AccessAbility discussion reveals progress, challenges in accommodating built environment for individuals with disabilities Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer Are Canadian buildings truly becoming more accessible to individuals with disabilities? Several speakers at a panel discussion AccessAbility: Social Integration by Design at Carleton University in Ot- tawa say, indeed, progress is being made, but there are gaps, failures and inconsistencies in the results. There are challenges in changing building codes and provincial accessibility legislation guidelines, but there is evidence that accessible design does not need to be ex- pensive and in fact can create significant market advan- tages for commercial developers. The event, co-ordinated by the Construction Specifica- tions Canada Ottawa chapter chair Sonia Zouari, attracted more than 130 visitors in a meeting area stage designed to accommodate disabilities. “Our gathering this evening is exactly the right thing to do and this is the right time,” Zouari said. “Any time is the right time for taking steps in approaching disability differ- ently; approaching it far more inclusively, with a more re- spectful recognition of the value and the fragility of life. We are all at risk. No one is immune.” Speaker Allen Mankewich, from the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (CCDS) based in Winnipeg, described re- sults from the CCDS VisitAbility Project – an entry level ap- proach to developing accessible housing at reasonable cost. 14 – May-June 2016 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report The project developed designs for a Winnipeg subdivi- sion with a “no-step entrance,” with provisions for a ground floor accessible washroom and barrier free design inside. The project developed 1,200 single family “visitable homes” – and the neighbourhood became the fastest sell- ing Winnipeg community. “Visitable housing is mar- ketable,” he said. “Most stakeholders were very positive. Building professionals’ perceptions changed from being skeptical to positive.” Accessibility consultant Amy Pothier says the Ontario Building Code has higher standards than Canada’s National Building Code – the standards here aren’t as low as they are nationally, and there have been improvements in recent amendments, but they “don’t go far enough.” She said many seemingly little details have significance, such as door widths and “latch side clearances” (the clear floor space adjacent to doors). A proposed “built environment” accessibility standard to ensure compliance with AODA submitted to the provin- cial government in 2010 “didn’t make it past the proposed document” – because there wasn’t research to back up the accessibility requirements assertions, she said. But some good came out of this failure: Significant research was commissioned, including the building opening dimensions required “for wheeled mobility devices in North America – it is fantastic to provide insights into the clear floor space requirements and turning circles.” Recent building code changes are improving the story, including the requirement for elevators in buildings three- storeys or higher, depending on the use or area in the building. As well, door widths have increased from 860 to 915 cm – the seemingly tiny difference has had significant impact. “We’re changing the way we specify and look at and design doors.” The last “big ticket item, the universal washroom, has undergone tremendous and intense changes” with enough room to allow for proper “turning circles” for mobility de- vices. Roger Gervais, who specializes in both visitable housing and aging in place, explained one of the most important aspects of aging in place – the growing need for barrier free design in dwellings. “Homes are safer, more inclusive and more sustainable when architectural barriers are re- moved, and it’s far more economical when done in the de- sign of a new home,” his presentation synopsis said. He said there is a need to go beyond the myths that ac- cessible design “is ugly and is going to bring down my home’s value if I need to sell it.” Falls are a big problem. “In 2012, fire officials reported