Safe Productive Work

We all know that time equals money. To maximize profits, a company must be productive and efficient. They have to develop and implement the plans. These plans include a tight schedule and specific safety procedures. The workers must work quickly and use their time wisely without any deviation. Yet, safety in construction is often overlooked in the pursuit of profit. Companies are willing to sacrifice safety for more money. It’s sad that people could be so selfish and greedy. All lives matter. These workers have family and friends who care about their well-being. Safety should be more important than anything.

Construction Death From Falls

Recently in my Building Construction class, we explored the importance of safety at a construction site. We participated in a safety activity that required us to flip a tarp as a team. The tarp represented a construction site and we were the workers. We had to remain on the tarp as we flipped it. If we stepped off or if our PPE fell off of us, we had to freeze for 10 seconds. Each time we performed the activity, a condition was added. For example, one condition was that we could not communicate with our team. Another condition was that we had to catch tennis balls when they were thrown at us. The tennis balls represented hazards that we would face at a construction site. If we did not catch the tennis balls it would be another 10 second penalty. The 10 second penalties represent a stoppage in work due to safety violations. Consequently, productivity decreased.

Construction Fatalities

The safety activity clearly displayed the importance of safety on the construction site. Without any hazards, we accomplished the task very quickly and efficiently. We were able to direct our focused to the task. As hazards were introduced, our productivity decreased and the workers safety suffered. We were distracted by the possibility of a hazard and had to divert our attention. It became a mess. When the hazards were controlled and we knew where they were coming from, we were able to focus on the task a little bit more. Our productivity was a little better but not as good as zero hazards. Ultimately, productivity is maximized when hazards are minimized.

From the activity, I learned that, as people, we forget the little things when we focus hard on a task. The little things, such as safety, are extremely important. Forgetting safety could result in someone or myself getting seriously injured or killed. Safety should be the utmost focus of any construction company. If a company has a bad reputation for the safety of its workers, many people would not work for them. People value their lives. This would result in the company providing a higher wage or salary to keep employees. Furthermore, the company would see a lost in revenue. By seeking to be more productive at the cost of their employees’ safety, they actually lose money. Ultimately, it is worth the cost of providing a safe work place. You cannot put a price on a person’s life. 

Housing For Displaced People - Part 2

As I continue to research solutions for housing displaced people, I discover other problems that hinder a possible solution. Going back to my original blog on the issue, I investigated EverBlock, a Lego like building material. EverBlock is fairly cheap and requires very low maintenance. The blocks can be easily shipped in cargo containers in mass quantities. Also, the blocks can be configured into any type of housing or building as needed. However, as I delved deeper into this possible solution, I discovered another problem. That problem is funding.

Shortage in funds

In my subsequent blog, I researched how the flow of money for refugees worked. I discovered that the money for relief is built into most countries budget. However, the amount of money and relief were very limited. The funds were not sufficient to provide help to the majority of refugees. I proposed that each country restructured their budget. This would include more money designated to relief. For example, a possible budget would require each country to designate 3% of their discretionary funds to relief. Yet, due to recent events in Paris many people believe that the refugees are responsible. Funding and relief are becoming harder to demand more of. Many countries are becoming more hostile to refugees and want to deny help.

Funding Based On Country

The problem with allocating a certain amount of money to relief funds is that some countries will refuse to comply. Many countries would only help if they see a possible benefit from helping the refugees. Big market countries, such as the United States and China, would have to dish out more money. Since the economy in China is not fairing as well, China may not provide any funds. The world market is greatly affected by China and the overall economy in the United States has just begun to slowly recover from the recession. Therefore, forcing countries to set aside a percentage of their discretionary funds may not be feasible.

Non-governmental Organization 

The funding problem could be directed to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Red Cross  or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They will be responsible for collecting money to use to help the refugees. They will be provided the current funds from the budget of each of the countries. The NGOs must find other ways to raise funds. For example, they would have to ask for donations and set up fund raisers. They would also have to rely on volunteers to keep the expenses low. It would still require compliance from the various countries government.

I originally sought to solve the housing problems for displaced people. EverBlock seemed to be the solution but money became the issue. My examination of where the money comes from resulted in inefficient funds for any solution. However, I believe EverBlock can still be used. If each country decides to expand their budget and support the project, the refugees would greatly benefit. If each country ignores the politics and their personal gain, the housing problem would be solved. Ultimately that judgement is up to the people in power.

