Top Trend for 2008: Great Design for the Ages
More homeowners are planning for the future by adding universal design features

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. February 13, 2008 — Retirement brings many changes to a person’s life, including routine, income and social agendas. However, for the 76 million baby boomers in the United States who are nearing retirement age, one change that does not appear to be on the horizon is a new address.

A recent profile compiled by the National Association of Home Builders 50+ Council found that older Americans, by and large, are happy with where they currently live. And the AARP says that 89 percent of people age 50 or older wish to stay in their own homes during the golden years.

 This growing attitude toward “aging in place” is driving demand for products that incorporate a universal design philosophy: adding elements that improve the daily comfort, ease of use and safety of homes for residents as they enter the golden retirement years.

Such features are also rising in importance on new homebuyers’ checklists. Recent findings from the JELD-WEN Real Estate Agent Community Trends (REACT) Survey showed that 18 percent of responding agents have noticed a significant increase in the number of buyers looking for universal design aspects, such as a master bedroom on the main floor or a single-story house.

“Universal design is really about making a home more livable for everyone,” said Elizabeth Souders, product marketing manager for JELD-WEN, the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. “User-friendly designs are increasingly making their way into many of the windows and doors that we offer. For example, we can accommodate requests for wider doors, lever handles and flush or ADA-compliant thresholds from homeowners who might face mobility issues today or in the years to come.”

To meet the needs of this growing marketplace, JELD-WEN offers a number of window and door products suitable for homeowners looking to increase the future livability of their current homes while maintaining beautiful style for today.

Easy front entry
The front door is a vital part of the home and a key component in universal design. JELD-WEN has discovered that 45 percent of homeowners above the age of 62 use the front door more frequently than the garage door to enter the home.

To keep this passageway accessible in the years ahead, AARP suggests making doorways wide enough for an easy entry, building a shelf near the front door to hold packages and mail, and installing easy-to-operate lever handles. For security purposes, the association highly recommends that older homeowners identify visitors before opening the door, which might not be easy to do with a simple peephole that may be too high to reach.

Installing a new entry system with a 42-inchwide door and window inserts or sidelights is one answer to some of these major concerns. Window inserts and sidelights can help improve visibility at the front entry so homeowners can see visitors without opening the door.

JELD-WEN offers a range of glass inserts on its door lines. For example, IWP® Custom Wood doors give homeowners a wide choice of decorative and clear glass options and an array of designs so they can customize their front entry while still implementing these important universal design features.

Space-saving designs
Mobility inside the home is a main consideration when designing a livable environment.
Passage doors, in particular, must be easy to open and close and sufficiently wide for residents who might face physical limitations.

 Pocket doors are the ideal solution for many homeowners, as they provide more usable room, especially in small spaces like bathrooms, and are simple to operate for people who use wheelchairs or walkers.

“A regular door takes up about 10 square feet of floor space when it swings open,” said Souders. “Pocket doors disappear into the wall and are user friendly. In a bathroom application a pocket door can provide homeowners with more vital space to maneuver.”

Installing a pocket door does not mean homeowners have to sacrifice style for function. All JELD-WEN® interior doors are available in pocket configurations, including the Molded Interior line that comes with numerous designs that emulate wood doors and core options that help reduce sound transmission by up to 50 percent. JELD-WEN is also the only manufacturer to offer a pocket door with a built-in flush-mounted mirror.

New ways to open windows
When it comes to window design, manufacturers are increasingly considering the needs of senior homeowners as they develop new, simple-to-operate products for the market.

For example, JELD-WEN research revealed that being able to easily open windows is a priority for baby boomers. Homeowners born between 1946 and 1964 told the company that what they dislike most about their current windows is that they are hard to open and close. To help ease these concerns, JELD-WEN® Vinyl windows and patio doors are available with the unique MAG-Lock™ window locking mechanism that can be opened or closed with one hand.

JELD-WEN has also seen an increase in demand for casement windows that feature more ergonomic crank handles. Taking this design one step further, the company recently introduced its push out casement window with a simple locking handle and friction hinges. Homeowners can gently push the sash open to the desired position and the adjustable friction hinge tension ensures the sash will stay open and not swing freely. And because the new windows are made with AuraLast® wood, they carry an industry-leading 20-year warranty against wood decay and termite infestation.

As more homeowners plan to keep their current address well into retirement, window and door technology will continue to evolve to meet the challenge of making homes easier to live in.

About JELD-WEN
JELD-WEN, inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. Based in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN began as a small Oregon millwork plant in 1960 and has grown into a company with nearly 150 divisions and more than 20,000 employees worldwide. JELD-WEN is the official window, door and millwork provider of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS and title sponsor of the JELD-WEN Tradition. Since 1998, JELD-WEN has been an ENERGY STAR® Partner with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Eleven JELD-WEN® product lines and all windows and doors constructed with AuraLast® wood have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal. JELD-WEN® windows and doors have been honored by numerous consumer and industry publications. In 2005, JELD-WEN® IWP® Aurora™ Custom Fiberglass exterior doors received a Consumers Digest Best Buy rating.

For more information about the exceptional value and reliability of JELD-WEN products, or to find a dealer near you, please visit www.jeld-wen.com or call 800-877-9482.

Sources:
“Builders hoping to entice households into new homes may find the going tough because older Americans, by and large, are happy with where they currently live.” NAHB 50+ Housing Council, 2007.

“89 percent of people age 50+ wish to stay in their own homes as they age.”  AARP/NAHB Livable Communities Award, 2007.

JELD-WEN Perfect Home Survey, 2006.

JELD-WEN Real Estate Agent Community Trends (REACT) Survey, 2007.