Do Universal Design principles play a role in housing safety? 

The kitchen and the bathrooms in a home are typical areas were Universal Design principles contribute to a more sustainable living environment. Typical guidelines might include the following:

• People with limited ability to grip more easily use single lever faucet controls.
• Controls located on the side or front of a stove are easy to use without reaching
• Non-adjustable wall cabinets can be installed at 15-inch clearance from the counter top for use by shorter persons.
• A side-entry bathtub with door and folding seat allows users with balance problems and limited physical mobility to soak.
• The height-adjustable shower is installed on the wall opposite the seated bather. A grab bar can be installed below the shower for transfer assistance.

Dr. Ronn Phillips, Arch.D., and Bobbi Hauptmann
Environmental Design, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia