Newsletter of the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University
Students from Texas A&M competed in three teams at an annual homebuilders contest Jan. 19 and 20, netting a top-tier finish while furthering a partnership with their counterparts at Prairie View A&M.
Aggie students comprised a team that finished fifth out 39 teams from four-year programs in the National Association of Home Builders' Student Chapters Residential Construction Management Competition, which took place at the NAHB's International Builders Show in Las Vegas. Aggies also joined students from Prairie View A&M, competing in two additional teams composed of students from both universities.
Tyler Dodd, Phillip Gazca, Jody Goldman, K'Rina Graham, Magee Solomon and Charles Wolfe, were on the fifth-place team.
The competition is one of the highlights at the annual builders’ show. It gives students an opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real construction project by completing a management proposal. Industry professionals evaluated the plans, then trekked to the convention for the second part of the contest, where they listened to and asked questions of students making live presentations of their proposals.
"I'm very proud of all the teams for doing such a wonderful job competing, presenting and defending their projects," said Russ Peterson, Texas A&M assistant professor of construction science, who coached all three teams.
The partnership with Prairie View A&M is one of the results of an NAHB grant, that, after additional matching funds from the construction industry and Texas A&M University, had an impact of $277,000. The funds allowed the Department of Construction Science at Texas A&M to enhance the fledgling Prairie View A&M residential construction management program through the competition teams and other initiatives.
"We were supposed to have just one combined team, but there was so much interest we had two," said Peterson.
In the contest, teams were asked to submit plans to jump start a stalled housing development in Corsicana, Texas.
"You have a team of home building experts trying to convince a group of investors that Magnolia Village is a viable project," read the contest's instructions. "There are no resources for you to contact because the landowner is not available and the city's staff has put the project on hold until a new investor has been identified," continued the instructions.
The student teams were tasked with compiling a written development proposal that included a
Students received the development's floor plans, geotechnical studies, an environmental site assessment, plat and pipeline exhibits and grading and paving plans to help them prepare their proposals.
- Posted: Feb. 02, 2010 -
