Conferences, summits, and industry gatherings are a smart way for construction professionals to engage with and learn from the best in the construction marketplace.
Trends in construction and construction management are constantly in flux, with new regulations, design ideas, and desired outcomes changing from year to year.
Attending a construction conference in 2018 can improve your overall understanding of the factors that impact you and your business directly, from financial management and bond pricing trends, to architectural ideas and sustainable builds.
Below are the top six must-attend construction events for 2018, in chronological order.
1. RICS Summit Series 2018
May 14, 2018—New York City, New York
Each year, the RICS Summit Series offers several opportunities for construction professionals to attend a one-day summit in a major city in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
For 2018, the summit series will come to Miami (on March 20) and New York (May 14,), offering the chance to network with industry leaders and design innovators in the construction business.
The summit is jam packed with education on key topics impacting the construction industry, including the role of cities, the influence of technology and digital transformation, resilience, and sustainability in building, infrastructure, and ethics.
2. CONSTRUCT Show
October 3-5, 2018—Long Beach, California
The CONSTRUCT Show in Long Beach, Calif. will focus on educating commercial building teams using real-world, practical knowledge. You'll be able to learn about the latest trends in the industry, as well as business operations management, career path success, and efficiency in construction business financials. This conference is a particularly good place to network with architects, designers, engineers, and project managers. The conference's exhibit hall also has a wide array of construction companies, whether there's a product you're looking for or just want to find out who the players are in your sector.
3. CMAA National Conference and Trade Show
October 14-16, 2018—Las Vegas, Nevada
There's always a lot of reasons to take the time to visit Las Vegas, but October of this year presents the perfect opportunity for construction professionals to make it a business-focused trip. The Construction Management Association of America's National Conference and Trade Show is one of the leading industry gatherings meant to inform construction managers, finance professionals, and building personnel on the trends impacting today's construction businesses.
The conference packs in educational workshops and breakout sessions designed to provide helpful information on surety bond pricing for construction professionals, technology innovations for business management, and financial accounting standards best practices for finance managers.
Throughout the three-day event, construction professionals can network with other industry leaders, owners, and project managers while learning about what's ahead for the construction marketplace.
4. Design-Build Institute of America Conference and Expo
November 7-9, 2018—New Orleans, Louisiana
This year's Design-Build Conference and Expo, presented by the Design-Build Institute, brings together national construction owners and design-builders to discuss industry trends and market movements for the upcoming year.
The conference and expo also provide several educational workshops, keynote speakers, and panel discussions to help inform industry professionals who specifically want to learn about the design-build arena. Attendees also have the option to earn up to 12 hours of CEUs throughout the three-day event.
5. Groundbreak 2018
November 13-15, 2018—Austin, Texas
Procore's Groundbreak conference is a great place to hear about top-level, big ideas affecting the construction industry, from utilizing artificial intelligence to crunching data from your construction site.
You may even get to see a celebrity—last year's conference featured Mike Rowe from "Dirty Jobs."
The conference attracts more than 3,000 attendees from all parts of the industry, providing tons of opportunities for networking and problem-solving.
6. Greenbuild International Conference and Expo
November 14-16, 2018—Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is the place to be in November if you're a construction professional and can't make Groundbreak 2018—especially if you're really curious about the hot topic of green construction.
During this year's conference, Greenbuild partners will share the stage to discuss what's happening in design and construction. The conference focuses on technology, design and building trends, and new ideas in construction that lead to the most sustainable green construction around the world. Through educational programs, keynote speakers, and exhibition hall vendors, attendees have an opportunity to learn how their business can turn green in the upcoming year.
What construction events are you looking forward to in 2018?
There's a lot going on in the construction industry, and too many events to keep track of. What construction events have you found the most helpful in the past, and what are you looking forward to the most this year?
Don't limit it to the United States—we want to hear what might be of interest in Australia, Europe, China, Brazil, and beyond. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.