Inclusive design
How should inclusive design be defined? The British Standards Institute defines it as an ‘approach to the design of the environment, including buildings and their surround spaces, to ensure that they can be accessed and used by everyone’.
It’s important to add that ‘inclusivity’ might be more all-encompassing than you first think. Everyone will experience limited mobility at some point in their lives, whether as a tourist carrying bulky and heavy luggage, a parent with a child in a pram or pushchair, an older person, or someone that might have suffered a recent injury. We need buildings that can be easily used by all people.
A building environment with inclusivity in mind must meet the needs of everyone – no exceptions. From architects, manufacturers and specifiers, to consultants, building owners and facilities managers, everyone involved in building design and construction has a responsibility to ensure an environment can meet the needs of its users. Doing so allows everyone to enjoy the following benefits in buildings…
1. A welcoming environment for all
2. Responsive to people’s needs
3. Intuitive to use
4. Offers flexible options, depending on the user’s requirements
5. Optimises independence
What factors are driving inclusive design?
Ageing population – By 2037, over 65s will account for nearly a quarter of the UK’s population
Purchasing power – 83% of those with a disability have walked away from making a purchase, unable or unwilling to do so
Disabilities – Over 11 million people working in the UK have a limiting long-term illness, impairment or disability
Regulation – Access for all is required to comply with the Equality Act, National Planning Policy, and the other standards and building regulations governing accessibility
Stronger communities – Not only is it the right thing to do, but inclusive design facilitates the involvement of everyone in contemporary life, contributing to a richer, more diverse society
3 policies you need to know
BS 8300-2:2018
A British Standard setting out how buildings should be designed, constructed and maintained to create an inclusive environment for all. The update in 2018 saw the emphasis shift from an ‘accessible’ environment to an ‘inclusive’ one. Essentially, those with specific needs should have these accommodated in the main space, rather than set apart in a different area.
Opening environments up to everyone
The right door opening solutions can make a dramatic difference to how inclusive a building environment is. Whether for a parent with a pushchair, a wheelchair user, or a person with reduced muscle or grip strength, carefully considering door opening products can make a real difference to the inclusivity of a space.
One common challenge is opening and closing forces. For example, BS 8300-2:2018 states that to enable independent access through a door, the opening force – when measured at the leading edge of the door – should be no greater than 30 N, when moving from the closed position to 30° open. Then, the opening force required from 30° to 60° should be no more than 22.5 N. Finally, the maximum closing force exerted by a controlled door closing should be between 0° and 15° of final closure.
Many can feel overwhelmed when trying to specify solutions that meet these needs, and it’s important to be aware that some suppliers will take advantage of this. For instance, some will claim to offer compliant door closer solutions by winding the door closer and its spring setting down to power setting EN1. However, while this will make it easier for a user to open a door, it will not provide the necessary closing force – a problem that is particularly critical when it comes to fire doors.
As such, this approach is not in line with policies governing inclusive design. Any organisation recommending this as a potential solution is, in short, wrong. Should there be an incident, the fallout of following this advice could be potentially very serious.
Inclusive design – why should you care?
Imagine a world that is not designed for you. Being confronted each day by buildings that are a challenge for you to access and use. Over time, imagine the impact this would have on your confidence, and how it would limit your independence.
All people should be able to access and use a building and its facilities easily, comfortably, and independently.
To help provide you with all the information you need to know around inclusive design, we have created a dedicated white paper on this topic. Titled Inclusive design – why should you care?, the white paper provides an overview of everything that’s important to understand on meeting inclusive design requirements.
What are the main policies governing inclusive design that you need to understand? What is the potential fallout of non-compliance? What considerations do you need to bear in mind for accessible entrances, manually operated, non-powered entrance doors, and internal doors? And how can inclusive design help you manage fire safety risks?