1. ISO 21542 A Standard for All Dublin, 10th April 2015
Thanks….
Nieves Peinado Margalef

2. The first International Standard
on accesssibility to the building environment
it was published on
it is the first International Standard on accesssibility to the built environment
it reflects the greatest possible consensus currently worldwide.
it is formed by 22 Participants countries and 10 Observers countries
I´d like to start by saying that the ISO is the first international standard on accessibility to the building environment. It was published at , after ten or more years working until a agreement about its contents was achieved.
The ISO is a new tool that:
can be used as guide (Many countries have their own standards about accessibility and others are still developing these, for two ones both the ISO may be a reference document)
to get the development of accessible environment, better and sustainable,
taking into account the Principles of Universal Design, and
to train to understand environment to its consumers (users, designer, promoters, etc.), including more vulnerable ones.

3. ISO 21542 reflects the greatest possible consensus currently worldwide.
The Sub Committee ISO/TC59 /SC16 “Accessibility and usability of the built environment” is formed by 22 Participating and 10 Observer countries. The experts and members of these national standard organisms have been meeting around the world for all these years.
We have to know that to be approved, a ISO Standard must get of P-Members at least 75% votes in favour. The ISO was approved with 19 votes in favour of P-Members, i.e. the 95 % of all votes.
For this, I dare say again the ISO reflects the greatest possible worldwide consensus nowadays, thus we can be considered as a standard for all.
ISO Standard must get at least 75% votes in favour of P-Members
ISO 21542: P-Members voting: 19 in favour out of 22

4. The ISO principles are supported by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on Preamble (g) and Articles 9,10,11.
I can also say that...
the ISO principles are supported by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,( on Preamble (g) and Articles 9,10,11).
As you know, the Convention is a treaty about the human rights of XX century and that was adopted by ONU at December- 13rd.
We can see in the picture which countries have signed or ratified the Convention and its Protocol. Only those countries in grey have not signed it.
So it could be said that this is one of the reasons (to be supported by the Convention) by what the ISO can be considered as a International Standard.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with its Optional Protocol was adopted by the General assembly of The United Nations on 13 December 2006

5. ISO 21542 has already been adopted by:
AENOR (Spain)
DS (Denmark)
NEN (The Netherlands)
SIST (Slovenia)
SIRIM (Malasia)
And is being adopted with modifications by another members.
For these two years, many countries have adopted ISO like their own national standard. Some of them are:
AENOR (Spain), DS (Denmark), NEN (The Nederlands),SIST (Slovenia)
We know that another members are adopted it with some modifications.
In Spanish case I know better, the UN-ISO has became a reference for juridic national standards, getting to improve the requirements level of regarding Accessibility. For example, area of rescue assistance and fire engineering strategy for all were taken into account by first time in our legislation in 2010, when the Sub Committee ISO was working on these issues.

6. New Challenges:
Mandate M/420: Accessibility requirements for public procurement in the built environment
ISO/TC 59/SC 16 has always proposed to development new challenges.
For instance, the ISO has been proposed as the reference document for the new toolkit of the European Mandate M/420, launched by European Commission, about the accessibility requirements for public procurement in the built environment.
ISO has been proposed by CEN/BT WG 207, "Accessibility in the built environment" as the basis of possible new works on a European normative document on Accessibility requirements for public procurement in the built environment in response of Mandate M/420.

