The event was the biggest ever, as nearly
60,000 gathered in Dallas, Tex., for the annual
convention and show of the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in
mid-January.
Builders roamed through 18 acres of exhibits
in three buildings and had the opportunity
to attend 175 educational programs
and hear 700 speakers at the four-day event.
As usual, high-ranking bureaucrats and
legislators made news.
Highlights of the convention included:
• A look at the "Smart House Project,"
a joint effort of 29 participating manufacturers
and 11 major advisory council
members, which might be the hottest topic
in construction in the near future.
• A call to arms against tax reform, which
the NAHB says is cutting housing starts,
making