Evergreen Planter

                                                                                                                    Octagon Box

Update 5:

Since the last week of ours has been without any news for our CSL project, we will post more updates for this in our final blog post. In this update, we will discuss similarities and differences with regards to Project Management in CIVL 201/202. We have begun on an extra project for Susan this week, of which one picture is posted in this blog; however, the contents of this will not be discussed here. Here is a tidbit of it…

Water Fountain of “secret” relevance.

Project Management Compare and Contrast:

The question of “Why does the organization want the project?” is clearly answered in CIVL 202. Each team has a community client who has a certain need for a project that students are fulfilling. In our case, we are building planter boxes for Evergreen.
However, in CIVL 201, we had a fictitious project which really served no utilitarian purpose compared to the cost of this project. An overpass would never be built in this situational context, and none of the interaction with the client or any real external force was encountered.

The question of “What are the scope objectives of this project?” or the measurable design criteria are very precise in CIVL 202. Our boxes were required to be certain depths, widths, and materials in order to accommodate for the planting and longevity of trees.
In CIVL 201, these scope objectives were much more “loose”. The bridge had to meet some code specifications and traverse the required intersection. There was a lot more room for “creative thought”.

The question of “What are the project constraints?” in CIVL 202 encompasses some pre-determined dimensions, tree-friendly materials, and costs.
In CIVL 201, there were not too many constraints aside from building code specifications and geographical ones. In the design of an overpass, the major constraints would be cost and rigorous design guidelines. None of the aforementioned were encompassed into our “design” in this course, as it was really just a fictitious structure with no regard to engineering of it. If there was encompassing of actual calculations in the course, the activity would’ve been more successful.

The project timetable can be seen in Update 3. All projects, or at least the successful execution of them, require a planned and cyclic monitoring of  process objectives and benchmarks.

This week, we were preparing the final items before the build. While nothing too exciting was completed, it was mostly just “tying loose ends” to prepare ourselves for the construction phase. We estimated material quantities and costs, and then created document lists of items to be purchased for our client. We forwarded it to Helen, and with her consultation, got the approval for the materials we need. Next week we will do the build of our boxes for Evergreen. Attached is a list of our final material costs:

Since meeting our client, we have been making a lot of progress on our project.
At our Monday meeting in CIVL 202 at the Design Studio, we decided on three prototype box drawings. The three designs are a square, rectangular, and octagonal plan-view- see attached photos.

Box Sketches

As well, we began addressing the process of how we will move forward. We looked at what steps need to be carried out and when, as well as beginning the retrieval of necessary permissions, such as use of the civil vehicle and shop time. As of Tuesday, Jedaiah had completed the attached prototype drawings. We also began a succinct “dropbox” system, an internet relay method we are using to keep a transparent, accurate documentation process throughout our CSL project. In this folder for our own use we have many documents: pictures, drawings, approximate work schedule, documentation, etc.
See attached work schedule.

Our group had a brief safety meeting with Dr. Daigle on Tuesday; however, he has postponed more details until he knows exactly what equipment we will be using.

As well, after our conversation on Monday with Susan Nesbit, we met her on Thursday to discuss alternative options to accentuate our project experience. One option was to do a stream surveying project, which certain members of our team are doing individually. As well, as a group, we have collectively decided to take part in an extra project with Susan to help move the course along, with aid from student perspective.

Some of our group went on Thursday to source materials for the building of the boxes from Home Depot. They will be collecting notes and prices for different materials and accessories we can use.

Attachment: CIVL 202 – Work Schedule

Thursday, January 26, 2012

• Site visit at Evergreen Planters, 3:30 pm.
• Receive design specifications from Helen.
• Individual Journal entries updated.

Friday, January 27, 2012

• Weekly blog # 2 is due.
• Individual Journal entries updated.

Monday, January 30, 2012

• Design Studio – Group meeting: Project Design.
• Individual Journal entries updated.
• Possibly schedule a group meeting outside of class for the CSL project.
• Start weekly blog entry #3 (ANY TIME THIS WEEK).
• Record documentations.

Monday, February 6, 2012

• Blog entry #3 is due.
• Design Studio – CSL tasks.
• Individual Journal entries updated (THROUGH OUT THIS WEEK).
• Possibly schedule a group meeting outside of class for the CSL project.
• Start thinking about the CSL project report.
• Start weekly blog entry #4 (ANY TIME THIS WEEK).
• Documentation.

Monday, February 13, 2012

• Blog entry #4 is due.
• Design Studio – CSL tasks – start finalizing.
• Individual Journal entries updated (THROUGH OUT THIS WEEK).
• Schedule implantation days for this week.
• Start weekly blog entry # 5 (ANY TIME THIS WEEK).
• CSL project report.
• Documentation.
• Start weekly blog entry # 5 (ANY TIME THIS WEEK).