Housing For Displaced People - Part 1

From my previous Blog, I explored housing ideas for displaced people. I thought, how can we provide low maintenance, cost efficient housing? This led me to introduced EverBlock, a Lego-like building material. EverBlock is a fairly cost efficient source of housing. At about $7,250 per unit (8 x 21 x 8), three units can be easily shipped in a 40ft ocean container. Also, EverBlock is very low maintenance and can be reused or reform into other necessary structures.

There are currently nearly 60 million displaced people. As of a 2011 report from UNCHR, Pakistan hosts the most refugees with 1.7 million. The report does not take into account the recent events in Paris. Now many refugees are discovering it is more difficult to find safe places to live. Many politicians are proposing to prevent these refugees from entering the countries. What they need to focus on is providing sufficient housing.

Number of Displaced People

Currently the United States sets aside about $100 million for unexpected overseas refugee and migration needs. Due to the crisis in Syria, the United States announced a new budget of $419 million in new funding. That brings the United States total contribution for refugees to $4.5 billion. That may seem a lot but is far too little to provide for the displaced people. Only 35% of the requested funding for Syria are met. Not only do we need to find cost efficient housing, we need to find ways to obtain or raise money for the projects.

One option could be to create a new budget. This would require an increase in funding for refugees to $9 billion. As a result, the size of the government would have to be reduced. Many people will lose their jobs. Also, we would have to reduce funding in our military. As of 2015, the United States allocates 54% of its discretionary spending to the military. That’s nearly $600 billion, more than the next 7 countries combined. Yet, it would mean a lot of people losing their jobs.

Military Spending

Another option is to require other countries such as the United Kingdom or China to contribute more money to refugees. The United Kingdom allocates €854 million, which is 71% of its humanitarian budget in 2014. That equates to just around $1 billion, a fraction of what the United States dishes out for displaced people. China has provided just as much as the United States in foreign assistance. From 2010-2012, China has appropriated $14.41 billion dollars to foreign aid. That’s almost $5 billion a year. However only 0.4% of that was directly appointed to humanitarian aid. China should assign more money to humanitarian aid. The United Kingdom needs to raise more money as well. This would help fund for temporary housing for the refugees.

China's Foreign Spending 

Due to the lack of efficient temporary housing and funding, refugees are having a difficult time sustaining a life. They have to make do with what various underfunded organizations provide for them. With the attacks in Paris and other places, many refugees are being restricted from entering various countries. The refugees need better, safer places to live. With more funding and more efficient housing, hopefully they can go on with their lives. In my next blog I will explore other solutions for housing and increase funding. 

Housing Displaced People

As the world becomes more populated, housing becomes an issue. Space and resources dwindle as well. Countries and individual groups begin to fight over the land and resources. This leads to the destruction of many people’s homes and communities. Over 60 million people worldwide are considered displaced due to conflict or natural disasters. In The Heart and the Fist, families in areas such as Rwanda and Bosnia were ripped apart. Children were left without parents or stable homes. These kids have little hope to better their lives. With the help of technological innovations, this problem should be easily resolved.

Children in Bosnia

What these displaced people need is efficient, cost friendly housing. The housing should be low maintenance but still provide a sense of home and community. These housing communities need to have a center for kids to congregate. The center will provide a sense of stability and normality for the kids in refugee camps. There will be a learning center and a rec center where people can meet up. The sense of community will help the morale of the refugees.

A cost efficient housing solution could be EverBlock. EverBlock is a Lego like building material that is a very easy to transport and distribute. It can be built into any type of housing. The blocks can be taken down and be built into something else if needed. This allows housing to be versatile and simple. For example, in The Heart and the Fist, Eric Greitens visited many places with insufficient housing for displaced people. People in Rwanda were unable to build a home. With EverBlock, the people in Rwanda would be able to construct housing and build a community. EverBlock could be the solution to housing for displaced people.

