The National Football League could simultaneously stage 40 different Super Bowls at the huge International Builders Show in Orlando and still not tackle all the 1,600-plus exhibits that fill one of the largest convention centers in the world.

The products and services on display this week for the more than 100,000 attendees to see, touch and even smell span more than 300 building industry categories, and represent the most cutting-edge designs, technologies, products and services currently available -- or on the drawing boards.

Heat & Glo is showing a hydrogen burning fireplace, General Electric has a dishwasher that holds an entire 45-oz. bottle of detergent, dispensing only the amount needed for each wash, and Kenmore has a big capacity washing machine that can handle 23 bath towels in a single load.

Not to be outdone, Whirlpool, which actually manufactures the Kenmore brand, has a new, "cavernous" top-loader that washes the equivalent of three full baskets of laundry at one time.

Billed as the world's first commercially available in-home hydrogen-powered appliance, the "Aqueon" fireplace actually creates fire from water. Simply supply the unit with water and electricity, and it harvests hydrogen from the water through electrolysis.

Once the hydrogen and oxygen molecules are separated, the two elements are channeled individually and the hydrogen is just like any other gas fireplace to create a flame. The oxygen either can be reintroduced to add color and brightness to the flame, or simply released into the room.

Whether hydrogen represents the future for fireplaces remains to be seen, but officials of Hearth & Home Technologies, the maker of the Heat & Glo brand, say it is the cleanest burning unit on the market today and does not release harmful air pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide into the house.

Efficiency also is the hallmark of the latest in laundry rooms. And with energy cost rising, it can't come soon enough. At least that's what the makers of washing machines and dryers say. Kenmore's Oasis HE, which stands for high efficiency, uses 47 percent less water than conventional models and 53 percent less energy. And Sears, which says three out of four consumers still prefer top loaders, claims the machine has 28 percent more capacity than a standard machine.

The yawning clothes washer could cut in half the number of loads cleaned by the typical family, and capacity, says Sears, is the second most wanted feature after high efficiency.

Another new feature: The drum spins so fast -- 1,000 RPMs fast -- that it squeezes out more water than older models. As a result, the dryer doesn't have to work as hard. According to Sears officials, the unit will dry a load quicker than the washer can finish the next one.

Kenmore also has a new line of dishwashers, including one with something called "Optical Soil Sensor" technology that gauges the cleanliness of the dishes and the load size, and then adapts the amount of temperature of the more to fit the circumstances.

Similarly, GE's new Profile dishwasher determines the precise amount of detergent to use based on water hardness, the soil level of the dishes and the selected cycle.

Another new product shows just how far synthetic grass has come. Once known simply as "Astroturf" -- it was first installed in the Houston Astrodome -- the product now comes in eight realistic varieties, including bluegrass, rye and fescue, for landscape, playground, field and even golf applications.

Manufactured by SYNLawn and currently available in California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, the fake turf is being billed as an earth-friendly product that solves many a problem. The sod virtually eliminates the cost and labor associated with mowing, watering and fertilizing. All of a sudden, artificial is starting to look better, much better.

Paperless wallboard is still another new product that may find its way into homes over the next few years. By G-P Gypsum, the moisture resistant wallboard fends off mold.

In the "didn't know you needed it" category, HomeHeartbeat has an "out-of-the-box," wireless, plug-and-use home awareness tool that remotely monitors safety, security and comfort issues. The system routinely provides updates via a key fob, email or a text message as it monitors home appliances, temperature, sump pumps and the opening and closing of doors and windows.

Of particular interest, the system can detect water leaks and interrupt a home's main water supply due to serious damage and even flooding.

Then there's this for owners who have trouble envisioning what their proposed home makeovers might look like: A soon-to-be web portal where you can review potential projects and designs and then choose materials and products using digital photos of your own home.

The bad news, though, is that not everything is exactly what it seems, for RemodelVision.com also is a comprehensive referral program that ultimately is a lead generating service for remodelers. Meaning if you give the site too much information, you could be bombarded by salesmen looking for your business.