The Builders’ Show is massive, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.
One of the best ways to get more from the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) is to plug into a community built around your role, interests or segment of the residential construction industry.
These communities give you more than a place to meet people at the show. Depending on the community, you’ll find specialized education, peer-to-peer conversations, networking events, lounges, competitions, leadership opportunities and connections that can continue long after the show ends.
Here’s your guide to the communities you can tap into at the Builders’ Show.
Find Your People at IBS
Centrals: Go Deep on What Matters to You
Looking for a more focused Builders’ Show experience? Centrals bring together residential construction professionals with shared interests, specialties and business challenges in dedicated areas throughout the show.
Centrals are smaller, more intimate lounges where you can learn, connect and ask questions in a more informal setting. Each Central features programming tailored to its audience, along with opportunities to meet industry peers and experts.
Whether your focus is sales and marketing, design, custom building, remodeling, multifamily or international, Centrals make it easier to zero in on the conversations and connections that matter most to your business.
Your IBS benefit: A targeted experience with education, expert insights and meaningful conversations in a more personal setting.
NAHB 55+ Housing Council: Connect With Experts Across the 55+ Market
The NAHB 55+ Housing Council serves NAHB Members involved in all aspects of 55+ housing, including design, development, finance, ownership, management and sales and marketing.
At the Builders’ Show, you can connect with peers, share insights and explore the latest ideas and solutions for serving 55+ buyers and residents.
And the community extends beyond the show, giving members opportunities to stay connected and engaged with other 55+ housing professionals year-round.
Your IBS benefit: Connect with 55+ housing professionals and bring back ideas you can put to work in your business.
Learn more about the NAHB 55+ Housing Council
NAHB 20 Clubs: Turn Peer Advice into Better Business
What if you could compare notes with builders and remodelers who understand your challenges, but don’t compete in your market?
That’s the idea behind NAHB 20 Clubs, where NAHB Members from non-competing markets meet throughout the year to share financial information, compare performance, identify trouble spots and exchange strategies to improve operations and profitability.
At the Builders’ Show, the 20 Clubs Lounge gives members another opportunity to connect face-to-face and keep those peer relationships growing.
Your IBS benefit: Gain practical ideas from peers who have already tackled the problems you’re facing.
NAHB Building Systems Councils: Discover Smarter Ways to Build
Modular. Panelized. Concrete. Log and timber frame.
The NAHB Building Systems Councils community connects professionals interested in building systems and how these approaches can help reduce build times, control labor costs, improve quality and minimize risk.
At the Builders’ Show, the BSC Lounge and specialized learning opportunities give you a chance to see how highly engineered systems work in the real world, meet manufacturers and suppliers and connect with others working in this growing sector.
Your IBS benefit: Find new ways to build more efficiently while connecting with the people who can help make it happen.
Explore the Building Systems Councils
Professional Women in Building: Build Your Network & Your Leadership
The NAHB Professional Women in Building (PWB) community brings together women leaders and professionals from across the residential construction industry.
At the Builders’ Show, PWB HQ is a lounge for workshops, networking and conversations designed to help you connect, learn and grow. But PWB isn’t just an IBS destination. It’s a national community supported by local and state councils, creating opportunities to build relationships, develop leadership skills and get involved throughout the year.
Your IBS benefit: Meet potential mentors, collaborators and industry peers while finding new ways to grow your career and your impact.
Explore Professional Women in Building at IBS
Production Builder Executive Club: Get Behind the Scenes with Industry Leaders
For qualified executives, the Builders’ Show offers a community that’s a little more exclusive.
The Production Builder Executive Club (PBEC) is an access-restricted space for director-level professionals and above from leading U.S. single-family builders. Inside, executives can step away from the show floor, connect with peers and discuss issues specific to large-scale home building.
The lounge features networking breakfasts, lunches and receptions, barista-made beverages, workspaces and programming tailored to the needs of production builders.
Your IBS benefit: Get the space, connections and conversations you need to focus on the business challenges facing today’s biggest builders.
Explore the Production Builder Executive Club
Students: Start Building Your Career Before You Graduate
The Builders’ Show isn’t only for people already working in the industry. It’s also where the next generation of residential construction professionals gets its start.
Nearly 1,000 students and instructors participate in IBS, with opportunities to compete in the NAHB Student Competition, connect with recruiters, attend professional development sessions, explore the show floor and build relationships with industry professionals.
And it doesn’t stop when the show ends. NAHB Student Chapters help students studying construction management, engineering, architecture, real estate and trades connect their classroom experience with the industry.
Your IBS benefit: Turn a resume into relationships and get a firsthand look at where your career could go.
Young Professionals: Learn, Connect & Move Your Career Forward
If you’re under 40, the Builders’ Show is where your community gathers. Discover the hottest new products and trends, learn from industry experts, connect with peers and take part in dedicated networking opportunities. And yes, there’s time for fun, too.
The Young Pro Party is a signature networking event where residential construction professionals under 40 can meet, socialize and keep the conversation going beyond the show floor. The community also recognizes rising talent through the Young Professionals Awards.
Your IBS benefit: Build the relationships, knowledge and confidence that can accelerate your career.
Explore Young Professionals at IBS
And That’s Just the Beginning
These communities are one of the things that make IBS more than a trade show.
You can come to discover products, learn new skills and find solutions to business challenges.
But you can also come to find your people.
Whether you’re a production builder, remodeler, student, young professional, woman in building, 55+ housing specialist or other residential construction pro, there’s a community that can help you get more from your Builders’ Show experience.
And many of these communities connect you with people, programs and opportunities before and during the show and throughout the year.
Find your community. Find your people. Get more from IBS 2027.
IBS 2027 takes place Feb 2–4 in Las Vegas. Registration opens Sept 1.