2008-11-20

Mike Vowels on the Triple Bottom Line of Universal Design

Stweardship remodeling.jpg

Mike Vowels of Stewardship Remodeling has just published an article on sustainability's triple bottom line for the Eastside Business Journal - Sustainability and Remodeling your Home.. He observes that "Only in the past five years, however, has sustainability become a catchword capable of capturing the attention not only of environmental scientists and activists but also of (some) mainstream economists, other social scientists, and policymakers.'

He goes on to succinctly make the case. Note his approach. It's quotable:

Potentially, sustainability can have a three-prong effect on the remodeling plans for your home, as follows:

* Environmental Sustainability (e.g., Green Remodeling Practices). * Economic Sustainability (e.g., Return on Investment & future Marketability of your home). * Social Sustainability (e.g., your design changes enable you to live in the comfort and safety of your home much longer).

“Universal Design is also called Inclusive Design, Design-for-All and Lifespan Design. Universal Design focuses on Social Sustainability which relates to basic needs such as freedom, happiness, safety and dignity.”

Further reading:

http://eastsidebusinessjournal.com/Technology/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2536&Itemid=1

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Wednesday, 19 November 2008

By Mike Vowels

Increasingly the buzzword "sustainability" is moving out of the forest and into the mainstream. Only in the past five years, however, has sustainability become a catchword capable of capturing the attention not only of environmental scientists and activists but also of (some) mainstream economists, other social scientists, and policymakers.

Potentially, sustainability can have a three-prong effect on the remodeling plans for your home, as follows:

* Environmental Sustainability (e.g., Green Remodeling Practices).
* Economic Sustainability (e.g., Return on Investment & future Marketability of your home).
* Social Sustainability (e.g., your design changes enable you to live in the comfort and safety of your home much longer).Before Sustainablity Remodel After a Sustainable Remodel

“Universal Design is also called Inclusive Design, Design-for-All and Lifespan Design. Universal Design focuses on Social Sustainability which relates to basic needs such as freedom, happiness, safety and dignity.”

“Universal Design has a parallel in the green design movement that also offers a framework for design problem solving based on the core value of environmental responsibility. Universal Design is not a design style but an orientation to any design process that starts with a responsibility to the experience of the user.”

The before and after pictures that follow are an example of a residential remodeling project whereby sustainability was achieved in-full, as follows:

* Environmental Sustainability – The inclusion of Trex decking which utilizes both pre-consumer and post-consumer recycling content.
* Economic Sustainability – The resulting upgrade clearly increases the property value while also making the home more marketable due to the integration of Universal Design.
* Social Sustainability – The home is better designed for Aging-in-Place, accessibility, and visitability by people of varied abilities.

The coupling of Universal Design with with Green Remodeling practices is a recipe for sustainable success.
Mike Vowels owns Stewardship Remodeling which can be found on the web at www.UniversalandGreen.com
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This post was originally posted by RollingRains @ Rolling Rains Report:.
> Read the original post here