The Field

Educating leaders in the field of sustainable design and construction of the built environment is the core mission of the Building and Construction Technology (BCT) program. Green building is a rapidly emerging field that will remain an essential tool in efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, improve air and water quality, enhance urban biodiversity, and conserve natural resources. These steps are needed to maximize both economic and environmental performance in built environments. Despite the cyclical nature of the construction industry, demand for graduates of the BCT Bachelor of Science degree program is strong, in both the residential housing and the commercial building sectors. Graduates of the BCT program take on leadership roles through their understanding of this technically complex field. Students participate in coursework covering science, technology, business, and design to support the basis for advancing their careers. The design, construction, and in-service use of residential and commercial buildings are complex and BCT students are offered exceptionally varied instruction to cover the necessary elements of sustainable design and construction. Graduates are involved in virtually every area of building technology including sustainable design practices, energy conservation, wood science, construction and project management, and sales and marketing of building materials. Career paths span technical and research disciplines through sales and construction management. It is the experience of integrating scientific and technical understanding with general business acumen that makes graduates of the program especially desirable to many hiring firms.

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