Barrierefreies Bauen in Ausbildungsstätten : Status, Herausforderungen und Möglichkeiten am Beispiel der Universität für Bodenkultur

Abstract

In compliance with the federal law on equal rights for handicapped persons all publicly accessible buildings - including educational facilities - need to be barrier-free by 2016. All buildings have to be 'accessible and usable without notable obstacles and unassisted'. The thesis examines the federal and state legislation (construction regulations) and gives a comparison to the international legal situation. It lists the standards and rules that form the basis for barrier-free building design. The next chapter lists the aspects of barrier-free building design in general, as well as for the educational sector in particular. Two newly developed interactive checklists build the centerpiece of this paper. They provide a tool for responsible professionals to evaluate buildings and rooms in a fast and simple manner. Result of each evaluation is a grade for individual clusters and for the whole item (building, room). The outcome can be weighted applying different parameters to enable a valid and reasonable benchmarking. Need for action becomes evident easily. Applying the theoretical findings to the buildings and lecture rooms of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences tests their real life applicability. An assessment of completed and pending measures shows accomplished tasks and omissions which helps to identify necessary next steps. The status quo and possible challenges to reach the required goals are illustrated. A possible strategy for implementation of the necessary measures is recommended. In the last part of the thesis general technical, sociopolitical and financial aspects of barrier-free construction design are discussed.