EverBlock

There may be possible consequences to EverBlock. For instance, EverBlock’s stability may be in question. It is made of light weight plastic and has no foundation. People could even break it down and steal the blocks. However, rebar can be used as stability or as foundation in the blocks. The rebar would also make it harder to steal. Also, its durability could be affected by the environment. The plastic may become weak due to the sun’s harmful rays. Another problem could be the cost. Each 12” x 6” block cost about $7.25. Each shelter would require about a 1000 blocks. Therefore, the shelter would cost around $7,250 each without utilities. Yet, it would require very little maintenance and can be reused. Even though EverBlock has some flaws, its potential benefits outweigh the consequences.

Example of Housing

EverBlock is a solid solution to housing for displaced people. It would allow refugees to have a place to call home and build a normal family life. The kids will be able to have a supportive family and community despite their tough situation. They will develop hope and dream to better their lives outside these camps. The families and children in Rwanda and Bosnia would be better off with cost efficient housing, such as EverBlock. Hopefully, EverBlock can reduce the number of displaced people from 60 million to less than 20 million. 

Construction Innovation

Innovation is another word for creativity. Creativity is thinking outside the box. Innovators think outside the box and create new and unique products. These products help the industry it was designed for, especially in the construction industry. New innovations have developed safer and more efficient ways of building. Workers have access to new safety and construction equipment, leading to a more efficient workplace. Project managers are able to quickly direct plans and workers. Companies see an increase in revenue because of innovations in the industry. As a client, their dreams can be made much faster and efficiently. Hopefully, technology will continue to advance and develop into amazing innovations. 

Tarmac's Topmix Permeable

One innovation that I found very interesting is the permeable concrete.  This concrete, created by Tarmac, can absorb up to a 1000 gallons of water a minute. The absorbed water can be efficiently directed to water treatment centers with little harm to the environment. This allows for urban flooding to be greatly reduced. For example, hurricane Joaquin recently devastated the city of Columbia with massive flooding.

Flooding in Columbia, South Carolina

The flooding has claimed 19 lives and has closed over 300+ roads. With the permeable concrete, the flooding would have been greatly reduced. Lives and homes would have been saved. Not only does the permeable concrete can reduce flooding, it acts as a natural filter for the water. The pervious aggregate and soil will act as the natural filter. The water can be recycled more efficiently and reduce urban city waste. 

Water Run-Off

The permeable concrete is a fairly new innovation and has a few problems. One problem is its strength. It is not as strong as normal concrete, therefore it can only be used in light traffic area. Another possible problem is its susceptibility to fail in colder climates. Water could settle within the concrete and freeze. The expansion of the water could damage the concrete and cause it to crumble. A major problem would be the cost. Replacing the roads with the permeable concrete would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time. Taxes or some other source of revenue will have to be used to fund the project. Also, the traffic due to road closures would be horrendous. Especially in bigger cities, traffic would cause many people to spend less time with their families and have other unintended consequences. However, I believe the permeable concrete would be a common material as it improves its strength and durability. 

As the permeable concrete becomes more cost efficient, it will be readily used throughout the construction industry. Newer cities and residential areas will consist of roads made with permeable concrete. Even buildings could use the permeable concrete to absorb water in its base. The recycled water could be used in the bathrooms or to water the grounds. Many cities and suburbs will see a reduction in flooding and many lives would be saved. Permeable concrete will eventually replace standard concrete. 

Innovations in the construction industry benefits everyone that is involved in the process. Buildings are built bigger, stronger, and more efficiently. Companies are seeing a massive increase in revenue and the workers are much safer. Without innovations, the world would still be in the dark ages.  

My Learning Style

Starting at a young age, learning became ingrained into our minds. Each teacher taught differently, therefore we had to discover our unique way of learning. As we progressed through elementary, middle, high school, and even college, we develop our learning skills to make us successful. From my experience, a person's learning style reflects their personality traits. Their learning style gives you an understanding of what type of person they are and how their mind works. Knowing how you learn can make you a better and more successful student.

What Success Really Looks Like

While many believe understanding learning style leads to success, according to Angela Lee Duckworth, an indicator of success could be a person's "grit". I believe grit is a measurement of a person's motivation or determination. Motivation is a big part of success. Without it, people would give up when the going gets tough. Success is a grind and grit is used to push through the obstacles.

