 Universal design principles are nothing new… These principles look at the design of the environment, products, services, communications and buildings that accommodate all people inclusively, taking into account their differences, whether they are aging, disabled or able-bodied.
If we continue to design and build buildings with access at the forefront we will undoubtedly accommodate a greater range of people and become a more inclusive society. Here are a few examples where we need to be more accessible, some affecting me personally.
All of this leads me to question why we even have a New Zealand standard (NZS4121: 2001) for the design of access and facilities for people with disabilities? Aren't these design principles supposed to be universal? This standard is also fifteen years old in its current version. It could be time for a dust off! Lifemark was set up some years ago to promote whole of life housing design principles, it’s voluntary and the accessible standards for housing have not changed one bit! As part of our accessibility training solutions, we cover a lot of information to ensure the buildings you design, build and inspect are more inclusive and accessible to all, so you can be the best at what you do. These courses are bench-marked to international standards through close liaison with internationally acknowledged accessibility experts and authorities. Find out more HERE.
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We’re half way through the year… How far have you come with your professional development so far?24/6/2016  As July approaches it’s probably a good time to look back on those career and professional goals you set yourself at the beginning of the year… Are you where you wanted to be? How are you going with your training plan?
At Building Networks we’re running courses every month to help you with your professional development; here’s a list of what’s coming up Upcoming events - Book now – Attend later
Details for each course HERE Online Training Courses Join a group for a webinar series where you can learn from your desk. Check it out HERE E-Learning Packages For keeping up with your CPD points and skills maintenance at a time-place that suits you. Check it out HERE In-house On-Demand For teams who want to take their learning to a new level and improve business performance Check it out HERE VIP day For the individual who wants one to one personal training and mentoring so they can take improve their personal performance. Check it out HERE  Where have people with disabilities gone in existing buildings?Well they are still here but I’m not sure that the built environment has kept up with demand. New buildings are supposed to comply 100% and old buildings undergoing renovations and retrofitting are supposed to be assessed for how close they get to compliance with current Code. The same assessment is done with Fire and yet Fire seems to win over from access. Earthquake strengthening costs have further compromised the discussion about providing better accessibility. And as for fire evacuation – people with disabilities in NZ just have to wait to be rescued.
The good news is that as building owners and tenants are considering their health and safety risks in their buildings and surrounds it leads to questions about universal access for all which in turn benefits people with disabilities. I have been asked to deliver training in this space on how to conduct access audits on existing buildings. Please find a list of upcoming courses and content below. As an aside, New Zealand is not alone in its failure to address fully accessibility in the built environment. A recent article on the UK RICS website identified ten often overlooked items in new developments that can dramatically affect ease of access and use. Read the article HERE. |
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