Why IBS Attendees Should Watch the Student Competition

Student Chapters
Published
Contact: Sarah Weber
[email protected]
Senior Director, Workforce Development & Student Chapters
(202) 266-8654

The NAHB Student Competition at the International Builders’ Show (IBS) features contests between the sharpest up-and-coming land developers, project managers and designers from NAHB’s Student Chapters.

During the competition, students present and defend sharp professional building proposals, which are reviewed, critiqued and judged by a panel of construction company executives. 

“You’re seeing a significant investment in the future, and you’re seeing the best and the brightest students that are interested in home building,” said Eric Holt, associate professor of practice at the University of Denver, and Student Chapter advisory board member. 

“If you want to see and recruit for your future workforce, come to these presentations. You’ll meet students that have dedicated their semester to this. They’ve put a ton of hours and work into this, their faculty has done a bunch of fundraising and coaching. This is the best of the best for home building’s future.”

Seventy-four teams are set to compete across four student competitions: four-year programs (production homes, undergraduate and graduate students), four-year programs (custom/small build), associate programs and secondary programs. Teams will present in 30-minute intervals.

“Industry professionals attending IBS need to understand that these students aren’t as green as they might think,” said Alicia Cox Skoug, Washington D.C. division president for Drees Homes and a judge for the four-year and graduate programs production home build competition.

“They understand the nuances and have the big-picture idea of what needs to go into a project. It’s also just impressive to see these students come in and present. It’s like a dissertation.”

All IBS attendees are encouraged to attend the Student Competition. The three-day contests start on Monday, Feb. 24 and end Wednesday, Feb. 26.

The full schedule is available here and open to all attendees.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Material Costs

Aug 29, 2025

NAHB's Monthly Update Features Canadian Lumber Duties Talking Points

The update provides the latest messaging framework to help members articulate housing priorities and latest news related to the Canadian lumber imports and builder sentiment.

Advocacy | US Economy

Aug 28, 2025

Podcast: Congressional Priorities and the Trump Economy Heading into Fall

On the latest episode of NAHB podcast Housing Developments, NAHB CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez discuss how the rest of the year looks as Congress gets ready to return to Washington next week.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Aug 29, 2025

Multifamily Absorption Rises in the Second Quarter

The percentage of new apartment units that were absorbed within three months after completion rose in the second quarter, according to the Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA).

Economics

Aug 28, 2025

Mortgage Rates Move Lower, Hitting 10-Month Low

Average mortgage rates in August continued their steady decline and are now at their lowest rate since last November.

Economics

Aug 27, 2025

Wood-Framed Home Share Increased in 2024

Wood framing continues to dominate the U.S. single-family home construction market, according to NAHB analysis of 2024 Census Bureau data.