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2005 Media Releases & Alerts

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kimberly Warren

Directory of Accessible Building Products Released

March 2, 2005, Upper Marlboro, Md. - The NAHB Research Center released it's fifteenth edition of the Directory of Accessible Building Products (DABP) at this year's International Builders' Show to assist the home building industry in meeting the housing needs of older adults. The Directory features descriptions of nearly 200 commercially available products and is designed to be a one-stop resource for addressing accessibility needs in residences.

The Directory contains useful information about building products, with a focus on kitchens and bathrooms, including appliances, fixtures, cabinets, and faucets. It also contains information on home automation, climate control products, doors, ramps, stair lifts, and accessible floor plans. Recommended construction and installation details for many of the products listed will help builders and remodelers achieve maximum accessibility value from the equipment.

This year's Directory contains new information on an energy-efficient project that was completed by the NAHB Research Center and Rebuilding Together with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Starting in February 2003, Rebuilding Together volunteers installed a number of low-energy appliances and products into the Maryland suburban residence of an older couple. Based on monitoring data from the Research Center, the upgrades saved the homeowners more than $1,000 a year in utilities. This work has sparked another project with the Department of Energy, to introduce the Zero Energy Home concept into the single-family, new home construction industry.

According to Mike Luzier, NAHB Research Center president, "The Directory of Accessible Building Products is designed with features and technologies that support aging in place, allowing residents to live more comfortably, safely, and indepentently in their homes regardless of age or physical ability. As the U.S. population over age 65 continues to grow, builders and remodelers require a greater understanding of how to meet older adults' housing needs. For this reason, the Directory is a must-have reference guide for all builders and remodelers."

To order the Directory of Accessible Building Products, call the NAHB Research Center at (800) 638-8556, or visit the website. Copies of the Directory are now available free, but with a $6.50 shipping and handling fee. Manufacturers of accessible products who are interested in listing their product(s) in the 2006 Directory should contact Pam Eggleston at 800-638-8556.

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03/05

The NAHB Research Center, located in Upper Marlboro, Md., promotes innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home building products. Created over 40 years ago as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Research Center has established itself as the source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues. Through its various testing and certification services, the Research Center seal is internationally-recognized as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance.

NOTE TO EDITORS ON STYLE USAGE: To identify this company and its work correctly, first reference should be "NAHB Research Center." If clarification of the acronym is necessary, the phrase, "a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)," can follow. In subsequent mentions, "Research Center" is the only acceptable and accurate alternative reference.