Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity

05/30/2026

AU Building Science summer camp is completed, high School juniors from across the USA visited campus and participated in this camp. They experienced the unique program AU offers at Auburn University McWhorter School of Building Science
These students experienced the hands on learning the program offers through the industry construction partnerships like Habitat for Humanity. These students built an 8x10 storage shed building in by 2 days during camp. They learn framing techniques by building this small house. They built the floor system, framed walls to include door and window system headers, built the roof system, and covered it with a long life metal roof. Thank you Professors Jonathan Tucker and Andy Hughes for teaching and leading these students this week. Great job everyone ! This work was done at the AU Robins & Morton Building Science field lab. This facility offers an excellent teaching environment. The facility includes large classroom with technology accessibility, tool and material storage, and a 5000 sq ft ocovered construction area. This area allows students to work in a controlled environment. This is a great benefit on rainy weeks like this one B. Progress continues on projects without delays of rain.

Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction
City of Auburn, AL - City Government
Auburn Panhellenic

05/30/2026

Together we build homes community and hope.

05/29/2026

Habitat home #79 update. 819 BedellAv. Auburn.
Thank you Gatz, Joe, David and Jim for installing doors today. Thank you Nancy and Mark for interior painting the three bedrooms and living room.
Join us next us next week Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday as we install trim work and work to finish painting. We will work each day from 8am to 1pm.

Thank you Nancy and Kay painting all v the trim yesterday. Thank you Gatz, Joe and Jim for starting on doors yesterday. It was a good week.

05/28/2026

05/28/2026

Auburn University McWhorter School of Building Science
Building ScienceRobins & Morton the Robins & Morton field lab.
This week High School students from Birmingham, Gulf Shores, Atlanta, Nashville, and across the country are participating in this camp and getting hands on construction experience as they build an 8x10 storage building for a Habitat for Humanity home. They will learn framing construction techniques as they build floor, walls, roof systems and install doors and windows.
Thank you Professors Jonathan Tucker and Andy Hughes for leading and teaching these students in construction and safety. These students are high school juniors exploring a career in Building Science.
Auburn University has a top level and unique Building Science program. The curriculum has a mandatory senior level class where student are involved in real world construction projects like framing and building a Habitat for Humanity home and completing the exterior Hardie board siding and trim on the home.
The students make a professional bid presentation to their client at the first of the semester. They learn to estimate, schedule, order, plan logistics and more. They learn to work as a team. At the end of the semester students make a final PowerPoint presentation that presents their scope of work and the success of their work and planning. The professors and industry professional evaluate this work. It is a great learning experience for the seniors.
Together we build homes, community, and hope.

05/27/2026

Habitat home update
Thank you Gatz Joe and Nancy. The door install started Tuesday and painting interior continues. Door Work continues Wednesday and trim install starts Thursday. Thank you Gatz Joe Jim David Kay Nancy Dee and Mark.

05/23/2026

Our offices are closed until Tuesday in observance of Memorial Day.

05/23/2026

Habitat home #79 at 819 Bedell Av Auburn.
Great job this week everyone.
Thank you to Chris and the team University Granite installing the cabinets and countertops this week. Thank you Nancy, Joe W, Jim, David, Mark for painting the interior this week.

Join us next week Tu Wed Thurs from 9-1pm as we install doors and paint and install trim.

05/23/2026

Thank you M. Gatz Riddell and Mike Hosey for all you do for Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity
Gatz is a retired DVM and Professor at Auburn University Vet School. He now serves our community as Habitat for Humanity Building Superintendent leading Auburn University McWhorter School of Building Science students and community volunteers building Habitat for Humanity homes. Gatz followed the leadership and service example of his colleague and mentor Dr Phil Garrett. Phil lead Habitat projects for 30 years.
When Mike Hosey retired as an AU Building Science Professor and retired from Hosey Lancour Construction, he joined the Habitat for Humanity team as our General Contractor who oversees the permit process and building process on each HFH home. He now operates Hosey Construction also. Mike helped lead and develop the Building Science Community Involvement curriculum that partners with Habitat for Humanity and dozens of other nonprofit and for profit companies to offer BSCI Seniors hands on construction projects and real world leadership experience such as client presentations, estimating, ordering, scheduling, project planning, and more.

Gatz and Kay vacationed out west last week and made tours of the Grand Canyon and our National Parks. They sent us this photo with the Hosey Construction shirt and a scenic Canyon view. Thank you Gatz and Kay.

Thank you Gatz and Mike for building homes, community, and hope for hardworking families in Auburn and Opelika.

City of Auburn, AL - City Government
Auburn University
Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction
Robins & Morton