Universal Design Building Standard for INDIA: A Critical Inquiry

Recently a long time discussion among specialists about the meaning of the probabilities of failure (POF) produced by different reliability analysis methods surfaced in pipeline journals. This paper, which was a long time in the making, is a follow-up on the discussion and analyses the actual reliability level which was empirically embedded in codes for pipeline design [B31G, B31Gmod, Shell92 and Battelle (PCORRC)] and Building Standard (BR) Main Pipelines #2.05.06-85, using a real pipeline as an example. Assessment of the actual reliability level empirically embedded in BR is based on assessing the order of the quintiles of strength parameters (design values of tensile strength and yield strength of the pipe material) and load (internal pressure) on the pipeline. This approach allows direct connection of the deterministic safety coefficients used in the BR with the level of reliability of the pipelines associated with these coefficients. The actual reliability level, empirically embedded in international codes, is calculated as the probability that the limit state function (LSF) of ideal pipeline (without defects) is positive. LSF = Pf − Pop, where Pf is the failure pressure of an ideal pipe, which is estimated by any design code; Pop is the operating pressure. The failure and operating pressure are considered as random variables. The expression for this probability was obtained analytically and in closed form. Recommendations are also presented for choosing probability distributions and statistical parameters for random variables RVs. Extensive calculations permitted revealing the reliability levels which are actually present in the analyzed international pipeline design codes. In a nutshell, the paper proves that the international codes under consideration are very reliable, as they produce very safe designs of pipelines with very low POF, and, hence, provide large safety coefficients, and that the algorithm developed in the paper permits connecting the current level of pipeline degradation (in terms of POF), with its current safety coefficient, which, in this case, is a function of time. All calculating in the paper where performed using MathCAD. Illustrations of these calculations are also presented in the paper.

Universal design process is a multi-constraint task due to many user requirements and the complexities caused by the interaction of the requirements in developing design solutions. Since all universal design requirements cannot be equally satisfied, a designer must determine the relative importance and implementation order of each requirement. Prioritisation of requirements is needed, not just to ignore the least important but also to guide designers while coping with dependencies, conflicts and trade-offs between multi-attribute requirements simultaneously. Thus, this study proposes a priority-based approach for satisfying diverse users’ needs, capabilities and expectations in a design process conducted in a computer environment. The planning game technique and the analytic hierarchy process technique using a cost–value approach are the two techniques that are applied in prioritising the diverse requirements. The derived priority information is incorporated into a CAD interface with a developed plug-in tool. A universal kitchen design is chosen as a case study for the priority-based approach. The results of the acceptability studies indicate that the proposed plug-in tool is found useful, understandable, efficient, helpful and satisfactory in universal design process and can be developed for various architectural design applications.

Energy standards impact upon building performance. This paper presents a framework to develop energy standards for buildings based upon established benchmarks. The framework first optimised building design, and then used the outcome to develop energy standards for office buildings. Energy-10 was used to model and achieve energy performance targets by optimising the energy design of a single storey-building model. The outcome of optimising the model provided the basis for developing two types of energy standards—prescriptive standards and performance standards. As the developed model may not fit with other sensitivities and elements of building design, a performance scale was provided in order to present optimum and close-to-optimum designs. It was intended that this study would show how the building design optimisation, structured towards established benchmarks, could support the development of energy standards. The applicability of the performance scale is demonstrated through a case study from Bahrain.

