The National Association of Home Builders Remodelers group recently announced 2 winners of its annual Homes for Life awards, which recognize great design for aging in place and Universal Design. The awards were presented on Oct. 17 at the NAHB Remodelers’ annual gala during the 2013 Remodeling Show in Chicago.
The October issue of PN Magazine contains a great article that explores the economic benefits that we as a society could gain by investing in Aging in Place. Written by Charles Schwab, AIA, CAPS, GCP, the article argues that creating tax incentives for Universal Design remodeling and new construction products will encourage more people to adapt these features in their homes.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.