Skip to content
site logo Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation
  • Sign In or Register
  • FRANÇAIS
  • Hamburger Icon MENU
Hamburger Icon MENU
× FRANÇAIS
  • Home
  • Buying
    • Homebuying Step by Step
      • Decide if Homeownership is Right for You
      • Check if You are Financially Ready to Own a Home
      • Finance Your Home
      • Find the Right Home
      • Make an Offer and Close the Deal
      • Maintain Your Home and Protect Your Investment
    • Condominium Buyer's Guide
      • Chapter 1: Condominium Basics
      • Chapter 2: Condominium Governance
      • Chapter 3: The Pros and Cons of Condominium Ownership
      • Chapter 4: Buying a Condominium
      • Chapter 5: Checklists, Tips and FAQ's
      • Tips for Buying a New Condominium
      • Tips for Buying a Resale Condominium
      • Checklist for Buying a New Condominium
      • Checklist for Buying a Resale Condominium
      • Condominium Purchase and Recurring Costs
      • Physical Evaluation Checklist (For Resale Units)
      • Questions to Ask Advisors and Condominium Experts
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Glossary
      • Provincial and Territorial Fact Sheets
        • Alberta Fact Sheet
        • British Columbia Fact Sheet
        • Manitoba Fact Sheet
        • New Brunswick Fact Sheet
        • Newfoundland and Labrador Fact Sheet
        • Northwest Territories Fact Sheet
        • Nova Scotia Fact Sheet
        • Nunavut Fact Sheet
        • Ontario Fact Sheet
        • Prince Edward Island Fact Sheet
        • Quebec Fact Sheet
        • Saskatchewan Fact Sheet
        • Yukon Fact Sheet
    • Financial Information and Calculators
      • Mortgage Fraud
      • Mortgage Planning Tips
      • Plan and Manage Your Mortgage
      • Your Credit Report
      • Government of Canada Programs to Support Homebuyers
      • Your Home Value
    • Seniors Housing
      • Housing options for Seniors
      • Housing and Finance Tips
      • Mortgage Financing Options for People 55+
      • Preventing Fraud and Financial Abuse
    • Newcomers
    • Mortgage Loan Insurance for Consumers
      • COVID-19: Understanding Mortgage Payment Deferral
      • What is CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance?
      • What are the General Requirements to Qualify for Homeowner Mortgage Loan Insurance?
      • FAQs — Mortgage Loan Insurance
      • CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Costs
      • CMHC Green Home
      • CMHC — Home Renovation Financing Options
  • National Housing Strategy
    • What is the strategy?
      • About the initiatives
      • How to apply
      • Help & Resources
      • Priority areas for action
      • Glossary
    • The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive
    • Shared Equity Mortgage Provider Fund
      • Preconstruction Loans
        Stream 1
      • Shared Equity Mortgages (SEM)
        Stream 2
    • Federal/Provincial/Territorial Housing Agreements
    • Federal Community Housing Initiative
    • Federal Lands Initiative
    • National Housing Co-Investment Fund
    • Rental Construction Financing
    • Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
    • Other funding and financing opportunities
    • The Community Housing Transformation Centre
    • Community-Based Tenant Initiative
    • NHS Demonstrations Initiative
    • Solutions Labs
      • Social Innovation Labs Resources
      • Solution Lab Consultant Information
    • Collaborative Housing Research Network
    • NHS Research and Planning Fund
    • CMHC Housing Research Scholarship Program
    • CMHC Housing Research Awards
    • Housing Supply Challenge
      • Round 1: Housing Supply Challenge
    • Rapid Housing Initiative
      • Rapid Housing Initiative Webinar
    • National Housing Conference
    • NHS Housing Needs Data
    • College of Reviewers
  • Renting
    • COVID-19: Eviction Bans and Suspensions to Support Renters
    • COVID-19: CECRA for small businesses
    • I Want to Rent
      • Things to Consider Before Renting
      • Types of Housing for Rent in Canada
      • Finding or Advertising a Rental Property
      • Visiting the Rental Property
      • Lease and Rental Agreements
