On 30 December 2024, the Building and Construction Authority (“BCA“) announced its public consultation until 27 January 2025 on its proposed draft Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2025 (“Code“). The Code provides the baseline standards for making buildings accessible to persons with disabilities (“PWDs“) and other users, and is regularly reviewed to ensure that its standards meet changing population needs. The review of the current 2019 version aims to: (i) address the current gaps and future needs of PWDs, the ageing population and young families; and (ii) clarify design requirements and promote a deeper understanding of the principles/intent underlying the requirements.
The proposed key changes to the Code cover the following areas:
- Reorganisation: (i) introducing functional intents clarifying the intended outcomes for various requirements; (ii) providing enhanced anthropometric information for different user groups; (iii) reorganising and consolidating the requirements for certain dwelling and accommodation facilities; and (iv) consolidating the requirements for various components of a building and assistive systems and facilities.
- General accessibility provisions: (i) updates to include more detailed building types and additional information; and (ii) requirements for the provision of alternatives when existing accessible features are temporarily unavailable.
- Arriving at the building: Requirements to: (i) ensure that key, commonly used entrances in buildings are made accessible to PWDs; and (ii) provide seats at alighting and boarding points.
- Horizontal circulation around and within the building: (i) clarifications to include accessible gantries with turnstiles and checkout lanes that accommodate wheelchair users; (ii) requirements for the provision of shelter over accessible routes; and (iii) differentiated requirements for the recessed leading edge of the door leaf for the push and pull sides of the door.
- Vertical circulation around and within the building:
- Ramps and stairs: (i) requirements standardising the use of contrasting colour bands at accessible ramps; (ii) adjusted gradient reference points; (iii) requirements for curved ramps; and (iv) requirements standardising the use of tactile ground surface indicators for stairs.
- Lifts: (i) clarifications on the provision of tactile and Braille markings for non-force or non-pressure activated lift buttons; (ii) requirements on the arrangements of lift car control buttons and lift destination control systems; (iii) simplified requirements for wheelchair manoeuvring spaces at lift lobbies; (iv) enhanced requirements for mirrors opposite lift car doors, and clarifications on the detailed requirements for platform lifts and wheelchair stairlifts; and (v) clarifications on the location of lift car control buttons.
- Sanitary provisions: (i) enhanced requirements for provision of water closet compartments for ambulant disabled, and clarifications on the clear space required between the front edge of the water closet and the closed door; (ii) enhanced requirements for provision of accessible shower facilities; and (iii) clarifications on the requirements for provision of consistent signage for accessible sanitary facilities and male/female toilets.
- Family-friendly provisions: Enhanced requirements on the provision of lactation rooms, and clarifications on the detailed requirements for such rooms.
- Residential, serviced apartments, hotels, hostels and dormitories: (i) enhanced requirements to provide at least one accessible and sheltered passenger alighting and boarding point, with direct sheltered access to every block and seating that does not impede the movements of wheelchair users; (ii) simplified requirements for the provision of clear space in front of the doorways leading to the bathrooms; and (iii) clarifications on the provision of clear space on one side of the water closet in the bathroom.
- Signage and wayfinding: Clarifications that directional signs to accessible facilities must comprise the Symbol of Access with indications of the facilities.
- Components of a building: Enhanced requirements for the provision of a hearing enhancement system in certain spaces.
Click on the following links for more information (available on the Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home (REACH) website at www.reach.gov.sg):
- BCA’s “Public Consultation on Draft Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2025”
- Annex B setting out the proposed key changes to the current 2019 version of the Code
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