7. Liaisons with other ISO Committees/Subcommittees
ISO committees/subcommittes in Liaison:
ISO/TC 145/SC1 “ Public Information Symbols”
ISO/TC 145/SC2 “Safety identification, signs, shapes, symbols and colours”
ISO/TC 173 “Assistive Products for persons with disability”
ISO/TC 173/SC 7 “Accessible design”
ISO/TC 178 “Lifts, escalators and moving walks”
ISO/TC 205 “Buildings environment design”
ISO/TC 219 “Floor coverings”
ISO/TC 92/SC 4/WG 11” “Fire safety. Fire safety engineering. Behavior and movement of people”
Organizations in liaisons:
ANEC
RI-ICTA
COPANT “
The Sub Committee ISO/TC 59 /SC16 has looked for to get liaisons with other committees or other organizations, so as to coordinate and agree on the contents about accessibility and building environment topics, and also to avoid that there were divergences. This is not always easy as you can imagine, but one more time, it is achieved as a result a greater consensus and harmonization.
Some of these liaisons are what you can see in the picture, but I would like to mention the last achieved that the new liaisons with the ISO/TC 92/SC 4/WG 11 “Fire safety. Fire safety engineering. Behavior and movement of people”
ISO/TC 145/SC1 “ Public Information Symbols”
ISO/TC 145/SC2 “Safety identification, signs, shapes, symbols and colours”
ISO/TC 173 “Assistive Products for persons with disability”
ISO/TC 173/SC 7 “Accessible design”
ISO/TC 92/SC 4/WG 11” “Fire safety. Fire safety engineering. Behaviour and movement of people”
ISO/TC 178 “Lifts, escalators and moving walks”
ISO/TC 205 “Buidings environment design”
ISO/TC 219 “Floor coverings”
Organizations in liaisons:
ANEC
RI-ICTA
COPANT

8. ISO 21542 should be applied to new and existing building
Museo Británico ( Londres)
Librería Aalto ( Helsinki)
Saying this, I am going to talk about the ISO contents…
On 42 chapters and 5 Annexes, the ISO contains provisions on the constructive aspects of buildings and the external environment directly related to access to the building or group of these. Not about the external environment, such as public open spaces or of houses.
So these ISO requirements should be applied to new and existing building.
For this last, are included some options as exceptional considerations, based on technical or economic reasons for example in a case of existing building.

9. 1. Equitable approach to a building
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
1. Equitable approach to a building
In this International Standard, requirements and design considerations are related to the principal human abilities that should be taken into account for a accessible built environment. These abilities are described in one of the annexes.
Since then (from design considerations), we can obtain the accessibility keys. In the chapter 4, we have provided in a total of 9 examples of keys
The first key is regarding to procure a equitable approach to a building. Requirements applied to designated parking, pedestrian routes, no steps or obstacles, etc should be taken into account by the design.

10. 2. Equitable entry via the same entrances
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
2. Equitable entry via the same entrances
The second one is to procure a equitable entry via the same entrance. So the considerations in this point will be regarding to easy to locate main entrances, wide openings, manoeuvring space in front the door, operating forces, good signage, etc.

11. 3. Equitable use of the same paths in horizontal circulation
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
3. Equitable use of the same paths in horizontal circulation
A equitable use of the same paths in horizontal circulation is the third key. No steps or obstacles, manoeuvring spaces, good signage, lighting and visual contrast, etc should be again considered.

12. 4. Equitable access to the same paths in vertical circulation.
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
4. Equitable access to the same paths in vertical circulation.
The fourth one is a equitable access to the same paths in vertical circulation. In this case, it is talking about safe stairs, spacious lifts with easy operation, good signage etc

13. 5. Eqitable use of the same rooms.
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
5. Eqitable use of the same rooms.
The same rooms for all is referred as the fifth key. So we should consider a equitable use of the same rooms trough ample circulation space, different seating possibilities, good acoustics and hearing enhancement systems, …

14. 6. Equitable use of the same equipment and facilities.
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
6. Equitable use of the same equipment and facilities.
At the sixth key, it will be taken into account equipments and facilities of the building for that these will be easy to understand and operate, information will be via two senses, spaces to let adequate manoeuvring,etc.

15. 7. Equitable use of toilet and sanitary facilities.
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
7. Equitable use of toilet and sanitary facilities.
A equitable use of toilet and sanitary facilities is another key, so different options are proposed to manage accessibility about use of these specialized spaces.

