Disabled Experts Strengthen Building Authority
By Robyn Hunt
Two of New Zealand's best-known disabled access experts have been appointed to the New Zealand Building Industry Authority.
The Building Industry Authority administers the building control system in New Zealand through the Building Act. The NZS4121, design for access and mobility - buildings and associated facilities is the only standard cited in the Act.
Other important functions of the Authority with particular significance for disabled people include appointing building certifiers, educating the industry about the Building Act, and making determinations about compliance with the building control system.
Bill Wrightson has 28 years professional and consumer involvement - as a wheelchair user - in the design and construction of barrier-free, safe environments. He has played a leading role in the development of the latest and previous Standards for access.
Alexia Pickering, also a wheelchair user, is a long-tine disability advocate. Like Bill she runs her own consultancy, and is a founder of the Barrier Free New Zealand Trust, a not-for-profit organisation that trains access auditors around New Zealand
Last year, Alexia published Accessible New Zealand, a personally researched guide to accessible facilities for travellers with restricted mobility, while Bill has published internationally on barrier free and safe environments
A third disabled person, Helena Horswell, was reappointed having already served on the Authority.
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