Organizations today face numerous challenges when planning for the diverse needs of users who utilize their campuses and spaces. Today’s dedication goes beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which mandated equal access for all. Today, we hold organizations at a higher standard and demand equality for all.
Universal Design is dedicated to designing spaces where everyone is given what they need to succeed. While grounded in ADA, it offers far more potential for inclusion. Universal Design dares us to look further than differences in physical abilities or disabilities to create an environment that was designed with everyone in mind. In short, Universal Design has the potential to make life easier, healthier, and friendlier and requires continuous improvement toward the ultimate-goal of full inclusion. We see Universal Design as a process than enables and empowers a diverse population by removing physical and social barriers and creating truly inclusive environments.
Owners who are implementing physical Universal Design strategies in their campuses, ultimately see it as an organizational benefit and as a return on their investment. Leadership within public and private organizations today are recognizing the importance of designing for diversity in creating inclusive places. They also realize that executing a skillfully designed environment allows individuals and teams to flourish. And finally, Universal design improves safety measures by minimizing hazards that lead to accidents, lost productivity, and related expenses.
Below is an outline of our Universal Design Assessment Checklist developed based on Global Universal Design Commission ANSI based Commercial Building Standards. This will serve as the guide for compliance with Universal Design principles.
We utilize our custom Universal Design assessment checklist as the keystone document identifying strategies and priorities which we categorize in one of two PRIORITY LEVELS:
- Priority 1 (P1): Strategies that are no or low cost with high impact to the user and organization; and
- Priority 2 (P2): Strategies that are higher cost with relative positive return and impact to the user and organization
Universal Design Assessment Checklist
- Section 01: Site Entrances and Exits
- Section 02: Site Circulation
- Section 03: Transit and Parking
- Section 04: Building Relationships
- Section 05: Outdoor Amenities
- Section 06: Building Entrances and Exits
- Section 07: Building Circulation
- Section 08: Space Relationships
- Section 09: Work Spaces
- Section 10: Indoor Amenities
- Section 11: Food Service
- Section 12: Assembly Spaces
- Section 13: Toilet Rooms
- Section 14: Lockers Rooms
- Section 15: Fitness
- Section 16: Aquatic Areas
- Section 17: Lodging
- Section 18: Residential Units
- Section 19: Manufacturing and Warehouse
- Section 20: Product Display
- Section 21: Information Transaction Kiosk
- Section 22: Customer Service
- Section 23: Reserved
- Section 24: Reserved
- Section 25: Facilities Management