Designing for a New Age of Accessibility

Driven by aging Baby Boomers, longer life expectancies, and shifting economic demographics, accessibility and universal design trends have never been more necessary than they are now.

Currently, nearly one-third of Americans are between the ages of 55 and 73, and by the year 2035, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there will be 78 million people who are 65 years and older.¹ Additionally, the 2017 World Economic Forum forecasts that by 2050, the number of people in this age bracket in the workforce will increase fourfold.

Furthermore, a study in The Lancet peer-reviewed medical journal reports that by the year 2030, American women are expected to live more than 83 years, and the average American man approximately 80 years.

Along with this aging demographic, disabled and impaired individuals make up a large percentage of the population. For example, the Arthritis Foundation reports that approximately 54.4 million of U.S. adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.² Close to 8 million of Americans are blind or visually impaired, as reported by Cornell University’s Employment and Disability Institute, and just over 6.8 million Americans utilize wheelchairs, scooters, or other mobility devices to support movement, according to the University of California’s Disability Statistics Center.³

So not only are widespread Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements directing accessible design, but universal design principles are also driving building owners to provide easier access, mobility, and usability, particularly within public restrooms.

And when they fail to provide these accommodations, social media is calling them to task.

“Public places and infrastructure are being shamed on the internet when the location or condition of an accessible facility is exposed as inequitable,” reports Susan Heersema, senior project architect, Perkins+Will, New York. “This increased social awareness has prompted the public and design community to demand flexible, appealing, equivalent facilities for all users.”

“There is a growing financial incentive for owners to reduce falls and injuries from non-complying bathrooms between reimbursement penalties and desire to improve patient satisfaction surveys,” observes Sam Burnette, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, principal, ESa, Nashville.

Other interesting variables playing into this need are a strong aging-in-place trend, higher levels of disposable income amongst seniors, and their desire to remain active.

Regarding the latter, AARP reports that upon retirement, 80 percent of seniors prefer to grow old in their own homes.⁴ As such, the home must be designed to support declining functional limitations while still enhancing quality of life.

As for economics, Baby Boomers’ real median household income is 35–53 percent higher than their parents, and this demographic accounts for more than half of all spending in the United States. In fact, this has spawned a newer development called the “gray market,” as consumers over the age of 65 have the highest discretionary income in the country.

Consequently, this affluent and active generation has little interest in old-age homes or “products for the elderly,” thus driving manufacturers to deliver a variety of aesthetic yet functional options.

In fact, a 2016 analysis of census data by Pew Research Center found that a record 64 million Americans currently live in multigenerational households, as compared to 51 million in 2009.⁵

“Generally speaking, universal design is an approach that improves accessibility of products, spaces, and building elements to ensure they are useable to the greatest extent possible by people of all ages and abilities,” Heersema says.

While these design trends apply throughout the parking, entrance areas, and facilities themselves, nowhere are they more evident than the bathrooms.

Consider this. Laboratory for Efficient and Accessible Design conducted research on people aged 18 to 88 living in a multigenerational community and reported that the factors most limiting a person’s ability to function include their overall strength; bending, stooping, kneeling, or sitting; walking, standing, and maintaining balance; grasping or lifting objects; coordinating movements; and seeing, hearing, and moving the head.

With multiple senses and motor skills required to function within restrooms, accessible design in these places is critical.

ADA OVERVIEW

Before delving into the specifics of how the ADA directs building teams to design and install compliant bathroom facilities, some background and an overview is in order.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was originally signed into law during the George H. W. Bush administration, amended in 2008, and updated in 2010, 2011, and 2013.

Essentially, the requirements protect individuals with a wide range of disabilities—including mobility, stamina, sight, hearing, and speech, as well as emotional illness and learning disorders—providing enhanced accessibility within employment settings and situations involving goods and services.

