope than my 4 story apartment building last year, needs to be 75% designed. As soon as I was given the time-frame for this task to be completed, I wasted no time in producing a schedule that broke up the immense project into manageable portions to be completed by various people, and set-up two in-house deadlines so we were well prepared for Wednesday. It is now Thursday, the week before the deadline, and we have significant structure in place. We have our overall concept drawn in Revit, and we are on track to meet all on my in-house deadlines. Even after we switched gears and totally rethought our design once already...
I'm not in anyway trying to be full of myself. I am just amazed at the ability that I have shown during this project. I just may have picked up more than I thought over these past 4 1/4 years at this very expensive school.
NOTE: I am writing this late and after I just got done writing a paper titled "Green Globe vs. LEED", so I am sick of writing well :). Oh and I will be sure to keep you updated on my project; posting pictures of our building weekly so you can stay in touch with how the project is moving along.
Update! The presentation on Wednesday went well. The owner liked our overall design, with a few things that he would like changed. Now that we have a substantial design completed, the next 6 weeks just might be a bit more relaxing.
ENR (Engineering News Report) just released an article about the state of the construction industry. The news was not what I was hoping for. When looking at the overall unemployment for all industries across the US, the unemployment rate improved from 10.2% in October to 10.0% in November. This may seem underwhelming, but when compared to the projected increase in unemployment it is a relief to see it going in the right direction. There are a few indirect factors that may have produced the turn around, which I wont get into, but none-the-less it puts our minds at a bit of an ease. Well at an ease if your not depending on the construction industry like myself and my entire family. The construction industry has an outstanding unemployment rate of 19.4%. Fairly simple math can determine the unemployment for construction is nearly double that of the rest of the country. Ouch!
The November unemployment was an increase from 18.7% for that of October. Granted this number is not adjusted for seasonal factors, as construction greatly slows in the winter months, but is still not where I want it to be at.
If one were in hopes of getting a job in the construction field, such as myself, the infrastructure field is really the best bet. The government is/was pumping money into public projects to try to stimulate the construction field. Unfortunately the private sector is still in the dumps. I personally built roads and bridges for two years of internship, and it wasn't the direction I wanted to go. I want to build up not out. I might have to bite the bullet however.
It is good to see that overall our economy is starting to turn around, but the unemployment rate is still double what a healthy economy should be at. Then look at construction unemployment which is double our overall, so quadruple a healthy economy. Times are still tough, and I imagine they will be for a few more years yet. I also don't believe the housing market will ever reach the high it had just a few years ago before the collapse.
ENR: Construction Jobless Rate Climbs To 19.4% in November
The November unemployment was an increase from 18.7% for that of October. Granted this number is not adjusted for seasonal factors, as construction greatly slows in the winter months, but is still not where I want it to be at.
If one were in hopes of getting a job in the construction field, such as myself, the infrastructure field is really the best bet. The government is/was pumping money into public projects to try to stimulate the construction field. Unfortunately the private sector is still in the dumps. I personally built roads and bridges for two years of internship, and it wasn't the direction I wanted to go. I want to build up not out. I might have to bite the bullet however.
It is good to see that overall our economy is starting to turn around, but the unemployment rate is still double what a healthy economy should be at. Then look at construction unemployment which is double our overall, so quadruple a healthy economy. Times are still tough, and I imagine they will be for a few more years yet. I also don't believe the housing market will ever reach the high it had just a few years ago before the collapse.
ENR: Construction Jobless Rate Climbs To 19.4% in November