To discover my specific learning style, I took the Index of Learning Style (ISL). The ISL is an instrument that Richard M. Felder and Barbara A. Soloman of North Carolina State University developed to help people determine their learning styles.    

My Learning Style

As you can see from the picture, I'm a balanced learner when it comes to being an Active vs. Reflective Learner. I've notice that I retain information better through hands on experience. But, I also like to sit back and reflect on what I've been taught. I'm also fairly balanced as a Sensing vs. Intuitive Learner with a little leaning toward Intuitive. Lectures and repetition bore me. However, I like learning facts and new intuitive ideas. As a Sequential vs. Global Learner, I'm also balanced. Some classes, I'm able to learn the material and follow the process. Other classes require me to take time until I finally "get it". I believe I'm very logical and able to simplify the main idea. Between a Visual vs. Verbal Learner, I'm more of a Visual learner. I need to see examples and work it out myself. It takes longer for me to process the information through verbal communication. Hands on learning lets the information sink in quicker. Overall, the test made me aware of specific learning strategies that are unique to me.

Bored During Lectures

With the help of Felder and Soloman, I can apply my learning style to myself. Knowing that I'm a reasonably balanced learner, except more Visual Learner, I can use this to my advantage. I will be more aware of which material takes longer to understand and which material is easy. This will help me focus on the material that takes longer to grasp. Also, I will be more focus in lectures. Even though lectures are boring, I am aware that retaining verbal information takes longer for me to process. As a Building Construction major, hands on experience is a major part of of the program. This fits perfectly into my learning style. I will be able to retain more information and apply it faster.

Personal learning styles varies per person. A persons "grit" depends on their inner motivation or determination. Add those two together and you can be a very successful person or a confused individual. Fully understanding your learning style and having that "grit" can lead to a successful career. I believe I can use my understanding of my personal learning style to my advantage. My "grit" or determination is not even in question. I know that I can work through any obstacle. In time, I know I will be successful because of my understanding and "grit".

Career Reflection

My Desk Hutch

At a young age, I always wanted to be an engineer. I would spend hours coming up with ideas and use Lego's to build it. From building the Death Star and Hogwarts, I learned that my creativity was endless. My imagination created some spectacular buildings and planes. Now, the Lego's sit in my closet but I still go to it when I'm bored or have a burst of creativity. As I grew older, I learned to work with my hands and create useful items, such as my desk hutch. I thoroughly enjoyed making stuff by hand. It gives you a sense of accomplishment.

I applied for Engineering as my first choice and Building Construction as the backup. Virginia Tech's Engineering is one of the best in the nation. Knowing full well that the Engineering school at Virginia Tech was extremely competitive, I felt that Building Construction was a secure back up. Building Construction was similar to Engineering in many ways and if I wanted to I could go through with the steps to transfer into Engineering. But as of right now, it's not part of the plan. Building Construction has sold me on its 100% job placement after graduating and a high starting salary. So finding work after graduating seems promising. Maybe I'll be able to pay off my student loans much sooner.

My Hunt Group

So far, class has been pretty interesting. I've met a bunch of cool people and made a lot of friends. We've learned about rework and the difference between concrete and cement. Also, we learned about how companies would have to go vertical if they fell behind. Going vertical means the company would have to cram a lot of work in a short period of time. We had a great time doing the Scavenger Hunt with my team, #13. I was able to see construction in action at various locations on campus. I was amazed at all the construction that was taking place at Virginia Tech. There was a lot happening next to Bishop-Favrao Hall. In a span of over a week it seems that not much is not being accomplish. However, if you look closely you can see that work is actually being done.

I can't wait to get all the safety stuff out of the way and start building stuff in the shop. What I hope to gain from this class is experience and knowledge of the construction industry. I would like to work with my hands in the shop and design some stuff as well. In class, I don't have any concerns because I know I'm capable of tackling any obstacles that are in my way. My friends know I'm a hard worker and will accomplish what is asked of me. Hopefully with this knowledge and experience I can eventually start my own company. Maybe start this company in the Northern Virginia area because of its continual growth. Or in the West Coast because of the great weather. I guess it will have to depend on the situation.

Reflecting back on my decision to stick with Building Construction, so far it seems like a very good idea. Class is fun and engaging. The people are great. I cannot wait to actually start doing stuff in the lab.