Accessible Building Guidelines

An Accessible Building Guidelines Working Group was established in January 2025 to inform the content development and implementation of the ABGs. The members represent UBC Facilities and other UBC teams whose work overlaps with accessibility and the built environment. They provide ongoing guidance and content review throughout the development of the ABGs. Additional subject matter experts at UBC were consulted during the development of the ABGs for input on relevant content. 

See “Introduction” and “Methodology” (Appendix) sections of the ABGs for more information. 

The publication of the ABGs will be accompanied by implementation initiatives led by the Accessible Buildings Planner. This next phase of the ABGs project will focus on supporting teams at UBC who work on the built environment in adopting and integrating the ABGs into their work. An ABGs Advisory Committee will help guide these efforts. 

Engagement sessions were conducted with members of the UBC community to seek input from people with lived experience of disability and those who support them. Participants were asked to share which built environment features have or would have the greatest positive impact on their experiences on campus, along with reasons why. Insight from the sessions informed key concepts and features in the ABGs along with emphasis of their importance.  A research scan was also conducted to identify previous feedback on the accessibility of UBC’s built environments sought to inform campus visions and plans. The scan also included a high-level review of public posts on social media to identify issues and themes being discussed. 

See “Introduction” and “Methodology” (Appendix) sections of the ABGs for more information. 

Accessibility features are to be carefully considered for every project, regardless of scope and whether it is a new build, renovation, or renewal. While it is likely not feasible to implement all best practices when renovating and updating spaces, the ABGs are to be reviewed to identify all features that are reasonable to include. Renovation, renewal, and upgrade projects present valuable opportunities to enhance accessibility despite the challenges and constraints of modifying existing spaces. The overall level of accessibility at UBC will continue to improve over time as more projects embrace these opportunities. 

See “Application” section of the ABGs for more information.

Mechanical, electrical, communications, and custodial rooms do not need to follow the ABGs when key accessibility features are not feasible, and when they are occupied for specialized maintenance or repair only. Temporary installations in the built environment, such as student and research projects or student events, are encouraged to provide at a minimum a base level of accessibility that ensures access to key features and functions or equivalent experiences. The ABGs do not apply to buildings and the public realm on Neighbourhood lands at UBCV. 

See “Application” section of the ABGs for more information. 

The ABGs serve as a companion document to the UBC Technical Guidelines (TGs) and other UBC guidelines and policy documents. The ABGs set a benchmark over and above that of minimum building code requirements and describe the importance of key features to help bridge gaps in knowledge. The ABGs include a summary list of common dimensions and specifications. A process is being undertaken to update the TGs to include key accessibility-related technical information and specifications identified through the analysis of best practice standards. The updates will be incorporated into the TGs beginning in 2026. 

See “Introduction”, “Application”, and “Common Dimensions and Specifications” sections of the ABGs for more information.. 

The ABGs identify features from the British Columbia Building Code (BCBC) and best practice accessible design standards in Canada to define a customized and comprehensive vision of accessibility for UBC’s built environment. Features in the ABGs enhance the BCBC without conflicting its regulations. Should an unexpected conflict be identified, BCBC is to be followed. A Standard for the Built Environment is to be published as part of the Accessible BC Act (2021). The standard will apply to UBC as a publicly-funded institution. A publication date has not been provided at the time of writing. The ABGs include features that are anticipated to be in the provincial standard or take a step toward it. 

See “Alignment with Standards” and “Key References and Standards” (Appendix) sections. 

A timeline for updating the ABGs has not yet been established. The ABGs are to be reviewed and updated upon publication of the provincial Accessible BC Act built environment standard (publication date unknown at time of writing), and when new versions of key references identify evolutions in best practice not currently reflected. The content of the ABGs, which is focused on descriptions of features and why they matter, is not expected to require frequent updates. Best practice dimensions and specifications evolve more quickly. Key accessibility-related specifications are therefore being incorporated into the TGs in part because the yearly TGs update cycle enables timely updates for specific information. 

See “Alignment with Standards” section. 

Creating spaces with a high level of performance, whether environmental or social, requires investment and intention. While many accessibility features incur little or no additional cost, such as paint colour selection or the mounting height of accessories, others do have significant cost. A 2020 study from the Rick Hansen Foundation estimated a 1% increase to construction cost to achieve best practice levels of accessibility in new builds. Integrating a meaningful level of accessibility into the design of a project from the start minimizes the need for costly upgrades in the future. Doing so also ensures project estimates and budgets include features with cost implications. All key dimensions and other specifications proposed as updates to the TGs will undergo an assessment of cost implication before approval. 

See “Application” section.