Heijmans : Growing old comfortably

A house where you can grow old in comfort; what does it look like? A lot of space for future modifications, particularly when it comes to the hall and sanitary facilities. And easy digital contact with the outside world. Patrick Koch, sustainability and energy adviser at Heijmans, describes a futureproof home.

If you consider wheelchair-friendliness as an underlying principle in your design, you get a home that is popular among almost everyone, says Patrick Koch. Because wheelchair-friendly homes are more spacious and luxurious. For example, wider corridors and doors. If you are not in a wheelchair, the extra space in the hall can be used for a sturdy shoe rack.

Patrick: 'You can see it as extra living quality. The word 'lifetime-compatible' tends to frighten people a little, while every square metre counts for home buyers. Every home is a compromise between necessary spaces like bathrooms and storage rooms, and living areas. The larger the living space, the more popular the homes. It is thus a matter of marketing: lifetime-compatible homes are actually homes with a lot of space and flexibility.'

If you need care in your own home, then, besides extra space, you will also need a digital connection with informal carers or home carers. Patrick works on the Smart Living programme at Heijmans. Heijmans' new single-family homes feature standard home controls, whereby buyers have the option of a working internet connection as early as at the moment of delivery. Matters like lighting and heating can be controlled remotely via an app or remote control. The main aim is to improve comfort and security, and to monitor and possibly modify energy consumption.