Salmen says, “Some people do not understand people’s range of abilities and how an environment may limit them. Insensitivity to disability issues is a great liability. Understanding people as well as architecture is necessary to create something truly functional. If you don’t get both parts of the equation right, you’ll probably end up with something that misses the mark.

This house design explores ways in which a typical, large suburban house can be used flexibly to facilitate different and multiple occupant living arrangements within the one house. It addresses many sustainability issues that are currently being ignored by typical project home designs.

http://www.sustainable-homes.org.au/03_projects/caboolture/caboolture.htm

The design and product choices of the Waitakere NOW Home® were the result of input from architects, building scientists and sustainability researchers. We have brought together the details of these choices as an example of what can be done to create an efficiently-performing house using products and design readily available today.

This year's project is created with Universal Design principles—the concept of designing a more functional, comfortable home for you and your family throughout the many stages of life.

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/hl/attitudes/article/0,13803,1721413,00.html

Smart Houses are more liveable, safe, secure, environmentally friendly
and cost-efficient. They will be instrumental in helping realise the
State Government’s objective to provide Queenslanders with access to
safe, secure and appropriate housing in sustainable communities.

http://www.build.qld.gov.au/smart_housing/example/springfield.asp

The Research House project investigates building ‘smarter’ and more ‘environmentally responsive’ homes. It brings together new and innovative design concepts, technologies and products and tests them in a single living environment to improve housing for Queenslanders.

http://www.build.qld.gov.au/research/research08.asp

Virtual tour

AARP is offering public tours of the Andrus House to provide builders, architects and DC residents with concrete examples of how to use universal design features to make a home suitable for all residents—young and old. The tour will highlight a range of ways, some inexpensive and easy and some more complex, to update homes and better accommodate everyone. Incorporating just one or two features could make a real difference. For more information on Andrus House features, schedule a tour or stop by for a visit.

The Coomera property demonstrates how easily Smart Housing principles can be adopted in construction of a new home. The owner of this property was keen to construct a home to suit all a range of potential buyers by satisfying the needs of singles, couples, families, the elderly and people with disabilities.

http://www.build.qld.gov.au/smart_housing/example/coomera.asp 

Sustainable Home Currumbin (Innovation House 3 or IH3) is located in The Ecovillage at Currumbin developed by Landmatters and named Australia's Best Sustainable Development by the Urban Development Institute of Australia. The vision for this community is to inspire sustainable living and inform ecological sustainable development.