Green Building Conference Draws a Crowd

Washington, DC, May 12, 2009--More than 1,200 builders, remodelers, designers and other industry professionals attended the National Association of Home Builders' National Green Building Conference in Dallas - the second-largest attendance yet and another sign that the industry is preparing to get back to work after the deepest recession in decades.

"The surprisingly strong attendance figures are a very encouraging sign that builders see the bottom of the downturn, and a clear indication that our industry will be greener than ever as it comes back to thrive," said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla.

Among the most popular sessions this year: "From the Basement to the Attic: A Deep Energy Retrofit," presented by green building science expert Peter Yost; "Valuing Green Homes," a session designed to help real estate brokers better recognize sustainable design features; and "The High-Performance Energy Remodel," focusing on ways to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes.

Designer Randy Lanou of Studio B Architecture and Build Sense, an architecture and general contracting company in Durham, N.C., noted the appeal of the conference to mainstream professionals. The conference no longer attracts only the "hard-core green builder," Lanou said. The networking, education and exhibit opportunities cast a wider net this year. "They're all coming into the fold."

The 12th annual NAHB National Green Building Conference will take place May 16-18, 2010 at the Raleigh, N.C., Convention Center.