Friday, December 4, 2015

Letter of Transmittal - Technical Report

Blk 53 Tampines Ave 1
The Tropica
#10-04, Singapore 529772


15 October 2015
                                                                                                                               
Brad Franklin Blackstone
Senior Lecturer
SIT@Dover
10 Dover Drive
Singapore 138683

Dear Mr Blackstone,
Re: Proposal for implementation of solar thermal water heaters in SIT @ Dover

We are pleased to be able to present the following proposal as per your request on the 30th of September, 2015. This report has been constructed with the intention of aiding SIT to become a model and leading institution of green technology by using solar thermal water heaters to reduce electricity consumption and to achieve green mark certification.

The report consists of in depth research, providing concrete details of problems and solutions pertaining to our current energy systems in SIT @ Dover. In addition, the methods and benefits of utilizing solar heat harvesting technology will be revealed.

We would like to thank you for spending the time to read our proposal. We hope that you would kindly consider our proposal in implementing solar heat harvesting technology in SIT @ Dover to expand our potential in harvesting free and clean energy.


Thank you

Yours Sincerely,
Soh En Zhi Nathaniel                                                                                                               


[Signature]


On behalf of Green Global Group:
Mr. Marcus Neo
Ms. Oh Yan Yan

Personal Statement - Technical Report

During my studies, I have observed that many students leave school at night due to their club activities. It has come to my understanding that SIT can provide better facilities to cater to the needs of their students. I have a vision to improve the quality of life of students in SIT, and inculcate green thinking within them. I also believe that sustainable systems are required for Singapore and the implementation of solar thermal water heaters will collectively help with our current global warming issues.

Executive Summary - Technical Report

Currently in Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), the showering facilities are powered by conventional water heater. Conventional water heater is an old technology, and it is not efficient. As such, the team is interested in sourcing for a better alternative in place for the conventional water heater. Solar thermal water heater is the better alternative. The group did extensive research regarding this technology, and calculated the potential savings SIT could benefit from by implementing this system into the school. Hence, we propose the implementation of solar thermal water heater in SIT, so that SIT could be able to reduce its electrical bill, and the students from SIT will be able to appreciate a ‘clean and green’ technology in their school.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Critical Reflection - My thoughts on the Effective Communication module - Edited

The module "Effective Communication" has moulded me into a more knowledgeable person. However, I was skeptical about another language module as I had a few similar modules during my study in Temasek Polytechnic. I vividly recall the first lesson where I did not understand the meaning of paraphrase. I knew then, that I needed to broaden my command of English speaking and writing. My motivation was my goal to score an ‘A’ grade for all my modules. I was taught by my parents that my attitude would determine my altitude, thus I developed a passion for learning. Furthermore, my passion of learning was enhanced through my experience in the "Effective Communication" module.

In the module, I went through a transition of being passive to being spontaneous. The lessons the lessons conducted were very engaging. Brad was constantly urging us to share our knowledge and experience with the class. With that said, we were required to create a blog where our assignments and reflections would be posted at. Brad had created an open channel for all of his students to share information. Through the blog post, I had the opportunity to provide constructive feedback to my peers. In addition, this provides another perspective towards one’s work.

I was comfortable providing and receiving feedback to my peers, and I would not have taken the initiative to provide feedback if not for the blog. I feel that blogging is a great way to learn English, and I had the opportunity to practice my analytical skills in providing constructive feedback. As a result, I feel compelled to mention that this method definitely aided me in improving my analytical skills. I applied what I have learnt to help my peers by providing constructive feedback. In addition to providing feedback, this has urged me to understand the different writing styles which helped me to broaden my knowledge.

However, at times, it worried me that I provided poor feedback to my peers as my command in English is not good.


