Inclusive Environments (Level 1)

Question 1

What does the NPPF define Inclusive Design?

Answer 1

The NPPF defines ‘inclusive design’ as “designing the built environment, including buildings and their surrounding spaces, to ensure that they can be accessed and used by everyone.”

Question 2

Which section of building regulations relates to Inclusive Design?

Answer 2

Part M of Building Regulations sets out minimum requirements to ensure that a broad range of people are able to access and use facilities within buildings

Question 3

What is the definition of an inclusive environment?

Answer 3

One that can be accessed and used safely, easily and with dignity by everyone’, ‘does not physically or socially segregate, discriminate or isolate’ and ‘is well designed, functional, efficient and sustainable, and delivers an enhanced user experience’.

Question 4

What is BS 8300?

Answer 4

BS 8300
- a British Code of Practice that sets out the requirements of how buildings should be designed, constructed and maintained to meet the needs of disabled people as well as create an accessible and inclusive environment for them

• goes beyond the minimum requirements set out in the Approved Document Part M (Building Regulations, 2022)

Question 5

In relation to end users and potential needs, explain the principles of direct and indirect discrimination and unconscious bias.

Answer 5

Direct Discrimination - Direct discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly because of a protected characteristic, such as sex or race

Indirect Discrimination - Indirect discrimination is when there’s a practice, policy or rule which applies to everyone in the same way, but it has a worse effect on some people than others

Question 6

What are key requirements for inclusive environments?

Answer 6

• Welcoming to everyone.
• Responsive to people’s needs.
• Intuitive to use.
• Flexible.
• Offer choice when a single design solution cannot meet all user needs.
• Convenient so they can be used without undue effort or special separation and so that they maximise independence.

Question 7

What is inclusive or universal design?

Answer 7

Inclusive Design - inclusive design (also called universal design) makes places usable by everyone, regardless of age, ability and circumstance

Question 8

What is economic inequality?

Answer 8

Economic Inequality - Economic inequality is the unequal distribution of income and opportunity between different groups in society.

Question 9

What is social cohesion?

Answer 9

Social Cohesion - refers to the extent of connectedness and solidarity among groups in society.

Question 10

What is gentrification?

Answer 10

the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, often displacing current inhabitants in the process

Question 11

What issues does gentrification cause?

Answer 11

• Social unrest
• Pricing out of existing inhabitants
• Tension between new and existing residents

Question 12

What are the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010?

Answer 12

• Age
• Disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation

Question 13

What does the Equality Act 2010 provide?

Answer 13

Equality Act (2010)

• Legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society
• requires employers and bodies providing services to anticipate the need for reasonable adjustments so as not to discriminate against disabled people

Question 14

What does the Equality Act (2010) say in relation to reasonable adjustments?

Answer 14

Requires employers and bodies providing services to anticipate the need for reasonable adjustments so as not to discriminate against disabled people

There are two types (below) of reasonable adjustment duty:

1. the “anticipatory” duty towards disabled people generally, applying even before an individual disabled person presents themself, on service providers such as shops, banks, hospitals etc,
2. the reasonable adjustment duty on employers which is focused on disadvantage to an individual disabled person.

Question 15

Who enforces the Equality Act (2010)?

Answer 15

Equality Act is enforced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission

Question 16

What are examples of auxiliary aids and services?

Answer 16

• qualified interpreters.
• notetakers.
• screen readers.
• Computer Aided Real-Time Transcription (CART)
• written materials.
• telephone handset amplifiers.
• assistive listening devices.

Question 17

How do the Equality Act 2010 and Building Regulations relate to each other?

Answer 17

Building Regulations (2022)

Part M of Building Regulations sets out minimum requirements to ensure that a broad range of people are able to access and use facilities within buildings – enforces the equality act

Question 18

What does Regulation 9 of the Equality Act (2010) say?

Answer 18

Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Act provides that in certain circumstances it is lawful for an employer to apply a requirement to have a particular protected characteristic where, having regard to the nature or context of the work

Question 19

What are the requirements under the Public Sector Equality Duty
(PSED)?

Answer 19

What must public authorities do to comply with the duty?
- eliminate unlawful discrimination.
- advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who don’t.
- foster or encourage good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who don’t

Question 20

Who does the PSED apply to?

Answer 20

The public sector equality duty is a duty on public authorities to consider or think about how their policies or decisions affect people who are protected under the Equality Act. Private organisations and individuals don’t have to comply with the duty

Question 21

What is an Access Statement?

Answer 21

An Access Statement sets out how a new building or environment will achieve inclusive design standards thus enabling access for disabled.

Question 22

How many parts is Part M of the Building Regulations split into and what does each relate to?

Answer 22

Split into:
- Visitable Dwellings
- Accessible and adaptable dwellings
- Wheelchair used dwellings
- Access to and use of buildings other than dwellings

Question 23

What happens if you deviate from Part M and a user is subject to substantial disadvantage as a result of design?

Answer 23

Breach of the building regulations is a criminal offence and action may be taken under Section 35 of the Building Act 1984 against a person who contravenes them.

If convicted, that person can be fined up to £5,000 for each offence, and may also have to pay a daily fine if the default continues after conviction

Question 24

What is BS 8300?

Answer 24

BS 8300 is a British Code of Practice that sets out the requirements of how buildings should be designed, constructed and maintained to meet the needs of disabled people as well as create an accessible and inclusive environment for them

Question 25

What key design principles can be used to achieve inclusive
environments?

Answer 25

Inclusive – so everyone can use it safely, easily and with dignity

Responsive – taking account of what people say they need and want

Flexible – so different people can use it in different ways

Convenient – so everyone can use it without too much effort or separation

Accommodating for all people, regardless of their age, gender, mobility, ethnicity or circumstances

Welcoming – with no disabling barriers that might exclude some people

Realistic – offering more than one solution to help balance everyone’s needs and recognising that one solution may not work for all

Question 26

What is a FRA?

Answer 26

Fire Risk Assessment - If you are responsible for a building, for example a employer, owner or occupier of premises that aren’t a ‘single private dwelling’ (a private home), you need to make sure a suitably competent person completes a Fire Risk Assessment

Question 27

How often must a FRA be reviewed?

Answer 27

there are no specific time periods for how often fire risk assessments must be done or reviewed. It states that the responsible person for assessments in your building must review it ‘regularly’ to make sure it’s up to date

Question 28

What is a PEEP?

Answer 28

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)

The aim of a PEEP is to provide people who cannot get themselves out of a building unaided with the necessary information and assistance to be able to manage their escape to a place of safety and to ensure that the correct level of assistance is always available.

Question 29

What should a PEEP contain?

Answer 29

Should contain details of the necessary escape route(s). Clear unobstructed gangways and floor layouts should be considered at the planning stage

Question 30

How does the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (2005) relate to inclusive environments?

Answer 30

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 also places a duty on businesses and employers to carry out a fire risk assessment, including requirements for the safe evacuation of disabled users

Question 31

Explain what the Changing Places campaign relates to.

Answer 31

Changing Places is a British consortium and campaign which aims to improve accessible toilet facilities.

Question 32

What is Fitwell?

Answer 32

Fitwel® is a people-centric real estate certification platform committed to building health for all

Question 33

Explain your understanding of the UK government’s Disability Strategy.

Answer 33

The National Disability Strategy sets out the government’s vision to improve the everyday lives of disabled people