Building Science Students Take Top Prize in International Competition

The student team from Auburn’s McWhorter School of Building Science took the top prize in the Associated School of Construction Region 8 student competition. Region 8 is the international home of ASC, and the competition, which is open to all ASC member institutions, took place at Birmingham City University, UK in November 2014. Auburn’s winning team of Garret Smith, Cody DeLee, Kirk Paul and Kelley O’Reilly was coached by Professor Paul Holley. They took part in a competition that centered on programming and project management of a school renovation and that was judged by an international panel of industry professionals and building construction faculty.

“Not only did the competition have the students respond to real time and unexpected changes,” explains Holley. “But they did so in an international environment that required our team to become familiar with codes, currency, measurement systems, and design and construction standards that differ greatly from those in the U.S. Competing against a field of teams from the U.K., Ireland, and the U.S. was a great opportunity for Building Science students to be exposed to the international side of our industry and to represent Auburn University exceptionally well by taking first place.” While the team was in the UK, they were able to take a field trip to the construction site of the new U.S. Embassy in London, which is being built by BL Harbert International, of Birmingham, Alabama.