As a forward-thinker, Mike Vowels with Stewardship Remodeling in Seattle, Wash., has been creating a marriage between green and universal design.  He sees these concepts as linked because they are about planning for the future and incorporating sustainability into the home.

As a speaker, Vowels presents the “sexy side” of universal design. “Sell it as seamless and invisible,” says Vowels “you wouldn’t recognize the differences if you didn’t point them out.” He markets and sells universal design solutions as just good home design, without the explanation of making the home more accessible or aging-in-place friendly.

“Demonstrate that your home can have all these tasteful changes without being aware that anything is different,” explains Vowels. “If you plan ahead and integrate solutions, it doesn’t have to look temporary, generic, or institutional.”

The overwhelming presence of the "coming of age" Baby-Boomer generation cannot be ignored, and universal design improvements are well-suited for this burgeoning population. Many Baby-Boomers will either be making these changes eventually in their own homes or will look to buy homes with aging-in-place features; so a home with universal design features will most certainly become more valuable and more marketable over time, as the demand for aging-friendly housing is certainly going to increase.

Vowels sees building universal and green as creating a more marketable asset because the selling points of the home become more numerous. He relates it to the much discussed three-legged stool of sustainability:

• Economic sustainability—an energy efficient home has lower operating costs (e.g., utilities) and coupled with Universal Design, the home becomes more marketable to a broader population. Long term, it is a good investment.
• Environmental sustainability—Universal Design anticipates transitions linked to aging and lessens the need for unnecessary “wasteful” future remodeling that is triggered by age-related changes. 
• Social sustainability—Universal Design provides for visitability by people of varied abilities, allows for people (and sometimes whole families) to stay in their same home (aging-in-place), and enables people/families to continue living in their same community.

The legs of the sustainability stool are strongest when they are working together. Hence, argues
Vowels, green and universal design form a powerful partnership. The coupling of universal design with green remodeling practices is a recipe for sustainable success.

Planning ahead with green and universal design remodeling makes monetary sense to reduce future expenses and create more value in the home, says Vowels.

Vowel’s sees his push for universal and green also as a tool for differentiating the company in a competitive market place. “We’re trying to distinguish ourselves on universal design, showing the attractive side of a very prudent choice for our customers to consider.”

He also notes that vocabulary in talking about universal design matters greatly. He talks about curbless European showers and avoids the term “roll-in shower.” Explains Vowels: “You need to be careful when presenting the subject of ‘aging-in-place’ because some people are uncomfortable with the language or how skillfully you convey the subject,” he says. “People don’t want to envision themselves getting old and becoming less capable.”  Another example: he plans for stepless grade changes instead of ramps.

“It’s about how smart your house can be,” explains Vowels. For exmaple a design that plans for future changes may include stacked closets that are properly sized to be converted into an elevator shaft. Pre-planning works now and later.

All of Stewardship Remodeling’s marketing materials include this kind of information, with credentials that include recent awards won for both green and universal design. Even their website, www.universalandgreen.com, helps to sustain the developing brand. Some of his clients have found Vowels because of the company’s message, but other clients merely benefit from the integration of these concepts into their more conventional home remodeling project.

Says Vowels, “unlike a carton of milk or a steak; the function, safety and comfort of your home should not have an expiration date on it.” He sees universal and green as a strategic plan to answer current and future needs of the homeowner, creating a finished product that contributes to our environment and timeless in its use.      [ return to top ]