Design And Use Of Interactive Learning Stations In Construction Education For Building Mechanical, Electrical, And Plumbing Systems

Over the past several years, the building codes that govern the design and installation of mechanical and electrical systems for buildings have become increasingly prescriptive in nature, specifying detailed information related to the design and installation of the systems, while offering no reasoning behind their prescriptive measures. Students now read about the design and installation of these systems in textbooks, and using the building codes, have in-class exercises drafting the systems, which in industry are used for fabrication and installation. Therefore, in conjunction with a new curriculum proposed for the construction management department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo an interactive learning station was developed for student use to enhance student learning. This paper focuses on the design and use of interactive learning stations for building mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems that allow construction students to perform “hands-on” fit-up exercises and test their performance. Introduction and Background In recent years, there has been increasing consideration given to integrated curricula by construction engineering and management faculty and industry advisors. According to Hauck and Jackson 3 each proposal has tried to address core problems associated with an overly segmented curriculum and the lack of project based learning in different ways. A model proposed by Hauck and Jackson 3 attempts to teach construction management as a series of labs integrating the various construction management courses into an active, applied learning experience. Their integrated curriculum proposal for the construction management department is centered on the creation of seven projectbased seminars. They are as follows: ‚" Fundamentals of Construction Management ‚" Residential Construction Management ‚" Commercial Building Construction Management ‚" Heavy Civil Construction Management ‚" Specialty Contracting Construction Management ‚" Jobsite Construction Management ‚" Integrated Services Construction Management Each of the project-based seminars is based on a model of seven quarter-hours of lab and activity credit for a total of nineteen (19) contact hours per week. Similar to a studio in an architecture curriculum, each seminar was proposed to be taught in a dedicated lab filled with models, samples, contracts, marketing documents, specifications, estimating guides, computer references, and other tools appropriate to that market sector and available to students in that seminar all day. P ge 13364.2 The concept for the specialty contracting construction management seminar was to emphasize the work of specialty contractors who install mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. Their work is typically very specialized and their work is effected by, and affects the work of, all other specialty contractors who install MEP systems. Furthermore, MEP systems involve intense coordination during the design phase of building construction that requires the work of several trades to locate equipment and route connecting elements for each system to avoid physical interferences, allow for full system functionality, and comply with differing types of criteria 4 . In the spring of 2006 (and proposed for Fall 2008), a pilot lab course integrating two independent courses that focus on (MEP) systems was developed and offered at Cal Poly for construction management and engineering students. The course curriculum focused on integrating the course content of MEP systems with regard to design, construction, and coordination issues commonly found among specialty contractors. Therefore, whether students are eventually employed by a specialty contractor or a general contractor, they will be more familiar with the methods used by the specialty trades in the construction industry and the unique personnel and equipment utilization issues faced by specialty contractors. The integrated curriculum model described by Hauck and Jackson 3 provides tremendous opportunities to engage teaching strategies far beyond the common lecture approach typically utilized in many single subject courses. Various methodologies such as cooperative learning and the use of interactive learning stations can easily be utilized in an integrated learning lab environment. The integrated approach to construction management education requires students to be active participants in their own education, students learn far more by doing something active than by simply watching and listening 2 . Therefore, to take advantage of the studio-laboratory format of the course proposed in the new curriculum, a common interactive learning station, which integrated the MEP systems, was developed in order to enhance student learning. Course Approach, Learning Objectives, and Delivery Method The integrated course described above was designed to introduce students to the scope and impact of MEP systems for buildings. The mechanical and plumbing systems included in the course content included: heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, and fire protection, while the electrical systems include power, grounding, lighting, communication, and fire detection. Primarily designed to give students detailed knowledge of the active building systems which form a key part of buildings and plants, the approach taken was to analyze the need, scope, design, and construction of these systems as well as address the design-construction integration issues for each system. The course was developed and presented with the following learning objectives: • Define the need and purpose for active MEP building systems • Describe how building systems work, how they are designed, how they fit with architectural and structural systems, and what they include • Describe how building systems are built, how long it takes, how much it costs • Recognize shared knowledge of building systems for design-construction integration • Analyze a system design, estimate materials and components used, and create installation work packages for building systems • Compare and select alternate building systems to achieve desired building performance levels P ge 13364.3 The class was divided into several key methods of delivering course content: lectures, lab exercises, construction site visits, plan reading and material take-offs, and the use of interactive learning stations. Introductory lectures were given on each subject matter. For mechanical and plumbing topics included water supply and distribution, sanitary drainage and venting, natural gas supply and distribution, fundamentals of fire protection, stormwater drainage, and fundamentals of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Electrical topics included power generation, transmission, and distribution; series and parallel circuits; single and three phase power; resistive, inductive, and capacitive elements; and grounding, communication, lighting, and fire detection systems. Lectures were primarily used to enhance assigned reading and convey the most technical aspects of MEP systems, such as pipe friction losses, air duct design, and wire and conduit calculations. Following the introductory lecture and a reading assigned, an in-class lab exercise was given for students to work on. Lab assignments varied by subject matter but primarily included system sizing and layout, construction document reading, preparation of cost proposals, and estimating and scheduling exercises. The plan reading and material take-off exercises required the students to work within their three-person teams and review a set of mechanical and electrical drawings and specifications for an instructor-selected building located on campus. In addition, several construction projects were visited during the course, including residential, commercial, and institutional sites, varying between 30% and 90% construction completion. Following each site tour, students were required to submit a field trip report focusing on the MEP systems at the site. Finally, throughout the class, a common interactive learning station with related laboratory exercises was developed for use in the course, which allowed students to perform “hands-on” fit-up exercises of MEP systems and test their performance. The following paragraphs illustrate the design of these interactive learning stations and their use, including the learning objectives and outcomes assessments. Interactive Learning Stations As stated above, over the past several years, the building codes that govern the design and installation of MEP systems for buildings have become increasingly prescriptive in nature, specifying detailed information relating to the design and installation of the systems, while offering no reasoning behind their prescriptive measures. For example, in the case of drain waste and vent (DWV) piping systems, the DWV system functions under atmospheric pressure to drain waste from buildings. In order to function properly, a delicate balance between air pressure, hydrostatic pressure, and fluid flow must exist. If designed and installed improperly, noxious gases may be produced and may enter the building and waste will not properly leave the building. System performance depends highly upon quality installation, which is the primary reason why building codes have opted to write codes in a prescriptive manner. Students now read about DWV systems in textbooks, and use the prescriptive building codes to draft diagrams the systems which in industry are used to fabricate and install the DWV systems, but fail to understand the physics behind why DWV works and often cannot adapt the code to situations which are not specifically prescribed in the code. Several practices are used for the installation of DWV piping in buildings. These include, but are not limited to the following: • Individual Fixture Draining • Combined/Common Venting P ge 13364.4 • Branch Venting • Wet Venting • Group (Circuit and L