Safety:
Safety in access as well as exits are of prime concern for everybody especially the elderly and the disabled as they are less capable to handle emergency and crisis situations on their own. Safety of a built environment and safety of fittings and equipment are prime considerations. Pre-planned barrier free routings, visual and audible signals/ signage would enhance the safety aspects.

Sustainability:
If a building or facility is user friendly, accessible and everybody can enjoy it, then the built environment is more sustainable. Maintenance of the elements that make the building or facility accessible must be kept in good order such that people can continue to enjoy them. In addition, if major alteration works are necessary, opportunity should be taken to further improve accessibility.

Inclusion:
There are different options to provide access to a building or a facility. The essence is to provide accessibility by inclusion. An accessible path that does not incorporate steps, humps, stairways, revolving doors, escalators or other impediments that prevents the path being utilised by all people would be an example of inclusive design. The accessible path would be user friendly to all.

3.2.3 Way forward
Apart from the key issues, design solutions should also take into consideration technological advancement. For example, the motorized wheelchair enhances mobility and capability of wheelchair users but they are also bigger and heavier with a battery, therefore appropriate loading and size allowance are necessary. Another example is the development of new materials to pick up audio information. Tactile surfaces are developed in Japan to allow people using the guiding stick equipped with a receiver to pick up information. The problems and solutions are not frozen at any time. They change with time and it is a continuous process to improve accessibility in the built environment.