Two New Awards Programs For Aging-in-Place/Accessibility Remodeling
NAHB recently launched two awards to highlight best practices and innovative solutions in the growing field of aging in place. The applications were intended to complement each other to ease the process of applying for both. Go ahead; get recognized for the great work you do!
New Livable Communities Award
AARP and NAHB have designed a new joint award to
 recognize creative and unique home and community projects that improve the daily comfort, ease and safety of their residents and highlight the critical elements needed for a livable community.
The new AARP and NAHB Livable Communities Award will be presented annually to the three professional groups — builders, remodelers and developers — for projects that incorporate such aspects as:
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Design elements that accommodate the needs of all residents with all levels of physical ability from children through grandparents
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Easy access to community services and features such as retail, restaurants, medical, social and cultural activities, as well as viable transportation options
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Improved energy efficiency and enhanced site design
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Better communication with key stakeholders
“We hope this award will give building professionals an incentive to explore and employ new design approaches,” said AARP CEO Bill Novelli.
One of the award categories is specifically for remodeling companies. To qualify as a remodeler, the company must receive at least 50% of its revenues from remodeling to qualify as a remodeler.
The judging criteria for this award vary from category to category, but points will be awarded based on:
- Universal Design Features
- Ease of Maintenance and Energy Efficiency
- Exterior Design and Landscaping/Site Design
- Incorporation of Livable Community Design Features
- Stakeholder Involvement
Eligible projects should have been completed and opened or eligible for occupancy between January 1, 2005 and June 1, 2007.
“I expect NAHB members to respond very enthusiastically to this award,” Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of NAHB Jerry Howard Howard said. “For those who are building [and remodeling] a leading edge home or community, this is an opportunity to show the world that your product is the best in the business.”
Applications for the first Livable Communities Awards will be due June 1, 2007. Winners will be announced in the 2008 January-February issue of AARP The Magazine, the largest circulation magazine in America and will be recognized during an awards program in December 2007 in Washington, DC. For more information on the awards or to download an application, please visit www.aarp.org/livablecommunitiesaward.
Homes for Life Award
With the concept of aging in place growing at a rapid pace, the NAHB Remodelers want to further recognize our CAPS designees for their contributions to the industry and capitalize on the momentum of the media push on the topic. The new Homes for Life Award will help the designation gain more visibility as well as create more interest in the NAHB Remodelers and NAHB as a whole.
To be eligible for the Homes for Life Award, the entrant must be a CAPS designee. Current judges may not submit entries. The entrant must submit the application page with all pertinent company information, along with the $50 entry fee. Projects can have taken place any time in the past. There are four parts to the entry requirements including:
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Images — no more than a total of 15 before and after shots
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Graphic Materials — a before and after floor plan drawing of aging in place/accessible designs
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General Data — brief information regarding the home and costs of the project
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Interpretive Statements — three directed statements describing the design not to exceed 1,000 words in length.
The judges will score each project on functionality, problem solving, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, degree of difficulty and entry presentation within a 50 point score sheet based upon the following questions:
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To what degree were the expressed needs of the client met?
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How well does the project enhance the existing structures’ function?
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How well have the solutions presented enhanced the existing structure?
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Were innovative uses of material and/or methods of construction used in the project?
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How well executed were the design solutions addressing stated project constraints?
The winning entry will be announced at the NAHB Remodelers yearly award ceremony, currently the NAHB Remodelers Gala, which takes place during the Remodeling Show. The recipient will receive an award, a press release to use with local newspapers, and recognition in the CAPS Connection newsletter, various NAHB Remodelers publications, and on the NAHB Remodelers website.
For more information on the award or to download an application, e-mail Ellen Higgins at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8323.
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