A team of five students from 欧美口爆视频 Boulder's Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering took second place in the national Design-Build Institute of America , held Nov. 7-8 in Dallas, Texas.

CEAE students Dana Majer, Katherine Irvin, Julian Kotara, Benjamin Hewitt and Mary Grace Lehmkuhl鈥攃ompeting as the Rocky Mountain Design-Build team鈥攄esigned a conceptual 200,000-square-foot airport terminal for Bozeman, Montana, advancing through three competitive rounds: a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), a Request for Proposal (RFP) and a final presentation. The team, advised by Teaching Professor Matt Morris and led by Majer, competed against 22 other university teams from across the country.

"Their solution and presentation were impressive," Morris said. "The future is bright knowing students like them are entering the workforce."

The project's goal was to create a realistic, accurate proposal鈥攊ncluding a $100 million budget, a comprehensive schedule and a technical proposal鈥攖hat met all the "client's" specified criteria, said Irvin, a senior in civil engineering with an emphasis in construction management. The students took on various roles to simulate a real-world design-build construction team, including positions such as project manager, safety manager, designer, quality manager and airport operations manager.

Irvin said the most challenging part of the competition was presenting themselves as an established company with 25 years of industry experience, despite being students with limited real-world exposure.

"We had to think on our feet to give an answer that shows expertise and confidence," she said.

The competition offers a real-world simulation of the construction industry, unlike anything typically taught in the classroom, said Majer a fourth-year architectural engineering student.

"The best part is that this is what many of us will be doing when we enter the industry," she said.

Students interested in joining the 2025 Design-Build Institute of America Student Competition can contact Teaching Professor Matt Morris at matthew.morris@colorado.edu

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On April 26, 50 students from 欧美口爆视频 Boulder's Construction Engineering and Management program, including including one PhD, eight MS and 41 BS students, celebrated their spring 24 graduation at the CEM graduation ceremony. The ceremony took place at the Rustandy Connector, which connects the engineering center and business school. Maja Rosenquist, senior vice president of Mortenson Construction, delivered the keynote address.  

The CEM program in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering focuses on preparing students for careers in the construction industry by providing them with the necessary technical and managerial skills to plan, design and oversee construction projects.

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From left: Matt Morris, George Kurtz and Daniel Donado Quintero stand in front of Morris's new home, which the three built together. Photo Credit: Jesse Morgan Petersen

George Kurtz witnessed the destructive flames of the Marshall Fire as they torched hundreds of houses across Louisville and Superior, 欧美口爆视频, causing more $2 billion in damages.

As the son of a carpenter and a senior in architectural engineering at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder, Kurtz possessed the skills to aid families in rebuilding after the Dec. 30, 2021 disaster, but never imagined he would end up assisting one of his favorite professors in rebuilding his home.

Daniel Donado Quintero, a first-year civil engineering PhD student, also saw the flames, but did not know he鈥檇 also play a crucial role in the same project.

Their professor, Matt Morris, in 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, and his family lost everything in the fire. With the support of numerous volunteers, Morris and his two students constructed more than 80 percent of the new house with their own hands, completing the project in 15 months and integrating new technologies and a resilient framework to guard against future environmental threats. 

鈥淚 enjoyed every aspect of what we did, how much I learned, and the experience I gained,鈥� Kurtz said.

On Dec. 8, nearly two years after the fire reduced their home to ash, the Morris family reoccupied the same lot and their newly constructed home. For the first time in two years, they will celebrate Christmas in their own home.

鈥滿y whole family has had smiles on their faces everyday since we moved in,鈥� Morris said. 

Winds of change

When the fire came, Morris and his family were envisioning the glistening snow in the mountains, along with the promise of blue skies and brilliant sunshine 鈥� a perfect start to the upcoming new year. Their skis, poles and parkas piled high in the garage, they had no idea that this moment would be the last time that they would see those items, their Superior home, or their neighborhood.

Within moments, a faint scent of smoke combined with what initially appeared like a distant dust storm swiftly transformed to a roaring inferno. As Morris, his wife, Kate, daughters Evie, then 6, and Penelope, then 13, escaped in their car, their parting image was a fireball engulfing their home. Morris and his wife had lived there 16 years. 

There had been no time to grab their ski gear, their passports or even a small memento. The only thing that survived 鈥� a collection of 1999-2008 taxes at the bottom of their safe 鈥� Morris later set on fire in frustration that something so useless was all that remained.

That night, sitting on the floor of his brother-in-law鈥檚 home, Morris began thinking of the home renovations he and his wife had dreamt about for years. 

鈥淎t that moment, we knew we were going to rebuild our home ourselves,鈥� said Morris, who had previously worked as a commercial contractor. 鈥淚t was an opportunity to get what we wanted in a house and build it more resilient than before.

"And, I always wanted to build a house from scratch.鈥�

'Can't thank you enough'

At that decisive moment, Morris had no idea that two of his students, Kurtz, from Morris鈥� Building Systems and Materials class, and Donado Quintero, from his Intro to Construction class, would play such an integral part in those plans. 

