Improved Liveability SDA: what the design category requires for new builds in NSW
Improved Liveability is housing designed to improve liveability by incorporating a reasonable level of physical access and enhanced provision for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment. That is the NDIA wording in the SDA Design Standard (Edition 1.1, October 2019) and in the 2026-27 SDA Pricing Arrangements. If you are building new, the Design Standard is the test, not Livable Housing Silver plus a feature.
Improved Liveability in one paragraph
Improved Liveability is one of four NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation design categories, alongside Robust, Fully Accessible and High Physical Support. It suits participants who do not necessarily use a wheelchair, and who benefit from clearer layouts, contrast and wayfinding. New Build and New Build (refurbished) dwellings enrolled from 1 July 2021 must be certified by an accredited SDA assessor against the SDA Design Standard at design stage and again as built. Category definitions and the wider comparison with livable and adaptable housing sit on SDA vs livable vs adaptable and the SDA Design Standards FAQ.
Two rule sets, and which one applies to your dwelling
Most short guides still say Improved Liveability is Livable Housing Australia Silver plus one extra feature, often luminance contrast. That description is the legacy test. It is not the minimum for a new build enrolling today.
New Build and New Build (refurbished) enrolled from 1 July 2021
The SDA Design Standard (October 2019, Edition 1.1) is the minimum design requirement. An accredited SDA assessor certifies the nominated category at provisional design stage, when the design is lodged for approval, and again at final as-built stage. Final as-built certification is mandatory for enrolment. Certification is not enrolment. The registered SDA provider enrols the built dwelling. The process is set out on SDA design and as-built certification.
Existing and Legacy Stock, and new builds first enrolled before 1 July 2021
The NDIS Pricing Arrangements for SDA 2026-27 (version 1.0, valid from 1 July 2026) apply Table 4 to this older stock. The Improved Liveability row describes a Livable Housing Australia Silver level of physical access, plus a designed environment that responds to sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment, for example luminance contrasts, improved wayfinding, and/or lines of sight. Livable Housing Silver is a design benchmark in that legacy sentence. Sydney Access Consultants does not hold Livable Housing assessor registration and does not issue Livable Housing assessments. New SDA enrolment uses the Design Standard, not that Silver table.
| Dwelling | Minimum design test |
|---|---|
| New Build, or New Build (refurbished), enrolled from 1 July 2021 | SDA Design Standard, Edition 1.1 (October 2019), certified by an accredited SDA assessor at design and as-built stages |
| Existing or Legacy Stock, and new builds first enrolled before 1 July 2021 | Pricing Arrangements 2026-27 Table 4: Livable Housing Australia Silver, plus a response to sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment (for example luminance contrast, wayfinding, lines of sight) |
What the Design Standard changes for an Improved Liveability dwelling
The clauses below are the ones whose applicability icon in Edition 1.1 is Improved Liveability. Icons were read from the published Standard, not inferred from the heading. A clause that applies only to Fully Accessible or High Physical Support is not an Improved Liveability requirement. Dimensions are minimums unless the Standard states a range.
Levels and rooms (clause 1.1)
Clause 1.1 applies to Improved Liveability only. The dwelling needs one bedroom for the exclusive use of a participant. On the entry level, or a level served by a lift, it needs one WC pan, one shower, one hand wash basin, one living area, one kitchen and one laundry. A shared laundry is reasonable if an accessible path of travel is provided from the dwelling. The rationale states that, for Improved Liveability, it is reasonable for bedrooms to be on a floor reached only by steps. Clause 1.2, which puts the participant bedroom on the entry or lift-served level, applies to Robust, Fully Accessible and High Physical Support, not to Improved Liveability.
So yes, an Improved Liveability dwelling can have bedrooms upstairs. The entry-level or lift-served WC, shower, basin, living room, kitchen and laundry are still required. If a stair is provided, clause 14 applies to all four categories: handrails both sides, 1000 mm clear between handrails, no winders, closed risers, and P3 or R10 slip resistance. Nosing strips follow the NCC only where the NCC requires them. Tactile ground surface indicators are not a default Design Standard item on those stairs.
Getting from the street to the door (clauses 2 and 3)
Clause 2.1, a continuous step-free accessway from the front boundary, applies to Fully Accessible and High Physical Support. Improved Liveability uses clause 2.2. That clause still asks for a safe, continuous step-free accessway from the front boundary, by walkway, step ramp or ramp. If that cannot be provided, step-free access from a car parking space under clause 3 is the concession. The rationale is explicit: participants in Improved Liveability and Robust dwellings may not require a wheelchair, so the car-space alternative is considered reasonable.
If a participant car space is provided, clause 3.3 (Improved Liveability and Robust) sets 3200 mm by 5400 mm, an even firm surface of P4 or R11, and a maximum 1:40 gradient in any direction. Staff-only parking is excluded. In a basement car park, a lift or ramp is still needed to reach the dwelling entry.
