For the past 20 years, Urban NW Homes, based in Vancouver, Wash., has taken a holistic approach to green building, with “a mission of building more responsibly,” as stated by Owner/Director of Construction, Jerud Martin. Their model home within the Urban Downs community of Ridgefield, Wash., the Gladstone, is a landmark achievement in green building design aimed at providing resilient, accessible, healthy, and sustainable living. The Gladstone is an “Age in Place” home for healthy and inclusive living, incorporating a variety of universal design features that promote accessibility for homeowners and visitors. The universal design features implemented earned the Gladstone the NGBS Green+ UNIVERSAL DESIGN certification, making the Gladstone the first home to receive this recognition. The holistic approach to green design by Urban NW Homes also earned the home the Emerald-level NGBS Green Certification, NGBS Green+ WELLNESS certification, as well as the U.S. EPA Indoor airPLUS and U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home labels.
The Gladstone is the most recent addition to the Urban Downs community, setting a new precedent in the creation of healthy, high performing, and accessible homes
The advantages of green design are well understood and have pushed designers towards making more green design decisions. Renovations to a house create a financial burden and environmental waste but becomes a necessity for a homeowner who needs to accommodate for either changes in their own life, or friends and family members of varying abilities. The Gladstone offers a home that requires no additions or renovations to accommodate changing lifestyle and abilities. “Age in Place” homes like the Gladstone are designed to be adaptable to the needs of the occupant, without the need for renovations or major additions. The house is one-story, spacious, and filled with amenities and features to accommodate the elderly, disabled, and health conscious. Some of these features include wider doors and hallways with no step/stairs on the property, to accommodate for individuals in wheelchairs, walkers, or with strollers and small children, and smart ventilation systems and high performing filters to maintain air quality in the house.
Homes like The Gladstone set a precedent for people who can find comfort in settling down and enjoy the idea of being prepared for the unpredictable. Age in place design unloads the burdens of remodeling a home from the owner and provides a new type of reliability that homeowners can enjoy.
To learn more about The Gladstone, read our case study and view the replay of NAHB and NAR’s virtual home tour.
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