Engineering Commons^™

Additional Business Courses In The Cm Curriculum, Jordan A. Thrailkill

Construction Management

With the growing size of the Construction Industry, an increased knowledge and understanding of the business side of the operation is becoming more important. This study attempts to look at construction management student’s interest in adding more business topic courses into the CM curriculum and if adding more business topic courses will better prepare students for industry. Students were asked to answer six questions -five survey and one free response. These questions were designed to provide quantitative and qualitative data that would allow for an increased understanding of student interest in regards to business.

Conclusion: Results indicated that students would …

Creating A Training Guide For First-Time Bluebeam 2018 Users, Ryan M. Weir

Construction Management

The use of technology is constantly increasing in the construction industry. Bluebeam is commonly used in both industry and the Cal Poly Construction Management program. The goal of this project based project is to create a training guide for first time Bluebeam users. The guide takes users through the steps of opening the program, becoming accustomed with the user interface, and step by step through a basic takeoff to the submission stage.

A Recommendation To Implement A Quality Assurance/Quality Control Topics Course, Jacob W. Stapp

Construction Management

The purpose of this report is to recommend and gauge student interest/need for the addition of a Quality Assurance/Quality Control topics course to the Construction Management curriculum. Both Quality Assurance and Quality Control are vital for all construction projects, and without proper implementation there is no way to ensure high quality results. In an industry that demands high quality projects, it is important that our department prepares our students to be well-rounded in all aspects of construction. This will enable our graduates to enter the workforce in full stride, contributing efficiently from the start. Our University’s motto is “Learn by …

Journeyman International: Karambo River Master Plan, Nick Somera

Construction Management

My senior project consisted of an interdisciplinary partnership with students in the College of Architecture & Environmental Design and the non-profit, Journeyman International. My project team has been given the Karambo River Master Plan located in Rwanda, Africa. Empowering Villages, the sponsor for the project, has bought land to make way for new buildings in a fairly remote area with no existing utilities. The site, near the Mahoko village, will foster community, learning, and growing together. There will be a library, classroom, and multi-purpose building constructed for the surround villages in the area. Empowering Villages has also partnered with Afritech …

Professional Practice For Constructors, Tristan M. Soltero

Construction Management

This project based senior project focuses on the creation of a fully online topics course called CM 463: Professional Practice for Constructors. The course itself will be based on the project management body of knowledge and will cover several the chapters either in depth or briefly. A few of the topics introduced throughout the course will be: Project Scope, Project Time, and Project Cost. Although most students may have already touched basis on the subjects throughout the current curriculum, the management perspective of these project essentials are overlooked. While each chapter will be introduced throughout the course, a project lasting …

Los Angeles Homeless Epidemic Alternative Housing And Locations, Jacques Spinner

Construction Management

Homelessness is a major problem across America and is also very expensive, costing billions of dollars each year. If Los Angeles has been booming with construction over the past several years, why has the homeless population continued to greatly increase? I will investigate what plans Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority already have in place to aid this epidemic. This is such a large problem that the presented solutions and findings may only help a portion of the unsheltered homeless, but it will be a step in the right direction. In order to tackle this epidemic, …

Weed Cohort Panelized Housing, John Michael E. Theofanides

Construction Management

This study analyzed how students took on primary design and contractor roles with real projects. It is focused on the feasibility of getting students heavily involved with projects that are meant to be built for real clients. This study will review a specific project that multiple Cal Poly interdisciplinary teams undertook that heavily emphasized panelization strategies and working-class family affordability. First the paper introduces the initial goals the clients set out for the project. Next, it gives an overall background of the design process using integrated project delivery. It studies the interactions between students and the client in a short …

Examining The Labor Shortage In The Construction Industry And Possible Solutions Presented By Industry Members, Jeremy Suryadi

Construction Management

This paper attempts to examine what factors have caused the sustained labor shortage in the construction industry. Whether it be through the lens of general contractors, trade partners, or suppliers, all parties associated with the built-environment have experienced a form of labor shortage or an increase in older employees with few replacements readily available. The main purpose of this paper is to gather enough data and opinions from construction industry members to formalize the few key factors of the diminished labor force, primarily in California’s commercial construction sector. The lack of skilled workers has negatively impacted the quality and quantity …

