According to the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), accessible housing is "any housing that includes features to enable use by people either with a disability or through their life stages".
Industry stakeholders were invited to comment on the options for potential minimum accessibility standards for housing, to be applied through the National Construction Code (NCC).
The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science published footage offering an overview of the Accessible Housing National Consultation Forums in 2018. It includes:
· An overview of the work of the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB)
· The objectives and scope of the accessible housing consultation project
· The processes regarding the Regulation Impact Analysis (RIA)
· A discussion of the accessibility options being explored
The ABCB is in the process of gathering information before submitting possible changes for the NCC. Possible accessibility changes to Class 1A and Class 2 buildings are being considered, and may include the following measures:
Wider internal doors and corridors
Step-free entrance doors
Entry-level toilets
Accessible bathroom and shower design
Should the Government decide to make changes to the NCC the new regulations would come into effect on May 1, 2022. Such regulations would:
· Only apply to new buildings
· Would not need to be installed retrospectively
· Would need to be cost effective and proportional
Check out the video and related resources provided by the ABCB for further detail.