By The Coffee Shops®. 

Hardscape North America’s three-day schedule includes installer courses, business education and live demonstrations. 

Mark your calendars! Hardscape North America (HNA) is taking place Tuesday, October 20-23, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky. Hosted at the Hyatt Regency Louisville Downtown and the Kentucky Exposition Center, HNA gives outdoor construction professionals the opportunity to strengthen installation skills, explore business strategies, see hardscape techniques in action and much more.  

The trade show begins Tuesday with full-day Segmental Retaining Wall (SRW) Installer and Concrete Paver Installer (CPI) courses and exams from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Louisville Downtown. On Wednesday, the Hyatt will host full-day advanced SRW and Permeable Interlocking Concrete Paver (PICP) specialist courses and exams. Don’t miss this industry-wide event! Register before September 3 for best pricing! 

Grow technical and installation knowledge 

Education sessions at Hardscape North America cover materials, design and construction practices. Opportunities include: 

• Tuesday: All-day retaining wall and paver courses and exam 
• Wednesday: Prefabricated glass fiber reinforced concrete, natural stone outdoor spaces, SRW design and construction and profitable design. 
• Thursday: Mortar technology for adhered manufactured stone veneer, subgrade and aggregate preparation, PICP maintenance and natural stone paving installation. 
• Daily demonstrations from Hardscape House on: Retaining walls, structural stairs and columns, paver installation, integrated water, fire and lighting features, digital systems and outdoor kitchens. 

Strengthen the business behind the work 

Contractors can also explore education focused on growth, profitability and long-term planning. Speakers include Bryan Horr, P.E. of Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA); James Motarex, hardscapes sales manager at Basalite Concrete Products; Joseph Raboine, VP of design at Oldcastle APG; and many more. 

Kick off at the welcome reception on Tuesday, and start your business education with Wednesday’s schedule, including a contractor roundtable, growth planning, working on versus working in the business and design for profit. 

Thursday expands the business track with sessions addressing changing market conditions, financial systems, marketing budgets, estimating and strategic planning. Technology is another central topic, with several talks and workshops dedicated to AI in the outdoor contracting industry.  

With installer credentials, classroom education and demonstrations scheduled across four days, attendees can build an itinerary around the technical and business topics most relevant to their work. 

Learn more about HNA and grab your early registration pricing.

Hardscape industry leader highlights design, bid and build solutions for contractors.

Belgard®, the leading hardscaping materials provider in North America, is showing in force to address questions, showcase products, install solutions and connect with contractors and dealers attending Hardscape North America, October 22–24, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky. The company will spotlight its latest tools, technologies and portfolio offerings that help contractors take outdoor living projects from vision to reality, delivering the outdoor spaces that today’s homeowners desire.

Belgard will showcase its comprehensive approach for contractors to design, bid and build, adding ease and profitability for our customers.

• Design with Belgard: Belgard’s award-winning product portfolio doesn’t just keep up with trends, they set the standard for what’s next from a limitless mix of patterns, textures and colors that give contractors the tools to bring a homeowner’s visions to life. Trends showcased in the booth include pattern play, modular small-space solutions, monochromatic paver designs, material mixing and warm nature-inspired tones.
• Bid with Belgard: Contractors have access to Belgard’s industry-leading tools, services and resources, making it easier than ever to create effective bids to win projects faster. Tools like Belgard Rooms feature a Rooms Planner style quiz to support customer inspiration and planning, pre-designed room templates and the ability to view projects in AR for a realistic preview of the finished project. For customizable design options, Belgard Design Studio delivers professional 3D rendered designs that create a realistic vision of the space, proven to increase close rates and homeowner satisfaction.
• Build with Belgard: Efficiency meets creativity through Belgard’s modular approach. Eight distinct paver lines are engineered in three-inch increments for streamlined installation and reduced waste. In addition, the Artforms modular panel system – recently recognized with a 2025 Yardzen Award for outstanding design – allows for infinite design possibilities, supporting applications ranging from benches to counters, planters and more.

“Quality and reliability have always been core tenets of Belgard, but today’s contractors need more than just great products,” says Tim Ortman, president at Americas Building Products, Belgard’s parent company. “From award-winning product design to cutting-edge digital tools, Belgard delivers solutions that support every phase of a project. Our role is to be a creative partner and business enabler, helping contractors win more work, streamline installations and elevate the homeowner experience. Together, we’re driving the hardscape and outdoor living industry forward by ensuring every contractor has what they need to compete, win and grow.”

At Hardscape North America, Belgard’s booth will feature three interactive zones where attendees can explore design trends, experiment with modularity and learn how becoming a Belgard Authorized Contractor can support their business growth through lead generation, training and marketing resources that help drive measurable revenue growth.