The following entities are governed by ADA requirements:

• State and local government facilities, in new construction and alterations, including schools, hospitals, public housing, courthouses, and prisons. Although federal facilities are technically not covered by the ADA, they must meet Architectural Barriers Act standards, which are very similar.
• Places of public accommodation and commercial facilities. This encompasses office buildings, industrial facilities, stores and shops, restaurants and bars, sales or rental establishments, service establishments, theaters, places of lodging, recreation facilities, assembly areas, private museums, and places of education.
• Transportation facilities, including bus stops and stations, rail stations, airports, and larger transportation vehicles.

Offering some perspective, Brian Sykes, associate principal, Perkins+Will, Washington, D.C., relates that in the early days, owners were simply interested in checking off the box to ADA compliance, whereas today, organizations are more interested in accommodating the needs of building occupants.

More building owners are proactively addressing special needs groups, including children, the elderly, caregivers, and pregnant/nursing mothers.

SELECTING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS

When it comes to designing ADA and universal design projects, there are a number of things to keep in mind when evaluating and ultimately specifying bathroom products.

For starters, products should be durable, aesthetically pleasing, and easily maintained.

“Restroom/toilet partitions should be kept simple and yet be able to support the weight of grab bars, toilet-paper holders, and clothing hooks,” adds Mary Fisher Knott, CID, allied ASID, CLIPP, CAPS, CEO of Ergonomic Design Center, Scottsdale, AZ.

Beyond ADA requirements, which will be discussed in detail below, Burnette explains that common-sense ergonomics should go into product selection. A few pointers include:

• Incorporate comfortable grip diameter and surface finishes.
• Include intuitive usage details, such as simple dispensing or hands-free dispensing of paper towels, soap, and hand sanitizers.
• Avoid large, bulky, vendor-supplied towel, soap, and napkin dispensers that take a disproportionate amount of wall space, thereby causing reach conflicts or unsightly fixtures.
• Incorporate hands-free faucets and auto-flush to not only minimize the need to reach from a wheelchair but also reduce health-care associated infections (HAI) by eliminating surface touching.

Meanwhile, Eric Koffler, AIA, IIDA, EDAC, LEED AP, WELL AP, senior associate designer, NBBJ, Columbus, Ohio, emphasizes safety and infection prevention. For instance, floor surfaces that meet or exceed dynamic coefficient of friction requirements should be specified to reduce the likelihood of slips and falls.

Furthermore, it is important to reduce areas that can harbor microbes—such as depressions, corners, and anywhere two different finishes/products come together—as they can be hard to clean and harbor unwanted microorganisms over time. “Selecting monolithic finishes, such as large-format tile on walls, will reduce grout lines, and specifying countertops with integral sinks are a few measures that can assist enhanced hygiene,” Koffler says.

A common stereotype is that ADA and universal designs are cold and institutional. Not only is this no longer the case, but manufacturers also continue to introduce attractive, aesthetic product options.

For example, new solid-surface and man-made materials are available in solid and subdued patterns that can be used in a simple, monochromatic scheme to create a more elegant feel, relates Fisher Knott. Porcelain tiles can also be employed on horizontal and lateral surfaces to create a warm subtle pallete.

FUNCTIONAL AND STYLISH

In line with general industry trends blurring the lines between commercial and residential design, manufacturers are offering high-performance finishes, fixtures, and accessories with a wider range of styles, finishes, and colors.

In addition to selecting the right products, Burnette recommends a few ways to enhance the overall ambiance and aesthetics of the bathroom. For example, safe lighting levels can be achieved with warmer color tones in the 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin range. Similarly, warmer colors, and sometimes brighter-colored hardware can be considered for grab bars, dispensing, and fixtures to add a stylish touch that deviates from the expected stainless steel, chrome, and other institutional color options.

Burnette also points out that because base cabinets under sinks in ADA bathrooms are not allowed, the plumbing below the fixture is typically very visible. Adding a shroud over the hardware and P-trap will hide unsightly plumbing.

Overall, Burnette applauds the industry for introducing a variety of visually appealing bathroom products. But even so, designers are still grappling with the challenge of successfully integrating these products into the full bathroom setting.

