b s c i volu m e 2 6 s p r in g / s u m m e r 2 0 1 6
the newsletter of the m c whorter school of building science in the college of architecture, design and construction at auburn university
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PAT ARRINGTON
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
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he McWhorter School of Building Science’s Distinguished Service Award is awarded to an industry or BSCI alumnus who has provided distinguished service to the school over the previous year. The 2015 Distinguished Service Award was presented to Pat Arrington (’85). Arrington is a 30-year veteran of the construction industry and has been with JE Dunn Construction (formerly R. J. Griffin & Co.) since 1997. He serves as Vice President and Group Manager for the Atlanta division, overseeing the higher education market as well as the Dunn Project Solutions (DPS) group. As the leader of higher education, Arrington’s role takes on several responsibilities. “I am responsible for the operations of the construction of the projects for higher education,” said Arrington. “In higher education, so much of our work is growing relationships. We try to understand the client’s needs, which vary from campus to campus. I get a lot of support
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from our business developers. Our staff leaders for each campus support me, and I make sure they have the proper resources, staff and work force to deliver a successful project.” A L E E D -a ccre di te d p rofe s si o n a l , Arrington recently supervised the new Educator Training Facility project for Ron Clark Academy. Prior to joining JE Dunn, he worked as project manager for Blount Construction from 1985-1997. Arrington has provided distinguished service to the school for a number of years through his involvement with the school’s Industry Advisory Council. However, over the last year he has provided exceptional service through his role in hosting an industry curriculum workshop and bringing the JE Dunn National Technology Fair to the school in September 2015. “Giving back to the school is important. My knowledge of this business is extensive, so any time the School of Building Science needs my help, I am happy to provide it.”
Auburn football fans will remember Arrington for his Auburn football career which began when he was redshirted in 1980. He played on the 1982 team that went 8-4, and played in the Tangerine Bowl against Doug Flutie of Boston College. In 1983, he played on the SEC Champion team that went 11-1, and won the 1984 Sugar Bowl against Michigan. He was chosen first ALL SEC and was also selected to play in the Japan Bowl All Star game. Arrington resides in Marietta with his wife, Liz. He has two children; Mary Hannah, a senior at Auburn University and member of the volleyball team; and Drew, a sophomore at Georgia Southern University.
ta b l e o f c o n t e n t s
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message from school he ad
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alumni profile:
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ccic:
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Charles Humphre ys
C e n t e r f o r C o n s t ru c t i o n I n n o vat i o n a n d C o l l a b o r at i o n is F ly i n g H i g h H o a r C o n s t r u c t i o n E n d o ws Building Science Schol arships
iac highlight:
W ay n e B y l s m a
un d ergr a d uat e s t ud en t :
U ndergr a duat e S t uden t E r in A l l ee pa r t ic ipat e s in W o m e n ' s C o n s t r u c t i o n Le adership Seminar f a c u lt y r e s e a r c h :
I n t e r n at i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e t o b e h o s t e d b y t he M cWh o r t er S c h o o l o f B uil d in g S c ien c e
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gr ad studies:
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student news:
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rese arch:
S t u d e n t R e s e a r c h U p d at e s
C o m p e t i t i o n I n s p i r e s S t u d e n t C r e at i v i t y
t h e r e a l i t y o f su p e r i m p o s i n g
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m o d e l s at a j o b s i t e
spring c areer e xpo:
C o n n ec t i n g S t u d e n t s
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f a c u lt y n e w s : e r i c w e t z e l
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f a c u lt y n e w s :
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e v e n t s : golf tourne y
m o v i n g f o r wa r d w i t h h o p e : p e t e r w e i ss
quoin R achel Nemecek is a sophomore pre -building science major from Rober tsdale, Alabama. In addition to her studies, she is ver y ac tive on campus. Rachel is a Flagline member with the Auburn Band, a CADC Student Ambassador, a member of the Auburn University's Student Chapter of The Associated General Contractors of America and involved in Habitat for Humanity.
richard burt, Head and McWhorter Endowed Chair colleen bourdeau, CADC Communications & Marketing Director marcelo bl anco, CADC Graphic Designer c a ssandr a c alloway, Career Services Specialist III Contributors
Latha Bhavnani, Stephanie Bond, Anoop Satineni, R achel Nemecek , Auburn University Photographic Services. The Quoin is published twice a year by Auburn U niversit y ’s College of Architecture, Design & Construction. Copyright Š 2016. All rights reserved.
