The Equality Act (2010)

The Equality Act was introduced in 2010 and it replaced most of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). However, the Disability Equality Duty in the DDA continues to apply. It is important to note that the Equality Act is about people and equal opportunities and not specifically about buildings. The Equality Act does not contain any performance based or technical specifications for buildings, facilities or environment.

In terms of the physical environment, guidance on what may constitute reasonable provision under the Act can be obtained from several sources, the main ones being BS8300:2001 (Incorporating Amendment No1), effective since June 2005, and the Approved Document M- Access to and Use of Buildings (incorporating 2010 and 2013 amendments).

In terms of visual contrast, the introduction of tonal contrast into an interior design can significantly improve a visually impaired person’s way finding ability and create accessible environments. At Crown Paints we can help our customers create environments that are accessible for everybody. If good visual contrast exists within a space, navigation becomes much easier.

For projects where compliance with the building regulations is required, the Approved Document to Part M suggests that sufficient visual contrast will be achieved if the difference in Light Reflectance Value (LRV) between adjacent critical surfaces, such as walls, ceilings, doors and floors, is 30 points or more.

SCAN® is the name for Crown Paints’ colour codification system. The middle two digits of the colour code show the luminance of a colour. This is measured on a scale of 0 (being perfect black) and 100 (being perfect white). In reality white paint has a light reflectance value (LRV) of 90 points.