Innovative Practice 2018 on Accessibility
Rating the accessibility of buildings using a well-known seal system
| Name of Innovative Practice: | Rating the accessibility of buildings using a well-known seal system |
|---|---|
| Organisation: | EUKOBA |
| Country of Implementation | Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey |
PROBLEMS TARGETED
Many types of impairments – including hearing, visual, and learning – are often not taken into consideration when thinking about accessible design and services.
SOLUTION, INNOVATION, AND IMPACT
BPASS carries out accessibility assessments of objects and public spaces based on a 300-question checklist for 11 
different beneficiary groups (e.g., children, families, the elderly, persons with mobility impairments, and wheelchair users). This comprehensive approach is important because a building might be accessible for wheelchair users, but not accessible to blind people. The actual state of the building or public space is visualised with the help of a colour scheme and an alphabetical rating of A to G. In addition to German, BPASS is available in Dutch, English, French, Spanish, and Turkish.
Following the assessment, each participating municipality or private building owner receives an individual recommendation for action to improve the accessibility of an object or public space. Persons using the respective buildings or spaces can find the results online or via the app.
different beneficiary groups (e.g., children, families, the elderly, persons with mobility impairments, and wheelchair users). This comprehensive approach is important because a building might be accessible for wheelchair users, but not accessible to blind people. The actual state of the building or public space is visualised with the help of a colour scheme and an alphabetical rating of A to G. In addition to German, BPASS is available in Dutch, English, French, Spanish, and Turkish.Following the assessment, each participating municipality or private building owner receives an individual recommendation for action to improve the accessibility of an object or public space. Persons using the respective buildings or spaces can find the results online or via the app.
OUTLOOK, TRANSFERABILITY AND FUNDING
BPASS is a licensed model, and in addition to Germany and the Netherlands (development partners) it is currently preparing another roll-out in Belgium and Turkey.
BPASS already has a procedure in place to roll-out the online evaluation system in other countries; and it provides
all new partner organizations with an adapted tool, while all background activities are operated centrally from Germany. Moreover, the new evaluators receive detailed on-site training and are introduced to all features of the system.
EUKOBA has already had an influence on policy development in Turkey. Wheelchair users and persons with mobility impairments can currently use places for washing (the abdesthane) in mosques and buildings with a prayer room only partially or not at all. BPASS has designed and implemented accessibility guidelines so solve this issue.
The development costs of BPASS were supported by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Germany. In The Netherlands the development of the app was promoted by the Limburg province. There is an annual fee of 49.90 Euro per year/per building. BPASS has kept the fee low so as to encourage the participation of communities and building owners; and in the longer run its aim is to make the project self-sustaining.
BPASS already has a procedure in place to roll-out the online evaluation system in other countries; and it provides
all new partner organizations with an adapted tool, while all background activities are operated centrally from Germany. Moreover, the new evaluators receive detailed on-site training and are introduced to all features of the system.EUKOBA has already had an influence on policy development in Turkey. Wheelchair users and persons with mobility impairments can currently use places for washing (the abdesthane) in mosques and buildings with a prayer room only partially or not at all. BPASS has designed and implemented accessibility guidelines so solve this issue.
The development costs of BPASS were supported by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Germany. In The Netherlands the development of the app was promoted by the Limburg province. There is an annual fee of 49.90 Euro per year/per building. BPASS has kept the fee low so as to encourage the participation of communities and building owners; and in the longer run its aim is to make the project self-sustaining.
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