Robert Reimers Architect Ltd. (RRA) is a fifteen year old practice with extensive experience in the design of non-profit facilities for seniors. We have developed sensitivity to design for a range of older resident users from fully self-supporting adults to cognitively impaired patients requiring increased care. We are working with the Abbeyfield Society on a continuing basis in assisting them to build small homes of 8-12 seniors across Canada; both through government assisted programs as well as shared equity financing. In recent years most of the seniors apartment buildings include units for the ‘frail elderly’ to permit residents to ‘age in place’.

Robert Reimers Architect Ltd. (RRA) has been in practice for over fifteen years with extensive experience in the design of special needs housing. Through working closely with a number of different types of groups we have developed an extensive knowledge of the special needs of the disabled, of women in crisis, of housing for single men and for single women. With the Abbeyfield Society of Canada we have created group homes for seniors and with the YWCA shared accommodation for single women. For Hostel Services (Durham Region) we developed a 36 bed hostel for men and 18 apartment units of stage two housing in one complex. Many of this housing required the addition of food service facilities for the residents and extensive support facilities and administration space for the staff.

Earth-sheltered design employs the earth as a major component of a building's thermal control system.  In the Canadian climate, Earth-sheltered building is the ideal form of design to manage the extreme climatic conditions.   It a depth of 4 – 5 feet, the temperature of the ground in constant all year around, and since the building envelope is in contact with the earth, conduction through the building elements (primarily walls and floor) regulates the interior temperature.  Elements incorporated into Earth-shelter design include materials with a high thermal mass (concrete, for example) and the use of passive solar features, which can maintain comfort levels by warming the thermal mass.