The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) is now accepting entries for the 2026 CFSEI Student Competition on Cold-Formed Steel Design.
The mission of the Student Competition on Cold-Formed Steel Design is to promote higher education in cold-formed steel (CFS) structural design and to encourage students to use creative thinking skills to solve engineering problems.
Enter the 2026 CFSEI Student Competition
Vince Salvador, an engineering student at Marquette University, presents his cold-formed steel (CFS) design to the 2025 CFSEI Expo audience. His second-place win was a joint effort with Owen Selle of the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Eligibility
The 2026 CFS Design Competition is open to all full-time students at all levels. Students can work on the project individually or within a team.
Schedule
- November 1, 2025: Intent to Participate deadline — access to CFS Designer software will be provided and mentors assigned as soon as possible (learn how to become a mentor)
- January 31, 2026: Entry Submission deadline
CFS Competition Problem
In recent years, California has faced increasingly devastating wildfires, displacing thousands of families and creating an urgent need for rapid, affordable, and sustainable housing solutions. Long Beach, while not directly in wildfire zones, has become a potential hub for transitional housing due to its infrastructure, community resources, and proximity to affected areas.
Your challenge is to design a cost-effective, and dignified tiny home that can be mass-produced and deployed quickly to support families displaced by wildfires. These homes will serve as transitional housing, offering safety, comfort, and a sense of stability during a time of crisis.
Awards
- 1st place student will receive a $2,000 USD monetary award and an award plaque
- 2nd place student will receive a $1,500 USD monetary award and an award plaque
- 3rd place student will receive a $1,000 USD monetary award and an award plaque
The winning designs will be recognized and exhibited on appropriate platforms such as professional conferences, websites and newsletters.
Enter the 2026 CFSEI Student Competition
Click the above button to learn more about the design considerations, obtain an application form and see where to submit your ‘Intent to Participate’ document (the last page of the application form).
CFSEI Student Competition Seeks Mentors
The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) is seeking mentors for the 2026 CFSEI Student Competition on cold-formed steel (CFS) design. Mentors must be willing to support the competition by dedicating time to preparation, meetings, and review sessions as needed.
Applications are due October 3, 2025 – learn more.
Cold-Formed Steel Engineers InstituteThe Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) comprises hundreds of structural engineers and other design professionals who are finding a better way to produce safe and efficient designs for commercial and residential structures with cold-formed steel.
CFSEI members work together to develop and evolve industry standards and design methods, produce and issue technical bulletins, and provide seminars and online training to improve the knowledge and skills base of engineers and design professionals. For more information, visit www.cfsei.org.
CFSEI is part of the Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) family.
Additional Resources
- CFSEI Announces Winners of 2025 Student Competition on Cold-Formed Steel Design
- CFSEI Publishes Tech Note L400-25: ‘Non-Bearing Cold-formed Steel Lateral Force Resisting Systems’
- CFSEI Course: AISI Standard Series S100-16 (On-Demand)