The aging population is growing drastically all over the world. With the advent of the global era, universal design is garnering considerable interest, as the number of multicultural families is increasing, and various user classes are being created. In addition, with the advances in construction technology, architectural design is becoming more diverse, and convenience facilities are also getting distributed in various ways. As a result, more buildings need to apply universal design, indicating that various architectural information and universal design for the user class are required. Various data are needed for universal design evaluation, but there is a limit to evaluating with two-dimensional (2D) drawings. However, the limitations of 2D drawings can be overcome via building information modeling (BIM) combined with architectural data, which remarkably simplifies the universal design evaluation. This study was conducted with the aim to analyze architectural information by extracting architectural elements necessary for universal design evaluation from BIM data. It was confirmed that the calculations for universal design evaluation can be performed by 3D shape or attribute analysis using BIM data and computer programming. In order to create an automated evaluation algorithm for universal design, the evaluation methods were classified according to the universal design evaluation guide, based on building users and user diversity. In addition, even if the evaluation methods were the same by location, different points were classified by location, and evaluation items and information necessary for the evaluation were organized by category for each facility. Through this classification, we created an algorithm with seven types of methods for extracting the BIM data and comparing them by evaluation method for an automated analysis. In addition, an analysis was performed directly on the BIM design sample model using an automated evaluation algorithm. Although there were various architectural objects in the design data, evaluation was possible using algorithms. By applying the universal design evaluation and BIM data evaluation methods, we could confirm that the BIM-based universal design automation evaluation method prevents human error and is thus superior to the existing evaluation methods. Further, the automation evaluation method can contribute to BIM activation as the BIM data can be used in various studies such as design certification evaluation and automation analysis.

The universal design movement arrived in Australia well before the turn of the century. A handful of individuals, often working as lone voices, are doing their best to incorporate the concepts into their everyday work and promote the concepts more widely. As is often the case elsewhere, the term “universal design” is misunderstood and confused with special and separate designs for people with disability rather than inclusion for everyone. Compliance to legislated disability access standards has created further confusion and as a consequence many myths about universal design have emerged. Such myths have held back the implementation and understanding of universal design and inclusive practice. Australian governments at all levels have shown little interest in promoting universal design principles, save for a casual mention of the term in policy documents. This is in spite of changes to disability and ageing policies promoting more autonomy and independence for individuals. When political leadership is absent, leadership often defaults to the community, or to be precise, to a handful of people with a passion for the cause. In 2013 a chance meeting of two unrelated individuals set the wheels in motion to establish a centre for universal design in Australia. This paper charts the development and progress of the organisation through volunteer effort, harnessing community support, maintaining international connections, using social media, and establishing a resource-rich website and newsletter

The concept of aging successfully has become increasingly important as demographics shift towards an aging population. Successful aging has been defined to include (1) a low probability of disease and disease-related disability; (2) a high level of physical and cognitive functioning; and (3) an active engagement in life. The built environment can create opportunities or constraints for seniors to participate in social and productive activities. Universally designed spaces are more easily accessed and used by a spectrum of people without specialized adaptations. Thus, a universally designed environment creates opportunities for older adults to participate in these activities without the stigmatization associated with adapted or accessible designs. Providing older adults with specific universal design options (e.g., lever handle faucets) has the potential to increase the ease of completing activities of daily living, which promotes a continual engagement in life. Literature regarding universal design is promising; however, its theory requires further attention from professionals designing the built environment, evidence of the significance of its application from academics, and the embracement of its core principles from society. Overall, universal design has the potential to provide a stepping stone toward successful aging.

Purpose To synthesise current literature regarding applications of universal design (UD) to built environments that promote social participation, identify areas of agreement and areas requiring further attention and development. Occupations refer to personally meaningful activities, which people need, want or must do as part of their daily life. Materials and methods Recently published literature (January 2011–December 2017) relevant to UD and built environments, and pertaining to any discipline or professional area, were identified via a systematic search of databases in the EbscoHOST platform. The person–environment–occupation (PEO) model was chosen as a theoretical framework for the review, which included a sample of 33 peer reviewed journal articles. Results The current discourse is driven more by description, discussion, and commentary than empirical approaches; although, a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches was employed. Much of the current discourse on UD and the built environment focuses on the person and the environment, with the occupations carried out in built environments and the interaction between these domains not referred to in much detail. Conclusions Including occupations, social participation, multi- and trans-disciplinary collaboration, and multicultural perspectives in the ongoing discourse around UD would enable the concept to reach its full potential as a medium for social justice. Implications for Rehabilitation The universal design (UD) process must account for the occupations that people perform in the built environment. Multi-disciplinary research and development, using multiple methods, is the most appropriate approach to investigate the application of UD to the built environment. Key areas of contention within the current discourse include meaningful inclusion of non-professional stakeholders, tensions between embracing and eliminating diversity and how professional education should be delivered.

