What types of buildings are suitable for SDA?

Many different dwellings are suitable for SDA, including apartments, villas, duplexes, townhouses, detached houses, group homes and legacy stock.

Therefore, you have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to building this type of accommodation – provided you meet the relevant criteria in the SDA Design Standard.

Importantly, studio-style accommodation is not accepted.

Categories under the SDA Design Standard

An SDA dwelling must fall under one of four Design Categories. Read on to discover which one is most suitable for your build.

Improved Liveability

Improved Liveability housing is designed for NDIS participants with sensory, intellectual, or cognitive impairments.

These dwellings offer a reasonable level of physical access and additional features that make it easier to see or understand your surroundings.

An Improved Liveability SDA dwelling also includes one or more design elements to fulfil its resident’s distinct needs, such as:

• Enhanced wayfinding for simple navigation;
• Sight lines for visual assistance;
• Task lighting and luminance contrast in specific areas; and
• High-contrast doors and walls

Robust

Robust housing prioritises resilience, safety, and durability while maintaining high levels of physical access.

This type of SDA is designed for individuals with autism, psychosocial disorders, and other mental health conditions where complex behaviours may lead to self-harm, injury to others, or property damage.

Ultimately, the goal of a Robust home is to protect both residents and support staff. To do this, its design minimises reactive maintenance by using resilient materials and features that reduce the risk of physical harm.

Key features of robust housing include:

• Durable but unobtrusive materials that sustain heavy use;
• High-impact wall linings, fixtures and fittings;
• Secure doors, windows and outdoor areas;
• Laminated glass;
• Soundproofing to mitigate noise disturbances caused by residents;
• Durable yet unobtrusive materials that minimise the risk of injury, reduce neighbourhood disturbances, and withstand heavy use; and
• Safe retreats for other residents and staff to avoid harm.

Fully Accessible

The Fully Accessible SDA Design Category provides a high degree of physical access provisions for residents with significant functional impairments.

This housing is intended for people who need assistance with activities such as moving, going to the bathroom and eating. Typically, those eligible for Fully Accessible SDA use a wheelchair for mobility, either part or all of the time.

Therefore, these homes must incorporate features that enhance accessibility both inside and out, including:

• Bathroom basins and vanities that can be reached from both seated and standing positions;
• Motorised doors, windows and blinds that can accommodate assistive technology, depending on the participant’s needs; and
• Wheelchair-accessible entry and exit points, with no level changes at door thresholds, stairs, or other obstacles that could hinder movement; and
• Automation and accessible features in meal prep areas, such as adjustable benchtops and smart kitchen appliances, which are tailored to individual requirements.

High Physical Support

Under the SDA Design Standard, High Physical Support housing is equipped with extensive physical access features.

These homes are purpose-built for NDIS participants with a significant physical impairment that demands very high levels of support. For example, individuals who need daily, ongoing physical assistance, use an electric wheelchair or require a hoist to get in and out of bed.

Therefore, High Physical Support dwellings incorporate all the features of the Fully Accessible design category, along with extra structural provisions like:

• Kitchen benchtops, sinks, dishwashers, ovens, microwaves and laundry appliances that are accessible from both seated and standing positions;
• Structural support for ceiling hoists, tailored to the participant’s mobility needs;
• Heating and cooling systems;
• Household communication technology such as video or intercom systems;
• Emergency power solutions that cover at least a two-hour outage to ensure participants’ welfare;
• Doors with a minimum clear opening width of 950mm;
• Capabilities for assistive technology; and
• A plinth to raise washers and dryers.

The minimum features of all SDA dwellings

While each of the four SDA design categories has unique requirements, all dwellings must include the below features to be certified:

• A kitchen;
• A living and dining space;
• A bathroom;
• At least one bedroom per SDA resident; and
• An entrance and exit.

Additionally, all SDA designs must comply with the National Construction Code, including sufficient waterproofing and termite protection.