The article 26 of the New Building Code (Law 4067/2012) "Accessibility without Barriers for Persons with Disabilities and Impeded Individuals" defines the obligations of property owners to adapt existing buildings to ensure access to their functional spaces by persons with disabilities (PwD) or impeded individuals.
The obligation applies to:
Buildings housing public entities.
Public assembly spaces, such as theaters, cinemas, museums, temples, sports and cultural venues, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment centers.
Spaces for education, health, social welfare, justice, offices, commerce, industry, and craftsmanship.
Parking areas and fuel stations.
It also specifies the minimum accessibility priorities that the above buildings must meet (entry, horizontal and vertical circulation, hygiene, signage). For the implementation of the required adaptations, an Accessibility Study must be prepared in accordance with the current technical guidelines. In cases of co-ownership where the necessary consent is not obtained, the aforementioned adaptations may be carried out unilaterally by the interested party at their own expense, deviating from the building's regulations, following approval by the Central Accessibility Committee under Article 19 of Law 4495/17 (Government Gazette 167/A/17). The approval is issued upon submission of a relevant application by the interested party.
All adaptations must be completed by May 31, 2024.
Panagiota Sarrou, Dipl. Civil Engineer, MSc, is a Certified Accessibility Auditor, registered in the Accessibility Auditors Registry of the Technical Chamber of Greece. In collaboration with our experienced team of engineers in Larissa, we undertake the preparation of the necessary documents for the Accessibility Study, which indicatively include:
Architectural plans of the existing condition and proposed adaptations,
Structural study or engineer's certification that the building's load-bearing structure is not affected,
Electrical/Mechanical (E/M) study,
Issuance of the required administrative acts (EEDMK or building permit) under Law 4495/2017.
Contact us by phone on +302414008511 or by email at info@biobuildings.gr, not only to ensure compliance of your building with the current legislation but also to provide comfort, safety, and dignity to every user of your services.
