Lots of exhibits: 1.6 million square feet of space devoted to the latest in building supplies, appliances, technology and trends. The International Builders’ Show® is only open to the trade, but that doesn’t mean homeowners can’t have a peek at what’s to come.

• First of all, green is good. Exhibitors touted the environmental friendliness of their products, from their energy savings to their use of recycled materials and odor-free paints. “This is another great example of how ‘green’ is going mainstream,” said Ray Tonjes, a home builder in Austin, Texas, and chairman of the National Association of Home Builders’ Green Building Subcommittee. “As we see more products available, the price will come down, and consumers will have much more opportunity to take advantage of resource- and energy-efficient appliances and materials.”
  
  
• Convenience is king. The trend toward bigger storage rooms in homes is complimented by “furniture” in spaces that used to be full of castoffs, like the garage. Manufacturers showed refrigerators, shelving units and cabinets specially made for garages and that look sharp —important in a room that’s becoming an extension of living space.
  
  
• Smaller is getting bigger. While the size of the average new home has steadily increased in the last generation, National Association of Home Builders forecasters believe that trend is slowing down. A new study unveiled during the International Builders’ Show® provided a detailed view of what buyers can expect to find in an “average” home and an “upscale” home in 2015, when the average home size is likely to stay in the range of today’s 2,400 square feet, and homes are increasingly likely to be two-story rather than one-story. 
  

These trends were evident at The New American Home and The Renewed American Home, two show homes open for tours during the show. Downtown Orlando was chosen as the site for the show homes to illustrate how home builders can revitalize older neighborhoods by rehabbing or replacing older homes.

Both homes offer the latest in universal design, energy efficiency and cutting-edge technology, including extensive integration of various low-voltage systems such as home-run structured wiring and whole-house lighting control, entertainment and security. Built with an eye toward the environment, both homes have been certified “green” by the Florida Green Building Coalition and are ENERGY STAR® rated.

The New American Home is also certified using the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines, used as the basis of green building programs in almost two dozen communities around the country.

The New American Home is a three-story urban loft with an added suite above its detached two-car garage, a roof plaza, courtyard and deluxe swimming pool. The home draws its inspiration from a national trend of homeowners leaving the suburbs to live in urban areas so they can be within walking distance of restaurants, parks and entertainment venues. The home boasts such green features as a photovoltaic system, impact-resistant windows, a generator and a cistern that collects rainwater for irrigation.

The  Renewed American Home is a blend of Victorian, coastal design and bungalow. Originally built in 1909, the home was moved from its original location, renovated and more than doubled in size. Demonstrating that historic homes can still enjoy modern luxuries, the four-bedroom, five-and-a-half bath home features installed systems in structured wiring, security/life safety, multi-zone audio, lighting control and flat panel displays. As part of the renovation, a basement was added equipped with a wine cellar, exercise room, laundry suite, gift-wrapping station and game room.

Both homes were open to builders during the show and then to the public after the builders left town.
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