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photography: Stephen DeVries
d r . r i c h a r d b u r t, SCHOOL H E AD & M CWHORTER EN DOWED CHAIR
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n our last edition of Quoin, I asked readers to participate in an online survey to seek input and guidance on what is an appropriate name to call our school and our programs. More than 300 alumni respond to the survey. The results which were shared with the Building Science faculty and members of our Industry Advisory Council show that although changing the name of the programs to “construction management” was supported by 80% of the respondents, when asked to rank different names to align the name of the school, and the undergraduate and graduate programs, the names “construction management” and “building science” ranked virtually equal. After further consultation with the faculty and our industry advisory council, the faculty decided not to proceed with any name change at this time. I thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey and provide us with the information to make this important decision. As I write this article I have just completed exit interviews with our graduating seniors. This is always a rewarding experience for
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me as I witness students take the next step in their careers. It is always rewarding to see our graduates with multiple options on what to do after their undergraduate education, and it was interesting to note the diversity of their destinations. We had students opting to go to all parts of the United States, to continue their education in graduate school and do volunteer work abroad. I am also immensely proud of two of our graduates who are embarking on a military career following graduation. This month’s Quoin is again packed with great news stories about what is going on inside the Gorrie Center and beyond. I was honored to present Pat Arrington of JE Dunn Construction with the 2015 Distinguished Service Award at the college banquet in October. Pat has been an outstanding supporter of the program over the years, but during the past year he has gone above and beyond by helping the school’s curriculum review and hosting a technology fair. Pat had a distinguished football career at Auburn and another former Auburn footballer is Wayne Bylsma who is the new
chair of our industry advisory council which meets twice a year to provide advice and guidance on our programs. Wayne is also a former Distinguished Service Award recipient and you will read about his contributions to the building science program. You will also read about one of our recent graduates, Charlie Humphreys who has recently started on the MBA program at the prestigious Dartmouth College. Charlie was one of our outstanding undergraduate students who was heavily involved in undergraduate research and competition teams. Charlie is a great example of an undergraduate student who made the most of the extracurricular opportunities while he was at Auburn. A current undergraduate student who appears to be making the most of her undergraduate education is Erin Allee. You will read about her experience in attending the 2015 Kiewit Women’s Construction Leadership Seminar. War Eagle! Richard
MEET CHARLES HUMPHREYS... BSCI Graduate Alum ni Pro f ile : Ch a r l es H um ph reys
“I got to experience a typical d ay, w h i c h
tively in teams. They were also a great opportunity to meet and network with many different companies.”
“Participating in an undergraduate research project sponsored by the Center for Construction Innovation and Collaboration, an to p u r s u e a c a r e e r internship with Martin Brothers Construction in South Carolina, and an internship in construction.” with the American Business Development Group, a lobbying and consulting firm in & Gorrie in Atlanta working in project man- Washington D.C., have been invaluable in agement where he helped build commercial, shaping my perspectives.” mixed-use and mission-critical projects. In fall of 2015, he started in the MBA program Humphreys is not the first person from at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. his family to graduate from Auburn. “Both my parents went to Auburn, which “At B&G, I became more interested in the is where they met. My wife and several overall business aspects of the company maternal aunts and uncles also graduand industry. I decided to pursue an MBA ated from Auburn. My maternal grandat Dartmouth’s Tuck School that was quite mother is still an avid Auburn football similar to the tight-knit and supportive cul- fan to this day.” ture like the one in Auburn. After an MBA, I would like to stay in the construction/ What do you miss most about Auburn real estate field, and ultimately see myself and the university? being involved in commercial development in the Southeastern United States.” “The people – classmates, professors, and most of all, friends. I definitely keep up As an Auburn student, Humphreys was with friends and many professors, but it an active member of his social frater- is not quite the same as when we were nity, Kappa Alpha Order, and served all together on campus. I enjoy going as its president for a year. In Building back to football games –to catch up Science, he was a member of the ASC with everyone when we’re all around competition teams for three years, par- at the same time.” ticipating in Heavy Civil, Commercial, and Pre-construction teams. “The competitions gave us a real taste of the type of decisions we’d be faced with in the real world and, most importantly, they forced students to learn how to work effec-
reinforced my desire
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eet Charles Humphreys…..BSCI graduate. The Greenville, South Carolina native moved to Auburn to pursue building science as a major, following his fascination with large buildings and structures.
“I knew about Auburn BSCI’s reputation for being a top construction management program, and familiarized myself with the curriculum and size of the program. It all seemed like just the fit I was looking for and so I came to Auburn,” said Humphreys. “Auburn was the classic transformational experience for me. The structured learning and academic portion that came from Building Science, getting a Finance minor, and the experiential learning and growth that came from participating in clubs, school competition teams, and my social fraternity, helped in my growth. Another key aspect of Auburn that prepared me for work was the mentorship I received from faculty members, alumni in the construction industry and my fraternity advisor.” After graduating from Auburn in 2012, Humphreys spent three years at Brasfield
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CCIC UPDATE: CCIC GRANTS Center for Construction Innovation and Collaboration (CCIC) is Flying High
“The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of finalizing rules concerning the use of drones (unmanned aircraft) in our airspace,” M A R K TAT U M
Hunter Cole, Russ Gibbs, and Mark Tatum.
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he Center continues to uphold its mission to ensure academic excellence and to establish the importance of collaborative process in order to form strong relationships with students and industry. Its recent research endeavors by faculty, students and industry partners have focused on innovative approaches to problems and processes. By encouraging cutting-edge research, it has kept pace with changes in the evolving construction industry.
