The Accessible Housing Design File

Architecture The Accessible Housing Design File Barrier Free Environments, Inc. ". an invaluable resource to everyone involved with the design, construction, and management of housing for older and disabled individuals. The amount of information on each topics is the most extensive I have ever seen.." ––Elaine Ostroff, Adaptive Environments Center Boston, Massachusetts New legislation on accessibility has made it tough for designers and builders to create environments that are both aesthetically pleasing and accommodate people with disabilities The Accessible Housing Design File helps you comply with the latest accessibility standards and keep up with the increasing demand for more universal housing. Responding to the accessibility standards established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), this guide covers the special design and construction considerations of environments for people with mobility impairments. It also contains some design solutions to access problems for people with visual and hearing impairments. Both interior and exterior environments are addressed in chapters that take you from site planning through selection of door hardware. Site designs, room layouts, floor plans, jargon–free explanations, and 300 detailed illustrations convey whole settings and provide you with fully dimensioned solutions to tough design problems. These design solutions will help you to create new housing as well as renovate existing single– and multi–family residences to increase accessibility. The Accessible Housing Design File emphasizes both universally usable and marketable environments that have excellent resale value. It covers the full gamut of accessible design and construction options for:
∗ Vehicular transportation and parking––Accessible vans, carports, and garages
∗ Site design and entrances––House placement, sloping sites, walks, crossings, bridges, lifts, ramps, and handrails
∗ Doors and doorways––Handles, locks, power openers, hallways, floor space, screen and storm doors, door widening, and door swings
∗ Windows––Forward reach and side reach windows, power operators, and windows as exits
∗ Kitchens––Knee and turnaround space, adjustable–height cabinets and counters, appliance siting, and control and handle placement
∗ Bathrooms––Grab bars, hydraulic seats, portable boom lifts, overhead track lifts, removable tub seats, tub controls, transfer and roll–in showers, and lavatory design
∗ Bedrooms––Maneuvering space and clearances, transfers at beds, lifts, communications and control systems, emergency exits, and equipment storage
As the percentage of elderly in our population increases and the civil rights of America′s 43 million disabled citizens become better recognized, the need to create versatile environments that meet the needs of all potential users will continue to grow. This guide helps meet that need, making it essential reading for professional housing designers, specialists in aging and rehabilitation, and others involved in the design, manufacture, and construction of housing.

Currently under the directorship of Ronald L. Mace, FAIA, Barrier Free Environments, Inc. is an interdisciplinary group of architects and other specialists who research and formulate guidelines for accessibility. The group has seventeen years of experience in the design of houses, commercial spaces, and products for people with disabilities. Barrier Free Environments, Inc. has also created numerous publications, seminars, and technical assistance materials in the accessibility field.