Construction started in August 2022, with Morris alone at the helm. Kurtz heard about Morris' efforts and showed up to help pour the concrete foundation. He kept showing up, and Morris eventually hired him. Donado Quintero joined the project in November 2022. 

鈥淚 believe God was asking me to continue to show up,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he experience changed my character and my understanding of commitment and discipline and accountability. It was a space where I grew a lot.鈥�

The three now share a deep sense of gratitude for the experience and for each other. 

Donado Quintero extended appreciation to Kurtz for his willingness to bring himself and other volunteers onto the project, despite being more experienced.

鈥淗e was always very welcoming, not only with me, but with all the volunteers,鈥� Donado Quintero said.鈥� And I want to thank Matt for his willingness to open this space for us to join.鈥�

Kurtz, turning to his mentor, reflected on Morris's daily commitment and resilience.

鈥淢att鈥檚 resilience to get this done was inspiring,鈥� Kurtz said. 鈥淭hank you for the opportunity you gave me.鈥�

George showed up every weekend without fail, Morris said. 鈥淲e experienced a brutally cold and snowy winter, but I could always count on George to be there," he said. "And Daniel was doing this out of the goodness of his heart to get us back into our house.鈥�

Turning to his students, he expressed, 鈥淚t was for my family, and I can鈥檛 thank you enough for that.

鈥淚 would never have made it without your help. Only certain things you can do by yourself. The fact that you were there, was one thing, but also that you were dedicated and consistent and just fun to be around.鈥�

Building fortitude

The build鈥檚 central focus was on disaster resilience, with Morris choosing insulated concrete forms and steel for structure. The styrofoam forms, which remain in place after the concrete hardens, insulate the house and  fortify it against various threats, such as fires, hurricanes, windstorms and tornadoes, he said. 

Throughout construction, Morris juggled his role as a university professor Monday through Thursday with 14-hour construction days on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Rising at 3 a.m. each day, he meticulously managed a range of tasks from ordering materials to coordinating subcontractors to preparing drawings for upcoming build days. 

On his way to campus each day, Morris would visit the construction site, tending to duties such as clearing debris after windstorms, shoveling snow, managing materials or checking in with subcontractors. Throughout the summers of 2022 and 2023, he devoted every day to the house project.

Donado Quintero said that watching his professor repeatedly push through obstacles was inspiring, including on stressful days spent pouring concrete for walls, where everything needed to be exactly right before the concrete hardened.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an example of discipline, watching him show up every day, the same hour,鈥� he said. 

They battled wind gusts and historic cold temperatures throughout much of the rebuild. Then came the time when the concrete forms unexpectedly blew out, sending concrete in all directions. On another occasion, they moved the forms to the second floor. Despite securing hundreds of pounds of rebar on top of them, the wind lifted and scattered the foam products, causing damage. 

Other struggles involved figuring out how to combine technologies. The tight insulation meant a distinct ventilation system needed to be designed specifically for the house. The home鈥檚 specialized mechanical system pulls heat from the air and transfers it to water, which supplies radiant heat in the floor. The air-to-water heat pump and ventilation systems are very uncommon as far as Morris knows, and there are very few examples to follow.

鈥淚 had a few moments where I thought, why did I do this?鈥� Morris said. 鈥淗aving to learn every piece took a lot of research and trial and error. There were a few times I wanted to call in for reinforcements, and there just weren't any. 

鈥淚t was very hard on my family,鈥� Morris said. 鈥淢y wife and kids held down the fort while I was building the house with these guys. But now that we鈥檙e in, they would agree it was worth it. If you asked a month ago, I鈥檓 not sure what they would have said.

鈥淏ecause we did this alone and there were new technologies, it took us longer than anyone in the neighborhood. We were the first to break ground. There were homes that were started seven months after us, and the owners had already moved in.鈥�

On his university computer, Morris flips through the photos that showed the normalcy of Dec. 30 at 12:01 p.m., followed by a 12:08 video from a neighbor鈥檚 house camera as the fireball took out his house.

鈥淚t鈥檚 good to see it again, because then you don鈥檛 forget,鈥� Morris said.鈥滻t reminds me of why we built it in concrete and steel, even though it was hard.鈥�

A living classroom

The construction site became a living classroom of sorts, where, for instance, they each calculated the height of a steel column, jotting down calculations on two-by-fours and comparing their answers. Both Donado Quintero and Kurtz were eager to learn, and Morris knew which classes they were taking and tried to enhance their learning.

鈥淥ne of the classes I took this semester related very closely to this experience, so I was able to visualize things in a way that very few students could for reinforced concrete,鈥� Kurtz said.

Morris said he, too, learned a lot from the experience. 

鈥淲hat we built was very unique,鈥� Morris said. "Very few homes in the world have this combination of concrete, steel, and the mechanical and ventilations systems. So I learned a ton.

鈥淚 have been thinking about renovations for 16 years, so all the things I wanted, I put in the house,鈥�  Morris added. 鈥淓ven the little things like where the light switch goes.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 do anything differently.鈥�

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Teaching Professor Matthew Morris of civil, environmental and architectural engineering has received the college鈥檚  for 2023. The award recognizes faculty in the college who have shown a unique commitment to students demonstrated through innovations in education.

