Validation of certified accessibility expert

The expert shall check and verify whether the building legislation's requirements for accessibility and usability for persons with limited mobility or orientation capacity are met, if it is specified in the inspection plan.

Certification

In order to act as a consultant or to carry out design of buildings in general, no certification is required in Sweden.

Certification may be issued for inspection of buildings for accessibility and usability for persons with limited mobility or orientation capacity.

Qualification Requirements

In order to be qualified, the applicant must have

1. a higher education degree in architecture at bachelor level or higher, or
2. a higher education degree in structural engineering at bachelor level or higher, or
3. other equivalent education.

The education requirement can also be met through equivalent education in another country within the European Union or the European Economic Area.

Theoretical knowledge

Theoretical knowledge according to the above is not required for an applicant with a certificate of competence from an accessibility consultant education focusing on the physical environment.

An accessibility consultant education should have

1. covered at least 44 weeks of full-time education; and
2. completed during the years 1996 to 2003.

In order to be qualified, the applicant must have qualified experience in practical work with house building design. The work must to a large extent have included the application or assessment of the building legislation's requirements for accessibility and usability in new construction and when altering a building.

The practical experience must have a total duration of at least five years, of which at least one during the last three-year period. For applicants with a master's degree architect it is sufficient that the practical experience has a total length of at least three years, of which at least one during the last three-year period.

For the applicant with a certificate of competence from accessibility consultant education focusing on the physical environment, the qualified experience of practical work must have included the application, assessment or control of the building legislation's requirements for accessibility and usability in new construction and when altering a building.

The practical experience must have a total duration of at least ten years, of which at least one during the last three-year period.

The expert should be suitable for the task.

Knowledge of and understanding of the various requirements set by the building legislation

The expert shall have knowledge of and understanding of the various requirements set by the building legislation. Particular emphasis shall be on those parts of the regulations that regulate buildings that are newly built or altered and those that regulate accessibility and usability for people with limited mobility or orientation capacity.

In order to be qualified, the expert must have knowledge of the Planning and Building Act (2010:900), PBL, the Planning and Building Ordinance (2011:338), PBF, Boverket's building regulations (2011:6), BBR, Boverket's general advice on alteration of the buildings (1996:4), BÄR, or corresponding applicable rules.

The expert shall also have knowledge of Boverket’s regulations and general advice on accessibility and usability for persons with limited mobility or orientation capacity in public places and in areas for facilities other than buildings (2011:5), ALM, Boverket's regulations and general advice on removal of easily remedied barriers to and in premises where the public has access and in public places (2011:13), HIN, those parts of the working environment legislation that are linked to buildings and accessibility, or corresponding applicable rules.

In addition, the expert should know about the Discrimination Act (2008: 567), the Act (1992: 1574) on home adaption allowance, etc., the Ordinance (2001: 526) on the responsibility of state authorities for the implementation of disability policy, or the corresponding applicable rules.

In order to be qualified, the expert must have knowledge of

1. the functional impairments included in the concept of limited mobility or orientation capacity and their design functional capabilities
2. what in the built environment that impedes people with limited mobility or orientation capacity
3. how the design of the built environment affects the accessibility and usability of persons with limited mobility or orientation capacity
4. how the requirement for accessibility and usability should be applied in new construction; and
5. how the requirement for accessibility and usability should be applied in the alteration of buildings, what considerations can be made and how these affect the accessibility and usability of persons with reduced mobility or orientation ability.

In addition, in order to be qualified, the expert must have knowledge of functional impairments in general and how the physical environment must be designed to be accessible and useable.

The expert should also have knowledge and understanding of the meaning of the role of the expert and its role in the construction process.

How to get your qualifications or education from another EU or EEA country assessed and validated

Foreign education and professional experience will be assessed and validated by the Swedish Board of Housing, Building and Planning, Boverket, which will then issue a decision on recognition of professional qualifications.

After receiving Boverket's decision on recognition of professional qualifications, the applicant can turn to an appropriate certification body, which examines the other prerequisites for certification.

The application is sent to: registraturen@boverket.se