One of CCIC’s latest research ventures is in the use of drones, a rapidly growing field in the construction industry. Working with Professor Paul Holley, Director of the Center for Construction Innovation and Collaboration (CCIC), Professor Mark Tatum has secured a grant with funding to expand research in the application of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in construction. The grant also calls for collaboration with other university units using this technology and anticipates integration into the Building Science program’s undergraduate and graduate studies through the offering of elective courses for students. Tatum, who also holds fight instructor and commercial pilot certificates, will develop the elective courses as the FAA finalizes the rules on UAS pilot certification requirements. “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of finalizing rules concerning the use of drones (unmanned aircraft) in our airspace,” said Tatum. The FAA has realized
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that the actual aircraft is only a part of the overall system consisting of the drone, the communication link to the ground, the ground based control equipment, and the operator. The new term adopted by the FAA to refer to such equipment is Unmanned Aircraft System or UAS. According to Tatum, with the increased use of UAS in US airspace, the FAA established regulations over a year ago to prohibit the use of UAS in commercial or governmental operations. “As the requirements currently stand, anyone using a UAS in a commercial setting, must have received an exemption referred to as a 333 exemption, and the operator or Pilot in Command (PIC) must have a current pilot certificate,” he added. The Building Science program has been able to re-engage in UAS operations with Tatum. He has worked closely with the Auburn Aviation Center who has obtained the 333 exemption for Auburn University. “Building Science program’s UAS operations comply with all FAA requirements,” Tatum added. The school has been involved with integrating the use of UAS in construction for more than two years. It started when Holley collaborated with Brasfield and Gorrie on a hospital project in Birmingham. That case study provided valuable insight in how this equipment might be implemented in construction. Professor Junshan Liu has also joined the effort with his expertise in laser scanning, point clouds, 3D modeling and photogrammetry. Earlier this year, BSCI purchased a new UAS with a high resolution camera. “Collaboration with Auburn’s Facilities division will result in using the UAS to document new construction on campus,” said Tatum. “These projects, currently the Mell Classroom Building and the Health Science Sector, will
provide data and a platform for evaluating equipment and software. The rapid changes in this field are exposing new applications related to design and construction.” Jay Reed, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Alabama, recommended to the organization’s national leadership to engage with the School of Building Science as a resource in this area. ABC invited the school to make a presentation on UAS use in Construction at their Workforce Development Conference held in Ft. Lauderdale recently. Hunter Cole and Russ Gibbs from Brasfield and Gorrie’s Virtual Design and Construction department accompanied Tatum to talk about the implementation of UAS in construction.Their presentation addressed the current FAA restrictions, the future outlook from FAA proposed rules, and the technologies currently being used to coordinate virtual modelling with data collected from the construction site using UAS technologies. In addition to the presentation, Auburn maintained a booth throughout the conference to answer any further questions and promote the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, CCIC, and BSCI programs. Professor Anoop Sattineni also attended to promote BSCI’s distance learning certificate programs.
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HOAR CONSTRUCTION ENDOWS BUILDING SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
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emonstrating the importance of Auburn’s industry partnerships, Hoar Construction of Birmingham, Alabama, has committed a $100,000 philanthropic gift to endow new scholarships for McWhorter School of Building Science students in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction. The scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students based on academic merit, as well as demonstrated leadership and community engagement.
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“We see Auburn as a valuable resource for future construction leaders. Auburn’s commitment to excellence makes
“We see Auburn as a valuable resource for future construction leaders. Auburn’s commitment to excellence makes Auburn grads tomorrow’s leaders,” says Steve McCord, Executive Vice President/COO, Hoar Construction.
Auburn grads tomorrow’s leaders.”
As one of the nation’s largest and most respected construction management programs, the McWhorter School of Building Science has more than 3,000 graduates located worldwide, including many who lead the construction industry in the Southeast.
Hoar’s gift will support the College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s commitment to raise $5 million to create at least 70 new scholarships and fund student innovation, international study, and undergraduate research opportunities as part of Because This is Auburn — A Campaign for Auburn University.
“Hoar’s generous commitment to scholarships ensures Auburn will continue to recruit and retain outstanding young men and women to building science,” said Richard Burt, professor and head of the McWhorter School of Building Science. “This gift reflects Hoar’s dedication to the future of the construction industry, and we are grateful for Hoar’s longtime support of our students and partnership with our programs.”
Hoar Construction celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. The company, based out of Birmingham, Alabama, is a leading provider of construction management, general contracting, and design/build services to retail, healthcare, commercial, educational, industrial, and government clients throughout the country, with offices in Houston and Austin, Texas; Orlando, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; and Washington, D.C.
STEVE McCORD
I AC H I G H L I G H T: WAY N E BY L S M A Bylsma: Champion of the Program
“I’m always invigorated after meeting with our students, with their enthusiasm and the opportunities their Auburn building science degree is going to provide them.” WAY N E B Y L S M A
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uburn Football aficionados will have no problem recognizing the name Wayne Bylsma (on the 198791 Auburn Football roster). His father, Bruce Bylsma, was on the 1968-72 team. Wayne Bylsma, an Opelika High School graduate, was recruited by Auburn on a football scholarship. While at Auburn, he was a member of three SEC Championship teams in 1987, 88 and 89. He graduated with a degree in criminology in 1991.
trash bins. He worked on a sub-committee with Steve Williams and Professor Tin-Man Lau from Industrial Design for collaborative inventions for the construction industry, and was responsible for assisting AU’s Office of Technology Transfer to get these new inventions to market to provide royalties to the university. Bylsma, along with Professor Bruce Smith, is in the process of developing, testing and possibly patenting a new product for the concrete pumping industry.
Bylsma was hired by Nichols Concrete Pumping in Birmingham. “All my customers and clients were Auburn graduates, and as a former player, it was an instant relationship with them. The work ethic fostered by my parents, and Coach Pat Dye, provided me with many opportunities.” In 1997, after working as a manager with Nichols sales department, Bylsma accepted a position with Schwing America, Inc., in Dallas. “While working for Schwing, I gathered extensive sales and financial experience dealing with 60 different pumping companies’ day-to -day operations.” This experience facilitated his purchase of Cherokee Pumping, Inc., in Georgia. Since buying the company in 2000 and its fleet of seven concrete pumps, the company has added 44 pumps and expanded its operations in Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, Miami and Mobile.
Bylsma is a chair of the Industry Advisory Committee (IAC). The IAC was created to bring industry leaders and the building science program together, to support professional development, improve communications and understanding, solve issues and build partnership and trust, thus enhancing the school’s ability to serve its students better. For his efforts to support and enhance the program, he received the 2010 Distinguished Service Award. “I’m always invigorated after meeting with our students, with their enthusiasm and the opportunities their Auburn building science degree is going to provide them.”
