Preiser W., Smith K.H. Universal Design Handbook

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PRODUCTS AND

TECHNOLOGIES

SECTION 3

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CHAPTER 29

SELLING BUILDERS AND

REMODELERS ON

UNIVERSAL DESIGN

Margaret H. Teaford, Susan L. Zavotka, and Christine A. Price

29.1 INTRODUCTION

Incorporating features of universal design into new housing and home renovations is an essential contem-

porary issue. Seventy-six million baby boomers are planning to purchase new housing upon retirement

(Harney, 2006, p. I6). In addition, among adults 45 and older, almost 90 percent recognize a need for

universal design (UD) features such as a full bathroom and bedroom on the ground floor, grab bars, nonslip

floor surfaces, and a no-step entrance (Matthew Greenwald & Associates, 2003, p. 11). Of the 45 to 55 age

group, 60 percent feel it is “very likely “or “somewhat likely” they will need to make changes to their current

home in order to be comfortable as they age (Matthew Greenwald & Associates, 2003, p. 32). In addition,

research shows that over 80 percent of families with young children or teenagers were very interested in the

concept of universal design after visiting a UD exhibit (Zavotka et al., 2006).

As described by Maisel (2011), current housing stock fails to meet the needs of many in the

general population, both with and without physical limitations. To enable individuals to modify

their homes by incorporating universal design features, it is necessary to have home builders and

remodelers who are familiar with universal design and willing to implement these concepts. This

chapter will present a collaborative partnership model used to develop and implement a community

education program on universal design. The purpose of this program was to introduce universal

design concepts and features to both the general public and home construction and remodeling

professionals.

29.2 COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM ON UNIVERSAL DESIGN

Faculty from The Ohio State University (OSU) and The Ohio State University Extension (OSUE)

developed a partnership with aging and housing experts from state and local agencies to create a uni-

versal design education program. The partnership was designed around a community-based asset model

(Kretzman and McKnight, 1993) that builds upon the resources and strengths of community partners. A

goal of this collaboration was to educate the public about universal design and its benefits to people of all

ages and abilities, including home construction and remodeling professionals. Initial members of the part-

nership were knowledgeable about universal design as it related to residential spaces, special populations,

and effective ways to educate adults, but lacked expertise in specific product knowledge and an effective

29.3

29.4 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES

venue in which to hold educational workshops. As a result, the district manager affiliated with central

Ohio Lowe’s Home Improvement stores became a partner in the venture. This partnership developed a

community education program that evolved into a three-phase project (Price et al., 2004).

29.3 PHASE 1: DESIGNING THE UD PROGRAM

The community partners in the project contributed expertise, time, and resources to develop educa-

tional materials and facilitate community workshops on universal design. The OSU faculty devel-

oped educational presentation materials, a home assessment instrument, and publicity materials for

the project’s web site. A universal design logo was created to provide recognition and continuity

throughout the project materials. OSUE educators were trained in the educational program and held

workshops in communities across Ohio. In addition, students were involved in an interdisciplinary

course on home modifications and universal design at OSU. This class is still offered regularly and

consists of undergraduate students from interior design, occupational therapy, health sciences, social

work, physical therapy, engineering, and speech and hearing therapy. Students conduct community

workshops on universal design as well as home assessments for workshop participants.

Lowe’s stores provided space for community workshops, facilitated employee training on uni-

versal design, provided financial support for educational materials, and featured universal design

products to the public. The educational program was initially piloted in one store. With September

named “Universal Design Month,” products with universal design characteristics were identified, and

educational displays using the universal design logo were emphasized throughout the store. Workshops

for customers and store employees were held. As a result of the success of this initial pilot project,

managers of all Lowe’s stores in central Ohio attended universal design training workshops, and eight

managers committed to having a universal design event in their stores (see Figs. 29.1 and 29.2). Other

FIGURE 29.1 A universal design Lowe’s employee training session involving OSU faculty, extension agents, and

store sales personnel.

Long description: This photo shows a Lowe’s employee training session involving OSU faculty, extension agents, and

store sales personnel. Training sessions were held in a meeting room at the Lowe’s store and lasted about one hour.

SELLING BUILDERS AND REMODELERS ON UNIVERSAL DESIGN 29.5

settings for workshops have included community and senior centers, professional meetings, libraries,

and schools.