In accordance with federal legislation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) bas conducted a project to demonstrate use of its Interim Energy Conservation Standards for New Federal Residential Buildings. The demonstration is the second step in a three-step process: development of interim standards, demonstration of the interim standards, and development of final standards. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) collected information from the demonstration project and prepared this report under a contract with DOE. The purpose of the standards is to improve the energy efficiency of federal housing and increase the use of nondepletable energy sources. In accordance with the legislation, the standards were to be performance-based rather than prescribing specific energy conservation measures. The standards use a computer software program called COSTSAFR which individualizes the standards based on climate, housing type, and fuel costs. The standards generate minimum energy-efficiency requirements by applying the life-cycle cost methodology developed for federal projects, For the demonstration, the DOE chose live federal agency housing projects: four military housing projects and one project for the Department of Health and Human Services. DOE and PNL worked with agency housing procurement officials and designers/architects to hypothetically apply the interim standards to each housing project. PNL conducted extensive interviews with the federal agencies and design contractors to determine what impacts the standards would have on the existing agency procurement process as well as on designers. Overall, PNL found that the interim standards met the basic intent of the law. Specific actions were identified, however, that DOE could take to improve the standards and encourage the agencies to implement them. Agency personnel and designers expressed similar concerns about the standards: the minimum efficiency levels established by the standards were lower than expected and the standards did not provide an easy way to incorporate new energy-efficient and renewable resource tec.:hnolog:ies like solar heating systems. Agency personnel said the standards would fit into current procurement procedures with no big changes or cost increases, Many said the standards would decrease the time and effort they now spend to establish energy-efficiency requirements and to confirm that proposed designs comply with those requirements. Agency personnel praised the software and documentation for being easy to use and providing energy-efficiency requirements in energy dollars. Housing designers agreed that the DOE standards were easy to use to determine that their designs meet energy-efficiency goals. Many felt the information provided by the standards could be useful in the design process. Based on the demonstration, PNL recommends establishing task forces that will actively involve agency personnel and others in future revisions and development of the final standards. PNL also recommends that DOE and federal agencies investigate the use of market fuel and energy prices in the standards, rather than the prices paid by the agencies, to better reflect actual costs. A number of recommendations are made for improving communications between DOE and the users of the standards and for enhancing tools to implement the standards. Several recommendations are made for increasing the number of renewable resources that are included in the standards. Finally, PNL recommends ongoing monitoring activities to continue to identify ways in which the standards can be improved.

This project aimed to scope existing methods of evaluating the application of universal design to built environments and to explore relevant knowledge of key stakeholders, such as architects, access consultants and people who experience disability. The project commenced in 2017. Ethics approval was gained and a mixed methods approach was employed. Methods of data collection included electronic survey and in-depth interview. Early survey findings are reported in this paper. A descriptive approach was used to analyse quantitative data. A total of 157 survey responses were received from across Australia (83%) and internationally (16.6%). Preliminary findings indicate that most survey respondents (72%) had been involved in the process of applying universal design to the design of built environments. Although evaluating the application of universal design was rated as "extremely important" by 85% of respondents, only 36% had such experience. Of these, 74% had used specific tools for this purpose. Non-standardised checklists and access audits were the most frequently used and preferred tools. Overall, stakeholders perceived themselves to have 'some knowledge' on universal design theory and application. This project offers insight into how universal design is understood and applied to the design of built environments. Findings suggest that evaluation is less common than application and that there is a need to strengthen existing methods of evaluation to provide greater detail on universal design processes and outcomes.

