WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — The crowds were thick on the exhibit hall floor as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) returned to Orlando, Fla., for the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) Jan. 10-12.
About 80,000 home builders, remodelers, developers, designers and their trade partners talked to suppliers and saw demonstrations during a show that spanned the West, North and South halls of the Orange County Convention Center. Exhibit space grew from about 500,000 square feet in 2016 to 569,000 square feet this year, and the number of exhibitors grew from 1,400 to more than 1,500 on the Show floor and in the outdoor exhibition areas.
IBS is the largest component of the annual Design & Construction Week, which also includes the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).
“The home building industry turned out in force for this event,” said Geoff Cassidy, NAHB vice president of exhibitions and meetings. “The exhibits were tremendous, and as our already-strong education program continues to expand, we saw many more builders take advantage of some great sessions.”
IBS kicked off with an energetic presentation by former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, and that energy continued to be reflected for the next three days. Exhibitors representing home technology, cloud-based construction management software and other innovative products and practices reported strong crowds.
After four years in Las Vegas, many exhibitors said they liked the change of pace and the warm weather. “We love the fact that IBS and KBIS are together, and Orlando is a great spot for this,” said Larry Costello of exhibitor Kenmore, part of Sears Holdings.
IBS and Design & Construction Week return to Orlando Jan. 9-11, 2018.
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