Barriers in the built environment like stairs, manual doors, or narrow doorways are all common obstacles that stop people with disabilities, or aging seniors, from accessing workplaces. But it’s not just a matter of accessibility. People with mobility, hearing and vision disabilities face other barriers to employment as well.
The University at Buffalo’s Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (
IDeA Center), in collaboration with the Global Universal Design Commission (GUDC), has developed the first set of universal design certification standards for commercial buildings – See more at: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2016/01/002.html#sthash.qfo7jbri.dpuf
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.