      • Signing the Lease
      • Credit Checks and Bad Credit
      • Rental Payments and Deposits
      • Roommates and Pets
    • I Am Renting
      • Moving Day
      • Landlord/Tenant Responsibilities
      • Inspections
      • Maintenance & repairs
      • Complaints & evictions
      • Rent Increase
      • When you can't pay Rent
      • Renewing or terminating the lease
      • Moving Out
  • Developing and Renovating
    • Funding Opportunities
      • First Nations Development Funding
        • Direct Lending Program for First Nation Communities
        • Funding Opportunities Tool for Indigenous Housing
        • Insured Loans for On-Reserve First Nation Housing
        • On-Reserve Non Profit Housing Program (Section 95)
        • Proposal Development Funding (PDF) for First Nation Communities
      • On-Reserve Renovation Programs
        • Emergency Repair Program (ERP)
        • Home Adaptations for Seniors' Independence (HASI)
        • Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) – Regular
        • Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP)
      • Seed Funding
      • Preservation Funding for Community Housing
      • COVID-19: Loan Payment Deferrals for Indigenous Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Develop New Affordable Housing
      • Manufactured Housing: Affordable Quality Homes
      • Programs and Information
        • About Affordable Housing in Canada
        • Affordable Housing in Canada's North
        • Affordable Housing Programs Across Canada
        • Reno/Retro 2016: Funding for Existing Social Housing
        • Housing Action Plans: A Guide for Municipalities
        • Development Checklist for Affordable Housing
        • Housing Development Resources
    • Indigenous Housing
      • Housing Internship Initiative for First Nation and Inuit Youth (HIIFNIY)
      • Indigenous Advisory Council
      • Our Work With First Nation Communities
      • Shelters Initiative for Indigenous Women and Children
        • Funding Available for Shelters On-Reserve
        • Shelters in the Territories
      • Keeper of My Home Learning Resource
    • Developing Sustainable Housing
      • Maintenance and Resource Efficiency for Buildings
      • Webcast: Advancing Sustainable and Affordable Housing in Canada
      • Energy and Water Savings Case Studies
    • Accessible and Adaptable Housing
      • Universal Design for New Housing Units
      • Secondary Suites
      • Accessible Housing by Design
      • Aging in Place
        • Aging in Place Success Stories
        • Housing a Senior Population: The Economic and Social Benefits
        • Hiring a Contractor
      • Universal Design and Adaptable Housing Models
    • Provincial/Territorial Agreements
      • Bilateral IAH Agreements and Public Reporting
      • National IAH Funding Table
      • Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH)
    • External Links
  • CMHC Library
  • Managing and Maintaining
    • Managing Affordable Housing
      • Connect with a Housing Solutions Specialist – Multi-Unit
      • Affordable Housing Project Profiles
      • Housing Management Hub
        • Contractors and Suppliers
        • Evictions and Expulsions
        • Capital Replacement Planning
        • Governance for Housing Organizations
        • Steps for Managing Vacancies
          • Repair and clean the unit
          • Identify or Advertise for Applicants
          • Welcome new residents
        • Policy Information
          • Why are policies important
          • Policy Enforcement
          • Policies Your Housing Organization Needs
          • Developing Effective Policies
        • Tendering Contracts
    • Manage First Nation Properties
      • First Nation Housing Policies Development Guide
        • Decide if You Need a Written Policy
        • Research the Housing Policy
        • Write and Review the Housing Policy
        • Develop the Housing Policy Implementation Plan
        • Get Approval for the Housing Policy
        • Implement and Monitor the Housing Policy
        • Revise or Cancel the Policy as Required
      • Tenant Records
      • Building Code Compliance for First Nation Housing
      • Finances
