World Engineering Day 2025 is about celebrating the contributions of engineers in shaping a sustainable future. This year’s theme, “Shaping Our Sustainable Future Through Engineering,” highlights the essential role that engineering plays in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
At Direct Access, our team of dedicated access consultants and engineers work closely with multidisciplinary engineering firms to create accessible environments that promote inclusivity and sustainability. Our projects span various sectors, ensuring that accessibility is integrated into the very fabric of our built environment. From conducting accessibility audits to consulting on new build designs, our engineers work tirelessly to remove barriers and create spaces that are welcoming to all.
Our accessibility work directly supports several of the SDGs, demonstrating the profound impact that accessibility engineering can have on sustainable development:
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By ensuring that healthcare facilities are accessible, we contribute to better health outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Our audits and consultations help create environments where everyone can receive the care they need without physical barriers.
SDG 4: Quality Education: Accessibility in educational institutions is crucial for inclusive learning. Our team works on projects that make schools and universities accessible, ensuring that students with disabilities have equal opportunities to learn and thrive.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Our engineers play a key role in designing and developing infrastructure that is not only accessible but also sustainable. By integrating universal design principles, we help create resilient and inclusive communities.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: Through our work, we strive to reduce inequalities by ensuring that public spaces, transportation, and buildings are accessible to everyone. This commitment to inclusivity helps bridge the gap and promote social equity.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Accessibility is a cornerstone of sustainable urban development. Our projects aim to make cities more inclusive, safe, and resilient by addressing the needs of all residents, including those with disabilities.
Accessibility consultants bring in-depth knowledge of legal and best practice standards such as the Dubai Universal Design Code, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and the Universally Accessible Building Environment (UABE) compliance to name a few. They specialise in understanding the intricate requirements that make a design or product accessible to individuals with a wide range of disabilities.
One of the biggest challenges in engineering is anticipating how various user groups will interact with the product, space, or service being designed. Engineers may focus on the functional aspects of design, but accessibility consultants ensure the needs of people with disabilities, whether physical, visual, auditory, or cognitive, are at the forefront.
Working alongside accessibility consultants like ourselves at Direct Access ensures engineers can build products and environments that adhere to these crucial standards from the get-go, reducing the risk of non-compliance or overlooking essential accessibility features. In the end, accessibility isn’t just a matter of compliance—it’s a matter of empathy, ethics, and building a more inclusive world for all.
