Inclusive Environments - L1

Question 1

Inclusive Environments - Extract from Candidate Guide - Aug 2018 (updated Feb 2022)

Answer 1

Question 2

What are the steps in making an inclusive environment ?

Answer 2

Understanding who will use the project now and in the future, ensure to have input from the local community.

Question 3

What is the definition of an inclusive environment?

Answer 3

An inclusive environment recognises and accommodates differences in the way people use the built and natural environment. It facilitates dignified, equal and intuitive use by everyone.

Question 4

What should inclusive environments facilitate?

Answer 4

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 5

What legislation contributes to creating inclusive environments?

Answer 5

• The Equality Act 2010.
• BS 8300 Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment.
• Approved Doc M
• Approved Doc K

Question 6

What is part M of the Building Regualtions ?

Answer 6

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

It relates to the ‘ease of access to, and use of, buildings, including facilities for disabled visitors or occupants, and the ability to move through a building easily including to toilets and bathrooms’. It is split into Volume 1 Dwellings and Volume 2 Buildings other than Dwellings.

It provides specific guidance on the safe degrees of pitch for ramps and steps, as well as building dimensions and facilities to facilitate wheelchair access.

Question 7

What are the key points contained within Part M Access to and use of Buildings?

Answer 7

Volume 1 - Dwellings
• M4(1) – Category 1: Visitable Dwellings
• M4(2) – Category 2: Accessible and adaptable swellings
• M4(3) – Category 3: Wheelchair user dwellings

Question 8

What requirements are there for ramps under Part M Access to and Use of Buildings?

Answer 8

• Maximum gradient (dependant on flight, gradient and rise)
• Surface width is at least 1.5m
• Ramp surface is slip resistant

Question 9

What is the difference between ethical issues and legal requirements?

Answer 9

• Legal standards are standards that are set forth in governmental laws. All the statutes and laws that lawyers point to are legal standards. If you drive around downtown through any big city, you’ll notice parking signs all over the place telling you that you can’t park there for a long time, and they cite a city statute or code. This demonstrates a legal standard.Legal standards are useful, as they help people to know what they cannot do. With legal standards in place, authorities are allowed to enforce rules when people do something illegal. For example, if someone steals, the legal standard saying ‘you cannot steal’ is used to discipline that individual, perhaps by placing him in prison.
• Ethical standards, on the other hand, don’t necessarily have a legal basis. They are based on human principles of right and wrong. For example, when you are trying to park your car in a parking lot and there is only one parking spot left, the only legal standard you have to follow is that of not going over the speed limit or crashing into another car. Now, if you see another car about to go into that spot, though, ethical standards tell you not to fight for the spot but to give the spot to the car that was there first. It’s the right thing to do. That’s an ethical standard. Imagine if you were the one about to go into the spot, and someone quickly drove by and parked in that one spot. You would feel wronged, and yes, you were wronged, ethically speaking.
• Differences. This leads us to the biggest difference between legal and ethical standards. Ethical standards are based on human rights and wrongs, while legal standards are based strictly on what is written in law. It is very possible that an action may be legal but not ethical. As in the example of the lone parking spot, the two cars are both obeying legal standards, but the one taking away the spot from the other driver who was there first is disobeying an ethical standard.

Question 10

Why create Inclusive environments?

Answer 10

• To help tackling social disadvantages - Dilapidated towns/streets overcrowded or badly insulated housing
• To help economic inequality - The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer
• Social cohesion - Creating a boundary line which divides ethnic communities = them and us mentality.
• A new shopping mall near to a town will hurt the local high street
• Gentrification can improve neighbourhoods as it is a process of renovation
• An ageing population - As the population is getting older then housing needs to change to meet the needs.
• Health inequalities - Having poor access to poorly designed street, parks and neighbourhoods increases physical inactivity which is detrimental to health.
• Street promoting pedestrians and cyclists over motorists.
• From a business since for improve productivity

Question 11

What are five key principles of Inclusive Design?

Answer 11

• People first - Places people at the heart of the design process by involving as many people as possible on the design
• Diversity & Difference - Acknowledges diversity and difference
• Choice - Inclusive design offers choice
• Flexibility - Inclusive design provides flexibility in use
• Positive experience - Inclusive design provides environments that are convenient and enjoyable to use for everyone

Question 12

What is the four stage process for inclusive design?

Answer 12

• Vision Stage - Highlighting considerations from the outset like accessibility from say a bus stop or drop off point.
• Design Stage - Location and design effects on how people will benefit. Provides an opportunity to address any inequalities
• Construction Stage - Tackle any issues as they materialise and consider the impact on local people and users
• In-use Stage - The use of places having an effect on whether we find them friendly.

Question 13

What did the Equality Act incorporate ?

Answer 13

• the Equal Pay Act 1970
• the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• the Race Relations Act 1976
• the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
• the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
• the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
• the Equality Act 2006, Part 2
• the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007

Question 14

What factors would you consider under inclusive environments ?

Answer 14

• 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 15

What is BS8300 ?

Answer 15

Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment.

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 - not a legal requirement.

Question 16

What are the features of a disabled parking space ?

Answer 16

• Clear signage
• Ease of access
• Good lighting
• Accessible payment machines
• Alternative payment methods
• Concessions allowing for the extra time needed by disabled people
• Enforcement of accessible bays

Question 17

What is concious bias ?

Answer 17

Conscious Bias: Biased attitudes about a group we are aware of; can be (in)visible; can be accessed.
Unconscious Bias: Biased attitude operating outside your awareness and control, are difficult to access or be aware of, & influence your action more than conscious biases.