        • Differences Between the On-Reserve Non-Profit Housing Program Pre-1997 and Post-1996
        • Understanding Operating Agreement Terms
      • Maintenance Solutions
        • How to Maintain a Heat Recovery Ventilator
        • Maintenance Planning Guide for First Nation Communities
        • Mould in Housing
          • Information for Occupants
          • Information for Housing Managers
          • Information for Builders and Renovators
          • Flood Cleanup and Mould Prevention
          • Mould Cleanup at a Glance: Infographic
          • Mould in Housing at Glance
      • Role of a First Nation Housing Manager
    • Maintenance Funding and Information
      • Governance and Finance Information Series
      • Loans Administration and Direct Lending
      • Off-Reserve Aboriginal Social Housing
      • Renovation Programs for On-Reserve Housing
      • Tendering Contracts Information Series
    • Co-operative Housing Guide
  • Data and Research
    • CMHC Reports Calendar
    • Publications and Reports
    • Housing Market Information Portal
    • Data Tables
      • Household Characteristics
      • Housing Market Data
      • Housing Market Indicators
      • Mortgage and Debt Data
      • Rental Market Data
    • Housing in Canada Online (HiCO)
    • Core Housing Need
    • Survey Notices
    • CMHC Library
    • Consumer Surveys
      • 2019 Mortgage Consumer Survey Results
      • 2018 Mortgage Consumer Survey Results
        • Homebuyers insights
        • Renewers insights
        • Refinancers insights
        • Financial Literacy
        • Affordability
        • Home financing choices
        • MCS blog
    • Survey Methods
    • CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data
  • Finance and Investing
    • Insured Mortgage Purchase Program (IMPP)
    • COVID-19: CECRA for small businesses
    • Mortgage Loan Insurance
      • Mortgage Loan Insurance Homeownership Programs
        • CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Costs
      • Rental Housing Solutions
      • Contact Mortgage Loan Insurance
      • Homebuying Calculators
        • Mortgage Calculator
        • Affordability Calculator
        • Debt Service Calculator
      • The Resource
        • I Can’t Pay my Mortgage, What are my Options?
        • Home Buying Step by Step
      • Default, Claims and Properties for Sale
      • Mortgage Fraud
      • Underwriting Centre
      • Consumer Survey Results
      • NHA Approved Lenders
      • Calculating GDS / TDS
      • emili
        • emiliTRACKER
      • Client e-Update
      • Multi-Unit e-Update
      • Regional CMHC Industry Sessions
    • Canada Mortgage Bonds
    • NHA Mortgage Backed Securities
    • Canadian Registered Covered Bonds
      • How to Become a Registered Issuer
    • Blockchain in the housing industry
  • CMHC E-Newsletters
    • Affordable Housing E-newsletter
    • Housing Research E-newsletter
    • Indigenous and Northern Housing E-newsletter
    • Client e-Update
    • Multi-Unit e-Update
  • About CMHC
    • CMHC’s Story
    • Management and Governance
      • Board of Directors and Committees
      • Our Management Committee
      • Pension Governance
        • Pension Overview
        • Key Roles and Responsibilities
        • Annual Reports
    • Corporate Reporting
      • CMHC Annual Report
      • Program Evaluation
      • Joint Auditors Special Examination Report to CMHC Board 2018
      • Summary of the Corporate Plan
      • Quarterly Financial Reports
      • Transparency
        • Access to Information and Privacy Protection
        • Briefing Materials
        • Procurement
          • CETA
          • Disclosure of contracts over $10,000
        • Travel, hospitality and conference expenditures
          • Annual travel, hospitality and conference expenditures
      • CMHC’s Insured Mortgage Deferral
    • Contact Us
      • CMHC Departments
        • Connect with a Housing Solutions Specialist – Multi-Unit
        • Contact Mortgage Loan Insurance
      • Holiday Service Hours
    • Speakers Bureau
    • Careers
    • Partnerships
  • Careers
  • Housing Observer
  • Media Newsroom
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
    • Media Relations
 