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Several research institutions and universities have taken on the challenge of providing solutions for accessible and universally designed workplace accommodations with a focus on people with disabilities. Accessible Design is a subset of what is termed Universal Design. Where Universal Design covers the design of products, systems and environments for all people and encompasses all design principles, Accessible Design focuses on principles that extend the standard design process to those people with some type of performance limitation. In order for individuals with disabiltities to gain better access to the work environments and the products that facilitate independence, health, safety, and social participation a multi-disciplined approach to the research is needed to identify needs and challenges of the targeted population.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Georgia Institute of Technology and its Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) were participants in CAESAR the surface anthropometric data collection project. Data from both the CAESAR study and research generated from the Anthropometry for the Disabled project from SUNY Buffalo as well as principle of Universal Design developed at the University of North Carolina will be utilized to supplement activities for a recent grant received by CATEA to assist people with disabilities in the workplace. In keeping with President Bush's New Freedom Initiative to promote full access to community life for all Americans, Karen Milchus principle investigator for the Workplace Accommodations research grant says, (qtd. In Georgia Tech's “The Whistle”)</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"> <div class="quote"> <div class="htmlview paragraph">“The primary objective of the research is to identify, design and develop new assistive devices and universally designed technologies that will enable all individuals, particularly those with disabilties, to achieve the greatest degree of independence and integration in the workplace.”</div> </div> </div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The Center provides the expertise and information needed to assess and understand the requirements for people with disabiltities in the workplace. The evaluation of existing workplace products and services and archival studies of successful or unsucessful employment outcomes are a small sampling of the research being implemented in the project. Another area of focus will be showing designers how accessible features can be incorporated into their mainstream workplace products so that all emplyees can benefit from them while improving their productivity. Improving the effectiveness of the research through the use of new tools is key to the project. Some of the initial projects include the use of computer human modeling and anthropometry which offers significant benefits through analyses of the workplace accomodations for people with disabiltities. In the creation of DHM manikins for those with disabilties certain adaptations and new developments that incorporate characteristics and attributes of users with disabilities will be outlined in this research. Current off the shelf DHM tools are being evaluated for effectiveness in meeting the needs of a project of this scope. Moreover, this project will help to identify needs and features of DHM tools that are designed to address issues involving disability. Assessing human performance and evaluating tasks through simulations will be a critical component and advantage through the use DHM software tools. It is important to discuss the limitations of current off the shelf DHM software tools in addressing the needs of the disabled. The Workplace Accommodations project is ongoing and will be for the next five years. The recommendations and resulting developments will generate new bodies of research, products and tools to address the Universal Design of Workplace Accommodations. Using DELMIA's Human Modeling Solution V5R9, NexGen, Anthropos, and Surface Scan data in preliminary evaluations confirms the contributions that DHM plays in meeting the goals of this project. I will discuss establishing a methodology needed to understand issues of those with physical limitations while focusing on needs and adaptations of DHM manikins that are based on anthropometrics data gathered from a pool of subjects with varying attributes and characteristics representative of those with disabilities.</div>

Purpose: Studies suggest that the concept of universal design (UD) is not widely accepted and that some of its ideas are received rather sceptically. This article confronts the concept of UD with prevailing notions and practices of design. It examines how UD can be situated relative to design in general, and explores whether elements in the nature of design can help us explain this scepticism. Methods: The article confronts writings about how design is understood with the concept and ideas of UD. This confrontation is substantiated with examples from studies of design processes in architectural design practice. Results: The confrontation highlights the ambiguity of how UD is framed and presented, ranging from an attitude over something utopian to a normative design domain. Conclusions: (1) Besides UD other attitudes are thinkable that address the diversity in human abilities and conditions. (2) The impossibility to really design for everyone may be inherent to design rather than characteristic of UD. (3) Even if UD as a normative design domain were a top priority, the question remains how to assess whether a design is universally usable given the nature of design (problems), and prevailing design practices.Implications for RehabilitationUnderstanding disability as originating in the interaction between features of an individual's body and features of his/her environment, as universal design does, implies that rehabilitation specialists need to consider the context in which a person lives.Besides striving for independence, self-reliance and individualism, rehabilitation specialists may consider other attitudes to address the diversity in human abilities and conditions.Designers do not have direct access to the perspective of the people they design for. Assessing whether a design is universally accessible may benefit from expertise of rehabilitation specialists.

