Although IBS 2011 had low attendance by builders, it was packed with intriguing innovations by vendors. Check out our video series, IBS 2011 "Best of Show" to see these amazing products. Truly, when the economy is down companies are forced to innovate. That certainly was evident at this year's show. Our team discovered Boral, makers of the first smog-eating roof tiles; a helix barbed nail called TetraNail that will make the common nail obsolete; and Echo Solar, a company that figured out how to capture 50 percent of the sun's energy vs. the standard 15 percent.

While I enjoyed not waiting in line for a cab and being able to make last-minute dinner reservations in Orlando, the aura of how challenging times are for home builders was quite clear. With house designs getting tighter, increasing demand for energy efficiency, and consumers wanting lower prices, the market crucible couldn’t be hotter.

Change is afoot in home building, and smart home builders must be willing to embrace the right technologies. Now we have to sift through the noise to find the gems. I hope our new series will help do just that and next year I have to wait 20 people deep to get a cab at the Peabody.

Best,

Paul