An Assessment of the Implementation of Universal Design Principles in the Provision of Building Services in Multi-storey Buildings in Abuja, Nigeria

An Assessment of the Implementation of Universal Design Principles in the Provision of Building Services in Multi-storey Buildings in Abuja, Nigeria

CHAPTER ONE

Objectives

The objectives of this research are;

To articulate the concept and criteria of universal design (UD).
To assess conformity of the design of building services in multi-storey buildings to published
To establish if Statutory Authorities check designs to ascertain its conformity to universal design principles before
To identify which building services and disabilities require the most attention when
Identify the challenges faced by designers when designing

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

BUILDING SERVICES AND PROVISIONS

Building Services Engineering, technical building services, Building Services Architecture, architectural engineering or facilities and services planning engineering is the engineering of the internal environment and environmental impact of a building (Wikipedia, 2013). It essentially brings buildings and structures to life (Herd, et al., 2003). Building services engineering involves the design, installation, operation and monitoring of the mechanical, electrical and public health systems required for the safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly operation of modern buildings (Wikipedia, 2013).The major services of buildings as shown by QBSA (1991) are lighting, heating and ventilation, the lifts and escalators, acoustics, plumbing, power supply and energy management systems, the security and safety systems.

Building services influences the architecture of a building and plays a significant role on the sustainability and energy demand of a building as shown by World book encyclopaedia (2002) and goes on to enumerate that within building services engineering, new roles are emerging with some examples in the areas of renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies and energy management. With buildings accounting for around 50% of all carbon emissions, building services engineering plays a significant role in combating climate change (Goldsmith, 2000) and some typical building services areas are:

Design: Designing layouts and requirements for building services for residential or commercial
Construction: Supervising the construction of the building services, commissioning systems and on-going maintenance and operation of
Environmental: Developing new energy saving methods for construction, designing new and improved energy conservation systems for
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC): Specializing in the design, development, construction and operation of HVAC
Electrical technology: Specializing in the design and development of electrical systems required for safe and energy sustaining operation of building

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH DESIGN

Multiple research methods were used for the study; the first was an intensive study of literatures on the subject matter, which was exhaustively discussed in chapter two. The second source of information was the questionnaire survey using structured questionnaires designed and administered to Building services designers/professionals within Abuja metropolis. Thirdly, a physical inspection/assessment was carried out using checklists developed from existing standards (Document M Regulation of the United Kingdom).

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION

THE PERCEPTION SURVEY

This chapter analyses data collected from secondary sources using questionnaires and check lists and the results obtained are presented and discussed to infer their meaning to this study. Questionnaires were distributed to professionals and designers of building services in the construction industry to get their views on the design of building services and its conformity to Universal design principles. A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed and 142 were returned adequately filled thus yielding a response of 94.66%.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The study focuses on Building Services and other building components that improve ease of access into buildings while measuring them against UD principles and Document M of the United Kingdom. The study provides useful information on the level of conformity of building services provisions’ to Universal Design principles, while shedding light on areas that stand out as challenges that impedes against the full implementation of Universal Design and the benefits that comes with it. In essence, the project is aimed at assessing the conformity of building services provisions in multi-storey public buildings against Universal Design principles.

Data obtained for this research were secondary data. The data were subjected to simple descriptive analysis to test for statistical significance where means, frequencies, percentages and RIIs generated. Relevant literatures were reviewed shedding more light on Universal Design, Building Services, Document M and disability challenges in the country. A checklist was also structured using Document M of the UK and used to measure the conformity of these buildings.