An invaluable champion of the Building Science program, as treasurer of the Atlanta Auburn Building Science Alumni Committee, Bylsma raised and donated $766,000 to benefit the program from 2004 until 2010. He helped conduct concrete pumping classes for Professor Steve Williams’ class from 1992 to 1995. From 2001 to 2002, he provided a research grant to Professor Salman Azhar (and then graduate student William Moore) for the investigation on the safety, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of self-dumping
Bylsma is a member of the Schwing America Advisory Council, and serves on the Board of Directors of the American Concrete Pumping Association. As a member of the (12 person) American National Standards Institute (30.27) Committee, he was responsible for writing national safety standards for the concrete pumping industry. Graduating from Auburn was a tradition in the Bylsma family. “I was a second-generation scholarship athlete at Auburn,” Bylsma said. “My wife, Lori, is an accounting graduate (1981), and my daughter Hayley is a sophomore at Auburn. When I go to Auburn, it seems as though I’m always going home. There’s such a great connection.”
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UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT Undergraduate Student Erin Allee participates in Women’s Construction Leadership Seminar
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rin Allee, a junior in the building science program and Lexington, South Carolina native, was selected to participate in the 2015 Kiewit Women’s Construction Leadership Seminar (WCLS) in Nebraska, October 22 and 23. Kiewit is one of the largest construction, mining and engineering organizations that operate in North America and Australia. The Kiewit leadership seminar invites collegiate, female leaders to participate in a two-day event that challenges and develops their leadership skills. Qualified candidates are selected from sophomores and juniors who have demonstrated leadership skills with a passion for the construction and/or engineering fields. Participants gain valuable experience and industry knowledge.
“I heard about this seminar through Professor Lauren Redden at a group lunch meeting to learn more about this leadership opportunity. I qualified to apply based on my GPA. For the application, I was required to write an essay about why this leadership conference would be helpful to me and submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher. All transportation and lodging costs were covered for those selected to attend. “The seminar was an amazing opportunity for me. The first day we were in Omaha, we visited the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. The next day, participants were assigned to groups that were required to compete in a construction management simulation. Each team was responsible for hiring employees, managing funds, and providing equipment for a year’s worth of simulated construction work. I was truly inspired hearing the women of the WCLS speak and seeing the excellence they have achieved in the industry.” “My early interest in Building Science came from watching my dad gain so much satisfaction from his work. His work has always been challenging, bringing out the best of his creative abilities and personal skills. I admire the attention to details and the commitment to excellence that is necessary to work in the construction industry. After my freshman year, I worked as a project management intern for The SEFA Group in Lexington. I was able to visit several of their job sites, perform general quantity surveys and takeoffs, organize project documentation, review vendor supply proposals, and assist in the preparation of a budget estimate for an office addition.
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Erin Allee and Lauren Evans
I plan to volunteer as summer camp staff in the summer of 2016, complete an internship the following summer and graduate after the fall semester of 2017.” Allee’s dream job is to be president or owner of a construction company. “It is my goal to one day effectively demonstrate industry skills in ways that will prove to be valuable wherever I go, not just on the job, but also in my neighborhood, church, and community.”
“I was truly inspired hearing the women of the WCLS speak and seeing the excellence they have achieved in the industry.” ERIN ALLEE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO BE HOSTED BY THE MCWHORTER SCHOOL OF BUILDING SCIENCE Faculty Research
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he McWhorter School of Building Science will host the 33rd Annual International Symposium for Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC) from July 18 to 21, 2016, at Auburn University. ISARC, which started in 1984 in Pittsburgh, serves as the annual meeting for the members of the International Association in Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC). IAARC is a global community with specific concern for all fields of construction including civil and building engineering, machine automation, robotics applications to construction, IT technologies, planning, logistics, etc. ISARCs have been hosted in several countries worldwide and have yielded diverse refereed papers that have been published in proceedings and the journal Automation in Construction. “The academic journal Automation in Construction is the highest ranked global publication for researchers on the subject,” said Dr. Anoop Sattineni, Bob Aderholdt Professor in the McWhorter School. “As such, it can be unequivocally stated that most of the advances in the area of automation in construction have been shaped by the research published in this prestigious journal. Together, the proceedings and the journal, form a compelling illustration of how developments in Automation & Robotics in Construction continue to march towards the market place. Contributions from all continents at ISARCs provide the major platform for delegates to exchange views and ideas and discuss how they might work together on new projects.” Auburn University won the bid to host the conference over fellow bidders from Taipei and Moscow in 2014 at the Sydney meeting. More than 200 researchers from over 30 countries are expected to attend the conference. The ISARC organizing committee invited researchers from Auburn University to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations in November, 2015.
“ This is an excelle nt opp or tunit y for
researchers and practitioners to interact and share their ideas regarding the future of technology in the construction industry.” A N O O P S AT T I N E N I
This is an excellent opportunity for Auburn University to showcase many of the research endeavors undertaken by its faculty and students. According to Dr. Sattineni, construction companies are active participants in a variety of roles within academic institutions throughout the U.S. “This is an excellent opportunity for researchers and practitioners to interact and share their ideas regarding the future of technology in the construction industry.”
please send us your news The McWhorter School of Building Science alumni are achieving great things professionally and personally. Please email cadc.communications@auburn.edu with your news. Send us news and photos of your professional successes (promotions, awards, etc.) and personal news (marriage, births, personal accomplishments, etc.), and we will include it in the next issue of the Quion.
