Dimeo Construction

During the summer of 2017, I was a virtual design and construction intern (VDC) for Dimeo Construction Company. I focused on the management of the correlated multi-disciplinary models of design and construction works. Working in the VDC department gave me the chance to work on all of the Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island projects, utilizing over twenty different applications, ranging from 2D all the way to 4D. 

These include; BIM Execution, Visualization, 3D Coordination, Safety, Model Management, Design Management, Construction Review, Estimating, Construction Logistics, Digital Survey and Control, Machine Guidance, Model Building, Green, QAQC (Quality Assurance and Quality Control), Prefabrication, 4D Sequences and Scheduling, Communication and Reporting, Construction, Detailing, Supply Chain Management, and Turn Over and FM. 

MY RESPONSIBILITIES

VDC or Virtual Design and Construction is the management of the correlated multidisciplinary models of design and construction works. I It relies heavily on the guiding principals of BIM (which stands for building informational modeling), process and organization. Throughout the summer, I utilized a handful of design oriented computer programs such as Sketchup 2017, Autodesk BIM 360 GLUE, Navisworks Manage 2016 (BIM 360), AutoCAD 2017, Revit 2016, and Revit 2017. 

CLASH DETECTION/SPATIAL COORDINATION

I began my summer internship by doing clash detection, (which is also referred to as spatial coordination) using Navisworks Manage 2016 and Autodesk BIM 360 GLUE for the Umass Amherst Isenburg School of Management and Lowell Justice Center Projects.

Navisworks is a program used for survey and clash detection. Something that I would look for would be clashes involving mechanical equipment, fire protection, and plumbing with the ceiling of a building. Then I would go through the clashes and classify them into groups, marking them as "Approved" or "New". 

AUTODESK BIM 360 GLUE UPDATES

All of the projects that I would view in Navisworks I had to upload and update through Autodesk BIM 360 GLUE, which is our model management program. Through this we can upload models to Navisworks and conduct clash detection, but then we can also update the models to their most recent state after we've edited them. Since the site is web-based, anybody can access it so the edits are live. 

COORDINATION MEETING & MEP MODELING & COORDINATION SERVICES

Early in the summer I attended a coordination meeting with another virtual designer from my department at the Yale worksite. As an intern, it was interesting to see how we went about problem solving the issues we were faced with for clash detection within the Yale project. I realized how important it is that the departments that make up Dimeo interact with one another so we can all be on the same page. 

One of the most important principals that makes up an integrated practice is good communication and knowledge sharing, which also builds strong project teams. Nobody can know absolutely everything, which makes Interaction with other people, or groups of people for that matter, a necessity.

I was also responsible for retyping the URI Golden Rules of MEP modeling and Coordination services. This allowed me to take a look at the principals that make up our area of the construction industry.  

PROJECT FIRST LIGHT

I helped design the PFL Timeline, using Adobe Illustrator CC 2017 to construct the chart after the established timelines had been given to me. However, this also required a mild understanding of the processes that make up this chart and how long they would take workers to complete.

PC FRIARS LOGISTICAL MODEL

The Providence College Friars logistics map is the biggest project that I have done for Dimeo. For a little over a week and a half, I was using Sketchup 2017 to design the entire Providence college campus with the exception of the development center that we look to install. 

I began this process by taking a screenshot of the campus using Google Earth, placing it within Sketchup and then designed the buildings according to their measurements and placements on the screenshot of the map.                                                                                     

As a designer, attention to detail is something that I'm always thinking about. When it came to the PC Friars Project, it was very important that I spent the time incorporating the trademark of every building, that way, when the contractor looks at the map they know which building is which. 

Shown above, you can see that I focused on a lot of the detail for the cupola located on top of the Aquinas building located in the center of campus. 

This model will soon be put into Synchro to serve as the surround ing area for the project itself. Synchro is another design based construction program used for 4D which allows us to see the building being constructed on our screens according to a timeline that we choose. (Unfortunately, I didn't get to use this program but I saw my co-workers use it. 

SLAB PENETRATION DRAWINGS

I set the dimension s for the slab penetration drawings for the (LJC) Lowell Justice Center project using AutoCAD 2017. I did this for all four floors.

FIREPROOFING

I contributed to the addition and renovation of the UMass Amherst Isenburg School of Management project by setting the fireproofing of structural beams or alll four floors, using Revit 2017.

This also required me to look into the AISC database to get the dimensions of the fireproofing that I needed to make it and put into the Revit File. This involved a significant amount of trial and error, due to the fact that when I started, I would often get one of the measurements wrong which required me to go back in and figure out what measurements I got wrong. 

In conclusion, I found the experience of working at Dimeo to be very enlightening. I got to work with a very talented team on a lot of interesting projects, I was constantly busy, and I received a bunch of guidance along the way. 

I learned about BIM, the value of our department, what it takes to have a successful integrated practice and how it can benefit the company, and how the departments of Dimeo internally coordinate with one another.

As an architecture minor, and moreover somebody who plans on going into the industrial design field it was important for me to realize that BIM doesn't replace the role of the architect even though we are in an area of constant technological development, but rather that these innovations, if used properly can greatly improve the efficiency in regards to the work load of the designer.