After finishing second the last three years, UF building construction students won the first place award in a regional competition for the first time.
Students beat out 19 other schools in the Associated Schools of Construction Region II-Southeast Region competition, which took place Nov. 7 through Nov. 9 in Atlanta.
The green building competition focuses on sustainable alternatives for construction.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design team was given a prompt and had 10 hours to submit a plan for the green building competition and another 12 hours to prepare a presentation.
James Sullivan, an assistant professor for building construction and the adviser for the team, said this competition igives students real-world experience in their chosen field.
“The neat thing about construction is nobody gives you instructions on how to build something,” Sullivan said. “The students had to creatively design a solution, and that’s exactly what they did.”
Kyle Jaeger, a 23-year-old construction management senior, said the award showcases UF’s talented students.
The team received a check for $1,500 and will travel to Reno, Nev., in the spring to compete in the national competition.
“Finishing first overall solidifies our reputation as one of the top construction schools in the nation and will hopefully serve as a message that a career in construction can be very rewarding,” he said.
