The Road to IBS: Digging Design-Build
Trendsetting options and practical solutions at this year's show
The helping hand of tech. Expect to see tools to grow your business at the show. “IBS is a great opportunity to reflect on our business practices and incorporate those changes once we get back,” says design-build professional Dustin Brown of Asher Homes in Ashland, Oregon. “For example, we are looking to move to an online ordering platform for fixtures with our clients.” Geoff Cassidy, NAHB’s senior vice president of exhibitions and meetings, affirms the focus. “IBS is where professionals in residential construction learn more about technology that will help them manage their businesses more efficiently and effectively,” he says. Bruce Winfrey, owner of his eponymous design-build firm in Houston, appreciates the show for that very reason. “We are fully committed to luxury construction, so our emphasis on technology will be key to increasing our capacity and volume of projects,” he says.
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More modularity. Prefab is another area pros are hoping to see highlighted. “Depending on your market segment, modular construction that can be built elsewhere and put together in different combinations is going to become more viable and desirable,” Winfrey says. Brown feels the same. “Our clients have expressed more interest in modular or prefab home construction, and they want to learn more about the companies nationwide that are providing the services, along with costs,” he says.
Tackling the show floor. Face-to-face meetings are still useful even in the digital age. “Our market is smaller, so we have difficulty getting supplies to our area,” Brown says. As a result, “we want to spend more time seeing vendors and networking with supplier reps.” After visiting your top booths, stop by the exhibits, Cassidy says. “In the North Hall, we’ll have the high-performance building zone, which is always a favorite go-to destination, as well as the expanded job site safety zone.” But, as he says, “there’s really no way to experience it all, so planning ahead is especially important.”
Tackling the show floor. Face-to-face meetings are still useful even in the digital age. “Our market is smaller, so we have difficulty getting supplies to our area,” Brown says. As a result, “we want to spend more time seeing vendors and networking with supplier reps.” After visiting your top booths, stop by the exhibits, Cassidy says. “In the North Hall, we’ll have the high-performance building zone, which is always a favorite go-to destination, as well as the expanded job site safety zone.” But, as he says, “there’s really no way to experience it all, so planning ahead is especially important.”
Event excitement. Though exhibitors provide the anchoring element for the show, events are equally a draw for many attendees. “The seminars are very helpful and pertinent to our business,” Winfrey says. “I like to line up the seminars that I feel are must-sees for our business or approach, then I mix in floor visits on the off times.” Cassidy also recommends the twice-daily “game changer” keynote speeches that showcase thought leaders talking about issues critical to the housing industry.
Show-home highlights. Don’t miss the hands-on exhibits. “The homes they build in the parking lot were a highlight of our last trip there,” Brown says of the demonstration houses in the outdoor exhibit area. If you’d like to see the two off-site show homes, both of which feature innovative products and materials, make sure to stop at the ticket booth as soon as you get to the show to pick up complimentary shuttle passes, “because there is a limited supply, and they do run out every day,” Cassidy says.
Show-home highlights. Don’t miss the hands-on exhibits. “The homes they build in the parking lot were a highlight of our last trip there,” Brown says of the demonstration houses in the outdoor exhibit area. If you’d like to see the two off-site show homes, both of which feature innovative products and materials, make sure to stop at the ticket booth as soon as you get to the show to pick up complimentary shuttle passes, “because there is a limited supply, and they do run out every day,” Cassidy says.
Dining tips. Even though it’s tempting to power through show days, you’ll need to occasionally stop and refuel. “I always like to check out Margaritaville [in the Flamingo hotel], and a walk through the Bellagio hotel is a must,” Brown says. Cassidy likes The Peppermill Restaurant for breakfast or lunch, Piero’s for an Italian meal and The Golden Steer Steakhouse for a good old-fashioned steak. Whatever you do, prepare for a busy few days. “Vegas is always fun, but I am always glad when it’s time to go home,” Winfrey says.
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Innovative business management platforms. Cutting-edge modular construction. Show homes and exhibits. This year’s IBS in Las Vegas promises to pack more tools, materials, speakers and brands than you ever thought possible into 600,000 square feet of exhibition space. So lace up your shoes and log some steps with expert advice on how to best tackle the show.