Services
The RL Mace Universal Design Institute's work manifests the belief that all environments and products, to the greatest extent possible, should and can be usable by everyone regardless of age, ability, or circumstance. The Institute advances the concept of universal design in all design disciplines, including those that work on housing, public-use buildings, outdoor, and urban environments and related products.
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The Institute’s principal, Richard Duncan, has had a long career in the design of accessible and universal environments. The Institute’s staff has a wealth of expertise in universal design and accessibility codes and standards with an emphasis on human function, architecture and planning. The Institute has developed technical and policy documents and a wide range of graphic and multimedia material to explain technical specifications in context of the environment. The Institute has a history of collaborative, multidisciplinary work: research, plan review, development of new plans, survey instruments, photo documentaries, product designs, state agency policies, demonstration houses, and educational programs.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
PLAN REVIEW
We provide design assistance, design research, and design development of your plans to align with universal or accessible design
Consulting
Helping you understand and work with ADA and Fair Housing compliance analysis in your projects
COLLABORATION
Working with builders and manufactuers to include universal design and accessaible design in their projects
EDUCATION
Creation and distribution of educational publications, instructional materials, presentations, courses, and modules to increase knowledge of the applications of accessible and universal design
OUR CLIENTS INCLUDE:
AARP
NC AARP
AARP Puerto Rico
American Bath Group
American Occupl Therapy Association
Bermuda Society for the Blind
Better Living Design Institute
Bobrick Washroom Equipment
Calloway Johnson Moore & West
Carolina Meadows
Carousel Shopping Mall
Chatham County Council on Aging
City of Greenville, NC
Essential Luxuries
Evan Terry Associates
Freedom Shelf
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Global Universal Design Commission
Healthy Aging Network
HEWI
Home Access Professionals
Home Innovation Research Lab
Home Matters
Interior Design Society
Legal Aid of North Carolina
National Association of Home Builders
National NeighborWorks Association
North Carolina Center on Disability and Health
Safe Living Solutions
Starkloff Disability Institute
University of Southern California
University of Washington
Vortant Technologies
West Auckland Council, New Zealand
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TESTIMONIALS
ROSALYN,
CE PLANNER
Richard was the HIGHEST rated speaker, earning 5.0 out of 5.0 on the Likert scale rating. Kudos! Thanks again for sharing your expertise!
ROBERT D,
NC HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY
I have known and worked with Dick Duncan, Leslie Young and Rex Pace for at least 12 years. The late Ron Mace and his colleagues and successors have helped us develop design standards for the housing we finance, and often provided speakers for training events and conferences under our sponsorship. The Institute staff is thought of in the affordable housing finance industry as the ultimate authority.
NATALIE D,
MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Thank you so much for taking the time to consult with me last week. Having a research entity available to provide information and clarity to standards is very valuable to our communities as it affects what our businesses produce for the public. You were extremely gracious in the time and resources you provided us to enable us to better assess our situation here at Parata.
KIMBERLY A. ADLER,
INTERIM STATE DIRECTOR
Thanks to your partnership we successfully reached hundreds of older Delawareans with important information on features to look for when buying or building a new home and gadgets and tools to help make life easier in their existing home as they age.
MICHAEL PAUSE,
PROFESSOR OF ART AND DESIGN
Thank you for all you did to schedule and present the universal design orientations for the first year Design students. As you have done consistently, the presentations were excellent. Each studio responded to the breadth, clarity, and comfort and ease of the sessions. Your initiative to start and sustain these orientations has been a deeply meaningful addition to
the first year curriculum for our Design students. The Design Fundamentals faculty are very appreciative of your efforts.