Recent BCIT Master of Engineering graduate, Alden Kung, at work at his new employer, Omicron Total Building Solutions in Vancouver.
November 26, 2012 Recently we sat down with Alden Kung, 2012 Master of Engineering graduate, to ask him about his experiences in the Building Science Graduate Program. Read on …
Can you tell us about what you are currently working on with your Building Science Master’s degree from BCIT?
I am working at Omicron in downtown Vancouver in a hybrid type of role. My official position is project coordinator/field expeditor working on building a large facility in Fort McMurray, Alberta. At the same time, I am also working with the renewals/building envelope department with review of building envelopes and providing thermal and hygrothermal analysis of new construction and problem buildings.
Would you say the graduate program positioned you well for this position? If so, how?
Yes, I am currently reviewing building envelope details and applying the concepts and various software that I have learned. Although some of the building envelopes that I’ve been reviewing (for colder northern climates) are not the typical envelopes that I have learned about in my courses, the fundamental concepts and practices still apply.
What did you expect from the Building Science Master’s program at BCIT? Is it what you expected? If not, how is it different?
Because last year was the first year of my program’s inception, I initially had concerns regarding how applicable the material was to industry and how well the instructors would teach the subjects. The fact that many of the courses were taught by industry experts ensured the material was relevant and current to industry which was excellent. From the start of the program, I was interested in three-dimensional thermal analysis of building enclosure, especially for high-rise buildings and managed to complete my applied research report on that subject. Overall, the program exceeded my expectations and brought my knowledge to a higher level than I expected.
How did you decide to choose this program? What inspired you?
It all stemmed from taking a Building Science course in my graduating year at UBC. I enjoyed learning the basics of how building enclosures performed and their different functions in the UBC course but I wanted to learn building science in more detail. When I found out that BCIT was starting a Building Science Master’s program, I knew it was the right program for me.
What challenge did you have to overcome to get here?
My main challenge was my applied research project which was three-dimensional modeling of high-rise window wall systems. For several months, I worked hard to find and learn software that had all the features required to perform three-dimensional thermal modeling and simulation. In the end, I successfully completed my project and I’m pleased with the results.
What in your background prepared you for this?
Graduating from Integrated Engineering at UBC gave me a good background for Building Science because it touched on subjects ranging from material science to thermodynamics. It gave me a broad knowledge base which fits the broad scope of Building Science.
What do you connect with most in this work?
I connect most with the building envelope design and remediation work the company is working on. All the knowledge gained through the Master’s program has allowed me to apply what I have learned effectively to projects that are currently in progress.
What do you hope to achieve?
I hope to bring my knowledge in Building Science to Omicron to compliment the vast practical knowledge and experience of the building envelope department. With architects being the majority in the building envelope department, I aim to bring my technical and science based knowledge in thermal and hygrothermal analysis to further Omicron’s expertise in building envelope design.
Where do you see your career growth from here?
Omicron is a great company to work in because they are a total building solutions company. This gives me broad exposure to people having expertise in all aspects of building design and construction. That is why I feel there is lots of potential not only to learn but to grow in experience in several directions.
BCIT has a reputation for being intense. Is that the same experience you’ve had? Tell us about that.
Yes, it was challenging at many points of the program. However, as long as you have a vision and goal of what learning objectives and expertise to aim for, the passion will carry you through the most challenging times. Although it was challenging at times, it was comforting knowing that the material was taught by industry experts and knowledgeable instructors.
All the best to you, Alden, in your career!