If you are involved in AEC, as a surveyor, construction professional, civil design professional, or anyone getting involved in the new wave of AEC digitization, you should at least attend one (or more) Conexpo events. It is one of the biggest geo/AEC-related trade shows in the U.S., and globally. It dwarfs many of the geo-trade shows you may have attended, by as much as tenfold.
Held in Vegas every three years, Conexpo is an exhibition of the tools of construction, and more. See the heavy equipment, materials, software, and innovation in construction technologies. 4D construction, robotics, digital twins, BIM, etc. … all these buzz terms are covered as well, but at Conexpo you can talk to folks who apply these in real-world applications.
Whether you’re interested in seeing the present state of the industry, getting a peek into its future, or simply enjoying seeing the big gear up close, you will not run out of things to see and folks who are happy to answer your questions. Folks are rightly excited about and proud of their gear and solutions, and they can explain how these all fit into the present global boom in infrastructure development.
I’ve attended several of these events, the scale of which is so massive that it was hard to see everything in 2-3 days. This year’s event is expected to top 2017’s attendance of 128K, and 2,800 exhibitors have signed up for 2020.
A welcome addition is an increase in education sessions—this is evolving to be more than simply gear exhibits. There should be 150+ education sessions this year.
Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, a few blocks east of the Strip, it encompasses several huge halls and outdoor display areas. You can’t miss it or the throngs of attendees who take over Vegas for a few days. The networking opportunities alone are worth it. When folks ask what conferences should be on a must-do-eventually list (for AEC) I always recommend at least one Conexpo. No matter what AEC profession or trade we are in, our work in some way or another is touched by the construction industry. This is a great way to see where you fit in, find new tools and solutions, geek out, party, and network.
