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Updated 15/12/2022 Critical Update for SDA Apartments OOA
They say a week is a long time in politics, well with SDA the same sentiments apply. Following on from our post of last week based on an update received for SDA Assessors, we have received further advice as follows. PART 2: Critical Update for Apartments OOA The NDIA has received feedback on the recent email to SDA Assessors on the correction to the Assessor Update #4 issued 11 November 2022 relating to the use of a studio style apartment as OOA. The NDIA, as noted previously, made a base assumption that as the costing for an OOA apartment....
Town Planning Concession for SDA Developments Victoria
Last week, multiple sources shared with us, changes to the Victorian town planning legislation relating to Special Disability Accommodation and how they are assessed under the planning provisions as Community Care Accommodation. The following outlines the changes. COMMUNITY CARE ACCOMMODATION Purpose To facilitate the establishment of community care accommodation. To support the confidentiality of community care accommodation Application This clause applies to the use and development of land for community care accommodation Use exemption Any requirement in the Activity Centre Zone, Capital City Zone, Commercial 1 Zone, General Residential Zone, Low Density Residential Zone, Mixed Use Zone, Neighbourhood Residential....
Can you have multiple categories of SDA on different stories within the same house or villa without a passenger lift?
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) was implemented by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to assist with housing for people with a disability. SDA is split into four design categories that cater to participants under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and includes Improved Liveability (IL), Robust (RO), Fully Accessible (FA) and High Physical Support (HPS). As SDA Accredited Assessors, we come across many floorplans daily with multiple design categories of SDA in one dwelling. Such as, a bedroom or two for a Fully Accessible/ High Physical Support or a Robust category is proposed on the Ground Floor with an Improved....
Where can OOA or Onsite Overnight Assistance be located?
An issue that regularly comes up when doing assessments of Specialist Disability Accommodation is the location of the OOA or Onsite Overnight Assistance area for Fully Accessible and High Physical Support participants. The NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation Design Standard is silent on any provisions for OOA. In fact, neither the SDA Design Standard nor the Pricing Arrangements for Specialist Disability Accommodation provide any guidance on where OOA shall be located or what shall be provided within the space. In December 2021, the Accredited SDA Assessor – Update 4 was issued to all Accredited SDA assessors. This update included....
Assistive technology ready & home automation for Specialist Disability Accommodation
Independent Living Made Easy Assisted living and Smart Home Automation technology is enabling people with disabilities to live fuller and more rewarding independent lives. New home automation technology maximises the ability of those with disabilities to live independently by enabling control of their home through smart devices and voice control. The technology is seamless in its simplicity of use and is designed for use by people with disabilities in mind. There are endless scenarios where smart home technology can help everyday living... Building Specialist Disability Accommodation that is Assistive technology ready with home automation allows users to live with a....
SDAs Must Have Sprinklers
. Spanish philosopher George Santayana stated, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” It appears with the rollout of specialist disability accommodation we have learnt nothing from the past in how to keep people with disability safe. Are we building fire traps for SDA Participants? The History of the Kew Cottages Tragedy? View the Kew Cottages history in brief In April 1996 nine men were killed in a fire that swiftly and violently engulfed their unit at Kew Cottages, a residential institution for people with intellectual disability. But are the SDAs we are....
SDA 2 Hour Backup Requirements Explained
Design Specification The SDA standard below requires a 2-hour emergency backup in the event of a power outage for 2x GPO points (general purpose outlets) in a participant room for a range of equipment. The most suitable emergency backup device to accommodate the requirements is a UPS system. Types of Redundant Power Supply Systems There are essentially three types of redundant power systems available for SDA Dwellings: Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) battery system Diesel generators that auto-start on power failure. Gas generators that auto-start on power failure. Types of equipment that may require redundant power Ventilator Ceiling hoist Emergency notification....
What Size Block Of Land or Apartment Size Do I Need To Build SDA?
This is one of the most common questions we get asked along with, "I have a block of land this size or an apartment, what can I build on it?" These are both open-ended questions due to the number of variables involved such as: How flat is the land? What category are you going to build? Robust and Improved Livability land size is similar, Fully Accessible and High Physical Support are identical, How many dwellings are proposed? How many occupants are being considered within each dwelling? For apartments, how big is the net floor area? Mark Krause, Senior SDA Consultant....
I want to build SDA – Do I need LHA or SDA Standards?
The NDIA began accepting SDA or Specialist Disability Accommodation stock enrolments designed under the new SDA Design Standard in April last year. Since then, there has been some confusion amongst developers around which requirements currently apply; LHA (Livable Housing Australia) or SDA. To provide clarification, here are a few key dates to keep in mind:* BCA Class 1a, 1b, 2 & 3 SDA Until 1 July 2021, all SDA Design categories' current minimum requirements are based on the 'Silver' or 'Platinum' level housing designs set out in the Liveable Housing Design Guidelines (fourth edition) Australia. These minimum requirements are outlined....
SDA Design Standard 12 Months On
Welcome to our first in a series of short informational videos on Specialist Disability Accommodation. In this video, we share our learnings from the first year since the release of the new SDA Design Standard that I was co-author of. Already we are starting to see things go wrong with SDA. In this presentation, I will review some of the issues but more importantly identify areas where improvements can be made. Additionally, I will look at the opportunities available for developers and providers who choose to exceed the minimum standards View the Video .
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Recent Posts
- Creating Accessible and Inclusive Housing: Universal Design in SDA
- Understanding Luminance Contrast and Colour Contrast for SDA
- Disability Fire Safety Forum: Specialist Disability Accommodation
- Converting an Existing House to Specialist Disability Accommodation
- Why Robust SDA is Failing Participants, Carers and Investors