Access Insight - March 2019

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2019

The Ins and Outs of Power Operated Doors

The Ins and Outs of Doors

by Howard Moutrie

A Touching Solution

by Dormakaba

Door Control How Does It Work?

by Bryce Tolliday

Overcoming a Heritage Door

by Eric Martin

Taking Control

by ASSA ABLOY

The Challenge of the Entry Door

by Robyn Thompson

Doors and Dementia

by Ash Osborne

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA

FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT’S DESK

by Farah Madon

Vice President of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia

I

hope you enjoy our March 2019 issue of Access Insight which is all about the Ins and Outs of Doors. Thanks go our authors, Bryce Tolliday, Eric Martin, Robyn Thompson, Howard Moutrie and Ash Osborne. We also thank DormaKaba and ASSA ABLOY for their articles on innovative door hardware products that enhance accessibility.

ACAA ACCESS 2019 CONFERENCE 5 MONTHS COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN ACAA Access 2019 Conference planning continues and we have received a good response for call of papers. Program and early bird registration pages will be released soon on the conference website: www.accessconference.com.au

Our Conference Program will focus on the following topics.

• Verifying performance-based design in a DDA context • The role of the NDIS in building Inclusive Communities and through Specialist Disability Accommodation.

• Liveable – Adaptable – Accessible Visitable Housing – What’s the difference and where to from here?

• Using Technology that enables Inclusive Access • The journey to inclusive access, research and standards development • Inclusive Access – Plan Design Build neighbourhoods, public transportation and communication systems.

IN THIS ISSUE From the Vice President’s Desk.................2 ACAA State Networks...............................3 From the ACAA Committee........................4 Door Control - How Does It Work?..............7 Overcoming a Heritage Door...................14 The Challenge of the Entry Door in Accessible Sole Occupancy Units in Class 3 Buildings....................................19 Taking Control........................................20 A Touching Solution................................24

Editor:

The Ins and Outs of Power Operated Doors....................................................26

February / March 2019 Issue Cover photo credit: iStock

Doors and Dementia...............................28 Book Review..........................................34

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Address: 20 Maud Street, Geelong VIC 3220 Email: office@access.asn.au Phone: +61 3 5221 2820 Web: www.access.asn.au Farah Madon vicepresident@access.asn.au

Please email the Editor if you would like to showcase your project on the Cover of the next Access Insight

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA

ACAA MATTERS • Inclusive egress and fire safety measures.

• Inclusive live, educate, work, play leisure and tourism • Moving beyond the minimums in the pursuit of inclusion The Conference Exhibition and Sponsorship packages have also been released. Please CLICK HERE to access.

2019 DISABILITY ACCESS INCLUSION AWARDS If you have provided accessibility input into a project with good outcomes or come up with an innovative idea to improve accessibility, then this is your chance to share your achievements with other consultants at the ACAA conference.

An invite for abstracts will be emailed to members in early April to register your project for the 2019 Disability Access Inclusion Awards. Successful submissions will be notified by end of May and

ACAA NSW Access Consultants Network Contact: ACAA NSW Chairperson

Robyn Thompson for details

posters from successful submissions will required

by July 2019. CPD points will be provided for poster submissions. Some further details have been provided in this issue.

RELEASE OF ‘EVERYONE CAN PLAY’ The NSW Government’s Guideline to create inclusive play spaces called, ‘Everyone Can Play’ has been released. Feedback on the guideline was provided through a six-week exhibition period and a series of 11 workshops run across NSW with councils and industry representatives. I was delighted to contribute to the development of these guidelines on behalf of ACAA. Cathryn Grant has provided a review of the document in this issue and a link has been provided to download a free copy of the same.

Farah Madon

ACAA COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT CONTACT DETAILS

ACAA SA Access Consultants Network Contact: ACAA SA Chairperson

Grant Wooller for details

PRESIDENT: Mr Mark Relf AM

ACAA QLD Access Consultants Network Contact: ACAA QLD Chairperson

Angela Chambers for details

ACAA VIC Access Consultants Network

VICE PRESIDENT: Mrs Farah Madon

Contact: ACAA VIC Chairperson

Ms Maree Wyse for details

SECRETARY: Mrs Anita Harrop

ACAA WA Access Consultants Network

TREASURER: Mr Howard Moutrie

ACAA WA Event

ORDINARY MEMBERS: Ms Jennifer Barling Ms Cathryn Grant Mr Bruce Bromley

Contact: ACAA WA Chairperson

Anita Harrop for details Date: Time: Venue:

5 March 2019 4.00 pm - 5.30 pm Northern Metropolitan TAFE, Student Services Conference Room

February / March 2019

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ACAA MATTERS

From the ACAA Committee of Management MARCH 2019 2019 DISABILITY ACCESS INCLUSION AWARDS - CONFERENCE POSTER DISPLAY If you have provided accessibility input into a project, that will be of interest to other consultants, share your experience on a poster, that highlights the challenges and outcomes and demonstrates effective universal design. It might even be that the designers have been unable to come up with a good solution that overcomes the challenges of topography, heritage or cost and you have developed a performance solution to address the issues well.

Use the poster to give others ideas or simply prompt discussion. Share the inclusive design aspects that worked well, the challenges that were creatively met, we want to see what you are all up to and exchange ideas, encourage each other and promote inclusive design. We are hoping for a range of projects - new development and refurbishments in public spaces and buildings, residential developments, transport projects, education facilities and aged care facilities.

The A1 poster itself can be a mixture of a brief text mixed with pictures, and other presentation formats.

We have requested electronic abstracts be submitted, so we can select a variety of projects and issues. The conference committee will then request a number of posters be prepared (details will be supplied re hard copy format) for displaying in the venue during the conference.

Following the selection of posters, a number of award winning posters will be selected and the consultant asked if they would like to briefly present the poster during one of the conference sessions.

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In the abstract submission please provide: Consultants details • Consultant Name • Access Consultant Accredited or associate level • Architect and Client details Project details • Name • Type of facility • Class of building if applicable Key accessibility highlights/ issues in a brief abstract • List briefly any challenges (for example heritage, topography, existing structure) • good design solutions and/or poor outcomes • lessons learnt Selected presentations will be required to be in a single poster size format that will be displayed in the foyer area of the conference venue.

Details of required format will be issued to selected consultants.

Abstract submission closes: 30 April Successful submissions notified: 21 May Posters required in electronic format: 23 July 5 CPD points will be allocated to all poster entries.

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February / March 2019

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FEATURED ARTICLE

Door Control – How does it work?

by Bryce Tolliday

Bryce Tolliday is an access consultant with over 20 years experience. He is an ACAA accredited member and has represented ACAA on the AS1428.4.2 committee. In the early stages of his career as an access consultant Bryce was involved with developing custom door automation solutions for people with disabilities following on from several years working with Ingersoll Rand, one of the world’s largest companies, developing product solutions for the Australian market.

W

hen Lewis Charles Norton, a builder and inventor, was set a challenge by the pastor of the Boston Trinity Church which he helped build in 1880, to stop the church entry doors from slamming shut in the middle of his sermon every time the wind blew, little did Lewis realise that the device he invented and patented to control the doors would operate much the same as it did then, almost 130 years later. A device we know as the humble door closer.