As a student who is currently aiming to become a professional engineer, I would be able to use my analytical skills in determining the best course of action for my team. Furthermore, effective communication is essential in providing clear and concise information. I have to hand it to Brad for providing me and my project team extremely helpful feedback. I love this course but unfortunately, there isn’t an “Effective Communication 2” module. Therefore, as English is widely used in the marketplace, I believe that having more classes would be better for students.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Critical Reflection - My thoughts on the Effective Communication module

The module "Effective Communication" has molded me into a more knowledgeable person. However, I was skeptical about another language module as I had a few similar modules during my study in Temasek Polytechnic (TP). I vividly recall the first lesson where I did not understand the meaning of paraphrase. I knew then, that I needed to broaden my command of English speaking and writing. My motivation was my goal to score an ‘A’ grade for all my modules. I was taught by my parents that my attitude would determine my altitude, thus I developed a passion for learning. Furthermore, my passion of learning was enhanced through my experience in the "Effective Communication" module. Overall, there are three reasons as to why my learning experience from the "Effective Communication" module has prompted me to write this review.

Firstly, I feel that students providing feedback to their peers’ assignments are a great way to learn English. By doing so, the students would be able to practice their analytical skills in providing constructive feedback, and provide another person’s perspective towards one’s work. With that said, I feel compelled to mention that this method definitely aided me in improving my analytical skills. I applied what I have learnt to help my peers by providing constructive feedback. In addition to providing feedback, this has urged me in understanding the different styles of writing which helped me to broaden my knowledge.

Secondly, the lessons conducted were very engaging. Brad was constantly urging us to share our knowledge and experience with the class. In a way, this trained my cognitive process and boosted my confidence when speaking to the class.

Lastly, all the students were required to create a blog where assignments and reflections would be posted at. Brad had created an open channel for all of his students to share information. In addition, this provided me the opportunity to provide feedback for my classmates.

To wrap it up, the "Effective Communication" is an extremely helpful module and I would like to thank the faculty for bringing this module forward to Year 1 Semester 1. I strongly encourage all students to participate in this module as it is able to guide oneself to broaden one’s knowledge of word use, boost confidence, etc. (The list goes on and on…). I have to hand it to Brad for providing me and my project team extremely helpful feedback. He guided us throughout the weeks and we have definitely constructed a much better report after we sought for his advice. I love this course but unfortunately, there isn’t an “Effective Communication 2” module. Therefore, as English is widely used in the marketplace, I believe that having more classes would be better for students.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Reader Response Draft 4

In the article “Advancing Sustainable Infrastructure with Envision”, Nelson (2015) shared that Envision is a holistic rating system which acts as a global reference for all types of infrastructure projects. Envision is the brainchild of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) and the Zonfnass program at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Nelson mentioned that Envision offers a triple bottom line approach, which focuses on people, profit and the planet. It promotes end to end documentation from the design phase to the completion phase, which covers the entire cycle of the project. In addition, projects are graded based on these 5 aspects: Quality of Life (QL), Leadership (LD), Resource Allocation (RA), Climate and Risk (CR) and Natural World (NW).

I believe that organizations should consider Envision for their existing or new infrastructure projects as the benefits of using the triple bottom line approach far outweigh the potentially high initial costs in terms of sustainability.

As mentioned above, projects that incorporate Envision in the design phase enjoys triple benefits i.e., people, profit and planet.  For the “people” benefit, it provides a safe environment for workers and helps to create jobs as engineers are required to run and manage the system.  “Profit” can be measured by the costs savings through reduction in resource usage, e.g. energy.  As for the “planet”, it promotes a better and sustainable environment.

The first reason to use Envision is the people factor. The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery (WJHSFH) designed their project to improve visitors’ safety which could enhance their learning experience (William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, 2015). Jobs were created which also helped to improve the quality of life for people. Another project that used Envision was the construction of the Nuevo Necaxa-Ávila Camacho Highway in Mexico. This project had detailed safety measures taken, such as signs indicating the maximum speed for vehicles, evacuation routes and (other?) precautionary measures (Nuevo Necaxa-àvila Camacho Highway - Mexico, 2015, pp. 36-39). Moreover, vaccine shots were given to the workers to ensure that they were healthy for work. These measures taken created a safe environment for the workers, thus enhancing productivity (Haberman, 2013). Therefore, with Envision focusing on the people factor, organizations and workers will be able to benefit greatly.

