Each year, the editors at Fine Homebuilding hit a bunch of tradeshows and conferences. We go for a number of reasons. The big shows (IBS, KBIS, and AIA) are where the big product releases happen and where we can expose the most people to our brand. We often have our own booth at these shows, and along with our contributors, we sometimes have the opportunity to speak about relevant topics in home building and design. Some shows, like GreenBuild, are just inspiring. I left last year’s GreenBuild more excited about the prospect of a zero-energy car than a zero-energy house. But the smaller shows and regional events are where we go for our own education (and to find new authors).

I went to the Excellence in Building conference held by the Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EBBA) for the first time last year. It immediately became one of my favorites, and I am going back this September. What made this conference so good? It’s all about education. Though there was an expo floor, most of the attendees spent their days in classrooms learning from our industry’s leading experts. I also enjoyed the conversations. Many of the attendees were experts in their own right, doing inspiring work all around the country. And, always a sucker for shiny objects, I loved last year’s home tour, particularly because it wasn’t just shiny objects. We visited remodels in progress and one super 800-sq.-ft. remodel. Not your typical “show home” tour.

EBBAs executive director, Karen Thull, recently sent me these highlights for the 2013 conference in Phoenix:

• DOE Challenge Home Training
• Energy@Home Consumer Special Event with HGTV’s Jeff Wilson 
• Don’t Be Left Behind: Preparing for the Historic Boost in Energy Efficiency
• Systems in Action: The Water-Energy Nexus
• 48 Advanced Building Science Sessions, 50+ Exhibitors, Hands-on demonstrations … and more

I’m really looking forward to the “and more.” I’m not going to miss:

• Don’t Be a Dinosaur: The What Ifs, Why Nots, and How-tos of the Evolution of Building Science
• Seeing Beyond the Glare of EcoBling: A More Sensible Approach to Green Building
• Wall System Innovation: Familiar Materials, Better Performance

Like I said, there are a lot of great shows each year. I’m lucky to be able to get to a few. Most builders, remodelers, architects, and designers don’t have that luxury. But if you can sneak away from the job site or the drawing board for a few days and are looking to expand your horizons and get some continuing education credits while you’re at it, the Excellence in Building conference is a good place to start. Maybe I’ll see you there.

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