Meet the Winners of the 2023 NAHB Student Competition
The NAHB International Builders' Show® (IBS) not only brings the industry together for the world's largest light construction show, it also showcases the next generation of leaders as high school and college students compete in the annual NAHB Student Competition.
For three days during IBS, 63 student groups had the opportunity to demonstrate the creative ways they applied classroom material to real-world home building situations. Each group presented a proposal to a group of construction executives who served as judges. Scoring reflected accurate market analysis, clear construction management planning, professional oral and written presentation and more.
Teams compete based on their schools' construction and construction management degree options. The four-year programs have the option to compete in production home or custom/small builder categories while high school programs compete in architecture or construction management tracks.
The following winners were announced during the Student Chapter Awards Ceremony at IBS 2023:
Four-Year Programs
Production Home
First Place: University of North Florida
Second Place: Texas A&M University
Third Place: Tuskegee University
Fourth Place: University of Florida
Fifth Place: University of Cincinnati
Rookie of the Year: Collin College
Custom/Small Build
First Place: Louisiana State University
Second Place: Utah Valley University
Third Place: California Polytechnic State University
Rookie of the Year: Illinois State University
Associate Programs
First Place: Kirkwood Community College
Second Place: North Dakota State College of Science
Third Place: Santa Fe College
Secondary Programs
Architecture
First Place: Shadow Ridge High School
Second Place: Gadsden High School*
Third Place: York County School of Technology
Construction Management
First Place: Bartow High School*
Second Place: York County School of Technology
Third Place: Shelby County High School
To get involved and learn more about the NAHB Student Competition, visit nahb.org.
* First-time presenters at the NAHB Student Competition
Latest from NAHBNow
Jan 09, 2026
From Décor to Resiliency, IBS Design Central Covers It AllAt the 2026 NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) in Orlando Fla., there will be education sessions centered on design. Design Central will offer engaging presentations led by some of the industry’s top professionals, covering everything from décor to sustainability. Here are the Design Central presentations, all taking place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC).
Jan 09, 2026
Final Touches Underway at The New American Home 2026Watching a new home come to life in the final stages of construction is a satisfying experience—not just for the owners, but for the builder as well. That feeling is only amplified when the home is a focal point of the International Builders’ Show (IBS)—the industry’s largest trade show.
Latest Economic News
Jan 09, 2026
Townhouse Construction Share Gains ContinueAccording to NAHB analysis of the most recent Census data of Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, during the third quarter of 2025, single-family attached starts totaled 46,000. Over the last four quarters, townhouse construction starts totaled a strong 179,000 homes, which is 1% higher than the prior four-quarter period (177,000). Townhouses made almost 20% all of single-family housing starts for the third quarter of the year.
Jan 09, 2026
Job Growth Slowed as 2025 EndedJob growth continued to slow at the end of the year, reinforcing signs of a cooling labor market. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000 jobs in December, while the unemployment rate edged down slightly to 4.4%.
Jan 09, 2026
Residential Construction Softens Amid Ongoing Housing Market HeadwindsThe latest residential housing market report, delayed by the federal government shutdown last fall, indicates that builders have faced significant headwinds in recent months. Elevated mortgage rates earlier in the year have restrained buyer demand and weighed on home building activity, alongside persistently high construction costs.