In February of 2015, Brian Drumm completed the NARI (National Association of The Remodeling Industry) Universal Design Certified Professional (UDCP) Program. This program addresses the concepts of Universal Design including: a client's needs assessment, design applications, construction techniques, electrical systems, and plumbing systems.
So what is Universal Design?
When it comes to home remodeling, Universal Design involves designing spaces so that they can be used by the widest range of people possible. Universal Design has evolved from Accessible Design, a process that addresses the needs of people with disabilities. Universal Design takes remodeling further by recognizing that there is a wide spectrum of human abilities. Everyone, even the most able-bodies person, passes through childhood, periods of temporary illness, injury and old age. By designing for human diversity a Universal Design Certified Professional can create things that will be easier for all people to use.
Graduates of this program learned the following:
• The fundamentals of universal design as applied to residential remodeling.
• How to conduct a client's needs assessment to evaluate the application of universal design to the client's remodeling project.
• Specific universal design applications used in residential remodeling.
• Construction techniques used to implement universal design applications to a remodeling project.
• The differences between model building codes and the ones described within the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Brian was able to complete this course and as a Universal Design Certified Professional he is now implementing Universal Design techniques and processes in many of Drumm Design Remodel's projects.