In addition to the contributions of community partners, funding was acquired from an OSU seed

grant, outreach and engagement grant, technology-enhanced learning grant, a service learning grant,

as well as in-kind support from the state unit on aging, the local American Association of Retired

Persons (AARP) office, and county extension offices.

CASE STUDY 1 LOWE’S HOME IMPROVEMENT STORES

WORKSHOP PARTNERSHIP

The Partnership Agreement

OSU faculty provided:

Universal design employee training sessions

Universal design customer workshops

Publicity/media coverage of the workshops

FIGURE 29.2 A photo of a Lowe’s employee conducting a mini-

workshop about universal design lighting features during a workshop

day at the store.

Long description: This photo shows a Lowe’s employee conducting a

mini-workshop about universal design lighting features during a workshop

day at the store. Five or six similar stations were placed throughout the store

to inform customers about various universal design product categories.

29.6 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES

Displays on the selling floor

Signage on products in the store

Lowe’s provided:

Meeting room for the workshops

$450 per participating store

Assistance from employees in identifying universal design store products

Display space for educational materials

Duplication of promotional materials

Mini in-store workshops about specific products

29.4 PHASE 2: EXPANDING OUTREACH

Owing to the success of the UD education program, the Lowe’s district manager created a community

outreach position for central Ohio. This person became a permanent member of the universal design project

team and was instrumental in making connections with management in Lowe’s corporate office and key

persons in the central Ohio building and home remodeling industry. His mediating role led to the expansion

of the UD project in two new directions: (1) the targeting of professionals in the housing and remodeling

business and (2) the desire to make a national impact by increasing awareness about universal design.

Reaching Housing and Remodeling Professionals

Reaching home building and remodeling professionals became increasingly critical, as newly educated

consumers reported difficulty in locating builders and remodelers who were knowledgeable about uni-

versal design. To address this problem, key companies in the central Ohio area were sent notices inviting

their employees to receive training about universal design in residential construction. The workshop

presentation was revised to include information more pertinent to these professionals, e.g., how to mar-

ket universal design features to clients. Several builders contacted the UD team, requesting educational

materials to conduct employee training. A workshop was held for contractors and remodelers working

with a local in-home services program, and OSU faculty were invited as guest speakers at local National

Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)

meetings. Three universally designed ranch condominium developments were built with information

and consultation provided by the universal design project team. OSU students and faculty collaborated

with a local builder to create a universally designed demonstration home for the local Parade of Homes

and worked on the design of a Habitat for Humanity home at the Ohio State Fair.

One company in particular, Dave Fox Remodeling, requested a full training session for employees

which resulted in a new partnership for the UD team. The Dave Fox Remodeling Company was inter-

ested in universal design to assist its efforts in marketing to baby boomers and senior clientele. After the

initial employee training, a collaborative partnership was established to expand the concept of universal

design in the central Ohio area. A home assessment project was developed that targeted two new Dave

Fox Remodeling clients interested in aging in place. Students, OSU faculty, and a designer from Dave

Fox Remodeling visited each client. Students conducted a universal design home assessment, while

faculty and the designer interviewed clients about their needs and potential universal design solutions.

The project resulted in the expansion of knowledge about universal design for the Dave Fox

Remodeling Company and the realization that more extensive training of professionals was needed. To

facilitate a new direction for its business, Dave Fox made significant commitments toward marketing and

implementing universal design. These changes included (1) hiring a professional with expertise in market-

ing to seniors, (2) requiring all staff to complete the NAHB Aging in Place Certification, (3) hiring student

interns and sales and design staff with expertise in universal design, and (4) working with OSU faculty in

arranging and presenting workshops to building professionals and the general public. To date, Dave Fox

Remodeling has won two national NARI Universal Design Awards as a result of its efforts.