GRAD STUDIES Student Research Updates
“We wanted to create structures that were highly resistant to hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.” NOUGEN GRANT
b) A Tube steel-framed house where the non-load-bearing walls could be built with other materials in lieu of CMU block. “The idea was that steel would give excellent structural support and the locals could then help build their own homes by filling in the walls with handmade bricks or other wall materials at their disposal,” said Grant.
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uring the fall of 2013, Professor Scott Kramer and two undergraduate thesis students in Building Science designed a medical-dental facility in Thoman, Haiti, with the help and support from But God Ministries, Professor Emeritus Cheryl Morgan, and Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors. This endeavor kindled an interest in 2015 MBC graduate student Nougen Grant to research and design sustainable houses in Haiti under the direction of Kramer. “What I liked most about the project was that it was very practical,” said Grant. “For my research I wanted to work on something that would have an impact on people’s lives.” Grant’s three Grant’s Capstone Capstone research research enabled enabled him him to to come come up up with with three different types of sustainable houses for Haiti: different types of sustainable houses for Haiti: a) A Rubble house, which was essentially earthquake rubble filled in wire cages that would form the structural walls of the houses. The outside would be finished in stucco. “We wanted to create structures that were highly resistant to hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters,” said Grant. “This prototype allows impoverished Haitians a housing solution that will be safe, affordable, and sustainable.”
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c) A New and Improved CMU house with a metal roof. “Some of the non-profit agencies in Haiti are building CMU houses,” said Kramer, “and we want to offer a better design for the houses with improved airflow and floor s p a c e .” To c o m p l e t e h i s m a s t e r ’s d e g r e e , G r a n t refined the concepts and created a schematic/preliminary design of the houses. “The houses, when built, will be 15ft 20ft one-room structures, with concrete floors, windows with wooden shutters, openings to allow ventilation, and corrugated metal roofs,” said Kramer. “There will be no indoor plumbing and water lines. And all the materials used to build these houses will be locally available,” he added. Kramer’s new MBC graduate students for 2016, Caroline Garner, Andrew Albach, and D.J. Belser have continued the work started by Grant. They have been tasked with creating construction documents for each house design, which includes: construction drawings, specs, a construction schedule, and a cost estimate. In addition, they have to come up with 3D computer models that volunteers, with no construction background, can use on their smartphones or tablets to understand the design and construction of the houses. “These documents,” said Kramer, “will be created like a movie storyboard, with daily building schedules, 3D animations and material installation videos.”
The overall plan is for graduate and undergraduate students to build prototypes of the houses at the BSCI field lab on campus in 2017. “If the designs are successful, they will be incorporated into service-learning classes in 2017-18, and students will build the houses in Haiti,” said Kramer. Caroline Garner worked on designing a medical building expansion in Gallette Chambon, Haiti for her environmental design class. “I have loved getting to see the progress of a project that I have gotten to work on over the years,” said Garner. “I started my master’s program in 2015 summer, and Dr. Kramer asked me if I would like to work on the Haiti project. It has allowed me to use both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees simultaneously. In grad school, my role has been in creating SketchUP floor plans and 3D models for use in construction.” “Haiti was the first international trip I undertook as a freshman on campus,” said Garner. “I came home from that college mission trip with a deep passion for Haiti and its people, and was eager to find some way to keep helping even if I wasn’t in the country. I have been able to see how my work can impact people miles away. I wanted to pursue a degree that would allow me to be creative, work with people and have a tangible impact on the world around me. Haiti has had a special place in my heart, and being able to take my experiences from traveling there and mix them with school work here has shown me how my degree can be applicable in the world in many different ways. When a project for class goes beyond just the assignment and is implemented in the world outside of Auburn University’s walls, the project takes on a whole new meaning,” she added.
“I came home from that college mission trip with a deep passion for Haiti and its people, and was eager to find some way to keep helping even if I wasn’t in the country.” C AROLINE GARNER
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STUDENT NEWS Competitions Inspire Student Creativity
full knowledge of plans and specifications, problem solving, construction methods, scheduling techniques, estimating, risk management and communication skills. Coaches for the competition included Mike Hosey, Darren Olsen, Ben Farrow and Anoop Sattineni. The Region 2 competition included schools from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
SShadow h a dCompetition o w
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tudent competitions help bring about a student’s best effort by inspiring creativity and challenging the student to utilize their skills. “Competitions are a great way for students to engage in their learning,” said Ben Farrow, Hunt Professor in the McWhorter School of Building Science. “They provide a unique way for students to employ multiple topics learned in the curriculum in a ‘real life’ project and get feedback on their work from the people who actually did the work. It is invaluable to the students that participate in competition teams, and it uniquely prepares them for problems they will face in professional practice.” According to Farrow, nearly 70 students will participate in seven different competitions (about 12 teams) this academic year, 2015-16. “The Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) conducts competitions in multiple regions. Student teams will compete in Greensboro, Dallas, Dublin, and Reno. In addition, our student teams compete through the Design Build Institute of America (DBIA), Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), and Associated General Contractors (AGC).” BSCI’s “heavy civil” team of Thomas Yawn, Thomas Rush, Josh Atkinson, Tyler Wells, Jim Harper, Blake Orum, and Ishmael Preer won the ASC (Region 2) competition in Greensboro, North Carolina. The problem presented to the teams involved an infrastructure-oriented public works project that they had to bid on. The project involved several areas of heavy civil construction such as concrete placement, traffic control, structural steel erection, bridge construction, and conventional concrete. The successful team was required to demonstrate
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C o m p e t i t i o n
Maddox Wise was on the winning shadow student competition team, which is a shortened version of the heavy civil competition for first-time competitors. Most of the competitions involve students closer to graduation. This year’s competition consisted of three teams, each team with four to five students from different schools. The teams, in a room for three hours, had to present their information about a bridge demolition in a 15-minute presentation to a panel of judges. According to Wise, there was no prior training for the shadow competition, and was a great way to learn how to solve a problem as well as work with students from other universities. “My fellow team members were two students from Appalachian State University and two from the University of Florida,” said Wise. “We were required to come up with the best method to deviate traffic and pedestrians during a bridge demolition while keeping the golf course and neighborhood happy. We were also required to answer estimating questions about the bridge construction and determine the size of the crane needed based on the heaviest load needed to construct the bridge.”
