NAHB Invests in the Future of Green Building Through IBS Scholarships

Earth Day is a helpful reminder of the value that practices such as sustainability and green building bring to the home building industry and our communities at large. This year's theme, Invest in Our Planet, highlights the forward-thinking nature of sustainability and green building, and the long-term benefits that high-performance home building techniques can provide.

One way NAHB is paving the way toward the future is through its Sustainability and Green Building Scholarship program for the International Builders’ Show (IBS). The scholarship aims to provide exposure to students and recent graduates in the construction industry to the world of high-performance homes.

This year’s recipients — Debbie Odom and Fiz Hassan — had the opportunity to attend the show in person in Orlando and not only learn from the numerous high-performance home education sessions available, but from professional experts about best practices as well.

"I have been involved with my local home builders association since I started my college degree after a career shift," Odom shared. "I understand how important networking is, but this took it to an entirely different level. I now have contact information for people all over the United States and Canada. Coming to IBS helped me branch out and meet more people from different aspects of building."

Hassan echoed Odom’s statement: “In addition to attending panel discussions and technical workshops, I had the opportunity to network with international home builders, women business owners and vendors from across countries.”

“Among many highlights, I appreciated a strong organizational momentum towards the integration of Diversity, Inclusion & Equity in our businesses,” Hassan added.

Applications for the scholarship program generally open each fall, for those interested in applying or know someone who may be interested in applying. Donations can also be made directly to the scholarship fund to help invest in additional experiences for more students and recent graduates at upcoming IBS events.

To stay current on the high-performance residential building sector, with tips on water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and other building science strategies, follow NAHB’s Sustainability and Green Building efforts on Twitter.