FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Jefferson State Community College building and construction program won first place in the National Association of Home Builders’ Residential Construction Management Competition Feb. 10.

Jeff State’s student team consisted of Zac Meadows, Michael Cencula, Shane Collier, Kelvin Martin, Brad Peeks, coach Micah Kaufhold, and instructor Murray Jones.

“This competition gives students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real construction project,” said Kaufhold, the Jeff State building and construction program director. “I am truly inspired by the commitment to quality construction by our students and extremely proud of them for winning top honors in this national competition.”

For the competition, held in Orlando, Fla., student teams were required to develop a set of working drawings, a detailed materials estimate, a complete construction schedule for the specific home and meet the Silver level of the National Green Building Standard, according to a Jeff State press release.

Students had about four months to prepare for the competition and were required to present their project to a judging panel of construction company executives.

Jeff State’s student team won by designing a house that reduced the environmental footprint and cut operating costs by 50 percent while staying within a reasonable price range. The team also incorporated products that could withstand tornadoes and other dangerous storms.