As the number of U.S. homeowners age 55 and over grows in the coming years, the market for aging-in-place home improvements will grow, according to a blog post by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (HJCHS).

These aging-in-place improvements include structural modifications to improve home accessibility as well as smart technology systems that improve safety, security and climate controls. In Remodels that Include Home Automation Can Help Older Adults Age in Place, HJCHS Research Assistant Sophia Wedeen writes that home improvement spending by homeowners 55 and older has increased 152 percent in the last 20 years, and makes up more than half of all remodeling spending in the U.S.

A recent HJCHS survey showed that 30 percent of remodelers were devoting at least half of their projects to helping customers age in place. Another 29 percent of contractors said that 25 to 49 percent of their business focused on aging in place, Wedeen wrote.

Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, keyless entry and automatic lighting were among the products used to make like easier for older homeowners or improve their security or safety.  Aging-focused remodeling companies reported they installed safety and security products in 94 percent of their projects, climate control products in 83 percent and lighting, electric and shade controls in 67 percent, she wrote.

According to the survey, the four most popular rooms for automated systems were: living rooms, kitchens, home offices and garages. To find out more, read the blog and view the associated survey data.