The Well Building Standard: Assessment Of Effectiveness, Zachary Richardson

Construction Management

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the WELL Building standard. The WELL Building standard is a certification very similar in nature to that of LEED, where there are criteria that must be met in order for a building to be certified. The International WELL Building Institute claims that by adhering to their standards, building owners will be able to improve many health aspects in the lives of the occupants, as well as creating more effective workplaces for business. Through a careful analysis of the physical and mental health aspects WELL claims to improve, as well as surveying building …

Value Of Exposing High School Students To Skilled Trades, Rocio Ramirez-Castro, Janet Valenzuela

Construction Management

The construction industry is facing dramatic challenges, specifically labor shortage. Due to a lack of skilled craftspeople working in the field, projects result in delays and increased project costs. Throughout the United States, construction companies are looking to find skilled workers to meet the projects workforce. In order to expose people to the construction industry, a presentation and survey was conducted amongst high school students. The concept consists of majority of high school students not being informed about the career opportunities in the construction industry. Consequently, by exposing students to the construction industry would benefit the industry itself and recent …

Cal Poly Caed Interdisciplinary Competition, Richard Nguyen

Construction Management

In an effort to promote relationships between Construction management students with other majors in Cal Poly’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, an interdisciplinary competition should be encouraged. Targeted towards second-year students, an interdisciplinary competition will provide valuable experience in competition environment, while establishing relationships with students in other majors. Each team member will learn more about the other professions and the issues affecting their work. Conducted over an academic quarter (10 weeks), students will be presented with site information and strategic development plan materials to support the effort. The teams require participation and input from architectural engineering, architecture, city …

Recommendation To Implement A Microsoft Excel Topics Course, Alexander J. Poksay

Construction Management

The purpose of my senior project is to recommend the addition of a Microsoft Excel course to the Cal Poly Construction Management curriculum. My interest in this topic was sparked when I began my internship at Decker Electric in San Francisco during the summer of 2017. As a result of this internship, I discovered how inadequate my Excel skills were and how important Microsoft Excel is to the construction industry. Upon graduation, Cal Poly Construction Management students enter a workforce that relies heavily upon many different types of software programs that analyze information used daily in construction. With a rapidly …

An Analysis Of The Demand For Interdisciplinary Curriculum Within The Caed, Matthew S. Montijo

Construction Management

This study serves to demonstrate the demand and benefits of interdisciplinary curriculum within the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) at California Polytechnic State University. While the literature review serves to highlight the unique learning benefits of interdisciplinary coursework, the survey demonstrates student demand for such courses across all colleges in the CAED. This study provides possible solutions to an existing problem within the CAED through the avenue of the construction management department.

An Evaluation Of The Current State Of Unions In The Construction Industry And Their Future, Cheyne Walsh

Construction Management

Over the past fifty years, the United States has seen a tremendous decline in the amount of union members in the workforce. The trade unions in the construction industry have been no exception. Recently, the percentage of union members compared to the amount of employees have reached an all-time low. There has been a slight boost in members with the current climate of increased construction projects underway. But, unions still need to once again grow in strength to stay viable within the industry. Construction trade unions, especially the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Iron Workers, …

Establishment Of Occupational Safety And Health As A Minor, Giovani A. Mazzotti

Construction Management

Safety plays an essential role in the construction industry. With construction projects increasing in size, time, and overall complexity, it has become increasingly difficult to implement safe protocol and procedures. Present-day construction projects sometimes require more than 10,000 employees, including dozens of subcontractors, office teams, and more on-site. In addition to the increased need for laborers, increasing project size means an increase in demand for individuals with expertise and experience in safety practices. Projects of all shapes and sizes are in need of professionals with proven expertise in implementing safety practices. Currently, many incoming project engineers and field engineers lack …

Investigating The Cm Club Financials At Cal Poly, James Materne

Construction Management

With our growing Construction Management department and continuous flow of new students at Cal Poly, clubs at Cal Poly are constantly electing new officers to run them. These officers must know what sort of budget they are working with. This project shows these officers what previous years have done and what they can work with. The financial sheets are about revenue and expenses. It is an Operating Budget vs Actual financial sheet for year 2017-2018. The officers are encouraged to continue this financial analysis to put in their books for future officers.

