A Record-Breaking Anniversary Year: 2026 CIRT Finalists Announced!
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
The CIRT National Design & Construction Competition continues to grow in both scale and impact—and 2026 has set a new benchmark.
This year, we received a record-breaking 85 submissions, showcasing innovative thinking across three timely and complex challenges: Net Zero Data Centers, Cultural Destinations, and Modular / Tech-Enabled Construction. From reimagining energy-intensive digital infrastructure, to designing vibrant cultural spaces for tourists and locals alike, to advancing the future of efficient, scalable building methods, students demonstrated an impressive ability to tackle real-world industry challenges.
Also impressive is that this year’s Finalists include a near 50/50 split of first-time or early competitors and long established programs with over 5-14 years of participation -- reinforcing that there is no single path to success in the competition—only creativity, collaboration, and commitment.
After an extensive jury review process, we are proud to announce the nine “Worthy Finalists”* advancing to the Final Presentation Round:
Net Zero Data Center
ACE Mentoring Program of Maine — ACE Maine for “Katahdin Peak Systems”
ACE Mentor Program of Greater Washington DC Metro Area, Inc. — McKinley Tech High School for “McKinley Tech Net Zero Data Center”
ACE Mentor Program of New Jersey — 505/732 for “Net 505”
Cultural Destination
ACE Mentor Program of Illinois — ACE Mentor Program of Chicago - Team 11 for “Crossroads Cultural Center”
ACE Mentor Program of Atlanta — ACE NAHS - Luz de Marea, for “The Luz de Marea”
ACE Mentor Program of Illinois — ACE Chicago Team 8 for “The Frank”
Modular / Tech-Enabled Build
ACE Mentor Program Houston — ACE Galleria for “Project Halo”
ACE Mentor Program of RI — Fungi Friends for “Rooted Kinetics”
ACE Mentor Program of Southern Nevada — Jigsaw for “Modular/Tech-Enabled Build”
Each of these Finalist teams will receive a $3,000 stipend to support travel to Washington, DC,
where they will compete in the 20th Anniversary Preliminary and Final Presentation Rounds on April 27, 2026 beginning at 1pm. Teams will nominate a single speaker to present their ideas to a panel of industry leaders and vie for the top prize of $2,000.
Additional details about the April 27th itinerary and required travel/participation forms will be shared with Finalist teams in the coming days.
As we celebrate this milestone 20th anniversary year, this record level of participation feels especially meaningful – reflecting not only the continued growth of the competition, but also the lasting impact of the CIRT Competition’s founding president, Mark A. Casso—whose vision and commitment to inspiring the next generation of design and construction leaders continues to guide this program today.
Thank you! To every team that dedicated months of effort to develop and submit a project! Your hard work, curiosity, creativity, and collaboration are what make this competition so special. Whether or not you are advancing to the final round, your contributions represent the very best of what this program stands for—and the future of our industry is stronger because of you.
Congratulations again to our finalists. We look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC.
* The Worthy Finalists are named in honor of the late Ed Worthy, a longtime supporter and advocate of the CIRT National Competition and ACE Mentor Program of America.