Improved Liveability

Housing has been designed to improve ‘liveability’ by incorporating a reasonable level of physical access and enhanced provision for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment.

Requirements

To be classified as SDA Improved Liveability housing a dwelling must be designed to the NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation Design Standard category ‘Improved Liveability.’

The designed environment responds to the needs of participants through improved physical access and enhanced provision for participants with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment. For example, Improved Liveability dwellings should include one or more additional design features such as the below depending on the needs of the participants: luminance contrasts, improved wayfinding, and lines of sight.

 

Design Features

Some examples of special features that may be included in Improved Liveability housing include:

• Sensory – lighting, increased luminance contrast, improved wayfinding, improved lines of sight, light-based doorbells and fire alarms, hearing loops and hearing augmentation
• Intellectual and Cognitive – labelling, use of contextual cues, increased lines of sight, consistency in locations of fittings and fixtures, reduced lighting levels and other stimuli.

Funding for Improved Liveability SDA is available on new builds and existing stock. For compliance, all SDA dwellings must be designed and maintained to a standard consistent with the surrounding properties and neighbourhood, must recognise the importance of outdoor areas and must be built on land that is an adequate size for the number of residents.

 

Improved Liveability Checklist

Download the Free SDA Consulting Checklists

To ensure every home exceeds the Minimum Design Requirements and meets the intent of Specialist Disability Accommodation under the NDIS, we have developed our own assessment checklists to assist with the design process. We want to ensure all homes are designed to meet the individual needs of residents and promote an inclusive and supportive environment that enables participation and opportunity.  Follow the link to our Improved Liveability Design Checklist.