  • Home Breadcrumb Chevron
  • Developing and Renovating Breadcrumb Chevron
  • Accessible and Adaptable Housing

Universal Design and Adaptable Housing Models

This section discusses, how housing can be made adaptable to accommodate occupants’ changing requirements using the principles of universal design.

Save page to My Folder Share this page
Save Icon

SAVE TO MY FOLDER

Universal Design and Adaptable Housing Models

SAVE
Close this Window   |   Manage my Folder
Save Icon

SAVE TO MY FOLDER

Universal Design and Adaptable Housing Models

Done Done!
Close this Window   |   Manage my Folder
Share icon

Share via

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Twitter
  • print
Share icon

Share via

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Twitter
  • print
share icon

Mail-blue Share via Email

Did You Know?

You can include an email signature?

Register | Sign In

×
Google Captcha Loader
share icon

Mail-blue Share via Email

Done Done!
Close this window

It is estimated that by the year 2036, more than half of all Canadian households will be headed by people 55 years or older1. As the needs of homeowners change, they are demanding more versatility from their housing. Housing with flexible features that can accommodate occupants’ changing requirements easily and inexpensively will be in high demand.

The key to meeting this demand is to make housing as adaptable as possible from the time of construction. An adaptable housing unit can be a standard-looking unit with features that can be tailored to the specific needs of residents as their particular needs evolve, without costly renovations or structural changes. Accessible features like wider doors and corridors, entrances without steps and lever hardware should be part of the unit from the outset. Wall reinforcement allows for the later installation of grab bars or rails; these are less expensive if incorporated during initial construction. Cabinets can be designed to be height-adjustable or removable.

Adaptable housing addresses some of the same concerns as universal design, while catering to an even wider range of needs. Adaptable housing can be upgraded, expanded, divided into extra units or used for a variety of purposes throughout its life. Several models have emerged that demonstrate the opportunities and benefits of adaptable housing.

Adaptability is also very relevant at the neighbourhood scale. A community that offers a range of housing forms (detached homes, row houses, apartments, and others) and of tenure options allows residents to choose different dwelling types and tenure arrangements as their needs change without having to relocate to other neighbourhoods. Housing developments that offer a continuum of care, ranging from self-contained units for independent living, to housing with a higher level of support, to a full-care housing arrangement, enable residents to make these transitions without moving away.

FLEXHOUSING

FlexHousing™ incorporates, at the design and construction stage, the option to make future changes easily and with minimum expense in order to meet the evolving needs of its occupants. This approach allows families and individuals to access more affordable housing, stay in the home longer and can help make these units more affordable for owners and renters.

As circumstances change, FlexHousing™ allows homeowners to adapt their existing housing relatively easily and economically rather than move. For instance, if a resident becomes less mobile and requires a bathroom on the main floor of the house, the design of the plumbing system will allow the owner to convert a closet or spare room into one. Similarly, the design of the stairs will allow for the installation of a stairclimbing mechanism. The inclusion of unfinished spaces within a new home to reduce first costs provides an option for finishing at a later time as needs demand. FlexHousing™ also emphasises flexibility of tenure. A young family may need all floors of a house as children grow up but once they move out, the home should be easily subdividable to accommodate an income producing secondary suite (see “Grow Home” below).

Any home can be a FlexHouse — a suburban bungalow, high-rise condominium or infill townhouse. FlexHousing™ is simply an approach to designing and building homes based on the principles of adaptability, accessibility, affordability and Healthy Housing™.

  • Adaptability means thinking ahead during the construction of the house. This saves time, money and hassle later on by avoiding the need for costly renovations, for example roughing in plumbing to accommodate future needs for bathroom conversions, or providing an unfinished space in a new home that can be converted later.
  • Accessibility means creating a home that is user-friendly to people of all ages and abilities. For example, wide doors and stairs, low windows, and easy-to-grasp lever handles benefit children and the elderly alike.
  • Affordability may mean investing money up front in order to save in the future. While the up-front costs of an adaptable house may be greater compared with a normal home, homeowners benefit from the investment in the long term. For example, structural reinforcement of walls allows for the future addition of grab bars and other support features at a reasonable cost.2