Doors, corridors, bathroom, kitchen and laundry
These are the Improved Liveability spatial items that most often change a villa, townhouse or apartment plan. Fully Accessible and High Physical Support use larger door, corridor, kitchen and laundry clearances. Do not import those figures into an Improved Liveability drawing set.
| Clause | What Improved Liveability requires |
|---|---|
| 4.1.1 | Level landing at the external entry door, at least 1200 mm by 1200 mm, maximum 1:40, whole doorway width in front of the landing. A threshold ramp, if needed, may sit in the landing. |
| 4.1.4 and 4.1.5 | Covered roof over the required entry landing. Step-free entry threshold. If the rise is over 5 mm and under 35 mm, an AS 1428.1 threshold ramp at a maximum 1:8. |
| 4.2.1 | Minimum 820 mm clear opening to doors in areas normally used by participants, including external doors, one leaf, measured open to at least 90 degrees (Figure 5). |
| 4.2.4 and 4.2.5 | Internal thresholds step-free (3 mm, or 5 mm if rounded or bevelled). Handles 900 mm to 1100 mm above finished floor. Clause 4.2.6 also applies the AS 1428.1 handle profile to Improved Liveability. |
| 5.1 | Internal corridors and passageways at least 1000 mm clear, skirting to skirting. The 1200 mm corridor in clauses 5.2 and 5.3 is Fully Accessible and High Physical Support. |
| 7.1.1 and 7.1.3 | WC, shower and basin on the entry or lift-served level. At least one WC with 900 mm by 1200 mm clear immediately in front of the pan, clear of the door swing and of the basin and shower screen. The pan itself is not required to be an AS 1428.1 pan. Figure 7 is the Improved Liveability and Robust sample. |
| 7.1.10 | Sanitary floors at least P3 or R10. |
| 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 | Cooktop with rangehood, in-built oven, sink and dishwasher. At least 1000 mm clear in front of benches and appliances, measured to the leading edge, not the kickplate. Task lighting at least 300 lux on the benchtops. The 1550 mm kitchen clearance in clause 8.3 is not an Improved Liveability clause. |
| 9.1 and 9.2 | Laundry with a sink or tub. It may be shared. At least 1000 mm clear in front of benches and appliances. Clause 9.3 (1550 mm) is Fully Accessible and High Physical Support. |
| 10.1 | Participant bedroom 3100 mm by 3100 mm, wall surface to wall surface, plus a robe at least 1400 mm wide outside that size. Figure 15 is the Improved Liveability and Robust bedroom. Queen-bed circulation in clauses 10.2 and 10.3 is not an Improved Liveability clause. |
Clause 4.1.3, AS 1428.1 circulation both sides of the door, applies to Fully Accessible and High Physical Support, not to Improved Liveability. An Improved Liveability plan that copies an accessible sanitary compartment, an AS 1428.1 basin, or a ceiling-hoist zone is over-specifying the category. Those items belong to other categories. Ceiling hoists and emergency power in clauses 20 and 22 are High Physical Support. Assistive-technology clauses 23.1 and 23.2 apply to Fully Accessible and High Physical Support, not Improved Liveability. Appendix A recommends air-conditioning for Improved Liveability. Clause 21, which mandates reverse-cycle air-conditioning, does not.
Luminance and colour contrast (clause 19)
This is where Improved Liveability is most often failed at as-built. Clause 19.1 applies to Improved Liveability only. Every doorway needs at least 30 per cent luminance contrast between one of these pairs: door leaf and jamb, door leaf and adjacent wall, architrave and wall, door leaf and architrave, or jamb and adjacent wall. The contrasting area is at least 50 mm wide. The formula is the Bowman-Sapolinski equation, 125(Y2 minus Y1) divided by (Y1 plus Y2 plus 25), where Y2 is the lighter light reflectance value and Y1 is the darker. At design stage, use light reflectance values from the paint supplier. At as-built stage, measure with a colorimeter or luminance meter. The Standard says smart phones and similar devices shall not be relied upon.
Clause 19.2, Improved Liveability and Robust, requires a solid, non-translucent contrasting glazing strip, 75 mm wide, for the full width of glazing that could be mistaken for an opening, set 900 mm to 1000 mm above finished floor. The assessor judges that contrast. Clause 19.3, Improved Liveability only, requires 30 per cent luminance contrast between the toilet seat and the background it is seen against (pan, wall or floor), using the same formula. Clause 19.4, Improved Liveability only, requires colour contrast between floor and wall, judged by the assessor.
Specify the pairs on the finishes schedule before the painter is on site. A door, architrave and wall in three close whites will not reach 30 per cent, and a phone photo will not rescue the as-built check.
What is not an Improved Liveability clause
A breakout room under clause 18.1 is optional, and the Standard says it is not a seclusion room. The applicability icon is Robust only. Do not treat a breakout room as an Improved Liveability requirement. Robust impact lining, recessed lights and solid-core doors in clause 25 and clauses 4.2.9 and 4.2.10 are Robust, not Improved Liveability. Person-centred robust planning is a different brief: see person-centred design for robust SDA.