Press will hear from Belgard leadership during a press conference on Wednesday, October 22, at 1:30 p.m. at Booth #20038. During this time, Belgard experts will share upcoming trends in hardscaping and feature the latest product styles and program initiatives for contractors.

About Belgard®

Belgard, part of Oldcastle APG, offers a complete collection of paver and wall products for outdoor living spaces, walkways, driveways, parking areas and retaining walls. Available in a range of styles, premium Belgard products have been found in America’s finest homes and award-winning commercial and retail properties since 1995. For more information, visit Belgard.com or call 1-877-Belgard (235-4273).

About Oldcastle APG

Oldcastle® APG, a CRH Company, is North America’s leading provider of innovative outdoor living solutions that enable customers to Live Well Outside. The manufacturer’s portfolio of premier building products inspires endless possibilities while providing enduring outdoor spaces where people can connect, reflect and recharge. Award-winning brands include Belgard® hardscapes, Echelon® Masonry, MoistureShield® composite decking, RDI® Railing, Catalyst™ Fence Solutions, Sakrete® packaged concrete, Amerimix® mortar, Pebble Technology International® pool finishes, Lawn & Garden mulches and landscape features and Techniseal® sands and sealant technologies. For more information, visit oldcastleapg.com.

Oldcastle APG is part of CRH’s Building Products division.

By Dani Sheehan.

Helping your customers save water doesn’t mean shrinking your revenue. With the right education, it can actually help your business grow.

The beauty of working in the outdoor space is that you shape how people interact with the natural world. One of the often-forgotten parts of the natural environment is water. And this year, nothing is more pressing than water. Especially in the western U.S., water scarcity is no longer a distant threat – it's a daily reality. But here’s the opportunity: by educating your customers on smart water practices, you can help protect resources while building trust, deepening your value and increasing your sales.

The big picture: Why water is everyone’s problem

According to this article by Oldcastle Infrastructure™, roughly 40 million people, or 12% of the U.S. population, rely on the Colorado River for drinking water, irrigation and power. But the river’s flow has dropped by 20% over the past century – and that’s already putting $1.4 trillion of economic activity at risk.

States like Arizona and California are feeling the strain:

• Arizona faces a 4.6-million-acre-foot groundwater shortfall in the next 100 years. This could halt development approvals in growing areas like Phoenix.  
• California may lose 23% of its water delivery capability within two decades – enough water to serve over 1.7 million homes annually.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is losing two trillion gallons of treated drinking water each year due to leaks and system inefficiencies. Water is no longer a municipal issue. It’s a residential concern, and that means your customers are directly affected – whether they realize it or not.

Your role as a landscape designer: Educator, advocate and problem solver

When you can confidently speak to regional water issues and offer beautiful, sustainable solutions, you position yourself as a trusted expert, stand out in a crowded market and can drive sales of high-value, water-smart features.

Here’s how to start that conversation with your clients:

1 – Explain the why: Share the water crisis in human terms

Clients may not understand terms like “acre-feet” or “non-revenue water,” but they do understand:

• Water bills that keep rising
• Droughts that kill lawns and plants
• Limits on new housing developments
• Dry lakes, increased wildfires and water restrictions

You don’t want to further instill fear in this conversation – you want to help them future-proof their home and do their part for their community.

2 – Offer smart, scalable solutions

You don’t need to overhaul your customers’ entire yard to make a difference. Start with accessible, high-impact upgrades like:

• Drought-tolerant planting: Native species and xeriscaping reduce or eliminate irrigation needs.
• Smart irrigation systems: Weather-based controllers, drip systems and soil moisture sensors cut water use by up to 50%.
• Rainwater harvesting and greywater systems: Show how water reuse can offset demand and save on utility costs. For eco-conscious clients, these systems boost home value and meet growing code requirements.
• Permeable hardscapes: Replace impermeable patios or driveways with materials that recharge groundwater and reduce runoff.

3 – Frame it as a long-term investment

Water-smart design is economically savvy! Let them know that these upgrades:

• Reduce future landscape maintenance and replacement costs
• Mitigate risk of fines during drought restrictions
• Add curb appeal and resale value in markets where sustainable homes are in demand

4 – Make it easy to say yes

Sometimes the barrier isn’t interest – it's understanding. Consider:

• Including water-saving estimates in your proposals
• Offering tiered upgrade options (good/better/best) with visuals
• Partnering with irrigation specialists to streamline implementation

When you educate, you elevate

Water scarcity is not going away. But by stepping up as a knowledgeable guide, you become a sustainability partner that your customers trust. And in doing so, you open the door to larger project scopes, higher-margin upgrades and stronger referrals for repeat business.

Learn more about turning water scarcity into a design opportunity.  

Cover image source: Oldcastle Infrastructure™