For instance, finding and locating attractive dispensers for toilet tissue, paper towels, soap, and feminine napkins that do not conflict with maximum reach or clearances between grab bars can be a challenge. Generally, this will take more wall space than anticipated, so early designs of wall elevations for each bathroom wall are recommended.

“Providing ADA-compliant turning space and fixture clearances that do not make the ADA-compliant bathrooms feel stigmatized or overly institutional compared to other bathrooms is another challenge,” Burnette relates. “One way to offset the ADA bathroom from feeling oversized is to increase the clearances in all bathrooms to be universally designed for most movement needs, a.k.a., ‘mobility friendly.’”

Another point of potential difficulty can occur specifying finish transitions; in particular, incorporating a water-resistant flooring finish in the bathroom and finish transition at the door threshold to the bedroom zone. “Quite often, a thicker tile product is used and must be transitioned at the door threshold with a solid-surface sill to provide the finish transition,” Burnette adds.

This sill, even with a sloped edge, can still be a trip hazard. Fortunately, there are more products that can replace tile that are closer in thickness to the typical sheet goods or luxury vinyl tile in commercial applications; for example, resinous flooring and newer sheet goods that can withstand the water overspray, says Burnette.

“The same challenge is true at the shower edge. ADA guidelines allow a curb in non-roll-in showers with a transfer movement into these showers. This curb presents a trip hazard to all patients with trouble lifting their feet, or with vision impairments,” he explains.

To address this, there are numerous shower products that provide a trench drain shower design with no raised curb between the shower and bathroom floor.

ADA-COMPLIANT YET NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL SPACES

The above example illustrates another challenging aspect of ADA designs, which is the fact that code compliant does not always translate into fully functional spaces, and this is where designers need to step in to make these designs really work.

Granted, the ADA—or more specifically, the U.S. Department of Justice—has established a line of communication with the design community for continual feedback and refinements on behalf of disabled advocacy groups, owners, and designers. But even so, issues and challenges still arise.

While specific to hospital settings, one example is providing adequate changing space within the bathroom for patients to take showers or change clothes within the bathroom. Burnette explains that most hospital bed units are working within a column grid spacing that allows two patient rooms per column bay, and this module of repetitive space across the floor requires creative layouts for the 10 percent and higher ratios of ADA-compliant rooms. However, because the dressing bench and adjacent access space is not a requirement in private patient bathrooms, there is often insufficient space for disabled patients to manage within the space confines of the bathroom.

Similarly, the toilet room in health-care facilities might technically be ADA compliant but not properly account for sufficient space to accommodate caregiver assistance.

Other environments, such as an outpatient clinic, may serve a higher percentage of patients on scooters who require more space for their turn radius than what is required by ADA standards.

Overall, designers should consider exceeding ADA requirements based upon user needs. This could mean greater space allocation, altered layouts, shorter reach ranges, or the addition of grab bars.

In some cases, a functional design modification might be as simple as locating a paper-towel dispenser immediately adjacent to the wheelchair-accessible lavatory so that a wheelchair user does not have to wheel with wet hands in order to reach the towel dispenser, suggests Heersema. “Also, consider users with arthritis or multiple sclerosis, who may have difficulty extending their fingers. Specifying a ‘hands-under’ dryer may be more preferable than a ‘hands-in’ dryer for these users.”

Similarly, door locks and toilet-flushing mechanisms should be easily operated, with no grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.

DESIGNS THAT WORK

Along these same lines, there are a number ADA/universal design aspects that some project teams may fail to consider. Offering some best-practice advice, Fisher Knott recommends the following:

• Ample space for access to sinks with space for purses, luggage, and other personal items.
• Installation of hard surfaces that are easily cleaned and maintained, and provide simple or no patterns that confuse the eye and might cause a person to lose balance.
• Well-lit spaces at entrances, counter/sink areas, and toilet stalls.
• With more fathers taking care of their small children, changing platforms with ample space should be planned in the mens’ room.

Meanwhile, it is important to be aware of common errors in order to best avoid them.