Creating And Implementing An Industry Mentorship Program Within The Women In Construction Club, Linnea Lavorico

Construction Management

The construction industry has made great strides in terms of catching the attention of and accepting more women. The industry has historically been dominated by men and, for the most part, that is still true today. But there are more and more women expressing interest in construction and construction management related career paths. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) continued that trend when the Women in Construction club was formed. The goal is to help women realize that they can participate in the industry and then encourage them to do so. A previous senior project was done …

Analysis On Why Cal Poly Cm Students Don't Pursue Employment In The Central Coast., Jessica Magaña

Construction Management

The Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Construction Management program is one of the best in the nation. With nearly 100% of its undergraduate students having a job set in place before graduation, it is interesting seeing students pass on the opportunity to stay and work in the area in which they are taught about the profession. There are many local builders in the Central Coast that are looking for new-hires, and with all the new developments starting up in nearby cities, as in San Luis Obispo; newly graduates are choosing instead to look and go elsewhere to start their careers …

Case Study On 3d Printing Implementation Strategies, William J. Leonard

Construction Management

The construction industry is one of the slowest to adapt and utilize new technologies. As a result, the construction industry has remained stagnant while almost all others are improving efficiency. It is becoming incredibly important for the construction industry to adapt to new technologies in order to counter the current worldwide shortage in skilled labor. 3D printing is one of the most advanced technologies that can help increase efficiency and reduce cost across all sectors of the construction industry. This paper will analyze implementation strategies used on three different construction projects using 3D printing and will evaluate what made them …

Application Of Mechanical, Electrical, And Plumbing Contractor’S Bim Practices To The Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Construction Management Program, Christopher J. Langstaff

Construction Management

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) contractors play such a crucial role in the construction and design phase of building a project; their success or failure can drastically affect the project's overall success. MEP contractors’ use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the construction industry has grown exponentially over the past decade. This paper will expand on the utilization and practices of BIM by MEP contractors. This information functions as a foundation for my research into current professional BIM trends as they relate to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s (SLO) Construction Management (CM) curriculum. Cal Poly SLO’s CM department has designed …

Spanish Language Topics Course Curriculum Proposal, George W. Healy

Construction Management

The objective of this report is to initiate the development of an introductory Spanish topics course within the construction management curriculum at Cal Poly. With each construction management student at Cal Poly that graduates, the industry is gifted another future industry expert. However, in order to be truly successful in construction,one must be excellent at communicating with, and coordinating team’s activities. There is no question that workers in the construction industry are subject to life threatening hazards on a regular basis. In order to mitigate the potential harm of these hazards, allsteps must be taken in managing these risks. Faults …

Journeyman International - Dream Soccer Academy Cameroon, Gerhard Hohbach

Construction Management

This project based senior project was completed through Journeyman International, an organization that pairs Architecture, Architectural Engineering and Construction Management students with projects in need of their services. This document contains the Construction Management students portion of the work. The DREAM Soccer Academy is a group of coaches and mentors that counsels and guides youth in Mamfe, Cameroon, empowering the youth through soccer. The organization is seeking to expand their operations to a housing, education and sports facility soccer. The proposed design includes two dormitories, three soccer fields, six classrooms, conference rooms, an indoor gym, cafeteria, health center, cafeteria, bleachers …

3d Printing Homes Impact On The Residential Construction Industry, Jeffrey Hammond

Construction Management

Construction companies are always looking for ways to reduce costs and shorten schedules and with new technologies there are more and more ways of achieving these goals. One new technology aimed to achieve those goals within the residential construction management industry is the three dimensional (3D) printer. Recently 3D printers have been put to use within the residential construction industry by printing the structures of homes, instead of framing them, at fractions of the cost and time, with greater efficiency, and less labor. 3D printed homes have a tremendous potential to impact impoverished citizens that need the peace and comfort …

