Abstract: Embodiments of a deck assembly module for a steel framed building include a modular concrete deck platform. The modular concrete deck platform includes a concrete slab having a top major surface and a bottom major surface and a structural grid pattern of reinforcing bar within the concrete slab. The concrete slab further includes sleeve openings located around a perimeter of the concrete slab, the sleeve openings surrounded by sleeve structures, the sleeve structures surrounded by concrete. Each sleeve opening extends from the top major surface of the concrete slab to the bottom major surface of the concrete slab.

Abstract: Computer based methods and systems for evaluating different building designs are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method involves generating a first set of different building massing configurations using a shape grammar, storing the generated first set of different building massing configurations in a building massing library, reducing the first set of different building massing configurations according to a parameter search to form a second set of different building massing configurations, the second set being a subset of the first set, and using the second set of different building massing configurations to evaluate an aspect of a building system.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method for constructing a floor in a steel framed building are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes placing a modular concrete deck platform on horizontal beams and girders of a steel framed building, the modular concrete deck platform having a perimeter shape that corresponds to dimensions of a bay of the steel framed building. Shear connector openings located on the sides of the modular concrete deck expose a portion of the top surface. The shear connector openings are recesses on side surfaces of the modular concrete deck platform and a shear connector rebar extends out of each shear connector opening. The method further includes, after the modular concrete deck platform is placed on the horizontal beams and girders, attaching shear connections to the horizontal beams and girders of the steel framed building in the exposed portion of the top surface and within the closed loop.

Abstract: An occupiable building and a method for constructing an occupiable space in a structural frame building are disclosed. In an embodiment, an occupiable building includes a structural frame defining a footprint of the occupiable building, at least one lower deck structure located within the footprint of the structural frame and supported by the structural frame, at least one upper deck structure located within the footprint of the structural frame and supported by the structural frame, and an interior partition system installed between the lower deck structure and the upper deck structure to define an occupiable space, the occupiable space having a ceiling. The interior partition system includes first king post assemblies, a lower panel, and an upper panel. The lower panel is fastened to the king post assemblies and to the upper panel. The upper panel is fastened to the king post assemblies and to upper panel.

Abstract: An embodiment of a computer based method for evaluating a service delivery network for a geographic region that provides a set of services via a set of facilities within the geographic region is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method involves identifying existing and projected geographically distributed demand for a set of services within the geographic region over a desired time horizon and finding an optimal allocation of the set of services to a set of existing and potential new facilities over the desired time horizon, wherein the set of existing and potential new facilities are located within the geographic region. Additionally, the optimal allocation is a function of the capital expense and the operating expense of providing the services over the desired time horizon.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for displaying information related to room plan generation on a display device is disclosed. In the embodiment, the graphical user interface includes a rules window that displays a room function section, information related to design rules in a primary design rules section, and information related to visibility of room walls in a wall visibility section and a visualization window that visualizes a room plan based on the information displayed in the room function section, the primary design rules section, and the wall visibility section.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for displaying information related to room plan generation on a display device is disclosed. In the embodiment, the graphical user interface comprises a content window that displays a rules grid wherein rows of the rules grid are populated by a categorical listing of room components, columns of the rules grid are populated by placement rules, and endpoints at intersections of the rows and columns are connected by connecting elements between at least two endpoints in a column wherein a connecting element between endpoints in a column visually indicates the application of the rule corresponding to the column between the room components associated with the rows in which the endpoints are located and a visualization window that displays visualizations of room components listed in the content window within a generated room plan.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for displaying information related to room plan generation on a display device is disclosed. In the embodiment, the graphical user interface comprises a results window that displays a list of generated room plan configuration variants and a visualization window that displays at least one generated room plan configuration variant from the list of generated room plan configuration variants.

Abstract: Embodiments of a deck assembly module for a steel framed building include a modular concrete deck platform. The modular concrete deck platform includes a concrete slab having a top major surface and a bottom major surface and a structural grid pattern of reinforcing bar within the concrete slab. The concrete slab further includes sleeve openings located around a perimeter of the concrete slab, the sleeve openings surrounded by sleeve structures, the sleeve structures surrounded by concrete. Each sleeve opening extends from the top major surface of the concrete slab to the bottom major surface of the concrete slab.