In a Health Facilities Management article titled “ADA-ready: Ten steps to ensuring hospital accessibility compliance,” Katherine McGuinness, associate AIA, founding principal, Kessler McGuinness & Associates, Newton, Mass., highlights common mistakes that ideally are caught during the design review process, including:

• Failing to remove barriers on the path of travel.
• Accessible parking spaces and access aisles that are not level in all directions.
• Objects such as glove and sanitizer dispensers that protrude more than 4 inches into corridors.
• Lack of visual alarms in all exam rooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and toilet rooms.
• Heavy doors without automatic door openers.
• Toilet rooms built to minimum dimensions without room for trash or dispensers.
• Shower stalls with thresholds that patients must step over and without adequate clear floor space next to them.
• Mirrors that are mounted too high.
• Sinks that are too deep, compromising necessary clear knee space below.
• Staff locker rooms that do not have benches with backs.

One way to help catch these potential mistakes is to utilize an accessible design punch list, such as the ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities (www.adachecklist.org), which is made available by the New England ADA Center and the Institute of Human Centered Design. In particular, an easy-to-use checklist on bathrooms starts on page 60.

Some examples of ADA questions that building teams must answer are related to signage, accessible routes, thresholds, door hardware, and positioning of the lavatory, soap dispenser, and hand dryer.

Another best practice McGuinness notes is itemizing the request for proposal and contracts for design services in compliance with the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design as the designer’s responsibility, separate from and in addition to building-code conformance. She points out that although the two are often similar, they are not the same. “Not only are there technical and jurisdictional differences, the ADA standards are enforced as civil rights violations and the building code as a safety standard,” she writes. Similarly, the same should be done for contractors in terms of separating contractors’ responsibilities for ADA compliance and those related to building-code conformance. All too often, facilities are designed correctly, but contractors are still constructing to the outdated standards. McGuinness lists common problems, such as toilets too far from the wall, grab bars located in less functional places, and deep sinks that constrict knee space underneath.

Overall, when evaluating the shower area, Pinto-Alexander emphasizes the health, safety, and welfare as the most important factors. Consequently, slip-resistant flooring materials are critical, as are floor types and locations, floor drains, sloped floor surfaces, and flooring transitions.

She also points out that bathroom fixtures and elements can bump against each other in the general circulation space required to accommodate them, creating challenges for the general design and shape of the toilet room. One way to help rectify this is choosing a through-body porcelain tile that consists of rectified edges, which reinforces a smaller, minimal grout joint.

Another often overlooked item is ensuring that items such as mirrors and vertical grab bars do not project beyond the tile wainscot. “Work-arounds in the field will be required if not caught early enough and are typically aesthetically unappealing,” cautions Koffler.

Furthermore, construction tolerances should be taken into account. For instance, a 30-inch by 60-inch shower stall may be a half-inch off before finishes are applied to the wall surfaces. “In an ideal world, everything is straight, plumb, and to the dimensions drawn, but in reality, it may be off, which means the shower stall is no longer compliant once finishes are installed,” he adds.

Similarly, in health-care settings, large-roll paper-towel dispensers are the standard, but the depth of these units can interfere or overlap with the location of sinks. By designing the counter to be 36 inches wide, the sink can be slightly offset to give the paper towel dispenser a bit more room to function and not conflict with faucet usage, he advises. Offering a few more pieces of advice, Burnette notes that while ADA allows the toilet door to swing inwards, in the event that the disabled user were to faint or fall inside the toilet room against the door, access to individuals coming to help is restricted. Consequently, he recommends that the doors swing out.

Another challenging situation might come about if the product specifications are not tight enough.

Ultimately, by working with experts in ADA standards as they develop their designs to avoid re-work and product substitutions, and by seeking out products that meet all design criteria, including ADA compliance, architects can best ensure the end state of the project achieves their vision.

PRIVACY DOORS AND DIMENSIONS

Delving into more details about bathroom product options, self-closing, no-sightline privacy doors are a great option for disabled users seeking enhanced privacy, with made-to-order partitions allowing for the most flexibility in terms of room layouts and accessible design.

