About Build UP!

Build UP! provides students with hands-on educational opportunities to develop sustainable innovation that improve the environment and the economy.

This is achieved through design competitions that invite student teams to design sustainable homes that are built and used as a fundraising mechanism to raise money for student scholarships. By bringing people from various backgrounds together to work on creating a design plan for a sustainable and energy efficient house students gain hands-on experience and develop professionally, and organizations gain access to talented students and future employees.

Our Michigan Contest

The Build UP! Building a Brighter Michigan Sustainable Housing Design Competition is an open, interdisciplinary competition with the mission to empower and equip students in Michigan to pursue sustainable innovations that improve people’s lives, drive the economy and contribute to students’ education and professional development. Through collaborative efforts with peers, academics, and professionals, students gain hands-on experience, develop professionally, and earn scholarship money. Student teams from universities throughout Michigan are competing to design a net-zero home that will be built on Mackinac Island. The winning team(s) will have the opportunity to work with Meadowlark Builders of Ann Arbor, Michigan to make their design a reality. Proceeds from the home on Mackinac Island will be used to establish a scholarship trust fund that will provide annual scholarships to students attending a university in Michigan.

The Mackinac Island House

In all communities, housing poses unique obstacles, for both people and the environment. The goal of the Building a Brighter Michigan Sustainable Housing Design Competition is to develop a house that incorporates cultural, environmental and economic factors to provide housing that demonstrates the peak of efficiency. This year’s contestants are competing to build a net-zero house on historic, Mackinac Island. Not only do the teams face the challenges of building a sustainable, net-zero house, but also, the house must fit the building standards and rules of the Island. The registration deadline to participate in the Building a Brighter Michigan Sustainable Housing Design Competition has passed, but if you would like to stay up to date with Build UP! news, opportunities for involvement, and learn about how you can earn a chance to spend a week in the final home, please subscribe to our newsletter.

Student Benefits

This competition allows students to enhance their technical abilities while gaining a better understanding of the cultural, political, and economic aspects of their work. By developing the best traits within each student, these individuals unite as a team in pursuit of unprecedented excellence. The team implements cutting-edge technology and creative innovations to design and develop sustainable innovations. The teams reach out to their campus community to find university technologies to incorporate into their designs. Once the winning design is chosen, teams will reach out to local communities to find Michigan-made materials and products to incorporate into the home. Through partnership with the best companies and individuals, the team's internal strength translates into external success, driving it to be a significant contributor to students’ education and economic development. Our vision is to change the lives of students, preparing them to lead the world through teamwork and sustainable innovation, while showcase innovative technologies and stimulate economic development.

Support Our Efforts

Build UP! offers companies and organizations the opportunity to support our initiative through our several sponsorship levels. Benefits to sponsors include: opportunities to stay at the complete house, product exposure and promotion, and access to talented Michigan students. Companies and organizations interested in sponsoring the competition and/or making a financial or in-kind donation are asked to contact us.

It is about time Michigan leverage some of its greatest assets - smart students, innovative technologies, and beautiful landscapes, so let’s work together and Let’s Build UP! Michigan!
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