BSCI and ARCH Brothers Compete in Roofing Competition

Arjun Varadhan, a 2025 Building Science graduate, joined the Roofing Alliance Student Competition during his first year in the McWhorter School of Building Science’s (BSCI) professional program. At the time, the university was restarting its participation under the guidance of BSCI Assistant Professor Kenneth Sands. Arjun was part of the inaugural team that earned a third-place finish in the 2024 competition in Las Vegas, then returned the following year as team captain to lead Auburn to second place—and earning the title of Best Presenter—in the 2025 competition in San Antonio.

Now working at DPR Construction in Charlotte, North Carolina, Arjun credits the competition with exposing him to the subcontractor side of construction—an experience that directly informs his current role that balances field work and office responsibilities.

Ashwin Varadhan, a second-year architecture student in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA), followed in his brother’s footsteps by joining the roofing team in the fall of 2025. Initially serving as an alternate, he used the opportunity to absorb technical knowledge outside of architecture studio. His team went on to place first overall at the 2026 Las Vegas competition, marking Auburn’s highest finish yet. Ashwin applied what he learned about scheduling, modeling and construction workflows directly to his architecture coursework, gaining a broader understanding of how design decisions translate into built reality.

Sands reflected on the experience.

“It was a pleasure having the Varadhan family contribute to the team and represent CADC so well,” he said. “I look forward to more collaborations across disciplines within the College.”

The Roofing Alliance competition offered more than trophies—it provided perspective. The brothers’ overlapping journeys demonstrate the value of collaboration across architecture and construction and the unique impact of learning side-by-side as siblings.