The following are the summary of the findings:

There is a general knowledge of UD by professionals in the construction industry though most professional do not incorporate UD principles into their designs. These professionals know UD by different names like; adaptive design, assistive design, trans-generational design and inclusive
UD is not included in the curriculum in most Nigerian institutions and professional bodies in the construction industry have not prepared seminars and conferences to educate their members on this important aspect of construction. Most professionals have learned about UD through personal study or on-the-job
Persons with mobility impairment suffer a higher challenge as compared to other forms of disabilities when accessing a building and its services. Hence, most designers consider their needs over others when designing and this is because whatever suits wheelchair users will generally serve for all other disabled peoples accessibility
Development Control Agencies (DCAs) rarely check designs for adherence to UD principles and poor enforcement of this has reduced the number of designers that make reference to it when
Lack of a Nigerian disability standard is one of the major reasons for the non-incorporation of UD principles into designs in Abuja, as designers rarely make reference to the Nigeria National Building
The incorporation of UD principles into designs improves the movement and accessibility needs of able bodied persons while eliminating unnecessary obstacles

This study has shown that building services and components have violated five (5) of the seven (7) principles of UD namely;

1. Simple and intuitive use
2. Equitable use
3. Flexibility in use
4. Low physical effort
5. Space for approach and use

CONCLUSION

The research work, shown through the analysis of data generated from questionnaires, checklists, relevant literatures and interviews with professionals in the field on Universal Design, building services and standards concludes as follows;

The violation and non-inclusion of UD principles is predominantly an issue of shallow knowledge of UD by professionals in the country that glaringly reflects on the poor installation of building services (passenger lifts and ATMs) that are manufactured outside the country and meet world standards for UD.

The inadequacy in checking designs by DCAs is clearly an issue of incompetence, negligence or poor training (on-the-job or through seminars and conferences) of the Development Control officer who need to be kept abreast with emerging trends within and outside the construction industry.

Persons living with temporal or permanent disabilities have been segregated or stigmatized by architectural and building services designs as most of these persons cannot shop in malls, attend certain schools, use certain recreational facilities, cannot be gainfully employed or even visit certain buildings thus making them a liability and mostly considered as an issue of charity. These challenges can be eliminated with the enactment of a Nigerian disability standard or building on aspects of the National Building Code sheds light on disability access and mandate professionals to include the core of UD into their designs.

Most building services provisions have shown very low conformity to UD principles except light switches/sockets and passenger lift which are mainly manufactured outside the country and sometimes poorly installed by Nigerian specialists.

RECOMMENDATION

Universal Design, if not in the curriculum of higher institutions, should be injected into it togive student and graduates a sound knowledge of this emerging concept from an early stage before they are hatched into the labour
Professional should include UD in their designs by soaring above the challenges highlightedin this research to reduce or even eliminate Architectural or design segregation/stigmatization.
Development control officers should be tasked by professional and regulatory bodies to bearin mind the need to check designs for conformity to Universal Design principles. Also, forum within the agency for professionals to parley and discuss latest innovations, peculiar experiences and discoveries that will broaden the knowledge of its members of staff should be encouraged.
A Nigerian disability standard should be developed, enacted and introduced by the governing bodies in the construction industry with a sound department to be in charge of its implementation and strict adherence or aspects that cater for disability access in the National building Code be developed and made prescriptive rather than descriptive.

REFERENCES

Accessible thresholds in new housing, Guidance for house builders and designers (1999) Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions. The Stationery Office, The Publications Centre, PO Box 276, London SW8 5DT
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American Association of Retired Persons. (1992). Mature America in the 1990s: A special report from Modern Maturity magazine and the Roper Organization. New York, NY: The Roper Organization, 21.
American Standards Association, (1961): A117.1- 1961 American Standard Specifications for Making Buildings and Facilities Accessible to, and Usable by, the Physically Handicapped. United States of America.
Beresford, B. and Oldman, C. (2000). Making Homes Fit For Children. Working together to promote change in the lives of disabled children.Community care into practice series.Joseph Round-tree Foundation.The Policy Press, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Berkowitz, M., and Greene, C. (1989).Disability expenditures. American Rehabilitation, Vol. 15, No. 1, Spring, 7-29.
Bill, G. (2002). Sample size formulas [online] Available at http://williamgodden.com/ sample sizeformula .pdf, [Accessed 2013. May 28]
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Bone, S. (1996): Buildings for ALL to use. Construction Industry Research and Information Association, London. United-Kingdom.
British Standard BS5810 (1979): Code for Practice for Access for the Disabled to Buildings (Document M). British Standards Institution, Milton Keynes. United-Kingdom.

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