Secondly, Envision helps organizations to save cost by using sustainable designs. The WJHSFH used sustainable designs for water re-circulation. They achieved a 95% reduction in water usage as only 5% of water was required to be heated. This helped to reduce water usage thus reducing cost (HDR, Inc., 2013; William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, 2015). Furthermore, with the Envision systems in place, unexpected breakdowns and loss of manpower hours were minimized. Additionally, the Nuevo Necaxa-àvila Camacho Highway project saved cost by prohibiting night activity and used solar panels to power the detour signs (Nuevo Necaxa-àvila Camacho Highway - Mexico, 2015, pp. 36-, 39). With this in mind, Envision aids organizations to optimize the available resources whilst saving cost.

Lastly, Envision helps organization to tackle environmental issues and promotes ways for a healthier and more sustainable environment. The brownfield site which WJHSFH was built on was restored without contaminating a river, Ship Creek, and damage to any cultural artifacts was prevented (Storm, 2013). Another project that benefitted from using Envision was the South L.A. Wetland Park. It was stated that the project used solar lighting to reduce energy consumption by 77%. Furthermore this wetland project was converted from its original brownfield state into a current urban park whose upland plants contribute in restoring species biodiversity (Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, 2015). Consequently, using Envision helps to restore greenery and promote nature diversity.

In conclusion, Nelson (2015) was accurate when she mentioned that “The Envision rating system for sustainable infrastructure is the new international reference for best practices for all types of infrastructure”. I believe that Envision is a good tool for new projects as it aids engineers to progressively track and monitor their projects. In addition, by focusing on using the triple bottom line approach, organizations would be able to benefit much more over the high initial cost in terms of sustainability.



References

Haberman, M. (2013, December 19). A safe environment is a productive environment: Ensuring workplace safety and security. Omega hr Solutions, Inc.. Retrieved from http://omegahrsolutions.com/2013/12/4562.html

HDR, Inc.. (2013). First-ever Envision Project award, HDR-designed William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTuueSJvZTg

Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. (2015). South L.A. Wetland Park Receives Envision® Platinum Award. Retrieved 21 October 2015, from https://www.sustainableinfrastructure.org/news/wetland_award_013014.cfm

Nelson, D. (2015, June). Advancing sustainable infrastructure with Envision. Civil + Structural Engineer. Retrieved from http://cenews.com/article/10098/advancing-sustainable-infrastructure-with-envision

Nuevo Necaxa-àvila Camacho Highway - Mexico. (2015) (pp. 36, 39). Retrieved from http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=38832852

Storm, J. (2013). The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery – A marvel of modern science and art. Alaska Business Monthly. Retrieved from http://www.akbizmag.com/Alaska-Business-Monthly/October-2013/The-William-Jack-Hernandez-Sport-Fish-Hatchery/

William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery. (2015). [PDF] Retrieved from http://www.hdrinc.com/sites/all/files/assets/knowledge-center/wjh-sport-fish-hatchery-brochure.pdf

Friday, November 6, 2015

Presentation reflection

I feel that my presentation on the 5th of November was good but not perfect. I was brimming with confidence during my presentation, and I also enjoyed being the center of attention. However, there were a few critical mistakes which I made.

Firstly, I could have stood at a different spot where I would be facing the audience without turning my head too often. This is the first step to a good presentation, standing at the correct spot! I also feel that because of my bad position, Diyannah and Nurul could not hear me clearly.

Secondly, the most important mistake is the lack of selling the idea. I feel that my team and I could have prepared a richer content for the audience. I initially assumed that we were selling the idea, but I was naive to think so.

Thirdly, I did not provide enough eye contact towards my audience. As mentioned by two of my friends, I only glanced and did not focus on individuals from time to time. By using this style of presentation, I could have a more persuasive persona.

Lastly, as a group, we could have answered the audience immediately even if we did not know how to answer. What we could have said was 'We will get back to you on this.'. I felt like a sitting duck when we could not provide a proper reply towards the audience.

As the presentation content is similar to the technical report, I have to put in more effort in constructing a report that will entice the reader to read on and consider our solutions. A major content change would be needed to refine the technical report.

Looking at my comments from my classmates, I have a long way to go to achieve perfection. I have so many regrets, but I will learn from my mistakes and move on. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped my team reflect and grow by providing construction criticism.

Peace!