Designing Age-Friendly Homes
Course Description
By 2031 it’s estimated that close to 1.5 million British Columbians across the province will be over the age of 65. This is roughly one in four of the total population. As our population ages, demand for housing options that are more comfortable and accessible for older adults and that support people aging at home will increase.
This Building Smart webinar:
- Outlines the business case for designing age-friendly homes
- Provides practical advice on how to design living spaces and select fixtures and appliances that are more accessible and comfortable for seniors aging at home
- Describes the newer accessibility requirements for multi-unit residential buildings from the 2018 BC Building Code and the BCBC’s adaptable housing guidelines
- Outlines the City of Vancouver’s adaptable housing standards
- Shares leading practices around visitable, adaptable and accessible housing
Presenters
Alfiya Battalova, PhD
Dr. Alfiya Battalova earned her PhD in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois in Chicago and has a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Maine. Since moving to Vancouver in 2013, she has worked for the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC) and Spinal Cord Injury BC (SCI-BC). Alfiya currently works as a Research Coordinator in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at UBC where her research focuses on projects that improve mobility and participation of people with disabilities in our communities. Her research emphasizes the value of lived experiences of people with disabilities.
Jeremy Woolf
Jeremy Woolf has been registered as an Architect with the AIBC since 1995 and a Certified Professional since 1998. He runs JB Woolf Architect Limited, specializing in code and technical consulting.
Kevin Lau
Kevin Lau is a Building Policy Engineer with the City of Vancouver, developing building policy and reviewing alternative solutions.
Kristin Agnello, RPP, MCIP
Kristin Agnello is a scholar-practitioner in urban planning and design, focusing on equity and social policy. She authored Zero to One Hundred: Planning for an Aging Population.