Also serving as a universal design strategy, no-sightline doors—as well as interlocking doors and stiles—are ideal for nursing mothers or diabetics, for example, who may need to administer a blood test or insulin injection. Although other solutions, such as full drywall compartments, may offer greater privacy, they may often compromise project timelines and budgets by requiring multiple construction trades and additional materials.

The no-sightline privacy doors and stiles come with standard or optional full-height hardware and typically offer flush styling across a series of doors and stiles to deliver a high-end, clean aesthetic. No-sightline doors are often increased or extended height, typically between 72 inches tall with 4 inches of floor clearance and 81 inches tall with 1 inch of floor clearance. Compare this to standard metal, stainless steel, high pressure laminate, compact laminate and SCRC partitions, which are typically 58 inches high, and standard high-density polyethylene partition doors and panels, which are usually 55 inches high. Ultimately, these privacy options can offer as many as 26 more inches than a standard door with little to no sightlines.

When balancing privacy with ADA compliance, it is important to note that front toe clearance is not required if compartment depth is greater than 62 inches deep with a wall-hung toilet or 65 inches deep with a floor-mounted toilet.

With regards to actual ADA compliance for wheelchair-accessible stall dimensions, a compartment with a wall-mounted toilet must be 60 inches wide and 56 inches deep, and a compartment with a floor-mounted toilet needs to be 59 inches deep. Additionally, adult public restrooms must have at least one sink and one toilet that are accessible to people in wheelchairs. Alternatively, building owners can offer one separate accessible unisex bathroom. If the bathrooms have more than six toilets, two need to be accessible.

As for the accessible stall itself, it should be 60 inches wide by 60 inches deep. The toilet should be located on the 60-inch wall, the door should swing out and have a 32-inch clear opening, and the door lock should be located 36 inches above the floor. There should be 18 inches of clear space on the latch-pull side of the door, and a coat hook should be located 54 inches above the floor.

For the toilet to be considered ADA compliant, the center should be 18 inches from the nearest wall and at least 42 inches from the farthest side wall. In the front, there must be 42 inches of space from the closest fixture or wall. The toilet should be between 17 and 19 inches high, measured to the top of the toilet seat.

The flush controls—manual or automatic—should be located on the wide side of the toilet no more than 44 inches from the floor, and the toilet paper dispensers must be installed on the closest side wall. The center of the dispenser should be at least 24 inches from the ground, and dispensers that do not permit a continuous paper flow are strictly prohibited.

Sinks and vanities need a clear floor space along an accessible route and must have a maximum of 19 inches of space underneath for people in wheelchairs to roll up to the sink. The sink must be installed so that the rim is not higher than 34 inches from the floor. The sink must also extend at least 17 inches from the wall, knee clearance should be at least 27 inches from the floor to the underside of the sink, and the sink depth cannot exceed 6¹⁄₂ inches.

WHEELCHAIR TURN RADIUSES

Defined as a circular space that allows a wheelchair to make a 180-degree or 360-degree turn, ADA requires a 60-inch minimum diameter turning space. A T-shaped turning space that allows a three-point turn is also permitted with a 60-inch minimum square with arms and base 36 inches wide.

A portion of the 60-inch diameter or T-shaped turning spaces may be located under countertops, lavatories, or accessories, as long as the required knee and toe clearance is provided. The required forward approach must provide clear floor space in front and under the lavatory 30 inches wide by 48 inches deep minimum, and the required amount of toe clearance underneath the lavatory is 17 inches minimum to 25 inches maximum. Toe clearance at least 9 inches above the finish floor must be provided for the full depth.

On the topic of protruding objects, restroom accessories with leading edges between 27 inches and 80 inches above the floor can protrude 4 inches maximum into a circulation path. This is to the benefit of vision-impaired individuals and users who navigate along the base of walls. Should the leading edge be at or below 27 inches, the restroom accessory may project any amount, as long as the required minimum width of an adjacent clear access aisle is maintained. All floor-standing and surface-mounted units protruding more than 4 inches should be located in corners, alcoves, or between other structural elements.

