When well over 100 traditional stick frame builders take a detour from the enticing and one of a kind International Builders trade show floor to gather in the far corners of the Las Vegas Convention center, it must be for something worthwhile - something that will diversify businesses and help navigate rough waters, something that will give an edge over other builders and appeal to a larger consumer basis.  For the second year in a row, that something was the residential concrete market. 

Crowding into a packed room, builders unfamiliar with the residential concrete industry attended the second annual Concrete Home Building Council’s “Connect With Concrete” Luncheon at the 2009 National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) International Builders Show Thursday January 22^nd.  

For the second year in a row the lunch has exceeded capacity becoming a cornerstone event for the NAHB’s Concrete Home Building Council.  Open to all builder attendees, a panel of concrete experts highlighted the benefits of incorporating concrete elements into residential projects.   The economic considerations, sustainable benefits and labor issues are examined for concrete wall systems including insulated concrete forms (ICFs) to masonry, pre-cast, tilt-up as well as decorative concrete applications including concrete tile roofs and concrete pavers.

Moderated by Jim Niehoff, Director of the Residential program at the Portland Cement Association, 2009 panelists included:

- Allan Anderson who has been involved with insulated concrete home construction for over 10 years. He is a certified energy rater and also a green verifier with the NAHB green verification program.
- Robert Cenk – Robert is Vice President for Homecrete Homes and has a background building with various forms of concrete construction.
- Joe Carter – Joe is nationally recognized in the top 20% of realtors and is a trainer with ERA Wilder Companies and Carter Construction promoting concrete construction.

One attendee offered the following insight about the event:  “I really enjoyed and benefited from the Concrete Program. Over the last few years, I have attended several seminars and programs at IBS…this was the best I have ever attended.   I liked the format, the moderator asked the right questions and the contributors answered in a way that could be understood by all.  All four of the men were knowledgeable and represented the industry very well.”

NAHB’s Concrete Home Building Council works tirelessly to provide builders the information and resources necessary to enter the residential concrete market.   For more information, please visit: www.nahb.org/concrete

For more information or to contact us directly,
please visit www.nahb.org l ©2009, National Association of Home Builders