The AODA has standards for the design of public spaces, but no standards for accessibility in other built environments. However, the Third Review of the AODA recommends improvements to all standards and laws governing buildings and public spaces. In addition, the review recommends that future AODA standards should align with existing standards in other parts of the country. For instance, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) have developed federal standards for accessibility in the built environment. Future AODA standards may include some or all of these guidelines and requirements to make buildings more accessible. In this article, we explore guidelines in the federal built environment standards for removing functional, cognitive, and environmental barriers in buildings.
Removing Functional, Cognitive, and Environmental Barriers in Buildings
Buildings should be functional for everyone to use easily. For example, buildings should have simple and logical layouts. Moreover, building features should be consistent. For example, in buildings with more than one (1) floor, washrooms should be in the same place on each floor. Likewise, signage should have the same:
- Placement
- Shape
- Size
- Colour
In addition, acoustics should reduce noise levels. Likewise, lighting should be consistent throughout buildings. On one hand, lighting along hallways should be even. On the other hand, people should be able to adjust lighting in rooms or workspaces.
Similarly, people should be able to adjust temperatures easily through thermostats. In addition, buildings should have good air circulation.
Furthermore, information should be accessible in as many formats as possible. For example, elevator buttons should include:
- Symbols, such as a star to indicate the main floor
- Numbers in:
- Large or raised print
- Braille
Elevators should also have audio and visual announcements to indicate which floor they have reached.
These requirements for removing barriers in buildings align with principles of universal design, such as simple and intuitive use, and perceptible information.
Buildings should be free from barriers for people with environmental sensitivities. For example, building designers should avoid compromising air quality when they choose materials for:
- Construction
- Furniture
- Decoration
Likewise, builders should provide enough ventilation so that people have fresh air. For instance, this ventilation could be natural or mechanical. Moreover, ventilation should also minimize the effects of other contaminants in the air, including:
- Gases
- Dust
- Volatile organic compounds
These requirements align with recommendations in two (2) reviews of the AODA to remove ongoing barriers that impact the safety and well-being of people with environmental sensitivities (ES).