Lewis Charles Norton – the inventor of the hydraulic door closer

His original device was pneumatically controlled but a later invention which was hydraulically controlled, which Lewis also invented, was patented and would use the force applied to open the door, by controlling the flow of oil through a sprung chamber, converting that force to power

to control the closing of the door. Simple. Armed with his invention, Lewis founded the Norton Door Check and Spring Company, which eventually with his business partner became the LCN Door Closer Company, which today is based in Princeton, Illinois and remains a world leader in door control technology.

Over the last 130 years or so, hundreds, possibly even more than a thousand door closer manufacturing companies have made a version of the original Door Control Device invented by Lewis. Some were driven by desire to improve the efficiency and function of the original invention, whilst many others were driven by market forces trying to make a similar product for a much cheaper price. Either way manufacturers experimented with various materials to manufacture the outer chamber from, changing occurred to the chamber sizes, the spring design and power, the porting or flow control methods, the arm design, even introducing additional features to try to protect the door and the door frame from being warped or stretched from over opening.

For access consultants, the modern door closer is a bit of a mystery, what makes it work, how can its opening forces be low enough for people to use and still control the door or even close the door? Too often when the access consultant presses for compliance with the 20N requirement of AS1428.1, the response from the builder, door hardware supplier or even the door closer manufacturer, is the same, it can’t be done, or better still let’s automate the door.

Before an access consultant can accept this, he or she needs to fully understand how the door functions, not just the door closer, but all parts of the door and the impacts the space around it has on how the door works when it has a door closer attached to it.

February / March 2019

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FEATURED ARTICLE Firstly the door consists of the door panel, the door frame and the hinging mechanism. In Australia, the doors are usually made from solid timber, timber framed and sheeted around a hollow core, timber or metal framed with timber sheeting with a fire resistant core, timber framed with a glass infill, aluminum framed with glass infill or solid glass and so on. Some doors are steel clad with steel frame within. Commercial doors usually weigh between 10 – 50kg’s, although some doors can weigh closer to 100kgs.

The width of the door is also a big factor when it comes to controlling the door. In Australia commercial door widths tend to be controlled by minimum requirements of the NCC and generally are between 870mm to 1250mm in width. The height can vary between roughly 2 metres and up to 4 or 5 metres. Most doors are 2040mm in height.

The combination of the door weight and door leaf width are critical to determining the frame design and hinge mechanisms. The frame must not flex on the hinge side as the door opens as this will create friction and increase the force required to open the door. Also the hinge design, number and location on the door is really important. Most commercial doors in Australia are hung on 3 hinges. Depending on where the hinges are located when the door is hung, the top hinge carries the lateral load, the bottom hinge holds the door against the frame at the base and the middle hinge, well the middle hinge usually squeaks and doesn’t do much more. The identification of a hinge selection which is not designed for the weight or width of the door can be easily made by looking at the top hinge.

Usually the knuckles begin to show signs of wear at an early stage after installation, particularly on high traffic doors. The reason why the middle hinge squeaks is because the hinge pins are not exactly aligned through the centre of the pins of all hinges along the hinge stile.

For larger or heavier doors, in the Australian context, it is common to have 2 hinges fitted at the top of the door, one at the bottom and sometime still one in the middle. The 2 hinges are fitted at the top of the door to carry the lateral load. Ideally large heavy doors should be hung on a heavy duty continuous hinge or swung on door pivots. This type of door suspension is ideal

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THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA

FEATURED ARTICLE where the door opening forces are intended to be kept at a minimum where a door closer is installed. This is common practice in North America but here in Australia, cost pressures usually mean that the doors are hung on hinges which are either not designed for the weight of the door or the frame has insufficient stiffening or thickness to hold its shape through the swing of the door.

Unfortunately, in Australia, hinges used are not specifically designed to minimize friction through the full height of the hinge stile of the door. Over time the hinges also wear, more common when the pins don’t align in the first place, thus increasing the friction the door experiences through the open and closing motion. Price tends to be a bigger driver of hinge selection than does the function or design of the hinge. An access consultant trying to require hinges which are more suitable to long term low friction operation of the door, and thus reducing overall opening forces often meets with a lot of opposition from manufacturers who are unwilling to change their standard offering due to competitive pressures or in some cases because the better quality hinges have not been tested on their door assemblies, such as where the door assembly is fire rated.

The door frames we use here, particularly the pressed metal frames are often made from material that is too thin for the frame to maintain its rigidity during the swing of the door assembly.

This causes the hinge pins to move during the doors operation thus increasing friction and load on the door closer.

Another factor which impacts the operation and in some instance the safety of a door fitted with a door closer is called stack pressure. This occurs when the air pressure on one side of the door is greater than on the other side of the door such as where one side of the door is air-conditioned and the other is not, or where one side may be in a room where a door, such as a balcony door is open as would occur in an apartment building and the other side of the door opens onto a corridor with no conditioned air or air conditioned air. In these situations, depending on the type of door closer selected, the door can turn into a weapon which can cause serious injuries to people.

One way to deal with this phenomenon is to install vents such as air relief grilles in the door which allow the air to move through the door when it is in the closed position thus equalizing the pressures on opposing sides. Stack pressure can be particularly dangerous for people with disabilities depending on how the door closer is manufactured.

The door closer is basically a device which controls how the door closes. It consists of a number of parts which work together to achieve safe control of the closing of the door. The outer case of the door closer is made from either cast iron or an aluminum alloy. Inside the outer casing is a hollow chamber within which is a precision hardened steel piston which is pushed through the chamber by a rack and pinion. On the other side of the piston is a heavy-duty spring, as the piston moves through the chamber the spring is compressed and when the door is released the spring decompressed creating the closing action.

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FEATURED ARTICLE The central chamber is filled with special hydraulic oil which moves from one side of the piston to the other during the opening and closing cycles. The flow speed of the oil is controlled through several porting chamber or channels which have opening along the wall of the inner door closer cylinder through which the oil is pushed by the movement of the piston and adjustment valves exposed to the outside of the door closer to provide adjustment. Within these porting chambers are flow control valves (refer above – 3 in this diagram) which adjust according to the door closers settings. These regulate the speed with which the oil flows from one side of

the chamber to the other. These valves slow the door opening towards the end of the door swing (backcheck), control the main speed or closing speed from the fully opened position and control the latching speed, the last 10 degrees or so before the door latches into the strike.

The back check is built into modern door closers to slow the door opening speed and to assist with preventing the door panel from opening too far, thus damaging the hinges and the frame shape.

Of course, the back check should not be the only means to prevent the door from over opening, a door stop should always be installed where door closers are used.

Source: LCN Door Closer Catalogue

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THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA

FEATURED ARTICLE So what does this have to do with achieving the low opening forces of AS1428.1 and the safe motion of the door when doorway contains a person with a disability. A lot.

The amount of force applied to open the door converts through the efficiency of the oil flow through the various porting chambers to power to not only the closing of the door but control the speed of the door during the various parts of the closing cycle. The efficiency of the oil flow from one side of the piston to the other will, depending on the make and material of the door closer, operate at somewhere between 50% and 80% efficiency. At 80% efficiency, 20N of opening force will convert to approximately 16N of closing power. At 50%, you are looking at about 10N ie., the door most likely will reopen during the closing cycle by a gust of wind, it certainly will not close.

