'LRV Contrast' App developed by Vista Access Architects and BEZAPPS for calculating LRV (Luminance Reflectance Value) Contrast has just been judged as a finalist in the 2019 Australian Access Awards for the Educational App of the year category.

The awards are an initiative of Centre for Accessibility The role of the Centre for Accessibility is to empower the accessibility movement and encourage organisations to implement digital access when designing online resources. In 2019 they announced the inaugural Australian Access Awards, celebrating organisations that have successfully implemented accessibility in their digital campaigns or resources.

The LRV / Luminance Contrast Calculator is an easy to use educational tool, available in an online version on our website at https://www.accessarchitects.com.au/calculators and also available to download for free at the AppStore link for iphones / Apple devices and GooglePlay link for Android devices.

The majority of people who are blind or vision impaired have some vision. The purpose of the LRV Contrast App is to assist with selection of colours for building elements to enhance access to information and navigation of the built environment for people with vision impairment.

This is based on not the colour contrast but the luminance contrast which is the light reflected from one surface compared to the light reflected from another surface.

The LRV Contrast App can calculate the luminance contrast based on the LRV of a colour which is easily available from all colour/paint suppliers or on paint samples / fandecks. While the surface or paint finish also plays a role in the Luminance Contrast, it is anticipated that this App will assist with colour selections, at the design stage itself and assist as an educational tool for designers and builders.

The App has been designed to check if compliance could be met with minimum contrast requirements of building elements such as doorways, stairway nosing, toilet seats, signage and different types of Tactile Ground Surface Indicators as mandated under the NCC (Australian National Consruction Code). The formula is based on the Bowman-Sapolinski Equation as required by the NCC (National Construction Code) and Australian Standards AS1428.

It also has a feature to check for compliance with American DDA (Americans with Disabilities Act) LRV requirements.

Today has been an absolute career highlight day with the launch of the NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Design Standard by the Hon Stuart Robert MP, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Being the lead author of the NDIS SDA Design Standard has been challenging, but also rewarding to know that it will significantly raise the bar of accommodation designed for people with disabilities.

I would like to thank everyone who provided feedback during the consultation process. But in particular I would like to thank Toni McInnes and Alison McLeod from NDIA, Bruce Bromley and Eric Martin from my technical writing team, Stuart Christie and Alex Waldren from LHA, for being an integral part of this 10 month long journey with me to develop the very first NDIS Design Standard for SDA.

SDA Design Standard is available for download from the NDIS website.

The SDA Design Standard sets out the future requirements of well designed and built form of new SDA. The NDIA recognises that new build SDA projects will be underway during this time and acknowledgment of these is important, so as to not disrupt the increase to the supply of SDA.

The NDIS SDA implementation plan sets out the timing and requirements in the lead up to the Design Standard taking full effect.

Farah Madon was awarded the 2019 Access Inclusion Award for being the Access Consultant for a Specialist Disability Accomodation designed by Stanton Dhal Architects which demonstrated an outstanding level of Access and Inclusion. 

The award was presented by the Australian Disability Discrimination Commissioner Dr Ben Gauntlett at the National 2019 Access Conference Dinner hosted by the Association of Consultants in Access Australia.

Farah Madon was awarded the 2019 Penrith Citizen of the Year.

Below are the details as presented by Penrith City Council.

Mrs Farah Madon supports our local residents living with a disability and champions accessibility equality for all on a national level. 

Farah has dedicated herself to helping people with a disability who live, work or utilise services within the Penrith and surrounding areas. As a management commitee member of Penrith Disabilities Resource Center and Chairperson of Penrith Disabilities Action Forum she has been a key voice in advocating for and representing the needs of local residents with access needs. As a long-serving community representative member of Penrith City Council's Access Committee, Farah's knowledge has been invaluable in assisting Council to continue improving access for people of all abilities across the City.

Farah is Vice President of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia, the peak national body for access consultancy and a major partner in advancing equity of the built environment for people with a disability. Based on her thorough knowledge of the Australian Standards and the Australian Disability Discrimination Act she is also held in esteem as editor of the association's magazne, 'Access Insight'.

 Read more about the awards on https://westernweekender.com.au/2019/01/council-honours-dedicated-citizens/

Vista Access Architects have just certified a new Changing Places facility at Westfield, Blacktown NSW.

We can provide both; Pre-construction design assessment for the proposed internal layout and Certification services for your Changing Places project. Congratulations to the team at Construction Control for fantastic outcome. 

For more information visit Changing places  or Download Changing Places resource kit.

Contact us on admin@accessarchitects.com.au for your next Changing Places Project.

Vista Access Architects were interviewed for an article "Access All Areas" by Robyn Willis of the Home magazine of the Daily Telegraph.

The aim of the article was to demonstrate that desiging for disability can deliver beautify spaces

One of our projects that received Livable Housing Platinum Level rating ( Architect Kennedy and Associates Architects) was fetaured in the article.

Hearing Augmentation is required where an inbuilt amplification system is proposed in the following areas: 

• a Class 9b building like an assembly building or school; or
• in an auditorium, conference room, meeting room or room for judicatory purposes; or
• at a ticket office, teller's booth, reception area where the public is screened from the service provider.

Also any screen or scoreboard associated with a Class 9b building capable of displaying public announcements must be capable of supplementing any public address system, other than a public address sytem used for emergency warning purposes only.

