Hi folks 👋🏾
This week we are going through the Inclusive Environments competency. I believe this a relatively new competency so there may be limited resources availiable for this! Some of the bullet points are a bit vague and random, hopefully I can help identify what it is the RICS want to know!
I would highly advise you to go through the candidate guide and the QS pathway guide to understand the basic requirements.
DISCLAIMER: The following is not an exhaustive set of notes, but it's an attempt to help those who, like me at the beginning, did not know where to start! Please feel free to let me know if I have said anything incorrect or out of date!
So what is Level 1 Inclusive Environments all about?
The RICS note that to demonstrate competence at Level 1, you need to demonstrate your ability to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and processes that deliver accessible and inclusive environments, recognising the diversity of user needs and the requirement to put people (of all ages and abilities) at the heart of the process. In doing so, have regard to the legal, economic, sustainable and social case for making inclusion the norm not the exception.
Knowledge of best practice technical standards relevant to country of practice
As a QS our best practice information is derived from the RICS. The 'Black Book' is a suite of guidance notes that define good technical standards for quantity surveying and construction professionals.
Here is the link to RICS Black Book directory:
Recognition of the diversity of user needs
Inclusive design is defined as a design process in which a product, service, or environment is designed to be usable for as many people as possible, particularly groups who are traditionally excluded from being able to use an interface or navigate an environment.
How do designers recognise this? This will become apparent through other users raising issues they have faced through existing designs.
The UK has a National Planning Policy Framework which tries to incorporate elements of inclusive design. Here is a link for more information:
Local planning policy, building regulation and health and safety requirements as applied to inclusive environments
For this bullet point you should know examples of how local planning policy or buildings regs help build inclusive built environments.
An example of this is how Part M of the building regs has specific requirements for wheelchair users!
Appreciate and distinguish between ethical issues as opposed to legal requirements.
Legal standards/requirements are implemented by governments either via statue or common law. Ethical standards on the other hand are derived from moral principles. This is problematic as you can argue that ethical standards are subjective. What I believe to be right might be different in your view.
That’s it for this post folks, as always if you have any queries give me a shout!