The modern door closer usually comes with an adjustable spring ie., you can wind the spring up to make the door harder to open thus increasing

the power available to close the door. This means that one door closer can be used throughout the building with the springs adjusted to suit the width of the door. Also, some door closer manufacturers require the spring to be would up higher where increased stack or wind pressures are experienced. Of course, winding the spring up means that the 20N opening forces required by AS1428.1:2009 most likely won’t be achieved, if this is being done purely to control the door due to wind or stack pressures. The hinges act as a fulcrum, of course, so the further out from the fulcrum that the opening force can be applied, the less opening force is required to open the door.

AS1428.1:2009 requires the 20N to be applied at the door handle, so the further away from the hinge the door handle can be located the less force is required to open the door. If a door closer is would to size 4 and the door handle is 800mm form the hinge, more force will be required to open the door than would be required where the door handle is 1000mm form the hinge stile or fulcrum.

Dorma TS83 Door Closer – Aluminium Alloy

Most aluminum alloy door closers operate at around 50 to 60% efficiency. They cannot achieve the higher efficiencies because the outer case material of the main chamber lacks the inherent strength to contain the pressure of the oil as it flows from one side to the other ie., without some relief mechanism the door closer would just explode on the door. These relief mechanisms are

known as pressure relief valves sometimes also called back check relief valves. When activated these valves open the porting chamber so that the oil flows from one side to the other without any control or restriction. This would occur, for example, when the door panel experiences massive differences in stack pressures from one side of the door to the other. The intention is to February / March 2019

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FEATURED ARTICLE prevent to door closer from exploding but the impact on the door operation can be catastrophic. In the worst instances the door can become a weapon.

An example would be something most of us have experienced when staying in an apartment when you first enter the apartment the door opens quite easily, although the opening force is more likely around 40 - 60N. We then open the balcony door to enjoy the view or to let in a breeze. The next person to come through the entry door requires much higher force to open the door, possibly as much as 80N or 100N, when they finally open the door and let it go it slams shut with enormous force. The door closer has released itself from controlling the door and lets the stack pressure have its way. This can damage the door, the hinges, the frame and sometime even the person coming through the doorway.

All door closer pistons are made from precision hardened steel. In a door closer these pistons travel through the internal chamber maybe hundreds of times a day. In aluminium alloy door closers this hardened steel piston rubs against the walls of the outer chamber which are made from aluminium alloy, a soft metal. Over time, wear will occur changing the way the door closer operates.

Door closers which have an outer body of cast iron can withstand much greater internal pressures from the oil porting from one side of the internal chamber to the other. They also wear better and have a much longer life span than does a closer which is made from an aluminium alloy.

Most cast iron door closer operate between 60% - 80% efficiency. Unfortunately, many also contain pressure relief valves so whilst they may have the ability to close a door when the 20N of opening force is converted to closing power, they may not be able to do this when the door panel experiences significant variations in stack pressure from one side of the door panel to the other. The very best cast iron door closers do not contain pressure relief valves of any description.

These operate at around 70 -80% efficiency and in ideal conditions will close and control the door when only 20N of opening force has been applied. However, when installing this type of 12

closer on doors where fluctuating stack pressures will be experienced, because in Australia most of our door panels are either framed from pine or have internal material which does not have sufficient density for strong fixing to be achieved, it is best to bolt these door closers through the door and into a purpose designed plate on the opposing face of the door.

This will ensure the door closer will close and control the door without the fixings letting go.

LCN 4040 Series Door Closer – Cast Iron

In order to open the door with 20N of opening force the door closer will need to be wound down to spring size 1 or 2. Depending on the width of the door ie., the amount of force to be applied through the fulcrum, some door closers which are less efficient may not store enough power to close the door, let alone latch the door panel into the strike. The reduced compression of the spring converts to less control of the closing action of the door.

Door closers are available in Australia which will close and control the door in ideal conditions when 20N of opening force has been applied.

Unfortunately, AS1428.1:2009 fails to establish what these ideal operating conditions are, what appropriate measures can be taken to promote these ideal conditions and what tolerances are allowed based on known stack pressure variances. Given that all parts of a doorway can contribute to increasing or decreasing door opening forces, some sort of informative appendix or note would have assisted.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

Overcoming a Heritage Door

by Eric Martin AM, LFRAIA, M B Env, B Arch (Hons)

Practicing architect since 1973, formerly National President of Association of Consultants in Access, Australia. A Member of Australian Institute of Architects and is the Institute’s representative on the Building Codes Committee. He is also their International Representative to the UIA Region IV Access and Heritage Committees.

Eric is a member of the working group of Standards Australia ME64 committee on disability access and the Institute of National Practice Committee. The founding Chair of the ACT Heritage Council and President of National Trust of Australia for 9 years. He has chaired the Institute’s National Heritage Committee and is current convener of the Institute’s National access Works Group.

BACKGROUND Often a door in a heritage listed place can provide a challenge to an accessible solution.

As a main entry it is required to be accessible.

Despite potential difficulties, there are usually solutions. This article outlines responsibilities under both heritage and access legislation and provides some solutions which could be applied to solve a particular issue.

when undertaking changes to a heritage place to provide access for all.

All buildings, including heritage places, are subject to the requirements of the Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and complementary state-based legislation such as the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. The DDA applies whether buildings are in public or private ownership (excluding private residences). This Act requires that people with disabilities be given an equal opportunity to access premises without discrimination unless a case of unjustifiable hardship exists.

Should heritage buildings undergo change, then the requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC) Volumes 1 and 2 Building Code of Australia (BCA) (herein referred to as the BCA), will apply to the new work and this includes a number of specific provisions for people with disabilities. There is also a requirement under the Premises Standards (see below) for the affected part (the access way from the new work to and including the main pedestrian entry) to also comply with the BCA requirements for access for people with a disability. Any change to a heritage building needs to consider the impact on the heritage values.

LEGISLATION

INTRODUCTION

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA)

Dignified access for people with disabilities should be provided to, and within heritage places.

However, many heritage buildings offer specific challenges that need to be overcome when providing access for all. Any proposal for change to a heritage place should be informed by, and tested against, a thorough understanding of the impact on significance. In many cases heritage, planning and building permits will be required

Under Section 23 of the DDA it is unlawful to discriminate against a person on the basis of a disability.

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The DDA is a complaint based Act. It requires people who consider themselves discriminated against to lodge a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). The right to access is not absolute in law and the DDA

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FEATURED ARTICLE includes provision in Section 11 whereby a person can argue that to implement the provisions of the DDA would cause them unjustifiable hardship. The grounds for unjustifiable hardship can include impacts on heritage buildings. The Federal Courts would decide on whether a defendant would suffer unjustifiable hardship if required to provide access.

Premises Standards The Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standard 2010 (referred to on the Premises Standards) provides details of the design and construction required for building work to meet the obligations of the DDA and parallels the BCA for the areas covered by the BCA. The Premises Standards also includes details of what could constitute unjustifiable hardship and Clause 4.1 l includes as one of the possible reasons for unjustifiable hardship as “if detriment involves loss of heritage significance – the extent to which the heritage features of the building are essential, or merely incidental, to the heritage significance of the building.”

Building Code of Australia (BCA) Whenever new work is undertaken it must meet the requirements of the BCA and this includes several specific provisions for people with disabilities. In particular, the following clauses relate to disabled access to main entrances.

