Aside from one missing thing, this builder show would be my favorite yet. Of course, I’m speaking about coffee machines in hotel rooms. If you have one, consider yourself lucky. The No. 1 complaint I’m hearing from the floor is the lack of in-room brew and the need to line up at Starbucks for seven hours before jumping on an IBS-bound shuttle.
Day Two is traditionally the busiest day on the show floor, which seems accurate in 2025. The buzz on the floor is that this show will set attendance records before shutting down for the year and moving to Orlando for 2026. Here are some thoughts from Zonda editors after a solid Day 2.
Sustainability, CertainTeed
From a building products point of view, the show's emerging themes are sustainability, innovation, and resilience. Regarding sustainability, manufacturers aim to minimize environmental impact and improve energy efficiency. CertainTeed’s Landmark Solaris shingles incorporate advanced solar reflective technology that reduces home cooling costs by reflecting solar energy, enhancing energy efficiency and comfort. What does that mean? These energy-efficient shingles feature solar reflective technology that can reflect a portion of the sun's rays, reducing the amount of heat transferred into a building and lowering the cooling requirements and energy costs during hot weather. A bonus: The durable shingles meet the Cool Roof Rating Council standards and offer aesthetic flexibility, potentially qualifying homeowners for energy conservation incentives.
Paul Makovsky
Stuff Your Pants in the Walls, Stay Warm
Speaking of sustainability, Henry Co. is turning heads with its Ultratouch Recycled Denim wall insulation. The Pennsylvania-based company specializes in insulating wrap and is nominated for a Best of IBS Award for its sealing product, which is impressive and helps builders meet energy expectations from buyers. But the real eye-catcher in the booth is the large pile of fluffy blue material, the remnants of jeans from the past that have been upcycled into insulation. The company estimates it diverts 20 million pounds of jeans from landfills each year. That’s enough to clothe my skateboarding teenage son for at least one summer.
Steve Ladurantaye
Fire Resiliency
With all the news about the California fires and the intensity of extreme weather events, resilience is becoming a crucial aspect of building design. We’re seeing BPMs offering products that do a better job withstanding hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. For example, Arclin’s Firepoint offers superior fire resistance for building materials, enhancing safety by slowing the spread of fire and providing more time for evacuation. This super-treated plywood is formulated with cutting-edge fire retardant chemicals so it slows down the spread of flames, providing up to 53% more fire resistance than code. The panels don’t need exterior gypsum, which means less material is used, so it’s lighter, and you can use less labor to move the product. The company states that the product is demonstrated to withstand fire for up to 90 minutes on 60-minute wall assemblies. It’s worth a closer look.
Paul Makovsky
Veneer Is Here
Over at the Eldorado Stone booth, the company was debuting a host of new products. Still, the one that stood out for me is their on-trend Nordic Peak stone veneers, which offer the look of natural stone with easier installation and lower costs, making them an excellent choice for builders and designers. Inspired by the current love of Scandinavian design, the line is refreshing with its bright neutrals that blend seamlessly with white tones and subtle variations of light gray. These manufactured stone veneers are sustainable, requiring fewer natural resources, reducing transportation emissions due to their lightweight nature, and supporting energy-efficient production, contributing to better indoor air quality and potential LEED points. All in all, it’s a great new product.
Paul Makovsky
And Finally …
There are many ways to get people to visit your booth and collect business cards: prizes, drawings, swag. But Home Innovation Research Labs took a more direct approach: Beautiful people handing out $5 bills in exchange for a card. Hand one over, and you get the cash. You don’t even need to talk to them about whatever they do—which I have no idea about because I rushed off before they could take their money back. Steve Ladurantaye
