While Middle Tennessee was enduring another cold week, my husband and I spent three days enjoying the warm desert sun in Las Vegas. But don’t be too envious, this was a “working vacation” for both of us, with the real emphasis on “working.” The only thing that made it feel anything like “vacation” was the pleasant weather and quick side trips to Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam. Our real agenda in Las Vegas was built around the 65th annual International Builders Show (IBS), so aptly named because it attracts homebuilders, remodelers, suppliers and marketing professionals from around the world. The show, hosted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), alternates between venues in Orlando and Las Vegas. Historically, well over 100,000 industry participants attend the event. Last year in Orlando, as the housing market weakened, attendance dropped to around 92,000. This year as the economy continued to impact the industry, attendance fell to around 60,000. Even so, with 1,600 exhibiting companies and over 250 educational sessions, IBS continues to be the building industry’s premiere event. My husband, David, has been a regular presenter at the show’s Meet the Expert series since 2005. He spoke twice at this year’s show with addresses on branding and effective advertising channels. David began building his reputation in the industry as a junior partner with a regional real estate development firm more than 20 years ago. In 2000, he was inducted into the Institute of Residential Marketing, an arm of NAHB that recognizes top professionals in new home marketing. For the past 10 years, David has focused on strategic marketing as a partner with BLF Marketing. Locally, his team supports Ole South Properties (ranked among the Top 100 Home Builders in the U.S) and MidSouth Bank. So what was the buzz at the IBS? As you can imagine, with an industry adapting to the sluggish housing market, there were plenty of discussions and programs dealing with operational management and generating sales. But, aside from these issues, the hot topics were green building, 55+ communities and boomerang kids. As the housing markets adjust, “value” was a word heard over and over. The concept of building green – using environmentally sound materials and reducing energy needs in our homes – continues to generate interest. A few years ago, this topic was an afterthought, but has slowly emerged onto center stage as an issue of relevance for the industry and our nation. Housing for baby boomers remains a hot topic. Aside from the interior design trends which are constantly changing, the two biggest factors impacting this segment are a desire for more value and accommodating boomerang kids. Many older and active adults are looking for lifestyle enhancements in the form of more amenities packed into smaller square footage. In other words, more convenience and comfort in a smaller space. This value approach may not directly result in lower sales prices for new homes, but over time it will relate to lower maintenance and utility costs. The bigger question for boomers – “what to do with boomerang kids?” This segment is simply defined as kids who move away from home, only to return to mom and dad’s empty nest out of necessity – often years later. With older adults downsizing, this is become a topic of practical concern. We’ll explore more of the green building issues and baby boomer phenomena in future columns. Originally posted January 25, 2009