Building a socially vibrant, healthy community for people of all ages and abilities

Residents in Fort Collins need housing options that are compatible with their changing lifestyles. IBE has been assisting Sonders as they develop Sonders Fort Collins, a new sustainable community for “active-agers” – those seeking more free time, fun, activities, and meaning in life. As part of IBE’s Lifelong Homes certification program, IBE researched evidence-based best practices for specific design and construction features that would contribute to a healthy, sustainable, age- and disability-friendly community. Over the past several years, IBE has guided the development and integration of these criteria into the planning and design of the Sonders Fort Collins community.

The community has incorporated various strategies and requirements to attain the world’s first-ever pilot Lifelong Community pre-certification. Sonders designed specific features into the community to support active, healthy, sustainable, and accessible living for all who live here, and to support the development and certification of Lifelong Homes. Lifelong Homes certification is based on criteria for design and lifestyle features that make a home safe, healthy, and accessible to people of any age or ability. Sonders is providing homebuyers with information about the Lifelong Homes features and offering to support them in pursuing pilot Lifelong Homes certification.

lifelong homes

Project Goals

  • Identify factors that contribute to an age-friendly and socially sustainable community
  • Guide the world’s first Lifelong Community pre-certification

Deliverables

  • Lifelong Homes criteria integrated into development of Sonders homes and community