Accessible design within the built environment has often focused on mobility conditions and has recently widened to include mental health. Additionally, as one in seven are neurodivergent (including conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia), this highlights a growing need for designing for ‘non-visible’ conditions in addition to mobility. Emphasised by the growing disability pay gap and the disability perception gap, people with disabilities are still facing discrimination and physical barriers within the workplace. This research aimed to identify key ways of reducing physical barriers faced by people with a disability and thus encourage more comfortable and productive use of workspaces for all. Once the need for designing for a spectrum of users and inclusive workspace design was understood, a survey was then circulated to students and staff at a large university in the UK (working remotely from home), with the aim of understanding how people have adapted their home spaces and what barriers they continue to face. Quantitative and qualitative results were compared to the literature read with key issues emerging, such as separating work and rest from spaces in bedrooms. The survey findings and literature were evaluated, extracting key performance-based goals (e.g., productivity and focus within a study space) and prescriptive design features (e.g., lighting, furniture, and thermal comfort), whilst also considering the inclusivity of these features. The key conclusion establishes that, to achieve maximum benefit, it is important to work with the users to understand specific needs and identify creative and inclusive solutions.

Incidents, such as the fire that occurred between December 21st and 23rd 2022 at the fuel tank storage facility in Barranquilla, remind Colombian industries of the risk of fires. Chemical engineers are responsible for designs and technologies that prevent fires and explosions. Yet, fire and explosion safety is not a subject that is explicitly addressed in the Chemical Engineering curriculum. This study describes an educational module that fosters in Chemical Engineering undergraduate students competencies relevant in fire safety. Through an analysis of a pool fire that occurred in a chemical plant in Colombia, an educational module on fire and explosion safety was developed. The module describes basic concepts related to fire safety such as pool fires, dikes, vapor pressure, and flammability limits, and highlights the differences between prescriptive vs. performance-based design. It also illustrates the use of Physical Modeling Tools (PMTs) as an example of emerging technologies in fire safety. The module was presented to first-semester students in the Introduction to Chemical Engineering class and advanced students in the Process Engineering class at Facultad de Minas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín. The impact of the module was evaluated by surveying the students on the perceived importance of the competencies for fire and explosion safety, before and after taking the module, and comparing the results with the order of importance of the competencies as defined by a group of experts in fire and explosion safety. The module was deemed an effective way to increase the awareness of Chemical Engineering students on fire and explosion safety.