D3 - General Requirements and Access As the BCA is not applied retrospectively, there is no requirement to upgrade a building to current BCA with regard to access for people with disabilities if no new work is proposed. In NSW the BCA is applied through the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

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FEATURED ARTICLE Another process is that any applicant for construction certificate can make an application to the Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) to consider an alternative that may be addressed by any other means, such as an Performance Solution under the BCA. Application of the Premises Standards/BCA to heritage buildings Both the Premises Standards and the BCA are applicable to any new building work in heritage and other existing buildings. In addition, the Premises Standards also include requirements for the ‘affected part’ of existing buildings, as mentioned above.

Application of the ‘affected part’ requirements often form the basis of consideration of the unjustifiable hardship provisions of the Premises Standards.

There is currently no process to determine unjustifiable hardship other than a court decision arising from a complaint. The basis of a decision is the need to demonstrate why it would impose unjustifiable hardship to comply with the NCC. Heritage Council of NSW The Heritage Council of NSW has a Technical Conservation Committee that can provide free technical advice to decision makers and building owners on situations that include provisions for fire protection, access for people with disabilities or the integration of building services into heritage buildings. Similar advisory committees may exist in other states/territories.

Heritage Heritage legislation at Commonwealth, State and Territory or local level seeks to conserve and protect the heritage significance or heritage values of a place. Significance is expressed in a Statement of Significance which describes the value of the place to the community and includes a range of criteria embodying aesthetic, historic, scientific and social values.

The guiding document for conservation practice is the Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance (The Burra Charter). The Burra Charter defines conservation as including all the 16

processes of looking after a place: maintenance, preservation, restoration, reconstruction and adaptation. One of the guiding principles of the Burra Charter is a cautious approach of changing as much as necessary but as little as possible (Article 3). This approach should guide any works to provide access for people with disabilities.

The heritage values can be found in a range of possible documents such as: • a Conservation (or Heritage) management plan • a heritage assessment report • a State or Federal Heritage inventory sheet • a Local Government Heritage report or register • a non-government heritage inventory such as those with the National Trust or Australian Institute of Architects.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES The objective is to achieve maximum access with minimal impact on the heritage values while complying with relevant heritage, planning and building legislation and adopting the sound conservation philosophy contained in the Burra Charter.

PROCESS The recommended process for resolving and implementing improvements for access to a heritage place is to: a. D etermine the significance of the heritage building or place and identify the elements of significance. b. U ndertake an access audit, using an access consultant if necessary, to determine the place’s existing and required level of accessibility to: the principal public entry, all doors of the building. c. D evelop accessibility options that maximises access but has the minimum impact on heritage significance. d. E stablish a preferred solution and prepare an action or implementation plan. e. O btain appropriate heritage, planning and building permits prior to implementing the action required.

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FEATURED ARTICLE SOLUTIONS There is no one solution to a problem. Different heritage buildings will have varying levels of significance, and elements within a building differ in significance. There may be a range of possible solutions to optimising access for all. Each case needs to be assessed on its own merits and the best set of solutions found.

Narrow Doors Automate both doors by adding a door closer to each leaf and an adjacent push button control that opens both doors together and therefore provided a wider clean passage.

Joining both door leaves together to form one larger door. This will require some adjustment to hardware and usually repositioning it but with care and selection it can be made to work and respect the heritage values.

Removal of original doors and adding a new door to the overall opening is sometimes possible.

The original door will normally be required to be stored for future reinstallation.

Small Differences A door that is just less than the required clear width can gain up to 30mm with an offset hinge.

Parliament hinges can also increase an opening but usually rely on the door opening 180º for maximum benefit.

A new door within an existing reveal after removing the original door can open up the full width of the original door opening which may gain valuable millimetres for compliance.

Tight Circulation / Deep Recesses This is usually best overcome by automation of doors which can be by a range of activation methods including space sensor, push button, motion sensor button, pressure mats and the like.

A door that opens away from the user can be solved by several methods some of which may require performance solutions. One benefit if the door opens away from the user is that if it can be pushed to open then the circulation requirements

of engaging with a latch are overcome. Methods to achive this include: • Roller catch • Panic Bar • Closer with no hardware other than a push plate.

It is interesting to note that on the approach side of a door that opens away from the user USA, NZ, UK all have space requirements to access doors less than Australia. There is evidence available that reduced dimensions still provide acceptable access.

A variation of this is a double swing door (or pivot hinge) or a retractable door stop as this means that whatever side a user approaches then the door swings away from the user.

Door Replacement This can be possible but may involve removal of the door and leave just an opening. Usually the door will be required to be stored and reinstated if/when required.

Door Hardware Historically knobs were more widely used than levers but often levers can be fitted to existing hardware (knob is then retained for future reinstallation) There is a range of “heritage” door handware and something sympathetic to the original can be selected.

There are possibilities of special hardware that can clamp a lever over a knob to make it comply.

Flush bolts, barrel and the like that go into heads and sills are best avoided as they are normally difficult to reach. However they can be made redundant by some methods mentioned above (eg. Automation) or can be extended to make them reachable.

Shift Entry This is always possible so original doors are preserved and a new accessible entry provided.

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FEATURED ARTICLE Significance Of Doors And Hardware Most main entrances, if original, are significant elements of a building and therefore heritage values need to be considered.

Within a building most doors are less significant unless they are to key rooms/spaces therefore the impact of change is likely to be less.

Door handware is usually less significant unless specially designed.

CONCLUSION

Offset hinges, Hyatt Hotel, Canberra

The challenge is always there to solve access to heritage places including doors but with care and consideration of issues and options they can be overcome and successful outcomes can be achieved.

Offset hinges, Hyatt Hotel, Canberra

Closer on both narrow double doors with push button operation, Ainslie Public School, Canberra

‘Wave to Open’ motion sensor button - Port Authority Bus Terminal, on 8th Ave at 42nd Street, Midtown Manhattan

Offset hinges Hyatt Hotel, Canberra 18

Source: By Tdorante10 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63726559

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FEATURED ARTICLE

The Challenge of the Entry Door in Accessible Sole Occupancy Units in Class 3 Buildings

by Robyn Thompson

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he National Construction Code part D3.1 requires access to and within a percentage of sole occupancy units in Class 3 developments, so that accessible sole occupancy units are required in NCC Class 3 Buildings which include: 1. A boarding house, guest house, hostel, lodging house or Backpacker accommodation 2. A residential part of a hotel or motel 3. A residential part of a school 4. Accommodation for the aged, children or people with a disability 5. A residential part of a healthcare building which accommodates members of staff 6. A residential part of a detention centre 7. A residential care building In the NCC unless the contrary intention appears: • Accessible means having features to enable use by people with a disability.

• Accessway means a continuous accessible path of travel (as defined in AS 1428.1) to, into or within a building.

• Sole-occupancy unit (SOU) means a room or other part of a building for occupation by one or joint owner, lessee, tenant, or other occupier to the exclusion of any other owner, lessee, tenant, or other occupier and includes (b) a room or suite of rooms in a class 3 building which includes sleeping facilities.

Therefore, an accessible SOU should include entry doors that meet the circulation space and force requirements of AS1428.1 clause 13.5.2 (e).