SELLING BUILDERS AND REMODELERS ON UNIVERSAL DESIGN 29.7

CASE STUDY 2 DAVE FOX REMODELING PARTNERSHIP

The Partnership Agreement

OSU provided:

Training of Dave Fox Remodeling employees about universal design

Research expertise

Design consulting

Educational materials

Students with knowledge of universal design

Dave Fox Remodeling provided:

Expertise in remodeling and related costs

Expertise in marketing and advertising

Access to clients for case study research

Construction and installation

Guest speakers, internships, and jobs for students

Making a National Impact

Another goal identified in the second phase of this project was to increase awareness of universal design

at the national level. The UD team met with the Lowe’s director of trends and marketing to identify a

plan. The need for national coverage of universal design and for examples of universal design kitchens

and bathrooms was discussed. Lowe’s corporate office expressed an interest in sponsoring a permanent

educational exhibit that would allow public audiences to experience universal design directly, and that

could be photographed and featured in its Creative Ideas magazine (see Figs. 29.3 and 29.4). OSUE

was able to provide a location for this exhibit at an agricultural exhibit property located in proximity

to Columbus. An annual agricultural event, the Farm Science Review, takes place every September at

this property, attracting thousands of consumers across the state of Ohio. A building used for exhibits

during the event was identified as the site for a universal design educational exhibit. Through the col-

laborative efforts of Lowe’s corporate offices, OSU faculty and students, OSUE faculty, and Dave Fox

Remodeling Company, a three-room exhibit featuring an introductory universal design educational

display with a model kitchen and bathroom was designed and installed in the exhibit building. This

exhibit, which features numerous universal design elements, is now a permanent feature at the annual

Farm Science Review and is utilized throughout the year for educational workshops and training ses-

sions. Further, both the kitchen and bathroom exhibits were photographed and used as the cover story

for the Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine in two separate issues. To date over 7000 individuals have

visited the Farm Science Review UD exhibit, and the Creative Ideas magazine articles have reached

2.4 million persons.

CASE STUDY 3 LOWE’S CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP: KITCHEN

AND BATHROOM EXHIBITS

The Partnership Agreement

OSU provided:

A building to house a kitchen and bath model

A venue (Farm Science Review) to market the models

Kitchen and bath universal design expertise

29.8 PUBLIC SPACES, PRIVATE SPACES, PRODUCTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES

Local assistance for the installation and photography sessions

Publicity (national and local) about the models

Lowe’s provided:

Development of the design ideas

All products for the kitchen (2005) and bath (2006)

Construction and installation of the models

Two magazine articles in Creative Ideas (national circulation 2.4 million)

Professional photographs of the models for educational use

Dave Fox Remodeling provided:

Design, materials, and installation of bathroom 1 (2005)

Installation of bathroom 2 (2006)

FIGURE 29.3 This photo shows the cover of Lowe’s Creative

Ideas magazine from January 2006 featuring the universal design

Custom Publishing.)

Long description: This photo shows the cover of Lowe’s Creative

Ideas magazine from January 2006 featuring the universal design

kitchen at the Farm Science Review site. The magazine has a national

circulation of 2.4 million to households and businesses.

SELLING BUILDERS AND REMODELERS ON UNIVERSAL DESIGN 29.9

29.5 PHASE 3: CREATING A MARKETING TOOL

To extend the educational use of the kitchen and bath models located at the Farm Science Review prop-

erty, the UD team, again in collaboration with Lowe’s and Dave Fox Remodeling Company, produced

an educational video to share with builders, remodelers, and the general public (see Fig. 29.5). For the

video to be an effective marketing tool for building professionals and still be informative to consumers,

it needed to appeal to a wide audience. The video was filmed at a suburban home landscaped for a

no-step entry and at the Farm Science Review UD kitchen and bathroom exhibits. It featured a family

with young children at a neighborhood cookout at their newly remodeled home. The 12-minute video

focused on the universal design features of the entry, kitchen, and bathroom of this suburban home.

The story illustrates how the universal design characteristics are convenient for the family and all who

attended the cookout including a neighbor with a broken ankle and a toddler in a stroller.

The video is being used by the NARI universal design education committee as a tool for its online

course. Copies of the video are available to NARI members and have been distributed to educators and

policy makers.

CASE STUDY 4 DEVELOPMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL VIDEO

Partnership Agreement

OSU provided:

Management of the project

Consultation in content and narrative of script

FIGURE 29.4 A photo from Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine article showing how the universal design kitchen can be

Long description: A photo from Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine article showing how the universal design kitchen

can be easily used by a variety of individuals. This kitchen is a part of the universal design display at The Ohio State

University Farm Science Review which is visited by about 2000 individuals per year.

Preiser W., Smith K.H. Universal Design Handbook

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