This is a guest article by Dr Claire Flemmer, School of Built Environment, Massey University
Claire has a PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and is a Senior Lecturer at Massey University’s School of Built Environment. Her research interests include access to the Built Environment for people with disability and the performance of manual wheelchairs.

Access to New Zealand’s public buildings for people with disability

Who are the “people with disability” in New Zealand and what do they have to do with buildings?
A quarter of all New Zealanders have some type of disability that affects their mobility, vision, hearing and/or awareness. Nearly two-thirds of people with disability are aged 65 or older, so many of us will become a “person with disability”, or PWD, as we age.

New Zealand signed up to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability which states that PWDs should be able to live independently and be included in the community. That means PWDs should be able to visit all public buildings such as shops, schools, restaurants, gyms, theatres, etc. Even if you don’t have a permanent disability, there will be times in your life when you are pregnant, pushing a pram, or dealing with a broken leg, when you’ll find it hard to get around buildings.


What sort of problems do people with disability have when visiting buildings?

It depends on the type of disability:

• For mobility impairment (e.g. people in wheelchairs), the problems are narrow paths and entrances; steep ramps; inaccessible toilets; steps; kerb cuts; objects in the path.
• For vision impairment, the problems are small signs; dim lighting; low-contrast objects; obstacles or signs at body height or head height; transparent doors; lifts and elevators; lack of Braille signage.
• For hearing impairment, the problems are inaudible fire alarms, public announcements and service instructions.
• For the elderly, the problems are trip hazards; dim lighting; lack of seating and stairs.
• For people with autism, the problems are loud noises; bright lighting; crowds.

There are so many different types of disability that it quickly becomes impossible to create perfect buildings for all of them. For example, the blind and the elderly will enjoy bright lighting but people with autism will be distracted by it. Some New Zealand shops handle this by dimming the lights for a few hours once a week.

How does this affect Institute members?

Disability is a “whole of New Zealand” problem that will probably affect you, your family or your friends at some point, so the first thing everyone can do is just be more aware of the difficulties PWD have when visiting buildings. The construction industry cannot be responsible for the cost of providing better access for PWDs.

Our research aims to lobby the New Zealand government to provide subsidies for access features and to add accessibility systems to the building Warrant of Fitness along with other critical building systems. Architects and others involved in designing new buildings can use organisations such as Be.Lab to check that the access features not only meet the accessibility legislation, but are really usable by PWDs.

Building owners who make their buildings more accessible to PWDs can take advantage of the “access market” (PWDs are significant consumers) and gain increased customer loyalty and a better business reputation. The size of the elderly population is increasing particularly rapidly, so any access improvements made now will be even more useful in the future. Facilities managers and others involved in the running of buildings can play an important role in keeping the existing accessibility features maintained and including accessibility in their plans for future improvements.

How can buildings be made more inclusive for people with disability?

Here are some simple things to do:

• Prioritise the safety of PWDs with good lighting, no trip hazards, and nearby parking.
• Keep internal access routes clear of obstacles such as movable signs, bins, merchandise stands and decorative plants.
• Avoid signs and fixtures such as fire extinguishers protruding at head or body height.
• Provide good, clear signage to help PWDs find their way. Big universal signs (like arrows), with large colour contrast between symbols and background, that are placed high up where they are visible from far away are the best.
• Make sure that accessible bathrooms are not used for general storage – they are spacious because wheelchairs need extra room to turn.
• Use colour contrast doors fitted with handles or levers that are easy to use for people with limited hand function.
• Place benches to the side of access routes, on hard surfaces (not grass) with space at the end for a pram or wheelchair.
• Maintain outdoor access paths keeping them clear of vegetation (including tree roots and branches), with level surfacing, gentle kerb cuts, and ramps instead of stairs.

One last thing: Courtesy is free

One of the biggest problems PWDs have is the way they are treated by people in a building. They are ignored, shouted at, treated as though they are stupid, grasped or asked intrusive questions. If you see a PWD and aren’t sure what to do then introduce yourself, without touching them. Ask them if they want any help and how you can help them. Treat them the way you would like to be treated and remember that one day you may be living their experience!

Acknowledgement: This project is funded by the Building Research Levy provided by the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ).