Mayordomo-Martínez, D.; García-Mateos, G. Evaluating Accessibility Solutions in Collective Residential Buildings: Field Research in Southeast Spain. Buildings2024, 14, 1621.
Mayordomo-Martínez, D.; García-Mateos, G. Evaluating Accessibility Solutions in Collective Residential Buildings: Field Research in Southeast Spain. Buildings 2024, 14, 1621.
Mayordomo-Martínez, D.; García-Mateos, G. Evaluating Accessibility Solutions in Collective Residential Buildings: Field Research in Southeast Spain. Buildings2024, 14, 1621.
Mayordomo-Martínez, D.; García-Mateos, G. Evaluating Accessibility Solutions in Collective Residential Buildings: Field Research in Southeast Spain. Buildings 2024, 14, 1621.
Abstract
Western countries are experiencing an increasing aging population, resulting in heightened disability and mobility issues. This trend is expected to escalate in the coming decades. Therefore, ensuring adequate accessibility in collective residential housing –where individuals spend much of their daily lives– is of paramount importance. This paper presents a case study focused on the accessibility of building entrances in collective residential housing in Southeast Spain, specifically in the Region of Murcia. In this region, 9.8% of the population has disabilities, and 15.75% were over 64 years old in 2020. The study began by compiling the relevant national and regional accessibility regulations for existing buildings. Subsequently, extensive fieldwork was conducted, analyzing 150 collective residential housing buildings. Based on this analysis, a set of recommendations to enhance accessibility was formulated for buildings not complying with the regulations. The results are presented and discussed in detail. The most frequent recommendation was the construction of accessible ramps, identified as the primary solution in over 40% of cases, either alone or in conjunction with other measures. In 54% of the cases, multiple interventions were necessary to achieve effective accessibility adaptation. The findings of this study could inform the development of public policies aimed at improving accessibility conditions in urban areas.
Keywords
accessibility in buildings; building regulations; public policy
Subject
Engineering, Architecture, Building and Construction
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.