Monday, February 20, 2012.

• Blog entry # 5 is due.
• Finalize implementation this week (IDEALLY BEFORE READING BREAK).
• Finalize report.
• Documentation.
• Start weekly blog entry # 6 (ANY TIME THIS WEEK).

Update 2:

Evergreen Team and Client: January 26th

This week was the second week of our CSL project for Evergreen. We had the opportunity to meet our client at their office this week, headed by Helen. On Thursday January 26, 2012 our group went for a site visit at 3:30pm for one half-hour.

Helen showed us the garden where the dwarf apple trees are. We received the specifications from the client as well as general considerations in constructing the boxes. Two sizes have been used in the past: 2X7XD or 7X7XD foot boxes, where D is some yet prescribed depth of the box. Helen will be emailing the final specifications to us shortly. However, from a dimension stand point, we have flexibility within the widths: from 2 to 7 feet.

From a materials stand point, we also have flexibility. We were shown examples of past and future designs created by other organizations, as well as what works and what doesn’t. There is no prescribed method or material, just something which is durable, mobile, and environmentally-conscious.
The aim is for our boxes to

• Fall within the dimensional constraints
• Take advantage of any type of material available from our supplier, Home Depot:
  Preference is given to wood without nails and the boxes should not leak or transmit products to the soil. Other organizations have embedded a steel lining on the inside
• The boxes will be mounted on a pedestal. Some mechanism to allow for ease of forklifting around the property would be advantageous in design
• Be aesthetically pleasing

A few prototypes of different materials and dimensions will be designed by our group, and time permitting, we will construct 3 or more. We were given a budget of ~$50/box; where all our materials are sourced from Home Depot. As well, there is the possibility to have outdoor tents set up for the construction phase, should we reach it.

We will begin designing ASAP and sourcing materials, then move towards implementation phase. We plan to have this completed before February 20^th, as we are not available during Reading Week.

Sample Box

This is a photo of a dwarf apple tree from the following website visited on 20-01-2012 http://www.gardenoasis.co.uk/dwarf-growing-golden-apple-tree-p-456.html

We are a group of 6 students in 2^ndyear BASc in Civil Engineering at UBC who will be working on Dwarf Apple Tree Plants for our client, Evergreen.  Helen Beynon is our contact individual with the client, with contact information set out in course document.

Aside from introductions, January 16th, 2011 was our first meeting date as a group. We introduced ourselves to one another and discussed what we hope to take away from this project. We established a set of questions to be addressed in a meeting with our client as well as some preliminary group tasks.
Also, as discussed by the group, a design implementation of February 20^th-24^th seems unfeasible as many of us will not be in Vancouver, we will be away visiting our homes for reading break. In saying this, one objective will be to discuss with the client when an alternate build time may be.

Task:

• Documentation: Note-taking and minutes will be assigned to Reid
• Liaison to Client: Calling and setting up objectives and meeting times will be assigned to Jedaiah.
• Blog and Formal Posting: Assembly and submission of blog will be assigned to Nick.
• All other tasks will be distributed at next meeting

Questions: To be addressed by Jedaiah in liaison with the client.

• How many boxes, dimensions, special features? Are the boxes aligned?
• What material and weather treatment?
• What is the budjet?
• Will there be outside help? Are we planting the trees as well as building the box?
• Completion date? Aside from reading break.

The following are introductions as written by each of the team members.

“My name is Reid Plasterer and I am originally from Victoria. I came to UBC for its world renowned Civil Engineering program. As an aspiring engineer, I look forward to the hands-on experience this project will give me, specifically in the construction phase and project management.”

“I’m Dan Dela Pena. I am originally from the Phillipines where I grew up until I moved to Canada at the age of nine. With the experience gained from the Dwarf Apple Tree project for Evergreen, it will benefit me to reach my future career in engineering.”

“My name is Mike Lumb and I am interested in water resources engineering. I am excited to work on this project an gain experience in sustainability, by working with Evergreen.”

“My name is Branden Heslip and I am originally from Okatoks, Alberta where I worked for a construction company. This project should be a good chance to combine what we learned in CIVL 201 last semester with my past experience.”

“I am Nick Gagliano and I am from Kamloops, BC. I have an interest in a very diverse range of engineering fields and hope this project will give me a chance to explore areas of project management.”

“My name is Jedaiah van Dijk and I have worked over the past 6 years as a log builder constructing log homes. The CIVL 202 project should be a good experience working in a group to design-build a final project.”

You can chronicle your CSL team’s weekly accomplishments as you move toward the successful completion of your project.