Accessibility Codes and Standards

There are many standards and codes that apply to building design. Accessibility is only one issue that codes address. Accessibility standards and codes have been developed to provide architects and other designers with clear guidance about how to implement accessible design. Accessibility codes are regulations promulgated by governments to implement laws that mandate accessibility. The term guidelines is also associated with accessible design, for example, Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines or Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines. In some cases, guidelines may be more general than standards and codes. For example, a guideline might read, “Provide a space for turning a wheelchair” as opposed to a standard that could read, “Provide a space with a five foot turning diameter.”

Accessibility standards that are developed in the United States by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A117 Committee are consensusbased documents developed for use as criteria in the design of buildings and facilities. The ANSI A117 Committee is an independent professional organization that oversees the process of developing standards. In Europe, accessibility standards are developed by the International Standards Organization and various [Page 14]public agencies. The European Manual for an Accessible Built Environment was developed to promote standardization in access across Europe. Yet it uses the more general form of a guideline. But in other cases, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act, the term guidelines is sometimes used in place of the term standards.

While standards and guidelines are often voluntary and nonbinding, regulations and codes are always legal mandates. Standards and guidelines usually focus on the technical criteria for providing accessibility, for example, how much space is needed and the configuration of the space. Regulations, on the other hand, usually have technical criteria but also include rules defining the scope of accessibility—what types of buildings and facilities are covered, how many accessible elements are required, and when exceptions can be made. Regulations can reference standards. On the other hand, regulations do not have to reference standards. In fact, some U.S. state laws require the detailed technical criteria to appear directly in their regulations.

The content, form, and intent of accessibility standards and codes vary significantly from one society to the next. This variation is caused by differences in cultural attitudes toward accessibility, building technologies available, the local built and natural environment, the legal system, and the process for developing standards. Since the regulatory process is political, different interest groups can influence regulations while under development or revision. Consumer advocacy groups work to ensure that the scoping and technical criteria will satisfy the needs of their constituencies, while representatives of the building industry strive to make sure that the codes will not negatively affect their businesses. Design professionals and building officials seek to ensure that the codes will be understandable and enforceable. This process may be more democratic in some societies than others.

In general, accessibility regulations improve the level of accessibility in a jurisdiction. In places where accessibility codes are first being introduced, goals may be modest, whereas in places with a long history of accessibility codes, the goals may be much broader and the criteria much more inclusive and restrictive. The differences in goals can apply within a jurisdiction due to differences across sectors of the building industry or across types of construction. Thus, in the United States, new efforts to mandate accessibility to detached single-family homes are focused primarily on homes built with public funding because there is much political opposition to regulating the design of privately built homes. As another example, the ADA Standards for Accessible Design apply only to new construction and those portions of buildings undergoing renovation. In existing buildings, only “readily achievable” modifications to remove barriers to use need to be provided. Readily achievable modifications are a far lower standard.

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