Furthermore, ADA-compliant restroom accessories should be operable with one hand with a force not to exceed 5 pounds and no pinching, grasping, or twisting of the wrist required.

GRAB BARS

A key component of accessible bathroom design is well-placed grab bars. In the past, grab bars were very institutional looking, lending a sterile, unwelcoming feel to the bathroom. Fortunately, this has all changed with today’s stylish selection of products.

Functionally, Fisher Knott points out that sometimes grab bars are only installed on one side of the toilet, whereas most people need to use both arms to lift themselves off the toilet. Furthermore, left-handed folks naturally favor their left side for most activity and often do not find the needed support in the bathroom design.

Consequently, in a standard accessible toilet stall, a 42-inch and 36-inch grab bar should be positioned on the toilet side wall and back wall. The side grab bar should be no more than 12 inches from the interior corner, and the rear grab bar no more than 6 inches from the corner. The bars should be installed between 33 and 36 inches from the ground and run parallel to the floor.

For children’s stalls, those dimensions are between 18 inches and 27 inches maximum above the finish floor, as measured to the top of the gripping surface.

If the toilet tank is in the way, it is possible to install the rear grab bar 3 inches above the tank. However, nothing can be installed above the grab bars themselves. The bars should be between 1¹⁄₄ and 1¹⁄₂ inches thick and provide about 1½ inches of clearance from the wall. They should be made of non-rusting material with acid etching or a rough surface for increased grip.

In terms of structural strength, the grab bars must be able to withstand a vertical or horizontal force of 250 pounds as applied at any point on the grab bar, fastener, mounting device, or supporting structure.

In placing the grab bars in the shower area, the ADA requires the following:

• For transfer type shower compartments, grab bars must be provided across the control wall and back wall to a point 18 inches from the control wall.
• Where a seat is provided in standard roll-in type shower compartments, grab bars should be provided on the back wall and the side wall opposite the seat.
• In the absence of a seat, grab bars must be provided on three walls, installed a maximum of 6 inches from adjacent walls.
• For alternate roll-in type shower compartments, grab bars must be provided on the back wall and the side wall farthest from the compartment entry. The bars should not be installed above the seat, and installation needs to be a maximum of 6 inches from adjacent walls.

Taking a close look at standard ADA measurements, Georgia Institute of Technology’s Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access in the College of Design tested a number of configurations and actually came to the conclusion that in many cases, grab bars are inadequately supporting toilet transfers.

In order to carry this out, the research team built an adjustable aluminum framing system for simulation testing of multiple configurations in order to identify the optimal configuration of grab bars to support both independent and assisted transfers performed by older adults and caregivers. More than 130 residents and three dozen caregivers from 11 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities participated in the two-phased 2017 study.

Ultimately, the study found the optimal configuration to be fold-down grab bars on both sides of the toilet, 14 inches from center line of the toilet, 32 inches above the floor, and extended a minimum of 6 inches in front of the toilet with one side open and a sidewall 24 inches from the center line of the toilet on the other side.

Furthermore, the “Beyond ADA Accessibility Requirements: Meeting Seniors’ Needs for Toilet Transfers” study suggests that adaptable configurations that can be tailored to the needs of individuals may be the ideal solution.

SHOWERS AND SEATS

Moving into other areas of accessible design, when building or renovating a shower, the following dimensions must be adhered to, per the ADA:

• Transfer-type shower compartments need to be 36 inches by 36 inches clear inside dimensions, measured at the center points of opposing sides, and should have a 36-inch-wide minimum entry on the face of the shower compartment. It is important to note that there is no construction tolerance, given the shower must be exactly 36 inches by 36 inches.
• A clearance of 36 inches wide minimum by 48 inches long minimum measured from the control wall should be provided.
• For standard roll-in-type shower compartments, they must be 30 inches wide minimum by 60 inches deep minimum clear inside dimensions, measured at center points of opposing sides, and must have a 60-inches-wide minimum entry on the face of the shower compartment.
• A 30-inch-wide minimum by 60-inch-long minimum clearance should be provided adjacent to the open face of the shower compartment.

