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Buildings for All: Creating an Accessible Built Environment
- Fabian Chan, Anuja Dhoot, and Marcus Cheong
- Apr 2
- 8 min read
In this Explainer, find out...
Why are accessible buildings important and what has Singapore done to promote the construction of such buildings?
What are the core components of the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) efforts to ensure accessible and universal urban design?
How successful have BCA’s efforts been and what challenges remain?
Introduction
Globally, public awareness about physical disabilities and accessible design has grown significantly in recent years. Singapore is no exception: a 2024 survey by the Institute of Policy Studies found that 63.1 per cent of Singaporeans supported ensuring that persons with disabilities could meet their full residential needs. In response, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has introduced a range of regulations to promote inclusive design.
This policy explainer focuses on BCA’s Accessibility and Universal Design policies which seek to make buildings more user-friendly for Singaporeans from all walks of life. This includes persons with physical disabilities who face difficulties performing activities like walking, bathing and toiletting independently.
Motivations and Trends
To begin, what is accessibility and universal design? And what is driving BCA’s current efforts?
BCA has defined accessibility as the “practice of designing products, services, and environments that can be accessed, understood, and used by all individuals, including those with disabilities”. In a similar vein, universal design refers to “design for all”. The goal, therefore, is “to create products and environments that address the physical needs of as many people as possible, regardless of abilities and age”.
Demographic trends are a large factor driving such accessibility efforts. Particularly, Singapore’s population is ageing: estimates suggest that 24.1 per cent of Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above by 2030. Hence, the Government will have to adapt physical community spaces to be accessible to seniors whose mobility is more limited. Moreover, a noteworthy portion of Singapore’s population also has physical disabilities. Together, these trends create a strong impetus for the Government to ensure inclusive physical spaces in Singapore. In turn, BCA has translated this policy objective tangibly into its Accessibility and Universal Design Approach.
Past Efforts
BCA’s current efforts are not entirely new. Instead, they are the latest in a series of accessibility regulations.
Historically, up to the late 1980s, most buildings in Singapore did not have accessible designs to accommodate seniors and physically disabled individuals. In 1989, the Government enacted the Building Control Act 1989 which mandated accessible design in buildings. In 1990, the Government codified these regulations in the Code on Barrier-Free Accessibility in Buildings. The Act and the Code were complementary. While the Act detailed the laws and process behind seeking approval for various building projects, the Code outlined specific minimum standards of accessibility for approval to be granted.
Various minimum requirements were included in the 1990 Code. These included ramps, handrails, and reserved parking lots. Over time, this code has been progressively updated to include more expansive regulations, seeing revisions in 1995 and 2002.
In 2007, the Code’s scope was broadened from individual buildings to the entire urban environment, and was renamed to Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment. The 2007 Code was then subsequently revised twice in 2013 and 2019 to further expand regulations.
Core Components Of BCA’S Accessibility And Universal Design Approach
Against this historical backdrop, BCA’s Accessibility and Universal Design Approach introduces new levers to promote accessible buildings. Broadly, measures under this refreshed design approach include:
A code on accessibility in the built environment;
An accessibility fund; and
A universal design guide and self-assessment.
Through these measures, BCA promotes the growth of accessible buildings by enforcing compliance, enabling compliance and incentivising compliance. We now turn to explore each of these in greater detail.
Enforcing Compliance through Legally Enforceable Code
First, a large component of BCA’s Accessible and Universal Design Approach builds on the previous Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment. This legally enforceable framework makes it compulsory for all new buildings and those undergoing major renovations to incorporate barrier-free access features. These access features include wheelchair-friendly paths, tactile indicators for the visually-impaired and clear wayfinding systems.
To enforce the Code, BCA conducts regulatory inspections to ensure compliance. Buildings that fail to meet these requirements cannot receive the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) or the Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC). These certifications confirm that a development complies with all statutory requirements under the Building Control Act & Regulations, permitting legal occupancy. Without them, the lawful right to occupy a building is prohibited. This sends a clear message: accessibility is a right for all, not a privilege reserved for a selected few.
Enabling Compliance through Accessibility Fund
Second, an Accessibility Fund has been established by BCA to support retrofitting older structures. Meeting modern accessibility standards comes with challenges in planning, financial costs and temporary alternative arrangements during installation. To ease the difficulties, the financial incentive scheme subsidises 80 per cent of retrofitting costs for essential features like lifts, accessible washrooms and ramps. This goes a long way in enabling developers to comply with the standards set out in BCA’s accessibility agenda. Available until 2026, the financial aid makes it more feasible to translate accessibility policies into practice.
Incentivising Compliance through Universal Design Guide and Self-Assessment
Third, BCA has also been encouraging a shift away from seeing accessibility as a mere requirement. Instead, developers are encouraged to see accessibility as a core design philosophy. This means that developers should not only aim to meet the minimum standards to comply with legal requirements. Instead, developers are incentivised to approach accessibility proactively. In turn, spaces created will not only be functional, but also intuitive and user-friendly for all individuals.
To incentivise such a shift in mindset, two broad measures have been put in place.
On the one hand, BCA has introduced more guidance to allow developers to integrate accessibility features into designs from the project’s inception. For example, the Universal Design index (UDi) was introduced in 2022 to help designers better understand universal design guidelines.
On the other hand, BCA has introduced new labels to recognise buildings which have integrated accessibility features exemplarily. For example, BCA’s “Universal Design Excellence Award” honours outstanding projects which have created particularly accessible and inclusive environments. This award serves as both an accolade and a benchmark, and positions inclusivity as an aspiration and not merely a legal obligation.
