Creating a home fit for tomorrow
Richard Hayward of Legrand takes a look at how technology can support not only homeowners’ currently fast-changing lifestyles but also those of future generations
whether building single or multiple dwellings. The importance of macro issues such as our changing demographic can and should impact a home’s design. The UK’s population is transforming before
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our eyes and the impact upon everything from our homes to building stock and infrastructure must be reflective of the changing needs of society. In 2014, the UK population stood at 64.6 million – the third largest population in the EU – according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Growth can be influenced by a number of factors such as births, deaths and the volume of people entering and leaving the country, but it is projected to slow over the coming decades. While many self-builders may not see this as
an issue for their own new development, what’s important to consider is how their home will support their future needs. By 2039 it is estimated that almost 25 per cent of our total population will be over the age of 65. At the same time, the UK death rate has continued to fall over the last two decades. Understanding how each and every core population group uses the home should be key in a property’s design. Themes such as security and accessibility may become more important, just as entertainment solutions and lighting requirements may alter. Understanding the core demographics of the
country is important in order to clearly under- stand the varying needs of the population – and your family – and, therefore, the design of homes and technology to meet these needs. Technology is just one incredibly important factor, particularly when we consider the volume of internet-enabled devices in our homes and
nderstanding the needs and wants of a growing and diverse population is imperative for our future housing stock,
how this is impacting upon family life. According to Ofcom, most 16-24 year olds
watch programmes on demand rather than at the official scheduled times – TV viewing is in decline. For future home designs this figure is interesting, as it highlights a potential decline in families getting together in front of the television, and an increasing focus on mobile devices that can be used throughout the home. This doesn’t necessarily herald the end of the living room, more the need for flexibility as we grow to understand more about consumer behaviours in the home. The mass adoption of internet-enabled
devices is a fascinating driver for design and underlines the increasing relevance of technol- ogy in our homes today and tomorrow. Particularly so when we consider the differing ways in which the population uses it. For exam-
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ple, there has been a rise in home working – a recent study by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) shows that there is a quarter of a million more people working from home than there was a decade ago. Therefore, there is an increasing desire for working zones away from the main social space. Just scratching the surface of some of these
factors shows that our homes need to be more flexible in order to accommodate modern living. More than ever before, people are using technology in new ways to meet their own indi- vidual needs. For the future, therefore, homes must be
Understanding how each and every core
population group uses the home should be key in a property’s design
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diverse in nature – responding to the changing needs of family life from birth to old age. This is where some elements of the lifetime home come into being – while nothing new, it focuses on the idea of inclusivity of design, meaning that a home can adapt to a family’s needs as it grows. Another school of thinking is the idea of building a greater proportion of new homes that meet the individual needs of certain demographics, namely the over 65s. This in turn can potentially free up more existing family homes, ripe for renovation. The All Parliamentary Group on Housing and
Care for Older People has researched and documented a series of 10 design features that ‘underpin age-ready housing’. From the requirement for outdoor space and natural light to high levels of efficiency, the Housing our Ageing Population (Happi) report provides a guiding note for future builds. The report also highlights the benefits that technology can bring to the home, a fact that transcends age –
selfbuilder & homemaker
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