Are you considering accessibility in your home design, especially with the National Construction Code updates?

Jenna Cohen from Honeycomb Access and Design shares more.

This episode is part of a special series on the National Construction Code, and NCC 2022.

Listen to the episode now.

Hello! This is episode 303, and in it, I’m talking with Jenna Cohen, director of Honeycomb Access and Design.

In this first part of my conversation with Jenna, you’ll learn more about the updates to the National Construction Code 2022 when it comes to accessible design and the Livable Housing Guidelines. 

I discussed these in more detail in Episode 286 at the beginning of this series on the NCC2022.

In the conversations I’ve had with homeowners, I’ve heard frustration at these latest changes: that it feels like these are a bunch of requirements that aren’t relevant for them in their personal home. 

However, it’s worth understanding upfront that “Livable” and “Accessible” are not one and the same, and these latest updates are not for accessibility specifically. However, they will help your home be more functional for varying physical abilities over the long-term. 

Listen in, as Jenna will help you understand more about what to consider in your future home for compliance and longevity, and we discuss what to be aware of.

Now, let’s dive in!

Jenna is the Director of Honeycomb Access and Design, an access consulting firm that supports construction professionals to create beautiful, accessible and compliant designs. 

Jenna is also the co-founder of Flying Fox, an impactful not-for-profit organisation that provides social sleep-away programs connecting over 1500 young people with and without disability.

Combining her background in architecture and passion for disability inclusion, Jenna founded Honeycomb Access & Design with a clear mission: to redefine accessibility beyond check-boxes. Jenna believes that inclusion is a fundamental human right, and our diverse community deserves equal and equitable access.

You’ll hear me start by talking about our search to find someone suitable to discuss the updates regarding Livable Housing Design to the National Construction Code 2022 on the podcast. 

I really wanted to find someone who could discuss this in a way where it didn’t feel like a compliance obligation, but instead a new way to think about your home’s design, and its ability to better support you long-term, as well as be more inclusive as part of the built environment overall.

Jenna shares her thoughts on the latest updates to the NCC2022, and takes us through some of the specifics I know have been causing concern with the homeowners I’ve been speaking with. She’ll help you understand more about these details.

Her architectural training and personal passion to create a more inclusive, livable, durable and accessible built environment means she’s well placed to support us in understanding the relevance of these changes to all of us.

Let’s jump into Part 1 of my conversation with Jenna.

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE NOW.

RESOURCES:

Please note, the links to some of these pages may be out of date or superseded as the NCC2022 adoption occurs, or (later) the NCC2022 is superseded by newer legislation.

National Construction Code 2022 >>> https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022

NCC2022 state and territory adoption dates >>> https://abcb.gov.au/ncc-2022-state-and-territory-adoption-dates

NCC 2022 overview of key changes: articles >>> https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/ncc-2022-overview-key-changes-articles 

Honeycomb Access and Design

• Website >>> https://www.honeycombaccess.com.au/
• Instagram >>> https://www.instagram.com/honeycomb_access

Podcast Episode 286 about the National Construction Code changes >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-whats-changed-national-construction-code/

More information about Flying Fox can be found here >>> https://www.flyingfox.org.au/

Jenna also provided a range of links she thought would be helpful:

Assessor Registration for Livable Housing Guidelines >>> https://livablehousingaustralia.org.au/lha-ncc-assessor/

NCC Requirements >>> https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-two/h-class-1-and-10-buildings/part-h8-livable-housing-design

ABCB Livable Housing Standard >>> https://www.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Livable-Housing-Design-Standard-2022-1.3.pdf

ABCB Livable Housing Design Handbook >>> https://www.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Livable-Housing-Design-handbook-2022-1.1.pdf

ABCB Voluntary Standard >>> https://www.abcb.gov.au/sites/default/files/resources/2023/Livable-housing-design-Beyond-Minimum-Voluntary-Standard-1.1.pdf

ABCB Webinar on Livable Housing >>> https://www.abcb.gov.au/resources/videos/ncc-2022-webinar-series-livable-housing

Northern Territory Guidelines >>> https://dipl.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/1262034/guidelines-for-livable-housing-design.pdf

Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program, HOME METHOD >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/

Learn more about how to interview and select the right builder with the Choose Your Builder mini-course >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/choose-your-builder

Access my free online workshop “Your Project Plan” >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan