“Constructing homes with universal design principles can give builders a leg up on the competition. Universal design expands a home’s livability to all people, limits the need for removations in the future, and the concept can support aging in place. probujlder.com
TOP STORY:
Designing for Everyone
The concept of Universal Design (UD) has been around for more than 20 years, developed by a team of architects, product designers, engineers, and environmental design researchers at North Carolina State University. While its widespread use would probably improve the lives of most people at one time or another, few seem even aware of it.
In simple terms, UD makes an environment accessible, understandable, and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of an individual’s age, size, abilities, or disabilities. It proposes that an environment or any building, product, or service within it should be designed to meet the needs of everyone who wishes to use it.
Accessible Public Spaces
Thanks to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), there are a lot of UD type improvements in the public landscape— ramped curb cuts, brail on elevator panels, audible WALK and DON’T WALK instructions at crosswalks, and push button operated doors at the library.
The concept is not limited to real property. Pull up the Accessibility section of any computer. If you’ve misplaced your reading glasses, you can increase the type size on the screen or let a narrator read content to you. Sprained wrist? Dictate instead of type. Hearing difficulties? Switch on closed captions.
As suggested by its proponents, the UD concept could touch every aspect of our lives. The website of the Center for Excellence in Universal Design, an Irish quasi-government organization established under that country’s disability act, provides case studies about companies who have used UD in designing their products. For example, the OXO Good Grips Company wanted to produce a vegetable peeler that anyone could use, regardless of age, hand size, strength, or manual dexterity. They also wanted a “beautiful and inviting” design.
They tested their prototypes with the public at every stage of development, making an effort to include right and left-handed people and those with various hand problems. The outcome of this approach has been the creation of an internationally recognized brand, which has won over 100 design awards and sales that have increased by 50% each year.
UD is produced according to several principles. The design should be useful to people with diverse abilities, minimizing hazards or any negative consequences of misuse. Operation should be flexible, efficient, and comfortable, with a minimum of fatigue or repetitive actions, accessible to persons standing or sitting, and providing space for access by those with limited mobility. Instructions for use must be easy for anyone to understand.
Hoping to Stay Put
Unfortunately, housing, our usual focus, is an area where, until recently, UD has been largely ignored. However, the Boomer generation’s determination to age in place has brought into focus how poorly our homes are designed for, not only various life stages, but also for many life events. Louie Delaware, founder of the Living in Place Institute which trains architects and builders in UD, says, “Everyone has someone they know who needs some kind of assistance in the home, whether that is due to a disability, injury, or age. A home that isn’t built or designed right can make living in the home a challenge.”
The Ideal UD Home
A truly UD home would have a single story, wide halls and doorways, no barriers to entering the home or moving room to room. There would be adequate clearances (42 to 48 inches) around all permanent components and within major traffic patterns. Functional areas would permit working at different heights, and from varying positions. Flooring would be non-slip, not impede movement and would be free of tripping hazards.
Jennifer Brite, writing in This Old House magazine advises both homebuyers and homeowners to plan for all stages of life when buying, remodeling, or building because “you never know what life may throw your way.” While your family may be healthy and active today, tomorrow an elderly relative might move in, or an accident or illness temporarily or permanently reduces the mobility or sensory abilities of a family member. Brite also points to another benefit of UD. Its principles promote home safety.
Hey, He Danced at Eighty
As Fred Astaire once said, “Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young.” According to Brite, the same principle applies to home design. When shopping for a home she suggests, all else being equal, avoiding raised entrances, split or multi-level designs, or sunken living rooms. If building a home, perhaps at least consult with a UD knowledgeable builder.
Of course, a young couple, looking forward to purchasing their first house, is more likely to appreciate the graceful sweep of the staircase from the front hall to the bedrooms above than they are to imagine navigating those 13 stairs when they are in their 70s. They might stop and think, however, about doing it on crutches for six weeks after their upcoming ski trip. Builders are less likely to install any UD features in a spec home. That is, unless and until buyers start insisting on it.
Existing homes are what they are, and the older they are, the less amenable to anything resembling UD. Older homes tend to be smaller than the average today, so living space was frequently appropriated from hallways and bathrooms while doorways were narrowed to create more wall space. Back then, a home’s occupants weren’t all watching different television programs, charging multiple electronic devices, and using a different cooking gadget for every item on the menu, and one electrical outlet per wall was apparently the norm. Constantly searching for a free plug for the Instapot is beyond annoying, but the real issue is multiple extension cords presenting a tripping, maybe even a fire hazard.
FIRE PROOF
Habitat for Humanity will build 50 new concrete homes in 50 states in partnership with Build with Strength, a non-profit backed by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA). Build with Strength will coordinate the donation of concrete and other materials. The effort was born out of work by the concrete industry to help rebuild Puerto Rico after dual hurricanes in 2017.