For doors other than fire doors and smoke doors where a door closer is fitted, the force required at the door handle to operate the door shall not exceed the following: (i) To initially open the door.......................20 N (ii) To swing or slide the door.....................20 N (iii) To hold the door open between 60° and 90°...............................................20 N However, unlike sole occupancy units in Class 9c residential care facilities, where the fire protection system includes strategies such as a sprinkler system, which allow entry doors to units to be standard compliant access doors and not fire or smoke doors, Class 3 buildings SOU require doors to meet the requirements of fire safety and include closers with operating forces that exceed AS1428.1 requirements.

The impracticality of having a heavy self-closing bedroom entry door on an accessible SOU is obvious. In other areas, as in corridor and common areas an electromagnetic hold open device, maintains accessibility and meets fire safety requirements, but again is impractical.

Overcoming the issue requires accessible SOU to be fitted with automated opening systems.

Potentially automated systems that utilise the required fire safe closer are available and can address the issue.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

Taking Control

by Eddie Drohomirecki Product Manager – Door Control ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions

D

oor control products have certainly come a long way since the first product concept back in the early 1880’s. The last 25 years however, has seen innovative thinking and a reset in door control technology design. With that the evolution of CAM Motion technology that provides for beneficial solutions in terms of door opening forces and optimal efficiency. It would be fair to assume that back in his apprentice days, Lewis C. Norton had no idea of the global legacy he would leave behind. It was this humble apprentice from Michigan USA who designed and patented the first pneumatic door closer and later founded the Norton Door Control Co. Proudly now an ASSA ABLOY Group company.

The door closer has for over a century served its purpose as a device all too often taken for granted, unnoticed and unassuming. As its name suggests, it was merely a device of convenience that simply returned the door to its closed position, time after time.

With the turn of the 20th Century and the introduction of hydraulic control, door closers began to be manufactured to suit a variety of applications, using smaller and larger springs and the addition of independent valve adjustments to meet a range of user requirements. With the evolution of bigger and better products to close doors, came the unwanted consequence of substantially heavier doors that needed to be opened.

To quote Newtons third law: ‘For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction’ Door closer manufacturers were more concerned with designing products to achieve their most basic function in closing the door without much regard to how difficult it may have been to

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opening the same door. Thankfully, innovative thinking has somewhat changed the technology used in door closers that can now provide a solution in conditioning easier opening motions.

THE CAM CAM Motion technology is certainly not new to the industry, first introduced into the market in the early 1990’s through pure design requirements.

Architects no longer wanted to see unsightly scissor arm door closers on their projects. Form was clearly taking precedence over function, and the slide channel assembly was born. Cleaner and sleeker lines was the new norm however it was evident the door closer mechanism needed a major overhaul to optimize the door closer efficiency. This being the idea that the door closer will confidentially close the door with a required force however will not require the same force to open it. It was in this same period, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 was being introduced as legislation, along with the Australian Standard for Design for Access and Mobility AS1428.1 1992.

Positive changes were immediately seen in the way the industry approached the design of buildings with Access & Egress to premises at the forefront of any planning. Manufacturers were on board and busily developing this unique solution.

The CAM technology employed reduces the overall door opening force required and therefore the handling of the door is measurably easier than that of the conventional arm door closer. The universal symmetric CAM used offers the installer the benefit of installation to either side of the door.

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FEATURED ARTICLE allocate 9.5 minutes per installation remains unclear.

It’s often the case an installer will only tweak the speed control valves for instance, usually to speed up the closing cycle to thump the door shut; for some reason the harder the thump, the better. I guess the slamming of the door and shuddering of the frame can be a clear indicator of a latched door?

“IS IT AS1428.1 COMPLIANT?” Symmetrical CAM

By far, the most frequent enquiry I receive, whether from one of our distributor partners, an end user or an installer, will include one the following phrases:• ‘we’ve just been audited’ • ‘the DDA Consultant has given me this….’

• ‘can this closer achieve <20N on opening?’

• ‘is it AS1428.1 compliant?’

Lockwood 2616DASIL CAM Motion Door Closer

BUT WHAT OF THE INSTALLATION? In the perfect world, a door closer installation is fundamentally a process. This process always begins with selecting the right door closer with consideration to meeting required compliance to Australian Standards amongst other pertinent aspects.

It will always be fitted to the exacting requirements of the positioning template. Its spring strength will be adjusted accordingly to suit the environment. Its sweep and latching speeds be adjusted to ensure smooth operation.

Where applicable, it’s Back Check and Delayed Action functionality be set and adjusted to protect the door and adjacent walls and to provide for convenience in slowing the door closing cycle down. In the perfect world!

Unfortunately though, the reality of most obligatory installations is quite the opposite where minimal effort and time is invested in making a good closer, into a great one. Whether this minimalist approach is through lack of understanding or that the installer can only

Let’s again revisit the most important step in the door closer installation process. Has the right door closer been selected? If yes, let’s move on.

If not, I’d suggest to go back to step one.

CAM Motion door closers, with the exception of fully automating a door, will provide the best opportunity to meet the requirements as set out in AS1428.1 in terms of door control.

Under the standard, it states:-

‘….where a door closer is fitted, the force required at the door handle to operate the door shall not exceed the following: (i) To initially open the door.......................20 N (ii) To swing or slide the door.....................20 N (iii) To hold the door open between 60° and 90°...............................................20 N In those cases where some diligence has been used with reflection of DDA requirements during the specification process, and CAM Motion door control is correctly nominated, then we are at the very least in a position to try and rectify the issue.

As with most reputable manufacturers, there should be an ability to adjust spring strength in the field post installation.

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FEATURED ARTICLE manufacture, door mass/spring strength sizing and the coveted CE marking which is relevant for fire and smoke check approved hardware. The benefit of conforming to this standard, is so that the market understand when dealing with an EN sized spring strength - no matter the manufacturer used, the same torque forces will apply. Should an architect specify a requirement for a door closer suitable to meet an EN1 spring strength, so be it and without regard to which manufacturer is used.

Spring Strength Adjustment point (as found on a 2615DA Door Closer)

Typical adjustment illustration of a Lockwood 2615DA Door Closer

What is not commonly known, is that the factory set spring strength is usually at the mid strength point. For example; a door closer such as the Lockwood 2615DA version, the achievable spring strength range is between sizes EN1 to EN5, the factory setting being at EN3. Great for a fire door assembly, but not so ideal when compliance to AS1428.1 is required. With the ability to adjust this spring strength down to a setting of size EN1 will ideally provide the minimum opening torque permissible by the door closer and achieving a force lower than 20N. The door closer, fitted correctly to template will only require this adjustment alone to reduce the force. The mistake most installers will make begins and ends with misconceiving the door can be controlled by speed; maybe once upon a time.

A door should ALWAYS be controlled through force alone.

Global standardization on door control has been around for decades, introduced in Europe through the EN standard (European Norm), the standard EN1154 promotes best practices in the 22

All things now considered, it’s also a common misconception that a door closer deemed to meet the requirements of the DDA, will be compliant straight out of the box and straight on the door. An all too familiar misinterpretation and one which any notable manufacturer bears right to disclaim. There are a number of factors that can otherwise hinder the opening forces of a door, and which are outside of the control of the manufacturer, these include (and are not limited to):a. C orrect installation of the door closer. To the manufacturers template. b. Final adjustment of the door closer. c. Door size and overall weight d. A lignment of the hinges/pivots and that they’re not binding e. A ir pressurization and differential between two sides of the door, such as air conditioning f.