16. 4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
8. Equitable exit and evacuation routes, concepts for emergency planning.
Entering, using and evacuating buildings should be safe and easy for individuals and groups, include persons with disabilities.
According to eighth key, there will be a equitable exits and evacuation routes to get a fire safety, protection and evacuation for all building users.

17. 9. Important information via two senses or more.
4. GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
9. Important information via two senses or more.
And the last key is regarding to get that important information arrive to all people, for it the information should be given via two senses at least.

18. Where is the exit !?
We have to know regarding to a evacuation strategy for all, that the needs of people with disabilities must be a priority.
It is a behavior pattern known that everybody tends to go out the building following the same path that used when went into.
But in fire case, often this does not happen, especially for people with disabilities. For example, when vertical evacuation is not possible via lift. In this cases, it may be a problem to know where the exits and evacuation routes available and accessible.
(Anyway, information concerning fire safety and evacuation procedures should be conveniently located at all entrances and final fire exits. It is also convenient that information on evacuation plans is available to all building users in a format they can understand.)

19. Well, in agreement to ISO 21542, the buildings will be accessible and all people will be able to move around within the building, to use different places, to find appropriate toilets, etc.
However, we mustn't forget the provision of safe fire engineering strategies to egress routes for all occupants.
In a chapter 3 “Terms and definitions”, terms regarding to safety fire are been introduced (assisted evacuation, place of safety, area of rescue assistance, etc.). Afterwards, in successive chapters, it will be explained the place every one of them takes up in the fire engineering strategy for all.
(For example, Fire engineering strategy is explained as coherent and purposeful arrangement of fire prevention and fire management measures with is developed in order to obtain specified fire engineering design objectives.)

20. Of people that died in an apartment building fire, 15% of them were people with disability. Mafre study
Fire Statistics: Great Britain April 2013 to March 2014
This is a spanish example of recomendations from Madrid firefighter for safety evacuation in apartment building. You can see that the recomendation for the person in wheelchair is to be in place, but in no safe place.
If we look at the statistic study about fire in aparment building made by Mafre, an insurance company, we can find next date: “From people that passed away…”
(In a Great Britain study, it is said “Over two thirds of fire-related deaths…”
The same study also says “The risk of dying in a fire…”) 20 20

21. Fire engineering design objectives
Protect people in any of these locations
In a place of safety;
during independent or assisted evacuation to a place of safety or of relative safety; and
in situ when no evacuation is possible.
There are two critical fire engineering design objectives:
The first one consist in protect people in any of these locations:
In a place of safety;
during independent or assisted evacuation to a place of safety or a relative safety; and
in situ when no evacuation is possible.
In any fire event, we can find with these three circumstances

22. Fire engineering design objetives
2. Spaces (structurally stable) where people remain
waiting in areas of rescue assistance or place of relative safety,
engaged in evacuation or providing assistance for assisted evacuation, and
located in any space outside the building.
The second one is regarding to spaces (structurally stable) where people remain in a fire event:
Well waiting in areas of rescue assistance or place of relative safety,
engaged in evacuation or providing assistance for assisted evacuation, and
located in any space outside the building.

23. In fire case… use the stair
Principles of fire evacuation for all
Safe and intuitive evacuation routes from the scene of a fire shall be available to all building users.
It should be incorporated in the architectural design process;
Vertical evacuation is more difficult than horizontal evacuation;
To specify which occupants are to go to a “place of safety” and which go to a “place of relative safety”
To specify, based on the scenario ; which areas are to be evacuated and when vertical evacuation is necesary.
In new buildings all lifts should be capable of being used for people evacuation.
Lifts in existing buildings, when being replaced, should be made capable of being used for people evacuation.
In fire case… use the stair
About Principles of fire evacuation for all we have to considerer
In fire case, the first principle in many buildings is...don´t use the lift…so use the stair…
But when you can not use the stair, it is a fundamental principle of fire engineering design that there shall be alternative, safe and intuitive evacuation routes away from the scene of a fire… And these evacuation routes shall be available to all building users.
So to get evacuation for all, it should be taken into account the next principles:
Evacuation for all should be incorporated in the architectural design process; the same way that accessibility and usability are.
Vertical evacuation is more stressful than horizontal evacuation, particularly for people with mobility impairments;
It is needed to specify which occupants are to be evacuated to a “place of safety” and which to a “place of relative safety”, based on abilities and others characteristics,
Based on fire size, location, and rate of growth, it is needed to specify, which areas are to be evacuated and when vertical evacuation is necessary.
In new buildings all lifts should be capable of being used for people evacuation in fire situation.
Lifts in existing buildings, when being replaced, should be made of being used for people evacuation in fire case.