Associated A s s o c i a t Schools e d S c of h oConstruction, ols of Construction, Region R e g 8 i oCompetition n 8 C o m p e t i t i o n Region 8 International Student Competition was held at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Republic of Ireland, on November 19th and 20th, 2015. Region 8 is the international arm of the US-based Associated Schools of Construction, promoting development and advancement of construction education since 1965. Auburn fielded two teams, one coached by Professor Paul Holley, and the other “joint” team coached by Professors Wes Collins (AU) and Angela Kilby of Birmingham City University (BCU), England. Auburn BSCI students Nolan Strom, Carter Schmid, Evan Baker and Tucker Helms were coached by Holley. Jim Johnson, Blake Struthers (BSCI), Jack Linehan (former exchange student at BSCI) and Josh Prescott from BCU consti-
tuted the second team. The Collins-Kilby team finished second behind Liverpool John Moores University. “Of the eight teams in the competition, three were from the U.S. (Auburn, Oklahoma, and Cal Poly), a joint AU-BCU team, and four teams from the UK or Ireland,” added Holley. The focus of the competition was to renovate the former headquarters of Aer Lingus Airlines (located at the Dublin International Airport). The competition included developing a construction schedule, estimate, project management plan, and site logistics plan for the project. The building itself was built in the 1960’s, and the renovation project included significant site investigation for structural demolition and rework of the building. The finished product of the project included interior and exterior finishes consistent with Class A office space, and LEED Gold certification. According to Collins, the AU and BCU team collaborated electronically several times prior to the competition. He traveled with the AU students to Birmingham, England, prior to the competition and spent two days with the BCU team. “A majority of our time in Birmingham was spent learning the correct nomenclature used by construction professionals in Europe,” added Collins. “Projects, and individuals working on projects, are structured differently in Europe than they are in the U.S. We felt that the time spent in Birmingham was a big part of our success in the competition.”
COMPETITION TEAM SPONSORS 2016-2017 ALL TH E SPONSOR S • GET THEIR LOGO ON TEAM WEAR • A LINK TO CORPORATE WEBSITE ON TEAM WEBSITE • LISTING AS A SPONSOR ON PRINTED MATERIAL AND WEBSITE • INVITATION TO TEAM CELEBRATION
SIGNATURE SPONSOR $10,000 Official Sponsor of the AU Competition Experience Opportunity to make keynote address at AU celebration and awards dinner Recognition as Platinum Sponsor in Gorrie Center
THAN KS TO O U R 201 5 -201 6 S P O N SO RS!
2015-2016 COMPETITION TEAM SPONSORS Signature ($10,000)
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EMJ CONSTRUCTION
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Gold ($2,500)
Silver ($1,000)
HOAR CONSTRUCTION DAVE KNECHT HOMES, LLC
EVERGREEN CONSTRUCTION
PLATINUM SPONSOR $5,000 Recognition as Platinum Sponsor in Gorrie Center
GOLD SPONSOR $2,500 Recognition as Gold Sponsor in Gorrie Center
SILVER SPONSOR $1,000 Recognition as Silver Sponsor in Gorrie Center
BRONZE SPONSOR $500
Recognition as Bronze Sponsor in Gorrie Center
SPONSORSHIPS AVAIL ABLE FOR THE 2016 -2017 SEASON C O N TA C T E VA N T H O M A S
evan.thomas@auburn.edu or 334.844.1499 with questions or to sign up today. 15
RESEARCH The Reality of Superimposing 3D Models at a Jobsite
Dr. Anoop Sattineni, Bob Aderholt Professor at the McWhorter School of Building Science. “AR can superimpose a contextual 3D model of a building design, on top of real world objects in space.” Sattineni is the recipient of a grant from the Center for Construction Innovation and Collaboration to study the use of augmented reality devices at construction sites.
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an builders actually see what finished structures will look like even before construction begins? Technology will soon enable builders to visualize various parts of the building at the location they will be built. Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been increasingly used by contractors and designers in the lifecycle of a project, but most contractors and field personnel continue to use 2D plans at construction sites to perform critical tasks. On many construction sites, BIM usage is limited to technically capable personnel and often not available to or used by foremen and workers. To address this problem, the industry must look to new technologies available to enhance BIM usage. One of the most promising developments for this purpose is Augmented Reality (AR). AR is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are supplemented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, or graphics. Whereas virtual reality (VR) creates immersive, computer-generated environments and transports you to a simulated world, augmented reality is closer to the real world. It is conventionally in real-time and in context with the environment. “With the help of advanced AR technology, information about the environment and its objects can be overlaid on the real world,” said
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“Similar to virtual reality, augmented reality is technology that emerged from gaming and media entertainment sectors. Its utilization in construction industry grew when contractors began using it to show clients proposed designs in the context of existing conditions using mobile devices on a site,” added Sattineni. “The visualization capability of this technology is amazing. Computer-generated images of a structure can be superimposed into a real life local view of a property before the physical building is constructed there. The technology can be used to overlay BIM geometry onto the physical construction site,” said Sattineni. “Imagine you are at a construction site and looking at the construction as it is being built, you can generate the plan, what it is supposed to look like, and where it is now. With this information, you can project the final image when the building is completed. Architects will be able to confirm how the design matches reality by orienting themselves so the virtual world is superimposed on the physical one.” The technology has come a long way since first demonstrated publicly by Trimble Navigation in 2004. AR can be used by architects who can see their 2D drawings emerge into animated 3D visualizations. AR applications allow users viewing a building’s exterior to virtually see through its walls, viewing its interior objects and layout. The technology has been used extensively in Australia and New Zealand to visualize earthquake damaged buildings. Augmented reality is still in development by several companies, and university labs become incubation sites for emerging technologies before they hit the larger market. “There are many companies that make this technology. With recent development and improvements in processing units, camera quality, sensors, wireless technology and GPS, the time is right for using these devices to help the construction indus-
try to save on costs and construction schedules.” Sattineni, his students, and former students at Brasfield and Gorrie, and Hoar Construction are experimenting with the EPSON BT 200 (Moverio) glasses to investigate its capabilities. “For the research we selected the Epson BT-200 due to its capability to visualize 2D and 3D environments,” said Sattineni. “Other contributing factors for its selection included its processor capabilities and the very low learning curve for the end-user to utilize the device. The head movement monitoring capabilities of the device are useful as they enable the image displayed through the glasses to dynamically change. From a communication perspective, it allows you to do things that you couldn’t do before. In this device, I can connect to my computer no matter where I am as long as I have internet, connect to personnel at a home office or at the field; we can take pictures, video, or initiate a live video conference,” added Sattineni. “In construction, workers are often required to be in confined spaces, generally considered hazardous situations for the worker from a safety perspective. Supervisors do not have a way of seeing issues within the confined space if they are needed to intervene or provide additional guidance to the worker. The video conferencing application in the Moverio allows workers to share what they see with their supervisors, and be able to do so hands-free.”
“Architects will be able to confirm how the design matches reality by orienting themselves so the virtual world is superimposed on the physical one.” A N O O P S AT T I N E N I
According to Sattineni, AR is being used increasingly across multiple industries including construction, manufacturing, retail, medical, oil & gas, law enforcement, emergency personnel, education, etc. “You can communicate with people at multiple locations, you can store information as in a computer. As it is web-based construction applications are getting to be increasingly seen in the industry. AR will be the game-changer when it comes to visualizing construction on site. While it is not going to change construction tomorrow, it certainly provides a glimpse into the future of construction.”
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SPRING CAREER EXPO Connecting Students with Employers The McWhorter School aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools needed to be successful in the workforce and for that matter, in life. One step toward success is that first job out of college. The Building Science Career Expo facilitates the connection between our students and employers. We are pleased to have hosted another great expo with more than 65 companies in attendance including: AJAX BUILDING CORPORATION ALABAMA RURAL MINISTRY AMERICA’S HOME PLACE ANNING-JOHNSON CO AUSTIN COMMERCIAL B.L.HARBERT, INT. LLC BATSON COOK CO. BEAZER HOMES BRASFIELD &GORRIE C-SHARPE CO., LLC CADDELL CONSTRUCTION CARROLL DANIEL CONSTRUCTION CO. CARTER & CARTER CONSTRUCTION CATAMOUNT CONSTRUCTORS, INC CHARLES PERRY PARTNERS, INC. CLARK CONSTRUCTION GROUP, LLC
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CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES, INC.
EDWARD ANDREWS HOMES
GRAY CONSTRUCTION
COOPER STEEL
EMJ CONSTRUCTION
HARMON INC
CORE CONSTRUCTION
EVERGREEN CONSTRUCTION
HASKELL
D.R. HORTON
FAIRWAY CONSTRUCTION
HENSEL PHELPS
DEANGELIS DIAMOND CONSTRUCTION
FLINTCO, LLC
HOAR HOLDINGS
DOSTER CONSTRUCTION
FLOURNOY CONSTRUCTION
HOLDER CONSTRUCTION
DPR CONSTRUCTION
GILBANE BUILDING CO.
HUNT CONSTRUCTION GROUP, INC
DRAPER & ASSOCIATES
GOLDEN CONSTRUCTION, LLC
JE DUNN
THE WHITING TURNER CONTRACTING CO. THOMPSON CONSTRUCTION GROUP TIMOTHY HAAHS & ASSOCIATES, INC TIC-THE INDUSTRIAL COMPANY TRANE/INGERSOLL RAND TURNER CONSTRUCTION UNITED RENTALS WAYNE J.GRIFFIN ELECTRIC, INC. WHARTON SMITH, INC WHITE-SPUNNER CONSTRUCTION, INC JUNEAU CONSTRUCTION CO.