Discovering The Benefits Of Integrating Bim Workflows Into Residential Construction Estimating, Trey R. Garcia

Construction Management

As Building Information Modeling tools become increasingly more prevalent within the construction industry, primarily the commercial sector, it is important to recognize how it can impact and/or improve other sectors of the industry. This paper will focus primarily on residential construction and the potential cost benefits that could be achieved with the implementation of model-based estimating. Other benefits that the commercial sector currently thrive on will also be noted and explained for potential implementation for residential construction. The project explained in this paper has a dual purpose; which is to discover if both cost and time benefits can be developed …

The Setty Family Foundation 2018 Ashrae Applied Engineering Competition, Joshua Heath

Construction Management

The Setty Family Applied Engineering Challenge tasked my project group with designing a temporary shelter specifically for refugees in Eastern Europe to be used by governments, municipalities, and humanitarian agencies that is cost effective, portable, sustainable, and provides all necessary domestic needs. After months of research and design, we have developed the PolyShelter ; an eight-person structure erected to provide comfortability and safety to those in need. PolyShelter is designed to withstand the harshest of climates, provide exceptional insulation, and incorporate a rainwater collection system sufficient enough to support each unit. PolyShelter proves itself to be an economically viable solution …

Alternate Reinforcement For Structural Concrete, Barrett Lowe

Construction Management

Concrete has been utilized on construction projects for thousands of years, ranging from the Pyramids to the foundation your home is built on. Innovated upon, concrete and its properties have changed over the years, one of the greatest being the discovery of tensile reinforcement. Rebar, commonly known as reinforcing steel or reinforcement bars, have been used in the construction industry for decades. Ranging in size and application, rebar’s unmatched tensile strength and anti-corrosive properties make it the champion of reinforcing structural concrete. Though the advancement in technology has created a new era where other materials may take its place. Attempting …

Rail Transportation Of Aggregate Material, Mario Ghilotti

Construction Management

Sand, gravel and crushed stone, known as construction aggregates, are the main ingredient in materials to maintaining and building new infrastructure. Construction aggregate has a low cost per ton, but because mass quantities are typically required, if a local source is not available then the cost of transportation quickly exceed the value of the material. The North Bay Area has an estimated 50-year demand of 521 Million Tons (MT) and a current permitted supply of 110 MT. This North Bay Area region has a supply to demand ratio of 21% and is estimated to last 11-20 years (from 2012). This …

High School Student Perceptions Of Women In Construction And How Increasing Awareness Changes Perceptions, Garber Ashley, Kaelyn Mollé

Construction Management

Diversity is a one of the biggest struggles within the construction industry. Specifically regarding gender, women make up a distinct minority of just over 8% for construction managers according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In comparison, women comprise 47% of the overall U.S. labor force. This shows that the construction industry is behind because of certain barriers including perception of women’s capabilities, socio-cultural issues, male dominance and more.This paper researches high school students’ perceptions of women in construction as well as their prior knowledge and beliefs about construction management. This research also includes a brief presentation on what …

Augmented Reality Applied To Tenant Improvement Projects, Alex Feizbakhsh

Construction Management

Technology keeps on advancing and expanding into different markets, the Construction Industry has adapted these new breakthroughs. The industry has already adapted the concept of 3D Modeling, however with Augmented Reality this takes BIM to the next level. Augmented Reality can assist in numerous attributes within the construction process to help manage the project more efficiently. Given these words, this paper helps to highlight the key factors of Augmented Reality and how it enhances the Tenant Improvement process. This case study helps to highlight the positive returns of this tech, as well as solutions for any challenges that may come …

Developing A Scheduling Module For Construction Management Labs, Brittney Lerdahl

Construction Management

The Cal Poly Construction Management Department is renowned as one of the best programs in the nation. From holding one of the highest competition success rates to almost 100% job placement right out of school for graduates, Cal Poly undoubtedly lives up to that reputation. With that, in order to ensure that the department continues to produce well rounded graduates, it is crucial to regularly assess any potential shortcomings that the construction management curriculum may possess. As one of the three sides of the construction management triangle, the ability to read and create a construction schedule is a crucial skill …