Abstract:

The Fair Housing Act amendments of 1988 were designed to eliminate discrimination in housing based on disability. The law applies to all multifamily housing. It requires new housing to comply with the fair housing accessibility guidelines. Owners of existing dwellings must allow residents with disabilities to make renovations that they need to accomodate their needs. Rapidly developing technology is creating a quiet revolution in controls. Understanding this technology can help pofessionals consumers and advocates utilise its potential for expanding the horizons of independent living. It is a unique area of product development that both enables the concept of universal design and demands the application of universal design principles. In 1992, there were 4,000 integrated home automation systems sold in the U.S. By 1994, there were 20,000 installed systems and it is already a market worth in excess of US$50 million. The major producers of integrated systems are Honeywell, Custom Command, Home Automation Inc and Smart House. The most desirable elements of integrated home automation systems are security, energy management and communications in that order.