The components of the homes of the future were erected here for a four-day stand-and quickly became the things of the past.
That’s standard operating procedure at the annual convention of the National Association of Home Builders, where exhibits are constructed and torn down with a speed rarely seen on real job sites.
In fact, setting up and dismantling the massive Builders’ Show-held recently at the Las Vegas Convention Center and attended by more than 65,000 NAHB members and guests-can resemble a military operation, something the convention’s keynote speaker could relate to.
Retired Gen. Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opened the 50th annual NAHB convention with a quip about leading the charge in the resurgence of the housing industry: “I lived in 21 houses during my 35 years as a soldier, but never owned one. But now I’ve bought my first home.”
Powell will have plenty of company in the new homeowner ranks this year, with the builders’ association estimating that 1.4 million housing units will be built in 1994.
And most of those new homes will be filled with many of the innovative products on display in the vast convention hall that in some ways looked like a half-built subdivision-a maze of partial walls, skeletons of homes, whole window sections, decks, complete kitchens, exotic bathrooms and fireplaces ablaze in cozy dens.
The trade show, which encompassed more than 1,000 companies spread over 20 acres, is the world’s largest exposition of building products. Among the highlights from the floor this year:
– Kohler Co. introduced the first kitchen sink designed expressly for wheelchair users. The Assure kitchen sink and its accessories create a complete work station for the seated user.
Kohler also announced that consumers soon will have a whole array of new high-efficiency toilets to choose from because of a provision of the 1992 National Energy Policy Act that sets nationwide limits on the amount of water used by plumbing products manufactured after Jan. 1, 1994.
The law limits toilets to 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to the typical 3.5 gallons in most current models. That means a savings of more than 11,000 gallons of water a year for a family of four, Kohler noted.
– Pella’s Raise and Lower Slimshade blinds, which fit between panes of glass, are claimed to increase energy efficiency and do not cover up a window’s architectural lines.
– Switchable glazing with 3M’s PrivaSee film from Marving Windows and Doors claims to be the first switchable glazing available. The window glass becomes frosted at the flip of a switch, letting light in but blocking vision for total privacy.
– The Chicago-based Gas Research Institute announced the new Triathlon heating and cooling system, which will be manufactured by York International Inc. It is expected to become available during the first half of 1994.
– Honeywell’s F50F Electronic Air Cleaner addresses the indoor quality concerns of many homeowners by removing up to 95 percent of airborne particles. Benefits include improved comfort and health (especially relief from allergies); a cleaner home, and a cleaner air coil that protects furnace equipment and saves energy dollars.
Honeywell also introduced the T8131 New Construction Thermostat, a programmable unit that controls heating and cooling in the home and offers separate programs for weekdays and weekends. It also allows the homeowner to monitor energy usage.
– Electro-Steam Generator Corp. introduced a steam bath generator that converts an existing tub or shower into a steam room.
– Andersen Windows displayed its new DC Tilt-Wash Window, a double-hung window with an exclusive wash feature allowing the sash to pivot for easy cleaning.
– Marbleworks Inc. unveiled its new lower-priced marble stairs. The marble-and-onyx accented stairs are priced competitively with cherry and oak, according to the firm.
– Delta Faucet Co. drew attention to a trio of new products-the Gourmet Spray, the Gourmet single-handle kitchen faucet, and the redesigned Waterfall-with a three-dimensional laser show that made the products appear to float in mid-air.
Many exhibitors used a variety of attention-getting devices. With a show this large, it’s important to stand out in the crowd.
– Jenn-Air’s solution was to offer free food. Shish kebabs and steaks were constantly grilling on the firm’s stoves. Small samples were then passed out to hungry conventioneers.
– Margaretten & Co. Inc., mortgage bankers, handed out information on the company with a useful gift-a carpenter’s apron.
– Artist Jim Adamson of Loomis, Calif., showed how he creates terra cotta sculptures and murals for homes and offices at a price of $130 to $150 a square foot.
– At the Therma Tru Booth, a woman in a smock demonstrated how a Fiberglass door could be stained to look like it had an authentic wood grain.
The Las Vegas location provided inspiration to many.
America’s Electrical Utilities relied on a Vegas-style lounge act to sing the praises of electrical efficiency. The American Gas Association pointed out its assets in a booklet that also included recipes from the famous chefs of Las Vegas.
Dow Chemical’s Styrofoam used a gambling come-on-four blackjack tables, with dealers who passed out small prizes to winners. Peachtree Doors and Windows played video roulette, which cleverly alternated with commercials.
The HWE Inc. booth was a hit with stressed-out conventioneers who tested the Get-A-Way Chair, a recliner featuring therapeutic roller massage, soothing vibration, and stereo sound.
A race car is always a fast way to draw attention. Crestline Windows and Doors created interest with an Indy-style racer and veteran driver Gary Bettenhausen, who handed out autographed color photos.
Not to be outdone, MW Windows employed the services of stock car race drivers Jeff Gordon, Ken Schrader, and Terry and Bobby Labonte, who chatted with fans.
The 10,000-square-foot Smart House exhibit showed that home automation technology is available today, although Chicago area residents are not likely to see it because of local building code restrictions.
A crowd gathered to watch the presentation at the Philips Home Theatre, a mini-theater with a big screen showing action movies.
A full-size, walk-in sauna-without the heat-was the lure at the Sauna Life Information Center, where sauna industry representatives said that compact saunas are becoming more popular in the home.
Not all of the action on the floor was product-driven.
New this year was a booth with a political purpose. NAHB sponsored the Lumber Crisis Command Center, a patriotic, red-white-and-blue decorated area with a bank of telephones and 24 computer stations so that conventioneers could send a message to President Clinton and other policymakers in Washington about the No. 1 issue facing builders today-the rising cost of lumber.
Clayton Traylor, NAHB government affairs director of political operations, said about 30,000 letters were sent during the convention.
Typical of the computerized letters was the one from a writer who concluded that lumber price increases have boosted the cost of an average home by $4,000, which “means more than 100,000 American families have been priced out of homeownership.”
Letters also were sent regarding the wetlands issue. “It has been catastrophic for builders,” Traylor said. “If a soggy spot is found in the middle of a tract of land, then it’s out as far as construction.”
J. Roger Glunt, outgoing NAHB president, said he hopes the letters and phone calls will “wake up the administration. The Clinton lumber plan has been a failure. I’m a small builder, and many of my potential customers now can’t qualify for even an entry-level home (because of the rising cost of construction due to higher lumber costs).”
