Trade shows aren’t just “nice to have” line items; they are accelerators for pipeline, partnerships, and product intelligence. When planned properly, a single week on the floor can compress six months of BD into a few high-value meetings, sharpen your spec and procurement strategy, and surface new tech you didn’t know you needed.
For this reason, we have put together a list of events for the remainder of 2025 through March 2026, plus practical tips for planning.
Why do trade shows and expos matter for business development?
- Dense decision-maker density: Owners, GCs, specialty subs, architects/engineers, and manufacturer reps are in one place; this set up can be ideal for account-based outreach, channel development, and partner enablement.
- Faster technical due diligence: There is nothing like hands-on product demos to test out new products, and they certainly beat datasheets. You can compare systems (concrete, envelope, MEP, safety, project controls) side-by-side and talk to engineers on the spot.
- Market intelligence: Keynotes and education tracks highlight code changes, decarbonization requirements, labor trends, and emerging delivery models.
- Recruiting & brand: Career fairs, student programs, and competitions can help you fill roles and position your firm as a destination employer.
Planning Tips for Contractors
- Set clear project goals. Decide what you need most out of the show—whether that’s finding new suppliers, evaluating four estimating or scheduling platforms, or meeting 10 potential GCs or developers with upcoming work.
- Schedule meetings before you arrive. Use the exhibitor list and event portal to lock in 15-minute sit-downs with key vendors, technology providers, or project partners. Go in with a clear pain point or upcoming project need they can help solve.
- Plan your walk of the floor. If you have attended an expo, then you already know that the expo halls are massive. Highlight the booths most relevant to your trade (equipment, materials, tech, or safety) and group them by category so you can move efficiently. Remember to leave room for education sessions and networking events.
- Bring proof from the field. Instead of only handing out business cards, have other materials ready to share including real project photos, cost comparisons, safety metrics, or short video clips of your crews in action. It makes your work tangible and memorable.
- Capture and tag every lead. For each conversation, jot down who they are (GC, supplier, owner), what type of projects they work on, and how soon they’re buying or bidding. This makes follow-up far more effective.
- Act fast when you return to the office. Within a week, review leads, add them into your pipeline, and share new product or process ideas with your operations team. Decide what to stop, continue, or start doing based on what you learned at the show.
Now that you have an outline for planning ahead, here are a few events worth considering in the coming months:
September 2025
- NECA 2025 Convention & Trade Show (Electrical Contractors)
Dates/Location: Sept 12–15, 2025 — Chicago, IL
Description: Stated as the “#1 Event for Power, Light, and Communication Technology”, it serves as the flagship for electrical construction—tools, prefabrication, BIM/VDC, safety, estimating, and service-contracting. The event includes education and a large expo floor.
Official site: https://www.necaconvention.org/
October 2025
- Procore Groundbreak (Construction Technology & Operations)
Dates/Location: Oct 14–16, 2025 — Houston, TX
Description: As described on the website, “Groundbreak brings together global leaders and industry experts who are setting a new standard for construction… connecting the innovators, problem-solvers, and visionaries driving our industry forward with cutting-edge solutions and breakthrough technologies.”
Official site: https://www.procore.com/groundbreak
November 2025
- Greenbuild International Conference + Expo
Dates/Location: Nov 4–7, 2025 — Los Angeles, CA
Description: The world’s largest annual event for green building professionals – Codes and standards updates, embodied carbon, electrification, healthy materials, and ESG—plus a broad product expo.
Official site: https://informaconnect.com/greenbuild/
January 2026
- World of Concrete
Dates/Location: Exhibits: Jan 20–22, 2026; Education: Jan 19–22, 2026 — Las Vegas Convention Center, NV
Description: WOC is the industry’s only annual international tradeshow dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries and is the largest concrete/masonry event in North America.
Official site: https://www.worldofconcrete.com/en/home.html
February 2026
- AHR Expo
Dates/Location: Feb 2–4, 2026 — Las Vegas Convention Center, NV
Description: The AHR Expo brings the entire HVACR (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration) industry together to showcase cutting-edge products and technologies, gain insights from industry leaders, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, and drive business and career growth.
Official site: https://www.ahrexpo.com/
- NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) + KBIS
Dates/Location: Feb 17–19, 2026 — Orlando, FL
Description: NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) and the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS) are co-locating during Design & Construction Week (DCW) at the Orange County Convention Center.
Official site: https://www.buildersshow.com/design-and-construction-week
March 2026
- CONEXPO-CON/AGG
Dates/Location: Mar 3–7, 2026 — Las Vegas Convention Center, NV
Description: With 2,000 exhibitors and 150 education sessions, this event is considered to be North America’s largest construction show.
Official site: https://www.conexpoconagg.com/
- New York Build
Dates/Location: Mar 18-19, 2026 — New York, NY
Description: With more than 40k attendees and 500+ exhibitors, this event is New York’s largest construction and design show.
Official site: https://www.newyorkbuildexpo.com/
For more information on construction industry updates and business tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.
Notes on links & planning
All event names above are linked to their official websites after each listing so you can confirm details, register, and book housing directly. Dates and locations are current as of August 28, 2025; organizers occasionally adjust schedules, so check the event sites when finalizing travel.