Richmond, B.C., is home to a two-storey demonstration FlexHouse built to accommodate a variety of homebuyers. It has a floor plan that enables the house to be converted from a four-bedroom family home to a duplex or a set of rental suites. The house was also designed using healthy materials and with energy efficiency and accessibility in mind. The Richmond FlexHouse Project is the result of a collaboration between CMHC, the City of Richmond and Pacific Western Developments Ltd., which built the house.3

Also in British Columbia, the City of Saanich has instituted a Basic Adaptable Housing bylaw that requires basic adaptable housing features in all newly constructed buildings that are serviced by an elevator and contain apartment or congregate housing uses.4

ACCESSORY OR SECONDARY UNITS

Adaptable housing may include residences such as accessory apartments that can accommodate an aging family member. Accessory apartments are adaptations that can be made to single-family homes so that aging parents can live close to their children and their families or so that caregivers can live in the homes of aging people. Accessory units can be created by transforming a suitable basement into additional living space or by creating a small residence such as a laneway house or a “granny flat” that is separate from, but on the same property as, the main family home. Accessory units can also provide rental income for older owners.

GROW HOME

Another approach to adaptable housing is the Grow Home, a housing design that is easily modifiable and can suit people of all ages and family situations. It is a townhouse design that can be extended up and to the rear or be subdivided as its residents’ needs change5.

The Grow Home was originally developed by Avi Friedman and Witold Rybczynski of the Affordable Homes Program in the School of Architecture at McGill University in 1990. They wanted to create a home that would be affordable to low-income households and could expand as the family grew. A Grow Home is a three-storey townhouse on a base measuring around 4 × 11 m (14 × 36 ft.), with a floor area of about 100 m² (1,000 sq. ft.). The Grow Home includes a finished first floor containing a kitchen, bathroom and living space. One or more upper floors are open-concept and left unfinished. Over time, the occupants can finish the upper floors as they prefer and expand the housing if they need additional room. Although the original idea was to make housing affordable, the Grow Home is a good example of adaptable housing that could allow for aging in place6.

LIFETIME HOMES

In the United Kingdom, the Lifetime Homes standard, a concept developed in 1991, is intended to make homes more adaptable for lifelong use. The design of Lifetime Homes incorporates 16 design criteria, relating to:

  • car parking width,
  • access from car parking,
  • approach gradients,
  • accessible entrances,
  • communal stairs and lifts,
  • doorways and hallways,
  • wheelchair accessibility,
  • living room,
  • entrance level bedroom space,
  • entrance level toilet and shower drainage,
  • bathroom and toilet area walls,
  • stair lift / through-floor lift,
  • tracking hoist route,
  • bathroom layout,
  • window specification, and
  • controls, fixtures and fittings.

1Canadian Housing Observer 2011, figure 5 – 22, page 71.

2Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. (2000). Research Highlight: FlexHousing™: Building Adaptable Housing.

3City of Richmond. Flex House. Retrieved from www.richmond.ca/plandev/socialplan/housing/flexhouse.htm.

4Saanich, B.C., Basic Adaptable Housing, Schedule F to Zoning Bylaw 8200.

5Team Dunker, “Grow Home” from Seaton Handbook, 1995.

6For more information, see the CMHC website at www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/acho/index.cfm.

Was this page relevant to your needs?

Thank you for your feedback!

Sorry to hear that! Can you tell us about the problem?

For further assistance, pleasecontact us

ThanksYour feedback has been submitted.

Date Published: March 31, 2018
By Topic
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
  • National Housing Strategy
  • Buying
  • Rental Housing
  • Developing and Renovating
  • Managing and Maintaining
  • Data and Research
  • Finance and Investing
About Us
  • CMHC's Story
  • Management and Governance
  • Partnerships
  • Corporate Reporting
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
More
  • CMHC e-Newsletters
  • CMHC Library
  • Housing Observer Online
  • Media Newsroom
  • CMHC on Twitter
  • CMHC on LinkedIn
  • CMHC on Facebook
  • CMHC on Instagram
  • CMHC on YouTube
Privacy Policy    |    Terms and Conditions    |    Transparency     Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) ©2021 
Canada
loader icon

 Monitor our most recent coronavirus (COVID-19) updates.