ACCESS AUDITS UNDER THE ACTION PLAN TOWARDS KUALA LUMPUR AS ACCESSIBLE CITY

The Action Plan towards Kuala Lumpur as Accessible City sets out an implementation framework including workshops, access auditing and a holistic focus on all three stages of the construction process: design, construction and post-construction. It highlights three priority areas: legislation, enforcement and monitoring, and awareness rising.

The Action Plan Towards Kuala Lumpur as Accessible City, which was developed in 2010, sets out an implementation framework including workshops, access auditing and a holistic focus on all three stages of the construction process: design, construction and post-construction. It highlights three priority areas: legislation, enforcement and monitoring, and awareness raising. The core concepts are the continuum of access, approachability, accessibility and usability by applying UD.

Problems Targeted

The City of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has set up an implementation framework for its accessibility standards for the built environment that includes a comprehensive monitoring and enforcement system, from design to post- construction.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Under Kuala Lumpur’s Action Plan, all new construction and retrofitting works must be universally designed. For construction to be approved, the submitted building plans must comply with the accessibility standards. The construction permit is only issued once approval has been given. To enable court action in the case of non-compliance, every submitting person needs to sign a certification that they accept full responsibility. Furthermore, they have to issue an Access Statement describing all accessible facilities in public buildings. During the construction, access auditors of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall inspect the construction and have the possibility to issue a stop-work order. After the construction, follow-up inspections by access auditors grant either a Certificate of Compliance or require the constructor to make adaptations or re-build. The Periodic Inspection Unit monitors existing buildings. In addition, awareness-raising programmes are held.