Affordable housing for low-income older adults is in significant demand in the United States. Housing options available, however may not recognize how design can support social infrastructure in addition to basic physical accessibility. The aim of this research was to provide an analysis of the efficacy of the planning and design principles applied to a recently constructed cooperative living home. The goal was assess the universal design (UD) of features that supported aging in place, and, to inform the planning of future projects for the community. A post-occupancy evaluation process was conducted at the home, and all five residents consented to structured focus group discussions as well as individual interviews regarding their specific experiences living in the home. An environmental assessment was completed through detailed field notes, measurements, and photo documentation. An analysis of specific features of each room of the home was then assessed by the seven UD principles. Results revealed the specific features of each space that contributed to the completion (or the limitations) of basic activities of daily living as well as instrumental activities of daily living. These assessments were validated through feedback provided by the users. Many features of the home were found to be positive and supportive of equitable use by all residents. Other design attributes that could be improved were related to size and space for approach and use, and providing flexibility in use. Specific design changes based on resident input, such as kitchen function, storage safety, and lighting details, are highlighted and discussed.

Purpose Co-design aims to strengthen design outcomes by meaningfully engaging users in design processes. To enhance architectural accessibility, there is increased interest in engaging people with disability in co-design processes. However, little is known about how co-design is implemented in the design of large-scale public buildings, what outcomes are achieved and what factors influence the meaningful participation of people with disability in architectural co-design. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was employed to explore stakeholder perspectives on a co-design initiative undertaken to enhance the universal design of a civic precinct in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants – five architects, three City Council employees and one Council Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee member. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. This approach identified key themes that encapsulated participants’ experiences and perceptions of co-design with people with disability to enhance the universal design of a public building. Findings Four overarching themes were identified from the analysis: (1) Co-design is shaped by those involved; (2) Co-design must be meaningful and inclusive; (3) Co-design and universal design must be prioritised throughout design stages; and (4) Co-design leads to improved design and capacity building. Originality/value This study contributes new knowledge about the practice of co-design in the context of large-scale public architecture. It provides valuable insight into the experiences of architects, people with disability and local government stakeholders, revealing both the complexities and potential of inclusive co-design. Findings also suggest a reciprocal relationship between universal design and co-design whereby application of one approach may strengthen application of the other.

Widespread population ageing (Keates and Clarkson, 2004) has increased the importance of considering older and disabled people in the design process and reducing their exclusion from product usage. Accordingly, approaches such as ‘inclusive design’, ‘universal design’ and ‘design for all’ have been developed to help designers to include different user groups in design. Inclusive design research understands users’ abilities, needs and expectations, strives to relate the whole range of users’ capabilities to the properties of product interfaces, and aims to optimise design for maximum accessibility and minimise the effort required in using products. Currently, companies start to adopt a more inclusive approach to design led by a twofold moral and financial incentive. Previous research has shown that designers can provide good interaction in products by paying more attention to mental models of users, prior tacit knowledge, interface metaphors, affordances and mappings (Krippendorff, 1989; Norman, 2002). It is believed that inclusive interaction in products can be achieved by means of minimising the sensory, cognitive and motor effort required for product usage, facilitating simplicity and intuitiveness, providing perceptible information and enhancing user satisfaction (Langdon et al., 2010). To support designers in designing more inclusively, tools that foster understanding of sensory, motor and cognitive difficulty with product interactions are required. While the most valid technique will always be to have users interact with the product in question, a variety of constraints mean that this will not always be possible.

The study consisted of examining universal design principles and applying selected interventions with the goal of solving accessibility issues in the settlement of Trbovlje. As a result of the investigative process and the layered spatial data concerning universal design theory, it was possible to propose the dynamics for the implementation of the design solutions. Deliberate selection of only specific universal design features as a pragmatic decision is what ensures the proposed solution's real-world application value. Subdividing a wholistic design into temporal phases secures a more feasible and pragmatic approach to reach the end goal while still preserving the full functionality of each individual phase immediately and thus its effectiveness. Such a systemic approach is proposed as a way of creating a more focused overview of the settlement, making a better design for the solution of specific issues, assessing these solutions, and implementing them in selected places. This approach and thinking present itself as a good method of granting universal accessibility that could be adopted as a mandatory part of any urban plan.