The installation of door seals

g. Fitment of locking and latching hardware A well-adjusted CAM Motion door closer and the few extra minutes spent on ensuring this, will one day hopefully reduce those common questions we get asked all too often.

In a well-functioning facility, the doors adapt to the needs of the user, not vice versa.

Our best practice policy should always be that of taking control of the environment to which we’re in. Whether nominating a product in the design stage, installing the product during the build stage, or using the product well past the hand over stage, being mindful of the end user should take priority.

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Enware-Oras Electra is a stylish and modern battery operated sensor tap. Its functional design makes it easy to install, clean and service. It is ideal for offices and commercial amenities, health care and education.

• Suitable for retrofit • Hygienic no-touch design • Easy to install and service • Anti vandal • Great for water efficiency • No external parts For further details on Enware-Oras Electra sensor tap visit www.enware.com.au. www.enware.com.au | 1300 369 273 | info@enware.com.au February / March 2019

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FEATURED ARTICLE

A Touching Solution

by Kirsty Chivell

A

ccess control for people with dementia and related conditions is a significant issue for those creating the infrastructure where sufferers will live, reports Shane Bamfield. Lateral thinking has led to the development of a system that makes it all that much easier.

In line with technological advancements and unprecedented breakthroughs in medicine and disease prevention and cure, Australia is experiencing a significant rise in the ageing segment of its population.

The country’s median age has increased by four years in the last two decades and this will increase even more rapidly in the next few years.

An extreme, but telling statistic is that, today, there are more than 4000 people over the age of

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100. According to the Intergenerational Report, by 2056 there could be over 40,000.

While many of us are living longer and better, with improved healthcare practices leading to a greater quality of life well into our 80s and beyond, the sheer numbers mean that the concurrent segment of the population who don’t fare so well is also on the increase.

One of the biggest challenges for both healthcare providers and those in the A+D industry working on the necessary infrastructure relates to people suffering from the various forms of dementia – the single greatest cause of disability in Australians over the age of 65 years and the third leading cause of disability burden overall. Current predictions state that there will be

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FEATURED ARTICLE around 400,000 people with dementia by 2020 and about 900,000 by 2050. That’s more than double the number in just 30 years.

For architects, the rise in our ageing population means opportunities abound for projects in the field of aged care facilities, retirement homes and other centres of assisted living.

When the residents and staff of such facilities are coping with the effects of dementia, though, a whole different way of thinking and approach is required. Aged care facilities need to respond to this changing need for higher levels of patient care. The traditional set-up in nursing homes can lead to problems when there are multiple residents with dementia and other similar conditions living there.

At night, residents can be found wandering around the building. They may enter other people’s rooms, no longer recognising their personal spaces or belongings. Understandably, this can lead to increased confusion, distress and conflict for all concerned.

Security access, therefore, becomes a major issue. But expecting elderly and perhaps infirm people to carry around keys, when they are in what have now become their own homes, is not only unfair, but also fraught with challenges.

Keys or indeed key cards can be lost or cause problems when people are unwell or perhaps have additional issues such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis in their joints, making it difficult to manage the handling of small objects.

Hoping that older residents, particularly those with dementia and related illnesses, will be able to remember PINs and access codes is even more unreasonable.

means there is no need for the user to search for keys.

The transponder sends a message to a receiver in the door and, if the person has been granted right of access to that particular room, they can unlock the door simply by operating the door handle. The system’s central allocation and deletion of access rights means that the locking system remains secure at all times.

From inside the room, the door is always open but from the outside it’s locked to all except those granted access, including the resident and their associated caregivers.

The dormakaba TouchGo system was developed with RCID (resistive capacitive identification) technology, which uses the body’s natural electrostatic energy to transmit the access rights to the door handle. Your hand is the key.

Dependent on the project, architects can specify just the component, or they can engage a dormakaba team member to assist with the overall design. dormakaba can assist with individual components right through to turnkey solutions.

The software can integrate with both dormakaba evolo offline software and dormakaba exos online software leading to a holistic access solution from one single source.

Shayne Bamford, manager EAC Australia has been working with dormakaba products for 26 years with 10 years’ experience in dormakaba’s EAC products.

Following research undertaken in northern European aged care facilities, hospitals and retirement homes, however, there is now technology designed to address all of these issues.

The system is called TouchGo and it involves each resident in a facility being issued with a personal transponder, which can remain in their pocket, on a cord around their neck or wrist, on a keyring, in a card holder or armband, or even attached to their wheelchair or walker at all times, which February / March 2019

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FEATURED ARTICLE

The Ins and Outs of Power Operated Doors

by Howard Moutrie

Howard is an architect and access consultant with 40 years experience and is a member of the working group of the ME64 committee.

AS 1428.1 has requirements for the use of power door openers but does not adequately consider the different types of operator and their differing impact in relation to accessibility. The following provides a brief outline of the differing types of operator and their use.

I

n AS 1428.1, Clause 13.3.4 says that the door circulation spaces can be ignored in some circumstances when using a power operated door. Clause 13.5.3 and 13.5.4 provides further requirements for the operation of the doors. But what is a power operated door? By simple definition, a power operated door is a door which is opened by a mechanical device rather than manually, but there are many types and some may not be appropriate in the context of accessibility.

The following gives a brief overview of the types of operator available and some of the implications for accessibility.

Power operators can be applied to both sliding and hinged doors and are generally operated either

manually, by pressing a button of some sort, or automatically using a sensor such as a light beam, radar or the like. They generally all have safety functions which will cause them to re-open if they hit an obstacle and many have other functions, for example, they can then be programmed to stay open for a longer period of time, open on a power failure, stay closed on a power failure etc. It is important to know how the doors are to operate in evaluating the appropriateness of the device for accessibility. Lets have a look at some of the types of operator.

One of the most common types of operator, particularly in the commercial environment is the operation by a sensor beam – as you approach the door the beam is “broken”and the door opens.

This essentially means that the door doesn’t exist, as you approach the door you do not need to stop, you can continue towards the door, it opens and you continue through. The operator however cannot distinguish whether a person is intending to go through the door or is passing by, so this may lead to unintended opening and closing of the door, particularly in a shopfront situation. To avoid this problem, the use of a manual operator can be employed so that the door opener is only activated when required. The design and location of the operator control is governed by AS 1428.1 Clause 13.5.3 and 13.5.4 but these clauses don’t address all types of operators.

The operator can be a single push button, a proximity card reader, a biometric reader or a code pad all of which fall under the those clauses.

The use of a code pad would likely not meet the requirements of Clause 13.5.4 as the buttons are unlikely to be 25mm in diameter. The control can also be a fob key, similar to the garage door opener, which can be carried on the person and is particularly relevant in a domestic environment.

Again, this strictly wont comply because of the button size, but in this case, as it is a personal

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FEATURED ARTICLE operator the use of the fob can be tailored to suit the ability of the user.

A more recent design in door automation only requires the door to be pushed and it automatically opens. This applies to both hinged and sliding doors – for a sliding door, the opens when the door is pushed, not slid. This operation doesn’t actually fit into any category within AS 1428.1, it is not a push button, and the manual control is not located between 1m and 2m from a hinged door leaf or clear of a surface mounted sliding door. When applied to a hinged door it works well when travelling in the direction of the door swing, but not so well when the door opens towards you. It may also not be evident that this is how the door operates – I have seen signs on the door advising it is a power operated door. I have only seen 1 of this type of operator applied to a sliding door. It worked well but needed a sign located on the door to advise people where to push and for people with vision impairment it is not a good solution. The zone to push, seemed to be quite limited and may also be an issue for a person in a wheelchair.

