Of course, it's not exactly ADA compliant...
Posted on 06/05/2009 5:05:32 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
A few simple changes in the design and location of staircases could help fight obesity by making the buildings more "physical activity friendly",
Study leader Dr. Ishak A. Mansi, of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, has revealed that the research team focussed on how changes in staircase designs could help fight obesity.
"Changing stair design to encourage their use requires a set of interventions on both architectural and legislative levels to create physical environments that support active living," wrote the authors of the study.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com ...
THis is actually not a bad concept for newer buildings, although some may balk at the extra space taken up.
Obviously not viable for high rise office settings, but a 2-4 story building would work nicely. I try to use the stairs instead of elevators whenever I can, but when the stairwell is over 100 degrees in the middle of summer it is a no brainer to hit the elevator.
physical activity friendly...
First you have to get them off the couch!
I took the stairs back up to my mom’s room last night. Thought I was going to die too right there in the hospital stairwell and no one would know :D
Just letting the elevator stay broken would be cheaper.
Make them narrower on the way to the kitchen?
Mark
agree. Government needs to stay out of it.
One extra Twinkie could negate any benefit from climbing stairs.
Can't we just ban something instead?
/s
Or steeper.
As a design professional, I think the “legislative levels” means local city councils and building code authorities. In Illinois, legislation re: codes are usually introduced then passed by state, county, city or village bodies. Once enacted, it becomes part of the code; for instance, Highland Park incorporated the 1993 BOCA Code into its own older code.
Most businesses do not have the ability to make choices re: health, safety or welfare issues in construction or use of structures.
The state electrical code requiring conduit followed the aforementioned process. Local adoption of the International Building Code or the International Residential Code recently followed this process around the state. Chicago’s more stringent (than the state of Illinois) fire and structural building codes were responses to the past.
Didn’t we just spend $ millions over the last decade taking stairs out so buildings would comply with ADA?
Now we’re supposed to put them back in because it’s “too easy” to get around?
This is what you get when you give government too much power - conflicting goals which are virtually unresolvable with stiff penalties no matter what you do.
(I realise this article is from India, but it’s just a matter of time before some liberal group gets legislation like this passed here in the states - probably on one of the kook coasts)
Of course, it's not exactly ADA compliant...
Would’t it be far more prudent to just let them deal with their own malady? When will people quit being everyone else’s nanny?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.