Design for the Mind - Neurodiversity and the Built Environment – Guide
The British Standards Institution (BSI) (2023)
PAS 6463:2022 is a new standard to give guidance on designing the built environment. May aspects of the built environment can be uncomfortable or stressful for neurodivergent people. This new standard works to eliminate, reduce or adjust these potential negative impacts. The standard covers buildings and external spaces for public and commercial use as well as residential accommodation for independent or supported living. Guidance is given on a range of aspects including acoustics, décor, lighting, flooring, layout wayfinding, familiarity, clarity, thermal comfort and odour. The new standards reflect a commitment to ensure a neurodivergent affirming world and is the only guidance of its type with input from world-leading experts in both built environment and neurodivergence. The guidance can support organisations to meet legal and social requirements, including the Equality Act 2010, the Autism Act 2009, dementia-friendly charters and Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
