Architecture faculty member presents on universal design

Dorothy J. Gerring, associate professor of architecture at Pennsylvania College of Technology, was a keynote speaker at the recent Pennsylvania Housing Research Center Housing Conference.

Gerring was among three panelists who presented the conference’s keynote address, titled “Universal Design & Visitability in Our Homes From the Curb to the Closet.” Gerring is the head of Penn College’s architecture & sustainable design department. Presenting with her were Rob Gladfelter, project manager for Simone Collins Landscape Architecture and adjunct professor of landscape architecture at Temple University; and Dina Snider, principle at Strada Architecture LLC.

Dorothy J. Gerring

Gerring spoke about what universal design and visitability are and why it is important to include them in house design, even though it isn’t required by law.

“The main principle of universal design is to pay attention to the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size, ability or disability,” Gerring said. “Visitability enables anyone to visit a home and includes features such as zero or low-step entry, wider entry and main area doors, as well as an accessible guest bathroom.”

The presentation, which kicked off the two-day conference, was followed by a lively question-and-answer period.

“Pennsylvania has the third-oldest housing stock in the United States, and over 20% of Pennsylvania’s population are senior citizens. Fifty-five of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have houses with an average age of 49-80 years old,” Gerring explained. “These houses were built without any thought for accessibility or aging in place. Seventy-five percent of Americans want to grow old in their current home and/or community but will have to update their homes with renovations costing on average between $3,000-$15,000. In new construction, allowing for these modifications doesn’t cost anything additional – just careful consideration of the design.”

The PHRC Housing Conference offers two days of educational panels, talks, exhibits and events. Presentations are by invited speakers, with a focus on providing practical information and updates on issues of interest to residential construction industry professionals.

Gerring, who has taught at Penn College since 1989, is a registered architect. Her certifications include Certified Passive House Consultant and Builder (CPHC and CPHB) and LEED for Building Design and Construction. (LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green-building certification program.)

As a faculty member, Gerring has led winning student efforts in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Race to Zero competition and Solar Decathlon, recently rebranded as BuildingsNEXT.

She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from University of Arizona and a Master of Science in architecture from Penn State.

She has presented lectures to the Architectural Research Centers Consortium, the European Association of Architectural Educators, the Williamsport Preservation Society, the Thomas T. Taber Museum of the Lycoming County Historical Society, Bucknell Summer Institute on Sustainability, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Penn State, and Penn College’s Centennial Colloquia Series.

She continues to provide private-practice architectural consulting.

PHRC is housed in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State and engages with the residential construction industry to catalyze advancements in homebuilding through education, training, innovation, research and dissemination.

Penn College offers a Bachelor of Architecture, a Bachelor of Science in architecture & sustainable design, and an associate degree in architecture. To learn more about the architecture majors, call 570-327-4520.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.