Design and Construction Week 2021

For what seems to be an entirely hands-on industry, it may appear odd that the 2021 Design & Construction Week, which takes place this week from February 9-12 will be virtual, but this multifaceted industry has incorporated digital services across careers. This event serves as a venue for construction and design professionals to share ideas about residential and commercial construction and design₁.

“We have plenty of great virtual educational programs, innovative products, services and workshops on tap, and we are very excited about the 2021 show. It’s an opportunity to set a precedent for the industry by producing a dynamic virtual trade show, and we look forward to a very successful Design & Construction Week,” said the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Chairman Chuck Fowke₂.

During this week, two of the largest construction shows will intersect: NAHB International Builders' Show® (IBS) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association's (NKBA) Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS).

NAHB, based in Washington D.C., has over 140,000 members who are involved in every aspect of the construction industry such as residential building and remodeling, multifamily and commercial home construction, product manufacturing and more2. Collectively, NAHB members “will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.”₂ The NKBA, a non-profit organization that serves over 50,000 members, aims to empower kitchen and bath construction and design professionals by championing certifications, specialty badges, marketplaces and networks for them to improve their skills and connect with like-minded professionals in the industry₂.

The virtual event will feature all of the in-person events including product launches, live demos, educational sessions, live Q&A chats with experts, virtual tours, networking opportunities, and an introduction to the week led by Mike Rowe₃. Rowe was not only the star of the show Dirty Jobs, he is also an advocate for the trades industry and CEO of a non-profit organization called the mikeroweWORKS Foundation that also advocates for the trades by correcting falsehoods about the industry₃.

To accommodate the tour aspects of the first ever virtual Design and Construction Week event, NKBA partnered with Sequin AR, the technology responsible for Madonna’s 2019 Billboard Music Awards virtual performance₃.

“KBIS is the premier trade platform for our industry every year. In person or virtually, our job is to make it remarkable,” said Bill Darcy, CEO of NKBA, in an article with Plumbing and Mechanical (PM) Magazine. “This new partnership is an opportunity for us to create an unparalleled event for our exhibitors and attendees. Working with the team at Sequin AR, we can produce events like our Design + Industry Awards that are inclusive, interactive — and most of all, entertaining. We want our attendees to feel like they have a front row seat to our version of the Oscars."₃

Exhibitors like Moen, Kohle, and Neoperl are excited about the possibilities of a virtual event and are ready to make the necessary changes to their standard presentations and exhibits.

“It’s an opportunity for us as exhibitors, and also for attendees, to see what is really possible in a virtual event, and also to connect in a new and different way with customers and colleagues,” said Senior Director of Sales and Marketing for Neoperl, J’aime Salvatore, in the PM Magazine article. “We also hope to engage with people that would not have attended KBIS in person under normal circumstances due to the costs or scheduling, but this virtual option suits them better.₃"

For more information on events taking place during the 2021 Design and Construction Week, click here, or click here for the agenda.

References:

1. Design + Construction Week. (2020). About Design & Construction Week®. Retrieved from http://designandconstructionweek.com/about.html.
2. KBIS. (2020, October 9). 2021 Design & Construction Week Will be an All-Virtual Event. Retrieved from https://kbis.com/show-news/2021-design-construction-week-will-be-an-all-virtual-event/.
3. Krawcke, N. (2021, February 1). Design & Construction Week Prepares for First ALL-VIRTUAL EVENT. Retreived from https://www.pmmag.com/articles/103348-design-construction-week-prepares-for-first-all-virtual-event.