VNAH has provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Construction (MOC) of Vietnam to develop the Barrier-free Codes and Standards that were published in May 2002. Based on these Codes and Standards, a curriculum on building design was developed and adopted by several architectural and construction universities in Vietnam. The Hanoi Architectural University, with an estimated 3,000 students, was the first university to begin training its students with this curriculum. VNAH enlisted the technical assistance of the International Code Council to identify the ways and means to set up an effective enforcement system at appropriate government offices to nurture the full implementation of the Codes and Standards. VNAH supported MOC in organizing training seminars for construction professionals, including licensing officials, architects, engineers and disability advocates. VNAH also supported the establishment of five enforcement units (in Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and in Ninh Binh and Quang Nam Provinces) to improve enforcement and compliance. As a result, new construction permits are issued only after a review process to ensure compliance, and streets and intersections in these and other larger cities now include curb cuts. The MOC and VNAH are currently working on a project to expand the current Codes and Standards to serve people with visual and hearing impairments as well. |