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Associate Teaching Professor Matt Morris is featured in the latest episode of the Concrete Credentials Podcast.

Morris shares his personal experience of the Marshall Fire, which destroyed his family home in Superior along with the homes of thousands of Coloradans.

He discusses how the wildfire could impact construction strategies, how insulated concrete forms play a role in building non-combustible structures, and how to plan for safer homes in the future. 

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Register to attend the Summit

The University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder is hosting a Construction Diversity Summit to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the construction industry.

The free event, planned for April 1, will bring together companies and students from around the state to discuss and raise awareness about diversity-related issues in construction, build empathy within the workforce, and bring forward solutions to help construction employers and employees navigate the industry. 

The summit will include breakout sessions, talks on ways to enhance company culture, and programming on skills to promote meaningful dialogue and respect for all contributions, according to Amy Javernick-Will, the Nicholas R. and Nancy D. Petry Professor in Construction Engineering and Management in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering.

鈥淲e hope attendees will recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion on jobsites and in the office, learn new communication strategies and skills, and better understand challenges facing students and graduates to cultivate an inclusive environment,鈥� Javernick-Will said.

The keynote speaker will be Michael J. Garner, who serves as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Garner and his team have designed and implemented workforce strategies at MTA which have significantly increased minority and women hires.

Registration is still open for the summit, and the full schedule is available on the Construction Diversity Summit website.

The event was the brainchild of alumna Briana Santa Ana (CivEngr 鈥�20), who faced discrimination during a summer internship when she was an undergraduate student. Matthew Morris, a senior instructor in CEAE, realized her experience was far too common, and when she suggested a summit to address DEI issues in the construction industry, the event was born.

鈥淪tudents had reported experiencing, at times, an unwelcoming environment, and one in which they could not see themselves thriving,鈥� Javernick-Will said. 鈥淭his spurred us to want to bring industry and students together to learn and take action to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where each person could thrive.鈥�

Santa Ana subsequently was recognized with an Outstanding Undergraduate for Service Award by the College of Engineering and Applied Science for her efforts.

The summit is being organized by Morris, together with Sage Hobbs, Amy Moreno-Sherwood, Amy Nelson, Maxine Pryor, and a panel of recent graduates, including Santa Ana.

Support is being provided by numerous industry sponsors, including The Beavers Heavy Engineering Construction Association, Flatiron Construction, Holder Construction, Kiewit Corporation, and Whiting-Turner, as well as the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Endowment for Construction Engineering and Management.

The summit was originally planned for 2020, but was delayed to 2022 by the pandemic.

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Above: The DBIA Buffs: (l-r) Spencer Chuck (AREN Junior), Liam Atkinson (CVEN Senior), Kai Reimers (AREN Junior), Hayley Hansen (CVEN Senior) and Evan Dicks (CVEN PhD Candidate) with faculty advisor Matt Morris.
Header photo: The team on stage at the competition receiving the award.

The 鈥淒BIA Buff Builders鈥� have earned first place in the .

The team, comprised of students Liam Atkinson, Spencer Chuck, Evan Dicks, Hayley Hansen and Kai Reimers, presented their winning proposal during the national Design-Build Conference & Expo, which was held in Denver on Nov. 1-3.

The competition challenged teams to create a proposal for an 8,800-square-foot student health facility for a liberal arts college utilizing the design-build process.

鈥淲e had to prepare a statement of qualifications, a preconstruction schedule, design renderings, talk about our management approach, how we will manage costs, and how we would get the project done on time,鈥� said Evan Dicks, team captain and a civil engineering PhD student. 鈥淲e put in a lot of time in and it feels good to come out on top.鈥�

In addition to preparing a 38-page statement of qualifications and a subsequent 33-page proposal, the team presented their project in person before a group of industry judges.

鈥淭his was exciting for the students. There was some tough competition,鈥� said Matt Morris, associate teaching professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and the team鈥檚 faculty advisor. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very proud of them. It was hundreds of hours of work.鈥�

Dicks said the competition offered a unique challenge to all the team members and that everyone rose to the occasion.

鈥淲e all know group projects where 1-2 people are carrying the load, or one person dragging and everyone has to carry them, but this was a team effort through and through,鈥� Dicks said. 鈥淢idterms came up right around when deliverables were due, but everyone managed their time.鈥�

In traditional project delivery, the designer and contractor work separately. In the design-build process, they function as a team, providing unified recommendations to fit an owner's schedule and budget.

The competition offers teams a chance to utilize the process as students, gaining valuable experience and skills, in addition to national recognition among industry professionals.

鈥淐ompanies know the value of this competition,鈥� Dicks said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely an asset. Many companies at the event wanted to meet the students.鈥�

The competition began with 16 teams from 14 universities. It had three phases, with teams initially asked to complete a statement of qualifications. Regional winners were selected in late September and asked to prepare formal proposals. Three finalists 鈥� 欧美口爆视频 Boulder, the University of Arizona, and the University of Florida 鈥� were then named to present live during the national expo.

This is not 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 first time taking home top honors from the Design-Build Student Competition. Students previously earned first place in 2016.

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