It is also possible to have the door to be both manual and power operated. I have not seen such an installation in this country but I have seen them in the USA and I have been advised that this operation is available in Australia. The doors operate as a normal hinged door (not latched) but a push button is also provided which can be used to open the doors automatically.

I mentioned earlier the issue of doors operated by a beam being opened by passing traffic. In practise, this is commonly overcome by adjusting the beam’s field of operation. For a sliding door this may not cause a problem, but for a swing door, particularly one opening towards you, by the time it activates you may have travelled into the swing of the door. This is an issue which must be considered, though such adjustment is commonly done after installation and without input from the access consultant.

“Doormatic” is new operator which requires no permanent power of fixing. It is fitted to the bottom of the door and can be removed without damaging the door and is operated by a battery so needs no power connection. It can be operated by push/pull on the door, a sensor or a fob. I am not aware of this currently being available in Australia, though

it is available in the UK and USA and available for purchase via the internet. This does not look particularly appropriate for heavy use doors in a commercial situation but may be a good solution for a single room or in a residential situation, particularly in rented premises.

Most commercial installations will operate on a battery in the event of a power failure or fail safe (open) or fail secure (closed) if there is a loss of power. The operators used in a domestic situation do not always have this level of operation and typically are not provided with battery back up even if it is available. This is particularly important in a residential situation where the operator is being used to overcome a lack of door circulation space. If there is a loss of power in an emergency and the closer has no battery, the occupant may be trapped, being unable to open the door manually. It is important in such a situation that the operator is specified to have a battery back up. Returning back to the commercial situation. If the door is in a commercial building and it fails safe ( this is the normal function for an external door) the latchside circulation space must still be provided to enable the door to be used, particularly if it being used as an exit door.

So when accepting that a door is to be power operated, it is important to know the method of operation as it may not be appropriate to the situation. Although Clause 13.3.4 says that the WL and WH dimensions are only required on the approach side of a sliding door, the actual space required may in fact depend on how the door is operated and the location of any manual controls or the scope of the activation beam. Similarly, a sliding door may be noted as auto opening and accepted on that basis but if it is operated by pushing, as described earlier, this may in fact not be an appropriate solution.

It is not unusual to permit a reduced landing at an auto sliding door where it is approached from a ramp, on the basis that the door will open before you reached the door and thus the landing is not required. But if this auto door is opened by pushing, the landing will still be required. So it is important not to just accept the door is an auto opening door but also review the actual method of operation. This may not be known at the time of review so appropriate qualifications should be included in any report or advice.

February / March 2019

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FEATURED ARTICLE

Doors and Dementia

by Ash Osborne

Ash has over 30 years experience in the health and aged care sector in a wide range of roles including as a Registered Nurse, OH&S Manager, Educator, Researcher and Consultant and is currently a Senior Environmental Design Consultant with Dementia Training Australia. She has recently completed her Cert IV in Access Consulting and is an Affiliate Member of ACAA. Ash can be contacted at ashleeo@uow.edu.au

D

ementia can affect the way a person experiences and interacts with the environment. A poorly designed and operated environment can exacerbate the cognitive, physical and sensory disabilities a person living with dementia may experience.

Conversely, a well designed and operated environment can enhance independence, reduce stigma and positively contribute to a person’s quality of life.

WHY SHOULD DEMENTIA BE A CONSIDERATION? • In 2018, an estimated 376,000 Australian’s were living with dementia. Without a medical breakthrough, this number is projected to grow to 550,000 by 2030 • Nearly 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 are living with dementia • Dementia is the single greatest cause of disability in Australians over the age of 65 years and the third leading cause of disability overall • Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia and the leading cause of death among Australian females • On average, the signs and symptoms of dementia are noticed by families three years before a firm diagnosis is made • 70% of Australians living with dementia live in the community

Designing an environment that supports and enables all people regardless of age, size, ability or disability, while also providing an accessible, usable and easily understood space for people living with dementia is a complex task. However, by considering the evidence based design principles for people living with dementia when applying general access standards, the needs of this large and growing sector of our community can be accommodated.

WHAT IS DEMENTIA AND WHAT ARE ITS ACCESS IMPLICATIONS?

Although doors may seem a minor element in creating accessible environments for people living with dementia, they can have a major impact.

This article will give an overview of dementia, why it should be a design consideration for everyone, and some issues you might consider when specifying doors for your next project.

Most people with dementia are older, but it is important to remember that not all older people get dementia. It is not a normal part of ageing.

Dementia can happen to anybody, but it is more common after the age of 65 years. People in their 40s and 50s can also have dementia.

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Dementia is not one specific disease. It is a term used to describe a collection of symptoms that can affect a variety of cognitive abilities. There are over 100 diseases that may cause dementia.

The most common include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

Dementia affects thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Brain function is affected enough to interfere with the person’s normal social or working life. No two people with dementia will have exactly the same symptoms and experiences. Seventy percent of Australian’s living with dementia continue to live within the community.

As the majority of people living with dementia are over 65, many will also have other age-related health problems (such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease). They are also more likely to be living with other age-related difficulties such as: • Mobility difficulties • Visual difficulties • Hearing difficulties.

EVIDENCE BASED PRINCIPLES FOR DESIGNING FOR DEMENTIA There has been a substantial amount of research on the effects of aspects of the built environment on people with dementia. The findings of the literature have been organised around 10 principles of design (Fleming & Bennett, 2017):

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FEATURED ARTICLE 1. Unobtrusively reduce risks: Reduce potential risks and where safety features are provided (fences, security features and doors or windows), ensure that they are not obvious.

2. Provide a human scale: The buildings and spaces encountered by a person shall not intimidate or confuse them by there size or the number of people in them 3. Allow people to see and be seen: The built environment shall enable a person to see their destination or easily navigate their way to it, and be seen by others (such as staff) 4. Reduce unhelpful stimulation: Visual and auditory stimulation that are not helpful shall be reduced to the minimum required 5. Optimise helpful stimulation: Visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory cues shall be provided to assist a person find their way around and maximise independence 6. Support movement and engagement: A clearly defined path of travel shall be provided to guide a person to their destination and areas where they can engage in meaningful activity 7. Maximise the familiarity of the environment: The environment should afford people the opportunity to maintain their competence through the use of familiar building design (internal and external), furniture, fittings and colours 8. Provide a variety of spaces to be alone or with others: The built environment shall provide a range of accessible spaces that allow a person to be alone, with one or two others or in larger groups 9. Provide links to the community: The built environment shall encourage people living with dementia to maintain links with the wider community 10. Design in response to a vision for a way of life: A building should be the embodiment of the design philosophy (eg provides opportunities for the engagement of all with the ordinary activities of daily living), and make this evident to the users, including people living with dementia, their families and the wider community

WHAT’S THAT GOT TO DO WITH DOORS? Doors can be a source of frustration and distress for people living with dementia. Good door decisions can also help enhance building usability.

