NEW HOLLAND, PA.,July 14, 2010- When it came time to start the construction of the Universal Design Living Laboratory® (UDLL), the project coordinators turned to Superior Walls of the Tri-State, located in Lebanon, Ohio, for a damp-free and energy-efficient home foundation.

The national demonstration home embodies both environmentally-friendly and total-access principles to encourage universal design practices. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the UDLL in Columbus, Ohio will then be open for a month to builders, designers, architects, and the public as a model of life-enhancing design for occupants regardless of circumstance, age or abilities.

"Energy conservation is a significant feature of the UDLL plan," according to Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D. and co-owner of the project. "The energy-efficient Superior Walls foundation system supplied for this 3,500-square foot ranch-style home by Superior Walls of the Tri-State features built-in insulation bonded directly to the precast concrete."

The Superior Walls in this project create a thermal and air-sealing envelope that encloses the interior, minimizing potential for drafts and energy loss. A face shell composed of 5,000-plus-psi concrete with a low water-cement ratio will ensure moisture protection for a dry, healthy living space within the UDLL.

Superior Walls insulated precast concrete walls systems are the first and only foundations that have earned the Green Approved Product designation by the NAHB Research Center. The products use up to 70 percent less concrete in a new home than conventional foundations. Stud facings eliminate the need for additional wood framing prior to interior finishing. Using fewer materials helps reduce the carbon footprint of the new home's construction process.

Superior Walls panels are custom made to the specifications of an individual home, including built-in openings for windows and doors. Pre-engineered access for wiring or small plumbing elements along with smart stud facing for easy drywall installation are included and help speed up the installation process. Superior Walls foundation systems generally install in a day or less by certified installation crews, making it possible for builders to begin construction within 24 hours.

Universal Design Initiative
Universal design, a term coined by Ron Mace at North Carolina State University, comprises a framework for the creation of living and working spaces and products accessible to the widest possible range of occupants without need for special or separate features. Accordingly, universal design is preeminently humane, he asserts, accommodating people of all sizes, ages, and capabilities, as it ensures accessibility by removing barriers, such as steps, and providing wider doors and hallways for wheelchair users.

Rossetti's commitment to promoting Universal Design through the UDLL project was initially fueled by personal experience. "Twelve years ago, a spinal cord injury left me paralyzed from the waist down," she explains. "I came home from the hospital in a wheelchair and realized just how unaccommodating my two-story home was to me." In 2004, Rossetti and her husband, Mark Leder, began designing their home with the assistance of architect Patrick Manley and a team of experts, including nationally acclaimed kitchen and bath designer Mary Jo Peterson and interior designer Anna Lyon.

The UDLL founding partners emphasize that universal design and green building approaches in home construction are entirely compatible. In addition to conserving natural resources, green building design highlights environmental quality, i.e., products used to build homes emit fewer health endangering gases or volatile organic compounds (VOC) commonly associated with paints, stains, carpeting, wall paper, flooring adhesives, plywood, solvents, and synthetic fabrics.

Superior Walls of the Tri-State offers Superior Walls foundation products for projects in Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, along with Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky areas.