Abstract: Embodiments of a deck assembly module for a steel framed building include a modular concrete deck platform. The platform includes a concrete slab having a top major surface and a bottom major surface and a structural grid pattern of reinforcing bar within the concrete slab. The concrete slab further includes a shear connector opening on a side surface of a side of the concrete slab. The shear connector opening is a recess on the side surface of the concrete slab. The platform further includes an integrated attachment assembly within the shear connector opening on the side of the concrete slab. The integrated attachment assembly includes a shear connector rebar including an extension of continuous reinforcing bar extending out of the shear connector opening and back into the shear connector opening. The shear connector rebar and the shear connector opening form a closed loop.

Abstract: Systems and methods for realizing a complex building system are disclosed. The systems and methods utilize computer-based techniques to rapidly explore large numbers of pattern matching scenarios on a scale which heretofore has not been attempted. In an embodiment, the computer-based technique performs large-scale pattern matching operations to find the best match between functional patterns and spatial patterns. For example, with reference to a particular building system, the technique involves operational modeling to identify the types and volumes of services to provide (functional patterns) and to characterize the physical relationships between the services (e.g., adjacency preferences), along with establishing libraries of three dimensional spaces (spatial patterns), in the form of room and department libraries and building massing configuration libraries.

Abstract: Computer based methods and systems for evaluating different building designs are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method involves generating a first set of different building massing configurations using a shape grammar, storing the generated first set of different building massing configurations in a building massing library, reducing the first set of different building massing configurations according to a parameter search to form a second set of different building massing configurations, the second set being a subset of the first set, and using the second set of different building massing configurations to evaluate an aspect of a building system.

Abstract: Computer based methods and systems for characterizing the energy use of multiple different building massing configurations are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer based method involves specifying a set of parameters for a building massing configuration, calculating a normalized energy use index for multiple different building massing configurations that meet the specified set of parameters, wherein the normalized energy use index for each of the multiple different building massing configurations is normalized against a reference energy use index of a reference building, ranking the multiple different building massing configurations by the respective normalized energy use indexes, and selecting at least one of the different massing configurations for display on a graphical user interface according to the ranking.

Abstract: An interior partition system for a structural frame building is disclosed. The structural frame building has a ceiling line that defines a ceiling height of occupiable space within the structural frame building. The interior partition system includes a first, or upper, modular partition assembly and a second, or lower, modular partition assembly. A receptor structure is configured to connect the first modular partition assembly to the second modular partition assembly. The first modular partition assembly has a vertical dimension that exceeds the ceiling height.

Abstract: A deck assembly module is disclosed. The deck assembly module can be installed into the steel frame of a steel framed building. The deck assembly module includes a cellular metal deck. In an embodiment, the cellular metal deck includes a bottom plate having a top major surface and a bottom major surface, an angled decking sheet, and fireproof insulation. The angled decking sheet is angled to form a repeating pattern of troughs and peaks, the angled decking is attached to the top major surface of the bottom plate, and the fireproof insulation is located in channels formed by the peaks of the angled decking sheet and the top surface of the bottom plate and the angled decking sheet. The deck assembly module may also include a concrete portion that includes a top major surface, referred to as a concrete deck.

Abstract: An interior partition system for a structural frame building is disclosed. The structural frame building has a ceiling line that defines a ceiling height of occupiable space within the structural frame building. The interior partition system includes a first, or upper, modular partition assembly and a second, or lower, modular partition assembly. A receptor structure is configured to connect the first modular partition assembly to the second modular partition assembly. The first modular partition assembly has a vertical dimension that exceeds the ceiling height.

Abstract: A system and method for realizing a building system is disclosed. In an embodiment, a holistic approach to a complex building system involves using high-productivity high-performance computing resources, such as cloud services, to manage a complex building system from building inception through to building operation. Because high-productivity high-performance computing resources are used, modeling, optimization, simulation, and verification can be performed from a single platform on a scale which heretofore has not been applied to complex building systems. Additionally, the holistic approach to complex building systems involves using a centralized database to manage all of the information related to a building system.

Abstract: A deck assembly module is disclosed. The deck assembly module can be installed into the steel frame of a steel framed building. The deck assembly module includes a cellular metal deck. In an embodiment, the cellular metal deck includes a bottom plate having a top major surface and a bottom major surface, an angled decking sheet, and fireproof insulation. The angled decking sheet is angled to form a repeating pattern of troughs and peaks, the angled decking is adjacent to the top major surface of the bottom plate, and the fireproof insulation is located in channels formed by the peaks of the angled decking sheet and the top surface of the bottom plate and the angled decking sheet. The deck assembly module may also include a concrete portion that includes a top major surface, referred to as a concrete deck.