For settings where a seat is incorporated:

• In a standard roll-in shower compartment, it must be a folding type, installed on the side wall adjacent to the controls, and extend from the back wall to a point within 3 inches of the compartment entry. The top of the seat must be 17 inches minimum and 19 inches maximum above the bathroom finish floor. This is applicable to all seats, not just transfers.
• In transfer-type showers, the seat should also extend from the back wall to a point within 3 inches of the compartment entry. The top of the seat must be 17 inches minimum and 19 inches maximum above the bathroom finish floor.
• Similar to the grab-bar requirements, the seat must withstand a vertical or horizontal force of 250 pounds as applied at any point on the seat, fastener, mounting device, or supporting structure.

A note about thresholds, installed showers must bring the floor to within ½ inch of the top of the threshold to be ADA compliant. Transfer showers can be rounded, beveled, or vertical, and roll-in and alternate roll-in showers can have up to a ¹⁄₄-inch vertical rise with a ¹⁄₄-inch high bevel, not steeper than 1:2.

MATERIALS

As with any public space, durability and longevity are key factors in product and material selection, but even more so with accessible design, as the fixtures must withstand more weight and pressure.

One popular option is high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a high-quality plastic. Impact and scratch resistant, the material performs well in humid environments, keeping mold and mildew away. One-hundred percent recyclable and naturally antimicrobial, it is easy to clean and maintain and comes in a variety of colors.

In a similar vein, solid-surface panels are a great alternative to tile, as they fully sidestep the issue of mold and mildew buildup in the grout, and the possibility of moisture getting behind the tiles and seeping into the gypsum board or other substrate. Furthermore, solid-surface shower installation can be finished in one-third the time of traditional tile. Thresholds, slopes, and non-slip textures can be cast from molds to provide consistency in profile and slope, ensuring functionality and code compliance.

“We make the case that solid surface as a material choice has tremendous benefit in design, installation, and day-to-day use,” explains Evan Bane, M.A., CDT, LEED Green Associate, marketing operations manager, Inpro Architectural Products, Muskego, Wisconsin.

Some manufacturers offer shower partition panels made from reinforced, synthetic, anti-absorbent polymer cores that are fully wrapped and sealed with solid surface. Consequently, this greatly reduces the panel weight while boosting the strength and rigidity of the partition panel.

CONCLUSION

In addition to the accessibility standards required by public facilities, increasing percentages of residences are opting for accessibility upgrades, in line with the aging-in-place trend.

As reported by the 2018 American Institute of Architects Home Design Trends Survey, 62 percent of homeowners want a doorless/no threshold shower, 61 percent are seeking a larger walk-in shower, and 55 percent are interested in greater adaptability/universal design features in their bathrooms.

The upshot is that accessible/universal design trends are poised to continue increasing. Consequently, it behooves owners, designs, specifiers, and contractors to stay up to date on the latest ADA requirements, trends, and bathrooms supporting these projects.

END NOTES

¹Vespa, Jonathan. “The Graying of America: More Older Adults Than Kids by 2035.” United States Census Bureau. 13 March 2018. Web. 21 Aug. 2019.

²Arthritis Facts. Arthritis Foundation. Web. 21 Aug. 2019.

³Mobility Device Statistics: United States. Disability Statistics Center. The University of California. 22 April 2013. Web. 21 Aug. 2019.

⁴“Aging in Place: A State Survey of Livability Policies and Practices.” National Conference of State Legislatures and the AARP Public Policy Institute. December 2011. Web. 21 Aug. 2019.

⁵D’Vera, Cohn and Passel, Jeffrey S. “A record 64 million Americans live in multigenerational households.” Pew Research Center. 18 April 2018. Web. 21 Aug. 2019.

⁶Obesity and Overweight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web. 21 Aug. 2019.