In-between the expert panels and networking opportunities, PCBC attendees could take a break in the homebuilding extravaganza's massive showroom floor. More than 300 exhibitors showed off their latest products in an effort to pique the interest of industry buyers. We spent hours in the showroom talking to the various businesses and testing out their products. For those who couldn't make the event, don't fret; we have rounded up the four coolest products we spotted on the floor, and a bonus booth that succeeded in drawing in passersby with its unique exhibit.

Virtual reality showroom/augmented reality apps — Marxent

Virtual reality has received significant attention in the technology and marketing worlds, but will it take off in the building industry? Marxent, a company that develops virtual reality and augmented reality apps, presented both a virtual reality showroom through an Oculus Rift headset and showed a demonstration of an augmented reality tablet app.

The more exciting — yet likely less useful — demonstration was the virtual reality showroom. Visitors to the Marxent booth could use the Oculus Rift to view a sample living room through the device and customize its features. Tapping one side of the headset could change the color of furniture, turn speakers on and off, and transport participants to the grid-like "TRON" world of neon colors and bright lights.

While these features were definitely entertaining and fun, they didn't seem as applicable to builders and developers as the company's other offering, augmented reality apps. Marxent developed the Lowe's Holoroom — a reference to the Holodeck in "Star Trek" — that allows customers to use a tablet to design a bathroom. After selecting their specific customizations, they can hold the tablet up and see what their bathroom would look like — all through augmented reality.

This kind of technology could have big implications for vendors and manufacturers looking to reach new customers, who are becoming increasingly smitten with custom options. 

Pod houses — Shelter Dynamics

It was difficult to miss the arched wooden gazebo among the line of identical booths on the show floor. This unique structure was built by craftsmen of Shelter Dynamics, a new company seeking to create a different kind of sustainable housing. As the "tiny house" fad has been picking up steam, Shelter Dynamics hopes people will give more consideration to the viability of smaller and more efficient living, or what they call "next generation housing."

The man behind the company — Jim Gregory — already developed the rebuilding of a failed hotel project into "Village Retreat," a sustainable neighborhood in Ridgecrest, CA, which was nominated for the PCBC "Sustainable Residential Community" Gold Nugget  award. With the newly formed Shelter Dynamics, Gregory and his small staff hope to grow their business and build additional 400-500 square-foot "pod" houses as people become more enthralled with the idea of down-sized, sustainable living. 

Will developers take a chance on the growing tiny house trend and construct a neighborhood of these type of structures? Will builders ever add a division offering the down-sized properties? One thing is certain: The desire for more sustainable homes doesn't seem to be flaming out any time soon.

Security camera — Nest

Nest — bought by Google in 2014 — is already well-known for its "Internet of Things" thermostat and smoke detector, which connect through Wi-Fi. Its newest offering, the Nest Cam, was featured at the company's immensely popular PCBC booth. The product is actually a newer version of an already-existing product, the DropCam Pro, which Nest bought last year. With Nest Labs' most recent offering, homeowners can check in on their houses from anywhere with an Internet connection. The camera also includes a microphone and speaker, so people can talk to anyone in their house in real time.

Nest already has a partnership with SolarCity for its home thermostat, and SolarCity is partnered with several of the largest homebuilders in the nation for its solar panel products. It will likely take a while for buyers to request that builders automatically include these smart home products in new houses, but builders may want to get ahead of the curve on the growing market and consider the benefit of Internet-connected technology. Nest may be just one company in a large pool of smart home product developers, but it is also one of the most well-known and buzzed-about brands, which can be significant when builders are trying to attract reluctant buyers.

Design site — Houzz

Houzz's booth at PCBC was probably the most visually appealing of all the exhibits. It included couches, patterned carpet, charging stations, drinks and more. But the interior design idea site was more than just a pretty spot on the show floor.

Although Houzz has become incredibly popular in the home design world, it often isn't effectively utilized by builders and craftsmen. The site lets homeowners seek out design ideas for all aspects of their houses through photos and advice from professionals. Builders, however, can register on the site and create a profile. When a buyer searches for a craft home in a certain city, for example, all of the registered craft builders in that area will appear. Houzz already has hundreds of thousands of users, and builders can capitalize on that immense popularity.

Bonus: Race car marketing — ABC Supply

Wisconsin-based ABC Supply Co., a major distributor of roofing and siding materials, drew in passersby with an unusual tactic: letting them sit in their race car. Company representatives said they have entered the branded car into races as a marketing tactic to draw more attention to ABC Supply. While the spectacle focused more on the company's racing than on its actual products, the car was a clever way to get show visitors to take an interest in the ABC brand.