3 Applications of Building Information Modeling (BIM)

In the construction industry computers are used to automate and simulate hand-drafting methods, and 3D models have assisted in showing what building will look like by the time they are built. BIM software have the ability to directly and interactively present concepts of design in a form which represent physical and real images of the building to allow designers to identify clients’ needs, and to promptly and effectively provide solutions to these needs (Dace (2007). They involve more people from design, management, construction and operations during the design phase which helps a great deal in the lead to design improvement.

                3  Application of BIM

1. Visual illustration: The use of BIM illustrates the most common use of 3D in the construction society. Designs can be projected using stereoscopic projection tools or the well known projectors used in institutions to create an immersive experience. This facilitate decisions based on the spatial knowledge of these models, this is very advantageous as it helps in cutting huge costs in construction.
2. Assistance: BIM can be used as assistance to the design and construction team to provide a review and re-evaluation of various means and methods to guarantee the design can be built to meet a targeted schedule and cost. It helps to detect errors and omissions in the design or project as the case may be.
3. Layout and Fieldwork: BIM data assist in layout of materials and systems in the field. This includes the creation of “lift drawings,” 2D extractions in plan and section which describe the field work in detail, and integrated with pertinent quality and safety information.
4. Prefabrication: BIM can also be used to assist in the prefabrication of building systems, enabling faster field assembly of the building. This is a result of the integration of many of the other uses described in the above stated applications: full contribution by subcontractors, full integration and coordination of geometry, and accurate registration and field installation.

4 APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTER IN TO THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES.

These days, information and communication technology (ICT) is responsible for the entire construction process from information being generated, transmitted and interpreted to enabling the project to be built, maintained, reused and eventually recycled. The everyday life of individuals is increasingly relevant of information technology and communication. This has totally transformed individuals and organizations to its wide spread use.

ICT can be the interaction of meaning to reach a mutual understanding between a sender and a receiver via technology.

1. Computer aided drafting (CAD): The major output of any architectural and engineering team is drawings and these drawings are now mostly generated on computers. Like any other CAD software, construction oriented CAD are based on the same principles but may differ to some extent in their designing and application methods. CAD systems provide drawing entities with powerful construction, editing and database techniques to produce drawings and models of what buildings will look like when finished (Dace (2007).
2. Building information modeling (BIM): In the construction industry computers are used to automate and simulate hand-drafting methods, and 3D models have assisted in showing what building will look like by the time they are built. BIM software have the ability to directly and interactively present concepts of design in a form which represent physical and real images of the building to allow designers to identify clients’ needs, and to promptly and effectively provide solutions to these needs (Dace (2007). They involve more people from design, management, construction and operations during the design phase which helps a great deal in the lead to design improvement.
3. Electronic mail: E- mail as is all known as is simply the transfer of data from one person's computer files to another. It works via the internet. Nowadays, not only is text and pictures transferable via mails, but videos programs etc. In construction electronic mails are very useful as they are very fast and convenient means of sending and receiving mails and files. Secured means and encryption are available too by third party software or hosts of the mailing site. Electronic mail does not simply speed up the exchange of information but leads to the exchange of new information as well (Sun and Howard (2004).
4. The Internet and World Wide Web: In 1993, the introduction of the graphically-based World Wide Web led to an explosion in Internet usage among non-scientists and paved the way for commercial uses (Sun and Howard (2004). The World Wide Web can provide the graphically-based tool for sharing information (text, full-colour graphics and photos, audio and video) through computers. Information on the Web can range from presentations to online publications to personal `home pages' and can from any computer or electronic gadget equip to connect to the internet. It is an interactive interface and provides a popular way to access information and networking.

CHAPTER 1- Introduction to Spreadsheet

SPREAD SHEET

Introduction to  Spreadsheet

A spreadsheet is a grid (system of numbered squares for map references) that organizes data into columns and rows, on which information can be sorted in ascending or descending order. Spreadsheet allows one to easily display information and insert formulas to work with data.

Types of spreadsheets include the manual and the electronic spreadsheets. The manual one is drafted manually in large books ruled into columns and rows. Electronic spreadsheets are basically three; the Microsoft Excel, Lotus1‐2‐3, Quarto Professional, others include Informix etc.

Spreadsheet have become an indispensable part of industries and businesses for a lot of reasons;

1. It is designed to help manage and control information flow.
2. It can be used as an electronic file cabinet
3. It enhances communication within an organization
4. It can combine graphic and some word processing capabilities
5. It is wide and spacious enough to accept large volumes of data that big corporations generate
6. It can accept numerical data and carry out some logical processing.
7. It can perform some tedious, repetitive and time consuming logical operations within seconds.

THE MICROSOFT EXCEL

The success of the windows OS in the market has aided the popularity of the Excel spreadsheet in households and firms (both large and small), to an extent that major competition like APPLE had to integrate it into their OS.

Excel has 16,384 columns and 1,048,576 rows depending on the version of the software you are using. As mentioned earlier will be using EXCEL 2016 version fro the sake of our lecture, but chrome users can use the google spreadsheet from google apps the intersection of the column (vertical axis) and row (horizontal axis) is called a CELL, which is the location where data is entered to. A column is identified is by letter and a row is identified by numbers, hence a cell will have a name such as A1.

In the excel window leftmost column and the topmost row often are reserved for descriptive labels that identify the value stored in each of the cells in the grid. The rightmost column and lower rows of a set of figures are often set aside for row and column totals respectively.

Definition of Terms

• a CELL refers to the location of data. It is activated by placing the mouse cursor on it or by navigation keys.
• a RANGE  is the sequence of cells e.g. A1 to A7
• Labels are text entries of other cells
• Values are numeric information, most numbers
• FORMULAS refers to values designed to manipulate data in cells that contain values
• FUNCTIONS are in built formulas in excel, which helps in data manipulations e.g. =SUM (B4:G4), which adds all cells starting with B4 and ending with G4.
• ADD-INGS are specially designed packages which perform specific functions, to enhance the spreadsheet functions Excel has some in built plug-ins, which must be activated to make use of them. Others can be downloaded and installed online. Examples of plug-ins includes Power view, analysis toolpak, Euro currency tools etc. which are readily installed to excel.

This is the end of the first chapter, kindly leave comments below for your question and share with friends. In the next chapter we shall start with formulas in spreadsheet