Austrian Policy Supporting More Accessible Environments Legislation, Building Regulations, Monitoring, Training and Financial Grants Monika Anna Klenovec - Austria POLIS International Conference 2006-11-16 Universal Design of buildings: Tools and Policy
Federal Legislation and Standards Building Regulation Financial Grants Training and Supporting Material
Federal Legislation and Standards 1977: ÖNORM B 1600 Construction measures for physically handicapped and elderly persons 1992: Disability Concept of the Federal Government detailed description of the necessary steps in - legislation with inclusion of an Antidiscriminationclause - building regulation - training in the curricula s of technical education - public transport - communication 1994: Revision ÖNORM B 1600 Building without barriers Design principles (new title and separating into 2 parts!) ÖNORM B 1601 Special buildings for handicapped and old persons several revisions until today, last revision 2005
Federal Legislation and Standards 1998: Austrian Federal Constitution, Art. 7, clause 1 new Antidiscrimination-clause: Nobody is allowed to be discriminated caused by his/her disability. The Austrian republic (federation, countries and local governments) acknowledge guaranteeing equal treatment of disabled and non disabled persons in all daily life matters. 2001: ÖNORM B 1602 Barrier free buildings for teaching and training and possible accompanying facilities 2005: ÖNORM B 1603 Barrier free buildings for tourism Design principles
further Accessibility Standards ÖNORM A 3012 Visual guiding systems for public information Orientation supported by directional arrows, graphic symbols, text, light and colour ÖNORM V 2100 Tactile references on control panels for pedestrians ÖNORM V 2101 Acoustical and tactile auxiliary signals for traffic-lights ÖNORM V 2102-1 Tactile ground surface indicators
further Accessibility Standards ÖNORM V 2103 Portable transmitters for the activation of auxiliary equipment for disabled persons ÖNORM V 2104 Safety devices for construction and dangerous sites ÖNORM V 2105 Tactile inscriptions ÖNORM A 1610-2 Furniture Requirements Part 2: Dimensions, Area required, spacing
Federal Legislation and Standards 2006-01: Federal Disability and Equal Treatment Law (Bundes-Behinderten-Gleichstellungsgesetz) mainly based on ÖNORM B 1600 requirements, with several implementation strategies and procedures of accessibility adaptation measures within 10 years, e.g. - public transport (train, busses, stations) - public buildings - general renovation work starting 2006-01 have to be accessible according ÖNORM B 1600 - refurbishment works with public grants have to be adapted accessible (starting 2008) 2006-02: Federal Law for Public Procurement (Bundesvergabegesetz) as the national implementation of the EC Public Procurement Directive
Building regulation 9 different national federal building regulation + additional city building regulations in Austria! In Austria building regulations are obligatory to get a building permit - also necessary in refurbishment works! After finalization the building execution will be checked license! For public and semi-buildings, theatres, cinemas, access to residential houses etc. accessible building requirements have to be followed within the most federal building regulations, based on ÖNORM B 1600; in Upper Austria also adaptable housing is recommended. Since 2000 a harmonization process between the different federal building regulations have been started and will lead to
Building regulation future steps 2007 or 2008-01? now draft under final discussion: Federal Agreement on Harmonized Building Regulations with 6 Guidelines (similar to EC-Building Product Directive) - thermal insulation - acoustical insulation - fire safety - safety in use and barrier free building design - health and ecology - construction safety, Guideline Nr. 4: Safety in Use and Barrier Free Building Design based on ÖNORM B 1600 improves the implementation of design for all principles on an equal basis in Austria!
Financial Grants In supporting the new Federal Disability and Equal Treatment Law the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs, Generations and Consumer Interests has established government grants within the Federal Social Services Office (Bundessozialamt): 1. Accessible building measures in refurbishment works strongly based on ÖNORM B 1600: - small grant up to 5.000,-- - extended grant up to 50.000,-- (half part of the whole costs) 2. Obligatory execution of adaptation works within small acceptable cost frames in different time steps: until 2007 1.000,-- until 2010 3.000,-- until 2013 5.000,--
Financial Grants In the 9 federal states of Austria 9 slightly different Financial Grants for Residential Homes: for accessibility measures for disabled and elderly people - in refurbishment and adaptation works - for new buildings Vorarlberg - for residential home grants - ÖKO 2: energy saving requirements + barrier free building design (details in my second presentation) Styria: ÖKO 3 for residential houses with more than 2 homes has to be accessible for elderly and disabled persons especially concerning level access to ground floor and the later possible adaptation of sanitary rooms. Additional lift inclusion: - lift (cabin size 1100 mm x 1400 mm) up to 3 floors obligatory - in buildings with 3 floors the space for later adaptation with a lift
Training and Supporting Materials 1. European Resolution Universal Design, 2001 not yet sufficient implemented in Austria obligatorily 2. in Technical Universities: since 1996 at the Technical University in Vienna: Universal Design and Barrier free Building Design (lectures and exercises) obligatory within the Module Building Ecology in the architectural curricula (presented by Monika A. Klenovec) since 2004 at the Technical University in Graz as a free choice 3. in Technical High Schools: depending on the awareness of the teacher; 2007 a two day seminar on Universal Design for technical high school teachers is under preparation training is an important issue to raise awareness on the subject!
Schindler Award for Architecture 2006 <Access for All> The project Zigzags Inside and Out from TU Vienna won the 1. Prize of the Schindler Award 2006!
Training and Supporting Materials 4. Brochures, information flyers (based on ÖNORM B 1600): the federal ministry for families and generations - barrier free buildings for all the governmental building department of Graz: - accessible public buildings - accessible residential homes - adaptable housing - fire safety measures for disabled person the governmental building department of Klagenfurt: - accessible building design AUVA - Austrian Social Insurance for Occupational Risks - accessible offices - accessible residential homes BSG Hartberg - accessible tourism facilities
Austrian Network of Access Consultants Information leaflet Nr. 1: accessible toilets (free of charge)
Austrian Network of Access Consultants Information leaflet Nr. 2, 3 and 4 (free of charge)
Conclusions Implementation of accessible building design for all is based in Austria on Legislation - Building Regulation and Standards most important steps forward to raise awareness! And it costs less if it is introduced right from the beginning: 0,3 % 3 % of the whole building costs = final building cleaning costs, see research www.hindernisfrei bauen.ch Urgent need of inclusion Universal design in education and training: Obligatory inclusion of the EC Resolution Universal Design from 2001(!) in the curricula of all occupations working on the built environment not only for Austria important! this would be another important step forward!
It is normal to be different! and this new normality should be the basis for our future building design solutions Accessible building Design for all is - intelligent, integrative and sustainable and is the only acceptable design for our built environment! Thank you for your attention and interest!