Expanding Inclusivity: Recent Developments
Fresh efforts have also been proposed to further the inclusivity push. For example, BCA will publish an updated building code later in 2025, which will require lactation rooms to be built in more buildings. This ensures nursing mothers have access to comfortable, private spaces. Previously, only facilities with a gross floor area of 10,000 square metres or more were required to include a lactation room, but the threshold will now be reduced to 5,000 square metres.
These recent developments demonstrate that Singapore’s accessibility efforts are not just being more extensive by focusing on the needs of more groups of people. These efforts are also becoming more intensive as standards are raised and inclusivity is embraced as a fundamental design philosophy.
Truly Accessible?
As seen above, BCA’s policies have reinvigorated the push for accessibility and inclusivity in Singapore’s built environment. At the same time, however, some issues persist. This section surveys some of the policy’s successes and areas where more still needs to be done.
Positive Outcomes
BCA’s initiatives have been significant in encouraging building owners and designers to adopt innovative methods to make buildings more accessible to all. BCA’s Universal Design Mark, a voluntary certification scheme, has received more than 70 applications and recognised 57 building owners for their efforts in incorporating universal design. Many developers now specify, as part of their design briefs, their desire to achieve the Platinum rating for BCA’s Universal Design Mark.
Furthermore, BCA’s Universal Design Awards has encouraged building designers to come up with innovative solutions to integrate accessibility features. This includes wheelchair-friendly gymnasiums, step-free entrances to bathrooms and housing units, and staggered platforms with handrails for entry into swimming pools. One example is Punggol’s Waterfront I & II estates, where barrier-free pavements were built to connect facilities such as the senior care centre, child care centre and three-generation playgrounds. This allowed more residents access to the seafront where a wheelchair-accessible promenade and viewing deck with railings were built with safety in mind. Another example, Kallang Polyclinic and Long-Term Care Facility, also won the award for its eldercare friendly design with its counters that are equipped with a hearing enhancement system, allowing staff members to better communicate with patients.
Since the implementation of BCA’s initiatives, more buildings have also implemented facilities and amenities catered to people with physical disabilities. Close to 100 per cent of public-sector buildings regularly frequented by the public meet BCA’s Code of Acccessibility’s requirements for basic accessibility. About 90 per cent of buildings along the Orchard Road shopping belt have been made universally accessible – a marked improvement from 41 per cent in 2006.
BCA’s Accessibility Fund has also been beneficial for encouraging older buildings to rework their spaces to be more accessible. Over 150 private buildings have tapped on the fund, including Masjid Sultan in Kampong Glam, Sri Thendayuthapani Temple and Goodwood Park Hotel. Singapore’s efforts in building Universal Design buildings has placed the city as one of the top 10 cities leading the way in meeting the needs of travellers with disabilities.
Persisting Issues and Future Prospects
Despite the positive effects of BCA’s policies, some issues persist. For one, it remains challenging to refurbish older buildings to make them more accessible. In particular, heritage sites which were built long before the introduction of BCA’s guidelines present significant obstacles for people with physical disabilities. For example, narrow buildings in heritage districts like Chinatown pose challenges to those with mobility issues. However, there are limitations to redesigning such spaces, given the need to preserve these sites in their original states for their historical value. Hence, adapting older cultural buildings to fit the needs of all Singaporeans remains an ongoing challenge.
Furthermore, BCA also needs to account for the changing nature of technology as equipment used by persons with physical disabilities are also changing. For example, Member of Parliament Saktiandi Supaat previously called for BCA to account for the possible size changes of personal mobility aids over time.
Looking ahead, concepts of what constitutes an inclusive built-environment is also expanding, moving beyond persons with physical disabilities. An example is the recent move to enforce the implementation of lactation rooms. This shows a broader understanding of inclusive and accessible environments to encompass family-friendly buildings. One can therefore expect that accessibility policies would be an evolving area in the coming years.
A Continuing Effort with All Playing a Role
In response to these challenges, BCA has engaged in consultative efforts which will be integrated into policies like the Code of Accessibility in future amendments. BCA has stressed that it will continue to work with all stakeholders to review the Code periodically and raise awareness on accessibility to shape a more inclusive and friendly built environment.
Ultimately, making buildings in Singapore more accessible requires a concerted effort. Individual Singaporeans also have a role to play. For example, BCA has emphasised that, beyond the provision of adequate accessible facilities, the graciousness of lift users who look out for one another is equally important in becoming an inclusive society. In the same vein, BCA has engaged in a public outreach programme with the Singapore Kindness Movement to promote graciousness when using facilities like accessible lifts, by prioritising those with greater needs.
Conclusion
BCA’s accessibility and universal design guidelines serve to create a built-environment in Singapore which is inclusive and accessible for all. By encouraging innovation in building designs, enforcing regulations on new buildings and providing funds for the adaptation of old buildings, BCA is conscious of the fact that Singaporeans’ needs are ever-evolving. However, making buildings accessible is a collective endeavour. While BCA’s policy serves to provide physical spaces that are open to all, building a truly inclusive society equally requires Singaporeans to look out for and accommodate one another.
This Policy Explainer was written by members of MAJU. MAJU is a ground-up, fully youth-led organisation dedicated to empowering Singaporean youths in policy discourse and co-creation.
By promoting constructive dialogue and serving as a bridge between youths and the Government, we hope to drive the keMAJUan (progress!) of Singapore.
The citations to our Policy Explainers can be found in the PDF appended to this webpage.
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