Accessibility for All!!!

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Most people will inevitably suffer from accessibility issues in their lifespan. These issues would arise due to:

• Diagnosis
• Aging process
• Accidental mishaps and combat related injuries
• Lifestyle

Thanks to advances in healthcare and medical sciences, people are living longer, but not necessarily healthier. Most Americans spend roughly 90% of their time indoors which is 2.5 to 3 times more toxic than the outdoors. This is due to off-gassing VOC's from materials/finished used, bacterial contamination, poor air quality, water contamination, etc. thus affecting indoor environment quality (IEQ). 

By integrating building science thoughtfully, it is possible to create meaningful live/learn/work/play spaces. This presentation will illustrate how the principles of Universal Design (UD) help create an enabling and healthy environment. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights act that addresses issues faced by Americans with physical and mental impairments. It is applicable to about 1 in 5 Americans. ADA based design guidelines establish minimal accessibility standards.

Universal Design (UD) is applicable to the broadest spectrum of people irrespective of age, gender or abilities. UD is a multifaceted accessibility enabling paradigm (i.e. Keyless Entry, Swiss Army Knife, Smartphone, etc.). The market success of designs based on UD (i.e. smartphone, OXO grips) is undeniable and shows that such designs sell by themselves.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand UD goals and principles.
2. Identify UD 's application to spaces, products, appliances and equipment.
3. Learn how UD is applicable to technology (i.e. IOT, ICT, Assistive Tech).
4. Discover how UD is applicable to planning and design.
5. Learn how to adapt design to improve upon unfavorable dynamics, expediency in regulatory approvals and reduce life cycle cost. 

CE: 1 LU | HSW