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Our Services
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Since 1987, DESIGNABLE ENVIRONMENTS has provided a number of design services, including:
- Architectural Consultation
- Medical/Legal Consultation and Expert Witness Services
- Future Care Planning
- Codes and Standards Development
- Education and Training
- Facility Auditing and Accessibility Planning
Architectural Consultation
Designable Environments Inc. provides consultation services to architects, interior designer, other design professionals, institutional clients and developers, related to the implementation of barrier free design and universal design concepts into their projects. We customize our services to match the specific demands of every project. Typical activities might include:
- Determine project-specific accessibility requirements based on input from the client and design team, as well as through the application of current codes, standards and best practices
- Development of project-specific accessibility guidelines for use of the design team
- Review of drawings and other project documentation
- Preparation of detailed accessibility reports
- Participation in design meetings
- Coordination of input from disability user groups
- Product research an d specification
- Site visits to assist with problem solving and co mpliance issues
Medical/Legal Consultation and Expert Witness Services
Designable Environments Inc. provides services to the legal and insurance professions related to the provision of appropriate accessible housing for persons with disabilities. We have worked extensively in providing technical resources and expert witness services for both the plaintive and defendant sides of legal litigation matters. We provide professional, co mprehensive, accurate and defendable housing reports directly through our senior partners – ensuring that accredited occupational therapy, ergonomic and architectural expertise is available on every file.
Future Care Planning
Designable Environments Inc. provides certified life care planning services to the legal and insurance professions related to the future care planning for persons with disabilities. We have worked extensively in providing technical resources and expert witness services for both the plaintive and defendant sides of legal litigation matters. We provide professional, comprehensive, accurate and defendable future care reports directly through our senior partners – ensuring that accredited occupational therapy, ergonomic and architectural expertise is available on every file. Carol Kelly, the senior partner in charge of future care planning, is an occupational therapist and certified life care planner.
Codes and Standards Development
Designable Environments Inc. has developed accessibility design standards for many municipal and institutional clients. We are familiar with standards development processes that are efficient, consultative and inclusive of user groups. We are familiar with existing local, national and international accessibility codes and standards, as well as numerous accessibility design guidelines. Bob Topping, architect and senior partner in charge of codes and standards development, is a member of the technical committee and chair of the technical sub-committee for CSA B651: Accessible design for the built environment. He is also an active member of the ISO/TC 59/SC 16, Accessibility and Usability of the Built Environment.
Education and Training
Designable Environments Inc. has developed and presented workshops, seminars and training courses on accessibility issues including barrier-free design and universal design. We customize our education activities to meet the specific needs of our clients and have presente d sessions to groups of varying sizes, from one-on-one training sessions to groups of 500 people or more. The senior partners at Designable Environments are frequent participants and presenters at local, national and international conferences related to accessibility and universal design.
Facility Auditing and Accessibility Planning
Designable Environments Inc. has undertaken many facility audits to determine existing levels of accessibility for persons with disabilities. We are also experienced in auditing large building inventories to determin compliance levels across an entire portfolio. Follow-up activities from the facility auditing process includes deficiency reports, accessibility planning and high-level budgeting.