Options for hearing augmentation include,

• an induction loop to minimum 80% of the floor area served by the inbuilt amplification system; or
• a system requiring use of receivers to a minimum of 95% of the floor area served by the inbuilt amplification system. The BCA lists the number of receivers to be provided for this system based on room occupancy.

Vista Access Architect's website has a FREE CALCULATOR FOR RECEIVERS to comply with the requirements of BCA 2016.

Additional information on Hearing Augmentation is provided in AS1428.5 - Design for access and mobility - Communication for people who are deaf or hearing impaired

Vista Access Architects receives regular inquires as to requirements for Accessible Car parking spaces for Class 3 developments such as Hotels, Motels, Group homes, Hostels etc.

The number of Accessible Car parking spaces for Class 3 developments depends on:
- The total number of the Car parking spaces provided in the development;
- The total number of SOUs (Sole occupancy units/ bedrooms) and
- The total number of Accessible Bedrooms as determined by BCA Table D3.1.

The calculations involve determining the Accessible SOU numbers through the BCA Table D3.1 and then multipying the total number of Car parking spaces by the percentage of the Accessible
SOUs/ Bedrooms to the total number of SOUs/ Bedrooms, with the answer taken to the next whole
figure.

Vista Access Architect's website offers a FREE Class 3 Accessible SOUs and Accessible Parking Calculator to simplify the process. Just enter the total number of SOUs/ Bedroom and the total number of Car parking spaces provided and the
Calculator will display the requirements for both, Accessible SOUs/ Bedrooms as well as the Accessible Car Parking spaces as required by the BCA 2016 for your project.

Contact us for the Accessibility requirements of your next project on admin@accessarchitects.com.au

You can also upload some preliminary drawings for your project to request an obligation free Fee Proposal from our website's CONTACT page.

Where Accessible toilets as required under the BCA (Building Code of Australia) do not meet the needs of all people with a disability, Changing Places facilities enable social inclusion for people with severe disabilities such as spinal injuries, spina bifida, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis amongst others that require more assistive technology and additional spatial requirements.

Only Accredited members of ACAA (Association of Consultants in Access Australia) who have undergone Changing Places design Training can certify a Changing places facility. We are pleased to announce that Farah Madon from Vista Access Architects is now fully Accredited to certify Changing Places (registration number CP006).

Vista Access Architects have previously designed 3 Adult changing facilities with height adjustable tables and ceiling hoist facilities at Ripples Penrith Swimming Center, Triangle Park on High Street in Penrith and East lane in St. Marys (under construction).

With the introduction of Changing Places Australia a higher level of amenity can be provided in addition to an Accessible toilet.

We can provide both; Architectural Design for the internal layout and Assessment cum Certification services for your Changing Places project.  

For more information visit Changing places  or Download Changing Places resource kit.

Contact us on admin@accessarchitects.com.au for your next Changing Places Project.

This design was based on the requirements of Council and based on Lift and Change facilities. Vista Access Architects are also qualified to provide design and certification as per Changing places Australia

Penrith City Council is a leader in promoting access for people with disabilities. This Adult Changing facility has an accessible toilet, an accessible hand wash basin and a full size height adjustable change table. For added convenience the facility also has been provided with a ceiling hoist with the capacity to access all areas of the facility.

Luminance Contrast is the amount of light reflected from one surface as compared to the amount of light reflected from another surface. Australian / New Zealand Standard AS/NZ 1428.4.1-2009 requires Luminance contrast in a range of 30% to 60% based on the type of building elements.

As a bare minimum for compliance with the BCA 2016, the following requirements apply:

- 30% luminance contrast to Signage, Doorways, Stairway Nosing strips, Accessible toilet seats, Lift buttons and integrated TGSIs (Tactile Ground Surface Indicators)

- Additional luminance contrast requirements apply to Discrete and Composite TGSIs. For example, 45% luminance contrast is required to Discrete TGSIs to the background, while 60% luminance contrast is required to Composite TGSIs (2 colours).

Luminance contrast is determined via on-site testing. However where LRV of 2 colours is know by means such as a fan deck, an indicative level of luminance contrast can be determined via our FREE Luminance Contrast Calculator.

Or Download our LRV Contrast app from the Google Play store or on Itunes for Apple devices.

Handrail cross-section for stairways and ramps are required to comply with AS1428.1-2009. The Diameters of handrails are to be between 30mm-50mm and located not less than 50mm from adjacent walls with no obstructions to top 270˚ arc. Most users prefer the dimension of 30mm diameter as it allows for a better grip as the fingers can wrap around the handrail. Australian Standards allows for a round or oval shape profile for handrails. It is important to note that this profile of handrail is also required in fire-isolated stairways.

There are 2 types of parking spaces identified suitable for people with Disabilities by the Australian Standards. AS/NZS 2890.6-2009 (Parking facilities—Off-street parking for people with disabilities) identifies a space of length 5.4M with a width of 2.4M allocated to a dedicated accessible parking space with an additional 2.4M width as a shared zone and AS4299-1995 (Adaptable Housing) which identifies a space of 3.8M width and 6M length. Both recommend a head height of 2.5M (although it is to be noted that the head height requirement is not an essential criteria of AS4299-1995 i.e. Class C Compliance).The head height requirements are mainly due to the use of ceiling hoists for wheelchairs as shown in the diagram below. The most popular car ceiling hoist in Australia is the Wymo Hoist. Due to the swinging arm of the ceiling hoist a 2.5M head height clear of any obstructions such as beams or sprinklers is required.