Inclusive Environments Flashcards
What is an inclusive environment?
An environment that is designed and managed to allow people with a diverse range of needs and abilities to access and use it
An environment can mean - building / place including homes, workplaces, shops
How can environments ensure inclusivity throughout the property life cycle?
During design and/or refurbishment - it is important to ensure that accessibility is considered from various users’ perspectives, physically and socially
During a buildings occupancy, building owners, occupiers and managers must ensure that potential users of the space can reasonably do so despite any disabilities
What are factors that individuals in responsibility must be aware of?
Different physical and mental health issues which may lead to varying accessibility requirements
Factors which can lead to social isolation
Policy and legal requirements relating to accessibility including local planning policies, building regulations, Equality Act 2010 and health and safety law
Best practices relating to inclusivity in the design and management of physical spaces
The value that inclusive environments can bring to building owners and occupiers
What is the Equality Act 2010?
The Act consolidates discrimination law and provides protection against a wide range of discrimination and inequality, including the use of property as well as when dealing with people
What are the four types of illegal discrimination under the Equality Act 2010?
Direct discrimination
Indirect discrimination
Harassment
Victimization
Who is obligated under the Equality Act 2010?
- All controllers of let premises
- Building managers cannot discriminate / victimise an occupier
- Letting / sales / assignment and other forms of disposal cannot be undertaken in a way that would discriminate / harass / victimise a person
- LL need to insure when dealing with a tenant or occupier with a protected characteristic its in accordance with the Act.
Reasonable adjustments
The Act extents the existing requirement to make reasonable adjustments to help disabled people if they would be placed at a substantial disadvantage if the work was not carried out
This can be through physical access and services provided
Service providers have a duty to make alterations to a building to avoid discrimination or make an alternative provision of the service. These must be reasonable in cost, extent and disruption
The service can provider has to:
Remove or alter the feature
Or provide reasonable means of avoiding the obstacle or reasonable alternative access to the service
What are tests for reasonableness?
Effectiveness of the adjustment for the disabled person
The practicality of the adjustment
Its financial cost and likely disruption
Financial and other resources available to the service provider
Access Statement / Audit
Sets out details of access arrangements and alternative arrangements if access cannot be reasonably provided for a disabled person
Most requirements embedded in Part M of the Building Regulations
