Critical Reflection

In the blink of an eye, the first trimester has come to an end. Initially, when I knew that I was required to take up this module, the first thing that came to my mind was that it was a waste of time as I have taken up similar courses in the past. However, upon looking back at the past three months, I realized that my language writing has improved. Furthermore, this module has equipped me with important skills that may be useful in the workforce.

Through this module, I have learnt that communication plays a vital role in our society. It is not only used in the workforce but also in our daily lives. By improving our language, we will also be able to interact with people from all walks of life more easily. This module has also taught us on writing a proposal and technical report which will be very common in the workforce. This can prepare us for our future working life and allow us to have a taste of something similar to it.   

Besides improving my command of language, I have also improved on my presentation skills. Often, the outcome of a presentation depends not only on the idea but also on the way it is presented. The main objective is to give the audience a good impression and this can be done through practice and learning. From this module, I am also more aware of the components of a good presentation. Learning is a continuous process that never stops throughout our life thus we should constantly learn new things and improve on ourselves. Lastly, I greatly enjoyed this module as I get to know more friends as well as gain more knowledge that would be beneficial to me.

Summary, Thesis and Reader Response (Final Draft)

The article “The Concrete Advantage” taken from the Green Rooftop website provides readers the advantages and disadvantages of concrete green roof. According to the article, the process of design, construction and maintenance will be shortened in projects using waterproof concrete as membranes are not required for the development. This in turn leads to higher work efficiency and reduces the overall cost of the project. On the other hand, the article mentions that despite the countless benefits of waterproof concretes, their greatest flaws are high construction costs.

The article also mentions that the waterproof concrete contains permanent ""built in"" waterproofing elements that cannot be damaged or torn during service. This will improve project feasibility as regular maintenance is not required. Cracks can also be repaired quickly with a simple inoculation from the bottom side of the green roof deck, which does not disrupt growing medium or plants. With fewer exposure risk for owners and designers, such green roofs are more economical which boosts returns on investment and project value. In addition, this hydrophobic technology removes dangerous element for the designer and owner of a green roof, increases financial viability, and enhances owner acceptance. While the benefits of waterproof concrete are clearly stated in this article, the lack of an analysis on the disadvantages of waterproof concrete and the different types of waterproof concrete admixtures makes the article less reliable and incomplete.

The first reason is because the article did not discuss the disadvantages of waterproof concrete. According to “The Concrete Advantage (2016), there is not a single concrete mixture that offers 100% waterproofing. In addition, although waterproof concrete may produce many positive results, it may not be suitable for certain applications. For example, it is not applicable to areas subjected to bending movement and vibrations as the materials used are not flexible (Cementitious Waterproofing, 1996). Research studies have also discovered that concrete produced with hydrophobic chemical admixtures could theoretically resist some hydrostatic pressure (Waterproofing Admixtures For Concrete, 2012). However, as not all pores are uniformly coated with the waterproof material, such concrete is not classified as permeability-reducing admixture exposed to hydrostatic conditions (Hooker, 2012). Therefore selecting the right type of concrete mixture is important as it affects the product performance. From the discussion above, it is clearly shown that waterproof concrete has its limitations.

This article is also incomplete as it did not describe the various types of concrete waterproof admixtures. It only discussed the features and benefits of green roofs in generaal.  Research studies have shown that integral concrete hydrophobic systems generally consist of three kinds of admixtures, namely: densifiers, water repellents and crystalline (Yuers, 2011). Although these three waterproof materials might have the same functions, they each have their own limitations. By comparing all three, the article would leave the readers a better understanding of their characteristics respectively. 

In conclusion, while this article provides the main advantages of waterproof concrete, it lacks of an analysis of the limitations and description of the waterproof green concrete. It is important to know a product in detail so as to evaluate its efficiency and to allow for improvements. Generally, waterproof green concrete has more benefits than disadvantages. Hence, it is widely used worldwide.

References:

Cementitious Waterproofing. (1996). Retrieved September 25, 2016, from http://www.csibaltimore.org/index_files/Cementitious%20Waterproofing%20-%20Mar%201996.pdf

Hooker.K. (2012). Waterproofing admixtures for concrete. Retrieved September 25, 2016 from http://www.concreteconstruction.net/how-to/materials/waterproofing-admixtures-for-concrete_o

The Concrete Advantage. Retrieved September 20, 2016, from http://www.greenrooftops.org/advantage.html

Yuers.K. (2011). Understanding The Pros & Cons of Crystalline Waterproofing Retrieved September 22, 2016, from http://www.kryton.com/in-the-news/2011/04/05/understanding-the-pros-cons-of-crystalline-waterproofing/

Letter of Transmittal

Letter of Transmittal

Sensing Sensation – Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering Programme

Singapore Institute of Technology

10 Dover Drive

Singapore 138683

25 October 2016

Chin Kee Onn

Deputy Director

Estate Division

Dear Mr. Chin,

Re: Proposal for the Implementation of Sensors in the new SIT campus at Punggol

Enclosed for your kind consideration is the proposal for the implementation of sensors in the new SIT campus at Punggol. This proposal has been developed as our group often come across lights and air conditioners switched on in classrooms and lecture theaters even when there is no users inside. Our team’s intention is to save costs and also to reduce energy consumption for lights and air conditioners.

The report comprises of the current problems, solutions, benefits and a comprehensive summary of all the related research.

We would like to express our gratitude to you for taking the time to read through our

proposal. Your considerations of our proposal for making SIT more conducive and environmentally friendly is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Yours Sincerely,

Cherlyn Tei

On behalf of Sensing Sensation

Technical Report - Email Writing

Dear Mr. Chin

Good day to you. My name is Cherlyn and I am a first-year SIE (Building Services) student. As I am currently in Brad Blackstone’s Effective Communication class, I have been assigned to a group of three including myself and was tasked to identify a problem in school and propose a solution. Our project focuses on sensor devices and as you oversee facilities development and hold a great deal of knowledge in this aspect, we would like to seek your advice regarding our project.

From what we know, lights and air-conditioners are used to illuminate and cool the surrounding for the occupants in the classroom, laboratory etc. As students usually stay back after school to complete their assignments, it is common for them to use the school facilities such as lights and air conditioners. The problem that we realized in school was that not many people have the tendency to switch the air conditioners and lights off before they leave the classrooms and lecture theaters, and this may result in unnecessary cost incurred and electricity will be wasted. To solve this problem, our group propose to come up with a solution which is to install sensors in classrooms and lecture theaters in the new SIT campus located at Punggol.

Our group would like to consult you and obtain some background information regarding the new SIT campus so that we can have a better understanding before we prepare our proposal. The main items that we require clarification for are as follows:

1. May I have more background information on the sensors installed in the current toilets?
2. Are there any plans to install sensors in the new classrooms or lecture theaters?
3. The type of motion sensors that you would recommend? E.g. Vacancy or Occupancy sensor?
4. May I know who will be in charge for the installation of sensor and designing in the new SIT campus in Punggol?
May I know when will be a suitable timing for us to consult you? Thank you and hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Cherlyn
On behalf of Sensing Sensation

Executive Summary for Technical Report

In this proposal, the concerns regarding lights and air conditioners not switched off in classrooms, lecture theaters and laboratories, resulting in higher energy usage are addressed. The group proposes to install sensors in places such as the classrooms, laboratories and lecture theaters in the new Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) at Punggol. In line with SIT President, Dr. Tan Thiam Soon, he mentioned that the new SIT will be a "smart and green campus" that will be consistent with Punggol becoming the first eco-town in Singapore.

The proposal describes the various types of occupancy sensors along with their advantages and disadvantages. The purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of each type of sensor to determine the most suitable one to be installed in the new SIT campus. Interviews were conducted to obtain more information on the development of the new SIT campus however, the team realized that there was no plan to install sensors in classrooms and lecture theaters. On the other hand, the management team in SIT is planning to conduct tests with regards to installing sensors in SIT classrooms at Nanyang Polytechnic.

With this proposal in place, the team hopes to reduce energy consumption, electrical costs incurred and at the same time bring the new SIT closer to being a smart and green campus.  

Presentation Reflection

On 10^th November 2016, I gave a presentation about my problem solution on the implementation of sensors in the new SIT campus at punggol. Presentation has always been one of my greatest fear since young as I was afraid to present in front of a group of people thus I felt extremely nervous at that time. For this presentation, I decided to design my slides according to the tips from Gar Reynolds as I wanted the audience to focus on me instead of the slides. My presentation slides were simple with little wordings but more graphics.

Before the day of presentation, my group members and I rehearsed our scripts numerous times to improve our delivery and language. In addition, we also gave feedbacks to one another to improve on our mistakes. Despite sufficient practices, I did not fare as well as expected due to nervousness. The thought of presenting in front of my classmates sent a chill down my spine. During the presentation, I kept thinking about the content and thus forgot about maintaining  eye contact with the audience. I realised that this is very common among many presenters as they are afraid of forgetting the content. Despite all these, I managed to deliver my presentation fluently but with little expression.

In all, I felt that my engagement with the audience and general stage presence were still lacking. In addition, I realised that presentation is not just about the content. I believed everyone is able to give a simple presentation but not all are able to deliver an interesting presentation that can capture the audience’s attention. I could have performed better if I am well-prepared and have more confidence.  

Problem statement and purpose statement

Problem Statement

Lights and air-conditioners are usually switched off when students or staff members leave the school premises which includes offices classroom and lecture theatres. However, there are times when they forget to switch them off before leaving.  Not Implementing an automatic system can will result in higher energy usage and unnecessary costs.  

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this proposal is to propose the implementation of sensors in the new SIT at Punggol. These places includes offices, classrooms and lecture theatres. By implementing such sensor device, SIT will be able to save significantly in cost as well as being energy efficient.