Access consultant for building design and construction
Contents |
Introduction
Access consultants provide professional advice on how to develop inclusive environments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
The National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) is an independent register of accredited access auditors and access consultants who meet professional standards and criteria established by a peer review system. It is a UK-wide accreditation service for individuals who undertake access auditing and access consultancy.
The NRAC was established in 1999 as a project of the Centre for Accessible Environments, a charitable company limited by guarantee. It was initially funded by central government.
There are two types of membership of the National Register of Access Consultants - NRAC Consultant and NRAC Auditor.
NRAC Auditors
NRAC Auditors have expertise in identifying access problems and give general advice on solutions. They possess a basic knowledge of construction.
They provide a professional service to business, public and other undertakings by:
- Comprehensively identifying and reporting on access issues as developed in the client brief. These may be audits or appraisals, and may include general advice on solutions.
- Providing access related policy and strategy advice, including design appraisals, development of access statements, access plans, access related strategies and policies.
Using their professional judgement, an NRAC Auditor should be able to identify the access requirements specific to the physical environment, and within the appropriate legislative context, considering all relevant factors. These will include legal requirements, client needs, best practice guidelines, practicality and user requirements.
NRAC Consultants
NRAC Consultants can make recommendations and provide solutions of a technical and policy nature as well as identifying access problems. They possess a greater degree of construction knowledge than NRAC Auditors.
This article was created by --BuroHappoldInclusiveDesign 10:23, 11 October 2012 (BST)
Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Accessibility in the built environment.
- Access and inclusion in the built environment: policy and guidance.
- Access audit.
- Accessible London.
- Accredited access consultant.
- Approved document M.
- Built Environment Professional Education BEPE.
- Changing lifestyles.
- Equality Act.
- Equal opportunities policy.
- Essential principles, Creating an accessible and inclusive environment.
- Inclusive design.
- Older people.
- People with disabilities.
- Ramps.