WINTER CONSTRUCTION
KEVIN PRICE GC, INC KIEWIT LAYTON CONSTRUCTION M.J. HARRIS CONSTRUCTION SERVICES MANHATTAN CONSTRUCTION MCCARTHY BUILDING COMPANIES MCKENNEYS INC METROPOWER, INC MILL CREEK RESIDENTIAL TRUST LLC NABHOLZ CONSTRUCTION SERVICES NEW SOUTH CONSTRUCTION CO,INC PCL CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC. PULTE GROUP RA-LIN ROBINS & MORTON ROGERS-O’BRIEN CONSTRUCTION SIGNAL ENERGY CONSTRUCTORS SOUTHEAST CHEROKEE CONSTRUCTION, INC. THE BECK GROUP THE CONLAN COMPANY
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FACULTY NEWS Welcome Eric Wetzel
“Placing lessons into practice solidifies learning and is often more engaging and fun. In my opinion, Auburn does an excellent job with this and I look forward to incorporating my philosophy into the existing model. Outside of the classroom, I believe interaction with construction professionals is crucial to developing students, research opportunities and keeping the department current with the pulse of industry activities and trends.“ What do you want your students to get out of your classes?
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ric M. Wetzel is the newest member of the building science faculty who started teaching in Auburn in spring 2016. He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in construction management. He received a master’s degree in building construction from Auburn University, and a doctoral degree in environmental design and planning from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, (Virginia Tech). His dissertation focused on the utilization of building information modeling (BIM) for safety during the facility management (FM) phase. “I am developing a BIM-based framework that would provide comprehensive, safety-related information for facility management staff prior to a work activity.” Wetzel is teaching two sections of Project Controls III and one section of Project Controls III CIT Lab. “The construction industry is dynamic, collaborative and highly technical,” Wetzel said. “The industry requires managers to be critical thinkers and problem solvers, who understand conventional building techniques while embracing emerging technologies. They need to be conversant in engineering, architecture, economics, law, technology, communications and business management. Providing students with these skills is complex and requires an understanding of people as well as industry. I firmly believe that the class environment I set for students should closely resemble that of a construction project.”
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“Aside from the technical skills that every class sets out to teach, I want my students to be engaged and active in their learning. I promote student questions, debate, exploration and conversation. When a student finishes my classes, I hope he/she has learned the technical information as well as acquired a number of intangibles. This is such a great industry and I would hope that the students that take my classes can understand and share in my enthusiasm for building science.” Wetzel played baseball for Western Kentucky University, and is a “HUGE Auburn fan.” Aside from working out, competing in and watching sports, he enjoys taking his Golden Retriever, Lemon, to the park.
FACULTY NEWS Moving Forward with Hope: Peter Weiss
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idding farewell to the winter and snow behind, Associate Professor Peter Weiss moved to Auburn from New York in 1983. A graduate of architecture from Cornell University, Weiss taught classes in the school of architecture and worked at Cornell for several years before starting his own practice. “I set up my practice and worked 24/7! As an architect, I did design work in Elmira and Binghamton and practiced my calling. After two years, I decided that I wanted to do what I enjoyed most: teaching and research,” Weiss said. “I wanted to be in academics, and started looking for teaching opportunities. Auburn captured my interest more than any other university, and when Auburn University offered the opportunity to teach and practice architecture, I knew this was the right place for me.” Weiss was no stranger to teaching. He had taught as a student, and taught design studio and freehand drawing after graduating from Cornell. At Auburn, he lectures Structures I, II (wood), and III (concrete) to sophomores, juniors and seniors in the building science program. According to Weiss, Structures have always been his favorite class to teach. It is one of the hardest classes in the curriculum. After being in Auburn for two years, he introduced blue print, specs and drawing in the course. “Statics and Strength of Materials (in Structures I) is a math-based course. Students need a math background to select types of structures they want to use in the building. They learn to select structural members when they have the footprint of the building. Structures familiarizes them to what the whole process is about.”
“Once students start taking the Structures sequence, they begin to put together all the information they have learned in my other classes. I impress upon them that structures and architecture are one, and that an architect uses all the information I have imparted in the class. Students realize that “Structures” in “Architecture” is part of layering process used to create. It is a critical part of the creative process….a tool, not an afterthought.” During his tenure in Auburn, Weiss has seen a myriad of changes in the industry. “I think it is important to keep in touch with changes in the construction industry. Countries around the
world are witnessing more sophisticated changes. Not much has changed in the exterior finishes, but certainly has in the assembly. The methodology of how to put structural materials together has changed considerably since the 70s. Materials have gotten better,” he added. “New technology has made these changes possible. For example, in materials, more stainless steel than galvanized metal is being used now. Isolation and expansion joints made with new materials reduce the stress considerably. The advent of computers have also made the building process more accurate.” “When I retire, I will miss the contact with students. It has been a delight to watch students assimilate and see the relationship between Structures I, II and III and get comfortable with the material.” Weiss will continue to live in Auburn after his retirement. He will also continue his work in China where he is the Master Architect, planning, designing buildings, roads, and landscape at Sias International University in XinZheng. “Founded in 1998 and affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Sias is the largest private school in China. It is a unique place that has landscaped sections that use important landmarks from several European countries,” he added. “This community has always been delightful. As a member of the Historical Preservation Society in Auburn, I will be able to give back to the community. I enjoy going to the football games, and am full of hope for the upcoming season. There is a lot of hope in this community, not for football alone but in everything we do….we.generate that in our whole life.”
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EVENTS SLC Golf Outing 2015
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he IOTA Chapter of Sigma Lambda Chi held its annual golf outing in fall of 2015. This event gives students and indus-
try representatives the opportunity to network in a casual setting. According to Keith Rahn, assistant professor and SLC advisor, the proceeds provide PPE (personal protection equipment) to new students entering the professional program. IOTA is the McWhorter School of Building Science chapter of the International Honor Society for Construction Students.
save the date for the next golf outing to be held october 4, 2016 at the auburn university club
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