POULSBO — Rick Gross of Estes Builders recently achieved the Certified Aging in Place Specialist designation after attending an education program through the educational arm of the National Association of Home Builders.

Developed to instruct homebuilders how to assess needs and identify design elements to allow clients to remain in their homes longer and enjoy a better quality of life while doing so, the training day also emphasized making homes accessible for visits from family members or guests who are not as mobile as they once were.

“In home plan design, it’s vital to pay special attention to hallway and door widths, counter top heights, stairways, and exterior access which are all key elements to allowing our clients to live in place longer,” Gross said.

In addition to this training, Estes Builders is exploring ways to utilize construction methods and components that will lessen electric bills.

“The term used in the industry is called ‘net zero energy building’,” Gross said. “The eventual goal is to eliminate electric bills all together and even produce surplus energy that can be used to power electric cars or to sell the energy back to the power company. “Estes Builders continues to explore these methods to be ready to implement these building practices.”

Estes Builders (www.estesbuilders.com) is a North Peninsula Building Association Built Green member, an Energy Star partner, two-time recipient of the National Housing Quality Award, and was named America’s Best Builder by the publisher of Builder magazine.