A new voluntary building code to improve living standards for people of all ages has been welcomed by industry bodies.
The Federal Government this month launched the Universal Housing Design Standards that will include wider doorways, ground level bathrooms and entry-level access for all new homes - about 140,000 homes a year nationally.
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten said Livable Design aimed to build houses that could be adapted to meet the changing needs of residents over their lifetime.
He added that it would become increasingly important as Australia's population aged and disability became more common.
"These are houses which are easier to live in, can be adapted more cheaply, and will be easier to sell," Mr Shorten said.
"Livable Housing Design is housing which meet the needs of all people, including people with disability and senior Australians," Mr Shorten said.
"Families with young children, anyone who suffers a temporary injury, or has a friend with disability to stay the night, will also benefit from Livable Design.
"A few simple design features, such as a reinforced bathroom walls, a flat entry to the house and wide corridors and doorways can make a home suitable for an older person or a person with a disability at minimal cost."
The industry has also agreed to a set of voluntary guidelines for housing, which will be used to inform consumers and the industry about Universal Design, and increase its application.
Although the standards are voluntary, key industry groups including the Property Council, Master Builders Australia and the Housing Industry Association have supported them and committed to the 2020 target.
Property Council CEO Peter Verwer said that developing the guidelines had been a great example of collaboration between the industry and the disability sector.
"Livable Housing has great potential for the future. It has low costs and huge returns both for homeowners and the broader community."
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) research shows that between 1981 and 2003, the number of people with a disability more than doubled from 1.9 million to 3.9 million.
The ABS estimates that the number of Australians with disabilities will continue to increase through the first half of this century, due to the ageing of Australia's population.
The voluntary Livable Housing Design guidelines consist of three levels: Silver, Gold and Platinum and outline the key features required to meet each standard.
The requirements of the Silver standard are as follows:
Architectural advisory firm Archicentre remarked that the standards outlined in the Cradle To Grave Housing Guidelines have the potential to help remove traditional hazards such as falls and climbing of stairs - both danger areas for toddlers and older residents.
Edward Lukac, South Australian spokesperson for Archicentre suggests the guidelines could also be applied to renovations, since they represent a positive and cost-saving safety strategy as well as enhancing the value of the property when it is sold.