Question 18

What is the inclusive employer mark and what are the four principals ?

Answer 18

• Leadership - demonstrable commitment at the highest level to increasing the diversity of the workforce
• Recruitment - engage and attract new people to the industry from under-represented groups; best practice recruitment methods
• Culture - an inclusive culture where all staff engage with developing, delivering, monitoring and assessing diversity and inclusivity
• Development - training and promotion policies that offer equal access to career progression to all members of the workforce

Question 19

What is a hostile environment ?

Answer 19

A hostile work environment is created by a boss or coworker whose actions, communication, or behavior make doing your job impossible. This means that the behavior altered the terms, conditions, and/or reasonable expectations of a comfortable work environment for employees.

Question 20

What is the Bank of Scotland V Allan 2009 Case Law ?

Answer 20

The Court of Appeal found a bank to be in breach of the reasonable adjustment duty, because its main branch in Sheffield was not accessible to wheelchair users. Even if banking services could be accessed in alternative ways, such as over the internet, the policy of the Disability Discrimination Act was to provide a service as close as reasonably possible to that available to people generally, which included physical access to branches. The court awarded an injunction requiring the bank to install a lift to give wheelchair access, and awarded compensation.

Question 21

What is reasonable adjustment ?

Answer 21

Equality law recognises that achieving equality for disabled people may mean changing the way that employment is structured.

This could be removing physical barriers or providing extra support for a disabled worker or job applicant.

This is the duty to make reasonable adjustments.

Your employer has a duty to take steps to remove, reduce or prevent the obstacles you face as a disabled worker or job applicant, where it’s reasonable to do so.

The employer only has to make adjustments where they are aware – or should reasonably be aware – that you have a disability.

Question 22

What is inclusive design ?

Answer 22

Every design decision has the potential to include or exclude customers. Inclusive design emphasizes the contribution that understanding user diversity makes to informing these decisions, and thus to including as many people as possible. User diversity covers variation in capabilities, needs and aspirations.

This page first presents an example set of ‘Product performance indicators’, i.e. things that should be considered when thinking about how well a product or service is performing. It discusses how users’ needs fit into this set. It then explains how delivering breakthrough advances across the whole set of performance indicators requires understanding diversity within the population and responding to this diversity through Inclusive design. Comparisons with ‘Design for all’ and ‘Universal design’ are also presented.

Question 23

Which section of the NPPF considers inclusive environments and what does it promote?

Answer 23

Section 8 of the latest NPPF relates to the provision of healthy, inclusive and safe places. These should ‘promote health and well-being, with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users’. This emphasises that high quality, inclusive design is a key principle of sustainable development, going beyond just aesthetic factors.

Question 24

What is social cohesion?

Answer 24

Social cohesion refers to the strength of relationships and the sense of solidarity among members of a community.

Question 25

What is economic inequality?

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What is gentrification?

Answer 26

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 27

What are examples of auxiliary aids and services?

Answer 27

A portable induction loop for people with hearing aids

BSL interpreters

Providing information in alternative formats, such as Braille or audio CD’s

Extra staff assistance.

Question 28

What does Regulation 9 say?

Answer 28

A public authority shall provide advice and assistance, so far as it would be reasonable to expect the authority to do so, to applicants and prospective applicants.

Question 29

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

Answer 29

The public sector equality duty ( PSED ) requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for enforcing PSED. The Commission may seek to take steps to encourage compliance by a public body, before moving to enforcement, where appropriate.

Question 30

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

Answer 30

Inclusive design should not only be specific to the building, but also include the setting of the building in the wider built environment, for example, the location of the building on the plot; the gradient of the plot; the relationship of adjoining buildings; and the transport infrastructure

proximity and links to public transport;
parking spaces and setting down points in proximity to entrances;
the positioning and visual contrast of street furniture and the design of approach routes to meet the needs of wheelchair users and people with visual impairments; and
whether entrances to buildings are clearly identified, can be reached by a level or gently sloping approach and are well lit.

Question 31

How have I consideres Inclusive Design?

Answer 31

Affordable Housing?

Question 32

What is a PEEP?

Answer 32

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)
Aim. 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 33

Explain what the Changing Places campaign relates to.

Answer 33

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

Question 34

What is Fitwell?

Answer 34

Fitwel is a green building certification system that focuses on improving, enhancing, and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of tenants and residents in office buildings, multifamily residential buildings, and retail space.

Question 35

What requirements does the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005 introduce?

Answer 35

Provide general fire precautions to deal with any risk. Take additional measures to ensure fire safety where flammable or explosive materials are used or stored. Create a plan to deal with any emergency and where necessary record any findings.

Question 36

What is a FRA?

Answer 36

Fire RIsk Assessment - A careful look at your premises and the people who use them, from a fire prevention perspective. It’s about understanding the potential risks, then improving your fire safety precautions to keep people safe.

Question 37

What is RIBA?

Answer 37

The RIBA Plan of Work is the definitive model for the design and construction process of buildings

Question 38

Design Council Guidance

Answer 38

https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/

Question 39

What is Approved Document K (Building Regulations) and what does it involve.

Answer 39

Approved Document K - Protection from falling, collision and impact - January 2013

Protection from falling involves the fitting of safety measures on staircases, ramps and ladders, as well as advice about the positioning of balusters, vehicle barriers and windows to avoid injury.

Guidance for avoiding collision and impact is detailed in the positioning of doors and windows within a property, ensuring that no injuries occur due to occupants colliding with open windows, skylights, ducts etc., that large panes of glass are marked to avoid accidental impact with them, and that doors and windows are not positioned in a way that could trap someone.