24. Assisted fire evacuation
For those occupants who need assisted evacuation, there should be a strategy for the provision of assisted evacuation, and there may need to be areas of rescue assistance.
Areas of rescue assistance
Be provided on every floor of a building,
adjoin every evacuation staircase,
include space for persons in wheelchairs,
have good lighting and good signage,
be fitted with an accessible and reliable independent communication system,
Have storage for an evacuatión chair, a manual fire alarm call point, a fire evacuation supply kit.
How we have seen, it is needed to indicate what is required so that every occupant can be protected from fire, and to try that every occupant, whatever his or her abilities, can evacuate independently.
However independent evacuation may not be possible for all occupants.
For those occupants who need assisted evacuation, there should be a strategy for the provision of assisted evacuation, and there may need to be areas of rescue assistance.

25. This is the first area of rescue assistance I have found in Madrid
This is the first area of rescue assistance I have found in Madrid...maybe also the first in Spain. It is in new terminal of Barajas Airport, was built before that Spanish legislation had set up this request.
I think that the main reason is that it is a Richard Rogers project… 25 25

26. It is fitted with an accessible and reliable independent communication system, well signed, even regarding to how to have to be used. 26 26

27. Nevertheless I also found this other area next to the first one...27 27

28. These are other examples of area of rescue assistance, in the London 2012 venues, where we can see all the request that for these spaces are needed:
Be provided on every floor of a building,
adjoin every evacuation staircase or evacuation lift
include space for persons in wheelchairs,
have good lighting and good signance,
be fitted with an accessible and reliable independent communicaction system,
Have a storage of an evacuation chair, manual fire alarm call point, a fire evacuation supply kit.

29. Fire defence plans
It shall demonstrate a proper consideration for safety, protection and evacuation of the users of the building and who may or may not have a health condition or impairment.
Lastly, I´d like to mention the importance of fire defence plans.
A fire defence plan elaborates the particular strategy for a safe evacuation which has been developed for specific building.
But we have to take into account human behavior, specially in fire emergencies. Against what we tend to think, we are more emotional beings than rational ones…elderly people, children…
“We have to give up thinking that human beings are rational ones...and thinking that we are emotional beings”

30. Fire safety and assisted evacuation for all buildings
Annex D (Informative)
Fire safety and assisted evacuation for all buildings
human behaviour in fire emergencies
building design for accessibility and reliability
assisted evacuation and rescue from buildings- Rescue techniques
management of fire evacuation lifts in buildings
evacuation skills and self protection from fire in buildings
Annex D (Informative) Fire safety and assisted evacuation for all buildings
human behaviour in fire emergencies
building design for accessibility and reliability
assisted evacuation and rescue from buildings- Rescue techniques
management of fire evacuation lifts in buildings
evacuation skills and self protection from fire in buildings
Jens Husbjerg Photo

31. 31 31 To conclude I´d like to propose a trip on time and space
Now we move to Tikal (Guatemala)…and we can see that this building was built for Gods is now used for people… 31 31

32. 32 32

33. “Climb at your own risk”
And regarding safety use of this place, we can find this recommendation: “Climb at your own risk”…Anyway I think that we are here because we are looking for other solutions more professional…
Thanks for listening me 33 33

34. Thank you for your attention
Nieves Peinado Margalef
Chairperson of ISO/TC 59/SC16
Phone: /27 34