The first projects under the partnership broke ground in Butte County, California and includes three homes in Paradise where 90% of homes were destroyed by wildfires in 2018. An NRMCA spokesman says its plans for the non-combustible homes will also be available at no cost to anybody who wants to rebuild in the city of Paradise. Vincent Salandro, Builder Magazine
Major Projects = UD Opportunities
For a homeowner wanting or needing its benefits, a major remodel offers an opportunity to incorporate some of UD’s principles. With walls ripped back to the studs it is easy to increase the plug to wall ratio three-or four fold, cutting the jumble of cords accordingly. Maybe raise the plugs a few inches further from the floor too; old bones don’t bend well.
Before the drywall contractor arrives, consider installing motion detecting light switches (or lowering manual ones a few inches from standard) and replacing all 24 inch doors with those wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair or a guest who requires a walker. There are now even elevators that fit into a closet-sized space [See sidebar, next page].
Bathrooms are the most dangerous rooms in the average home, and a coping challenge for anyone with mobility issues. A major remodel should include slip free flooring, faucets that can be operated with a closed fist, a barrier free shower entrance, multiple or adjustable shower heads to accommodate persons at different heights, and a chair-height (17-18 inch ADA compliant) toilet. If the room is small, a pocket rather than a standard door will improve clearances. And, of course, there should be grab bars virtually everywhere.
Everyone Wants to Cook
An existing kitchen is a true UD challenge. Remember the standards for clearance around cabinets and appliances, and if replacing cabinets and countertops, vary both by height. A sink and major island area at 38 inches, 36 inch cooktop and 36 inches at one end of the island gives different cooks comfortable places to work; deepening the toe-kicks to 6 inches makes it easier when seated.
The ideal storage area is between knee and shoulder height so some cabinets should be set at counter level if possible. Drawers make for the best storage below knee level, especially for those in wheelchairs, but lower cabinets equipped with roll-out shelves can also eliminate a lot of stooping and reaching.
There are closed-fist operable kitchen faucets too, but consider designs with foot pedals, motion triggered, or operated via the internet (“Alexa, I need eight ounces of cold water.”)
STYLISH HELP WITH AGING IN PLACE
With new sleek, compact designs and minimal home alterations needed for installation, adding an elevator to your home has become easier and more affordable than ever. The shaftless (pictured) elevator will get you from floor to floor in minutes and reaches up to 14 feet between landings. It has a rated capacity up to 400 pounds. Battery power allows use during power outages. Other big design improvements? An integrated sliding door and no pit or machine room required. Symmetryelevators.com
More Than a Helper
Internet-linked helpers, in fact, have opened a whole new world for UD and using Alexa to fill the teapot isn’t the half of it. In a house equipped with enabled light switches, bulbs, or plugs, no one ever needs walk into a dark staircase or room. The elderly or persons with mobility issues can answer the door, vacuum the den, or start dinner without leaving the couch. Intelligent speakers can be programed to call a relative or 911 in an emergency.
Or Start Small
A major upgrade might not be in the books, but even a week-end DIYer can do a lot to amplify the “UD-ness” of a home over time, improving the prospects for aging in place. Replace door knobs with easy to grip levers and keyed locks with numeric pads. C-shaped cabinet pulls are easier to grasp than knobs. It takes about 15 minutes and limited skills to replace a fixed shower head with a hand-held one. When buying furniture, keep traffic patterns and clearances in mind. While an upgrade to a whole house smart system is beyond the capabilities of many homeowners, almost anyone can install a light switch, bulb, or plug that can be operated by a smart device.
AGE VS. ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The median age of owner-occupied homes in the US is 39 years, but it varies dramatically by state. New York has the oldest homes at 60 years while Nevada has the newest at 23 years.
Housing stock age is an important remodeling market indicator. Older houses are less energy-efficient than new construction and ultimately will require remodeling and renovation. Moreover, as people use their homes for more purposes and require additional space, older housing represents an investment opportunity.
Newer owner-occupied housing stock is largely concentrated in the Sun Belt where 14 out of 15 states have housing below the national median age. The exception is California with a median of 43 years. NAHBNow.com
Beauty Counts
Lest you think a UD home might resemble a medical facility, remember the OXO vegetable peeler. Grab bars now come in fluid shapes and designer finishes and some can double as towel bars or tissue holders. If you think accessible bathrooms must be clunky, check out the walk-in showers and ADA fixtures on Pinterest.
While many UD changes will make aging in place easier, don’t discount present benefits. A seat in the shower is a boon when bathing a toddler (or the family dog). Ditching deep pile carpet eliminates the difficulty of moving anything on wheels and is recommended for allergy and asthma relief. A microwave located below the counter rather than above the stove is a plus for the petite, while a dishwasher mounted 16 inches above the floor makes loading and unloading easy for everyone.
Hopefully, it will become easier to find an existing home with at least some UD features in the future given the number of older Americans who have updated their homes to facilitate aging in place. There is also a growing awareness that OXO was on to something and new stylish UD products are proliferating.
Smart[er] Homes Are Being Built
As for Universal Design becoming a homebuilding concept, there is hope.
Smart homes are becoming a staple for builders, at least for middle and higher tier homes. An aging population as well as the reported growth in sales of multi generation homes may also force them to consider how well a house functions for all its future residents.
Another plus? Owning a home that has gone through a UD update with the beautiful new finishes could affect your resale value in a very positive way. Win win, indeed.