ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2012 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show (IBS), though downsized considerably from the glory days of new home construction, can still make a local home and garden spring show look like really small potatoes. According to show staff, the Orange County Convention Center hosted more than 51,000 builders, remodelers, and other members of the home building industry during the four-day event, Feb. 8-11, 2012.
The 2012 IBS featured exhibits from more than 900 suppliers, and provided more than 165 educational sessions on building industry topics. Approximately 50 exhibitors from the HVAC industry displayed their wares. Traffic was brisk for at least the first two days of the show, as builders seemed most interested in high-efficiency HVAC appliances. Many builders were looking for a “green edge,” as noted by a father-and-son duo who split their time building custom homes in New Jersey and Texas. The son noted that working in Austin, Texas, absolutely requires a green complement of products in a new home.