IRVING, Texas — CONSTRUCT has announced several new show features for this year’s version of the event set for Oct. 9-11.

CONSTRUCT 2019 will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., just 25 minutes south of Washington D.C. 

Organizers say the show offers the opportunity for the commercial AEC industry to connect in collaborative spaces to share best practices, explore innovative projects, and learn the latest in commercial construction design and processes.

For the 2019 event, CONSTRUCT organizers said there will be several new show features designed to enhance the ways the different industry disciplines can connect and engage with each other. The new features include:

• New Education Networking Lounge – This dedicated lounge will provide attendees with a place to continue conversations with educational speakers, meet up with colleagues, or just sit and relax while waiting for their next session.
• New Product Rep University Program - Designed to meet the needs of Manufacturer's Representatives of Architectural Building Products, as integral members of the project team.  The program features a full day of education to help participants stay up to date on current trends and refine their interactions and relationships with design professionals. 
• New Workshop Studio – Exhibitors will host intimate workshop sessions on the show floor that are designed to provide attendees with firsthand product knowledge and usable education to assist in their everyday work environment.
• New Coffee Talk Lounge – Attendees can work together with peers to tackle challenges and solve problems in an open environment. This collaborative space on the show floor will feature CONSTRUCT speakers hosting mini educational chat sessions on trending topics. 
• Demo & Learning Theater – Experience some of the latest and greatest products and services firsthand through live demos from top exhibitors. Watch and listen as key industry companies provide educational solutions for challenges that the AEC community faces today.
• Updated Show Hours – To maximize time for both the educational program and show floor activities, the hours for CONSTRUCT have changed.  As always, education and exhibit hall hours do not overlap. The new show hours are as follows:
  • Wednesday, Oct. 9
    • Education: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 10
    • Education: 7:45 a.m. – 9 a.m. & 3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
    • Exhibits: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  •  Friday, Oct. 11
    • Education: 7:45 a.m. – 9 a.m. & 2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
    • Exhibits: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

“Each year we look to enhance CONSTRUCT for our attendees and exhibitors. The new show features provide additional ways AEC communities can connect and collaborate. Face-to-face engagement is vital to the success of the industry and CONSTRUCT is the platform for continued collaborative learning” said Douglas Lugo, CONSTRUCT show director.

This year’s educational program includes a top-notch line-up of influential industry speakers. Some of the featured speakers include Joseph Lstiburek, PhD, Paul Doherty, Beth Stroshane, Marc Chavez, Lane Beougher, and Cherise Lakeside, as well as over 65 other thought leaders and experts in the industry. Those that participate in education at CONSTRUCT can earn over 18+ hours of CEU’s from AIA, BOMI, CSI, GBCI, IIBEC, ICC, and/or NARI.

“We are very excited about our education program this year, as we offer a very diverse program with speakers from various backgrounds and years of experience, not just your industry veterans, but the up and coming game changers as well.” said Jennifer Hughes, sr. education manager for CONSTRUCT. “Participants can explore solutions-based topics from roofing to rainscreens, construction contracts to codes and much, much more.”

In addition, Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) continues to host their annual meetings and events at CONSTRUCT. CSI regional chapters will be able to connect during their annual caucuses, and CSI members are welcome to attend the Annual Business Meeting General Session.  During the CSI Honors and Awards Ceremony, awards for Outstanding Chapter Commendations, Distinguished Membership, and investiture of new CSI Fellows will take place. CSI will also host their annual CSI Night Out event.

CONSTRUCT packs a year’s worth of value into just three days. To register or for more information, visit www.CONSTRUCTshow.com.