By considering the above evidence-based principles when specifying doors, a more enabling environment can be designed. These are some key points to consider: • Create a visually distinct entrance to a building that clearly identifies the main pedestrian entrance door. This door should be accessible and easy to operate; • Use entrance cues such as colour and architectural detailing (eg roof forms, gabled roof) and also consider additional cues such as landscaping and plantings to make the entrance highly visible; • Consider type of door selection to maximise accessibility (eg swing doors may be heavy and awkward – consider automation or power assistance. Revolving doors may be confusing and difficult to operate); • Large expanses of glazing may be confusing and cause anxiety for a person living with dementia or a visual impairment. Ensure the door is in a logical location and that it is clearly defined from the surrounding glazing. If there are adjoining non-public entrances, downplay these visually; • Consider any changes in tonal contrast of flooring materials at door thresholds. A sharp contrast may be seen as a step or change in level by someone with a cognitive or visual impairment. This may increase risk of trips and falls or limit access to the building. Avoid high contrast inset door mats at entrances; • Use clear signage and graphics to identify doors a person may need to access (such as entrance, toilets and other key locations).

Beware of excess signage as this can create unhelpful stimulation and overwhelm a person; • Consider use of internal doors with glass panels where appropriate, to enable good visual access and to help a person understand their environment (eg if I can see the waiting room or customer service area I can better navigate the building); • Use colour or contrasting finishes on doors to make them visible (again, consider which

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FEATURED ARTICLE doors should be visible (highlight) and which doors should be downplayed (back of house, staff only or service doors); • Consider an overall wayfinding strategy that is clear and consistent. (eg all toilet doors are consistent in door type, colour, materials and signage); • Consider using a variety of finishes or colours to differentiate parts of the building (such as departments, corridors, floors, bedrooms, clinic areas) to assist in wayfinding, familiarity, support movement and engagement and provide appropriate stimulation;

Image

• Paint doors a contrasting colour to the wall to make them visually stand out from the background. Ensure the door handle, any locks or other door furniture is finished in a colour that contrasts with the door, and is familiar and easy to use.

The following are examples of common door issues and some considerations that would enhance them for most users, including a person living with dementia.

Comment Positive design features: • This entrance from an outside space is easily seen through the use of colour and a logical door location.

• Portico provides a transition zone between external and internal spaces. This can provide time for older eyes to adjust to changes in lighting levels and thus, may reduce trips and falls Photo: Ash Osborne

Issue to consider: • Sharp colour contrast in flooring materials at the door threshold could be perceived as a change in level by someone with a cognitive or visual disability

Photo: Ash Osborne

Issues to consider: • Lack of contrast between toilet doors and adjacent panels may make locating the door difficult for someone with a cognitive or visual disability • Ensure door handle and any other door hardware (such as ‘occupied’ indicator) is clear, easy to use and is finished in a colour that stands out from the door Photo: iStock

February / March 2019

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FEATURED ARTICLE Image

Comment Issues to consider: • If this door is along a desired path of travel, consider using contrast to highlight the door location and removing signage stuck to door panels. If signage is essential, provide appropriate clear signage. If non-essential, remove or relocate to enhance visual access.

• If this door is locked or provides access to a private or staff only area it may cause confusion and distress.

The glass door panels provide a view into an area unable to be accessed, which may cause frustration.

Avoid the creation of dead ends where possible.

Photo: Ash Osborne

Positive design feature: • Consider a wayfinding strategy that includes door signage out of toilets and other key destinations (such as that recently introduced by Sainsbury’s in the UK)

Image: www.localdementiaguide.co.uk

Positive design feature • Toilet location clearly identified through use of colour, contrast and signage • Entrance door utilises image and colour to assist in wayfinding and familiarity

Image: Suzanne Timmons, Dementia Services Information and Development Centre www.dementia.ie

REFERENCES: About Dementia. Dementia Australia www.dementia.org. au/information/about-dementia Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2012) Dementia in Australia. Canberra: AIHW

Dementia Enabling Environments Project (DEEP).

Alzheimer’s WA. www.enablingenvironments.com.au

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2018) Australia’s Health 2018. Australia’s health series no. 16.

AUS 221. Canberra: AIHW

Designing for People with Dementia. Dementia Training Australia https://www.dta.com.au/services/designing-for-people-with-dementia/

Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (2018) Dementia Friendly Hospitals from a Universal Design Approach. National Disability Authority: Dublin

Fleming R and Bennett, K (2017) Environmental Design Resources. Dementia Training Australia: University of Wollongong

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THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA

our new CORPORATE SPONSOR category!

Association of Consultants in Access Australia

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The annual fee for BRONZE Corporate Sponsor is $1,100. Sponsorship is is suitable for businesses that provide: • Products that relate to accessible built environments and support the objectives of ACAA. • Disability access-related consultancy services (provided that the business employs at least ONE financial ACAA Accredited level member).

BRONZE ‘Corporate Sponsor’ Package includes the following: Use of ‘ACAA Bronze Sponsor’ logo on your website and advertising material (for financial members).

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Free listing as a ‘Corporate Sponsor’ on ACAA website

¼ A4 page advertisement in six issues of Access Insight magazine (approx. value of $1,500); OR 2 x ¼ A4 page advertisements and 1 page ‘Advertorial’ in Access Insight magazine (approx value of $1,500 based on current Access Insight advertising rates).

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February / March 2019

33

BOOK REVIEW

EVERYONE CAN PLAY, A GUIDELINE TO CREATE INCLUSIVE PLAYSPACES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Authors: NSW, Office of Open Space and Parklands, Department of Planning and Environment Reviewed by: Cathryn Grant

AIM: This guideline aims to provide a set of best practice recommendations to encourage the design of inclusive play spaces.

METHOD: The process of developing this guideline was highly consultative. An advocacy group of nine representatives from the play industry and advisory team of 55 from council, community and industry representative all worked to shape and test this guideline. A draft of the guideline was also open to the public for comment and all feedback was reviewed and informed the development of the guideline.

RESULTS: The guideline distils thinking around playspaces to three principles: Can I get there?

Consider location, layout, signage, wayfinding and accessibility to ensure everyone can find their way to, in and around the playspace.

Can I play?

The play experience, including the equipment and surfacing, should allow everyone to 34

experience a variety of challenging and engaging play opportunities in a way that suits them.

Can I stay?

Consider safety, facilities, landscape and the wider environment to ensure everyone can stay at the playspace for as long as they would like.

Part 2 of the guide steps you through six stage process to assist the development of inclusive playspaces.

Within the design stage the guideline outlines its six design principles which draw on playspace theory, universal design principles and access standards. These are: Find, Fit, Choose, Join In, Thrive and Belong.

There does seem to be some overlap between many of these however there is a nice Design Principles Checklist at the back of the guideline.

The checklist expands upon each of these principles and allows you to assign a priority according to the needs and desires of your project.

An additional checklist at the back allows you to evaluate a playspace or a proposed design of a playspace. This is useful for the fifth step (of the

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA

BOOK REVIEW six stage process); Evaluate. It is a short evaluation checklist and we should all do this more with our playgrounds to provide feedback to our local authorities about what is working and what is not. It would be great if this evaluation tool could be developed into an app and then be easily sent to the relevant local authority. The sixth step is Champion and encourages everyone to advocate for inclusive playspaces. An apt quote from a personal profile in the guide states; “Play is the thing that equalises us all. It’s the measure recognised internationally of a happy individual and society.” Playgrounds are important public infrastructure and should be able to be enjoyed by all. This is a great guide to assist us in achieving this.

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