Get Connected at an IBS Central

This article first appeared in the Your IBS 2023 Preshow Planner issue of Pro Builder.

If you are looking for an opportunity to connect with like-minded housing-industry professionals, then the Centrals at the Builders’ Show could be a perfect fit. The Centrals are geared toward niche markets, including Remodeling, Custom Building, 55+, Sales, Multifamily, Design and International.

All IBS registrants are welcome and have access to the Centrals.

These are dynamic places where attendees can explore exciting new ideas, refine their skills and gain information about their specific niche in the home building industry. Amid the hustle and bustle of IBS, Centrals offer a great place to take a break from the show floor, grab some refreshments and network with other industry pros.

“The people in the Centrals are there to network, not to take a nap,” said Alan Hanbury, a remodeler from Newington, Conn. “It’s an opportunity to share ideas you wouldn’t get elsewhere.

“It's a very inviting space,” Hanbury added. “People are trying to maximize their education intake. I always come back with something useful from my time spent in the Centrals.” And Hanbury knows a thing or two about IBS. He hasn’t missed a Builders’ Show since 1979—more than 40 years. “That’s longer than I’ve been married,” Hanbury said.

The Centrals offer education programming led by top industry professionals. These sessions complement the official IBS educational programming but are more informal, with experts getting up close and personal to demonstrate the latest ideas.

All IBS Centrals are located in the brand-new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The locations are:

Remodeling Central - W212
Custom Building Central - W210
55+ Housing Central - W308
Sales Central - W311
Multifamily Central - W310
Design Central - W213
International - North Lobby, Level 2, Outside N251

Most of the Centrals host a reception after the first or second day of the show. Keep an eye on the IBS calendar for more details.

In addition to the Centrals, several IBS lounges feature space for specific NAHB groups, including the Professional Women in Building Council HQ (LVCCN231), the Building Systems Council (LVCC N242), and NAHB’s 20 Clubs (LVCCN218). The NAHB Young Professionals will have the YP area at the NAHB HQ in the Central Hall. The lounges offer informal educational programming and an opportunity to network with others in the industry.

Most of the lounges also serve light refreshments throughout the day and host a reception after the first or second day of the show. The Building Systems Councils Lounge, for example, is hosting networking sessions from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.on Tuesday, Jan. 31.