Improved Liveability vs Fully Accessible vs Robust
| Category | Who it is for | Physical access level | Headline design driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved Liveability | Sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment; wheelchair use not assumed | Reasonable. Bedroom may be on a stepped level. 820 mm doors, 1000 mm corridors, 1000 mm kitchen and laundry clearances | Contrast, wayfinding and a usable entry-level living core. Clause 19 is Improved Liveability only |
| Fully Accessible | Significant physical impairment | High. Participant bedroom on the entry or lift level. 900 mm doors, 1200 mm corridors, AS 1428.1 sanitary layout | Wheelchair circulation and transfer, not sensory contrast as the primary test |
| Robust | Residents and the community who need a very resilient dwelling | Reasonable, with the same car-space concession and 820 mm doors as Improved Liveability | Impact resistance, fittings that survive heavy use, and a breakout room only if provided. Not a substitute for clause 19 |
High Physical Support is a fourth category, with the highest support and hoist provisions. It is not covered here. Sensory wayfinding beyond the Standard sits in sensory wayfinding that works.
How Improved Liveability certification works
The Design Standard allows certification at two stages. Provisional design certification is when the design has been submitted for building approval. Final as-built certification is when the dwelling is built, and it is mandatory for enrolment. An accredited SDA assessor certifies compliance with every clause that applies to the nominated category. The assessor must be independent of the provider, developer and owner.
Sydney Access Consultants can advise the design, or be the independent certifying assessor, on a given development. Not both on the same project. Design documentation, when the practice is not the certifying assessor, sits on SDA architectural documentation. The certification path, including what is lodged with the NDIA, sits on SDA certification. Who needs an assessor is covered in who needs an SDA assessor.
A single dwelling may be certified under more than one design category. The Design Standard states that all shared areas must comply with the minimum requirements of all enrolled design categories. Naming Improved Liveability on a fee proposal does not document it.
Designing Improved Liveability in Sydney and NSW
The NCC still applies. The Design Standard says the dwelling must comply with applicable NCC requirements, including waterproofing and termite protection. Apart from the spatial requirements in the Design Standard, where the NCC and the Design Standard conflict, the NCC takes precedence. In NSW, building work is assessed against NCC 2022 Amendment 2 until NSW adoption of NCC 2025 on 1 May 2027. See NCC 2025 timing in NSW. Premises Standards access, where it applies to common areas, references AS 1428.1:2021 from 29 July 2025. That is a separate obligation from SDA enrolment.
In a Class 2 apartment, common-area access under the NCC is not the same test as the dwelling's Improved Liveability features. A worked apartment example is on SDA apartment compliance. Pick the category for the participant and the building, not because Improved Liveability is the lowest-cost new-build label. Stock in the wrong place or of the wrong type does not help enrolment. Funding settings after the October 2026 NDIS arrangements are on SDA funding. Design quality for providers is on SDA design quality.
Sydney Access Consultants works from Hurstville for metropolitan Sydney, including Cronulla and the Sutherland Shire. On the Mid North Coast, Sandy Grey works from Black Beach. In Perth and Western Australia the same national Design Standard applies. Accredited assessors on the NDIS register are not limited to the state shown on the listing. See locations.
Is Improved Liveability changing?
The NDIA SDA Design Standard Review 2025-26 is under way. Edition 1.1 remains the published Standard for certification of post-1 July 2021 new builds until the NDIA replaces it. This page does not predict the review outcome. Status and what not to assume are on the Design Standard review.
Frequently asked questions
What is Improved Liveability SDA?
Improved Liveability is one of four NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation design categories. The NDIA defines it as housing designed to improve liveability by incorporating a reasonable level of physical access and enhanced provision for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment. It suits participants who do not necessarily use a wheelchair but benefit from clearer layouts, contrast and wayfinding. New-build Improved Liveability dwellings must be certified by an accredited SDA assessor against the SDA Design Standard at design stage and again as built.
Is Improved Liveability just Livable Housing Silver plus one extra feature?
Only for older stock. The NDIA 2026-27 SDA Pricing Arrangements apply the Livable Housing Australia Silver plus features such as luminance contrast, improved wayfinding or lines of sight description to Existing and Legacy Stock, and to new builds first enrolled before 1 July 2021. New Build and New Build (refurbished) dwellings since 1 July 2021 must meet the SDA Design Standard (October 2019), which sets clause-by-clause requirements for each category.
What luminance contrast does an Improved Liveability dwelling need?
The SDA Design Standard requires at least 30 per cent luminance contrast at every doorway, between the door leaf and jamb, the leaf and adjacent wall, the architrave and wall, the leaf and architrave, or the jamb and adjacent wall, over a minimum 50 mm width. It also requires 30 per cent contrast between the toilet seat and its background, colour contrast between floors and walls, and a solid 75 mm contrasting strip 900 mm to 1000 mm above floor level on glazing that could be mistaken for an opening. Contrast is checked from paint light reflectance values at design stage and measured with a colorimeter or luminance meter at as-built stage, not with a phone.
Can an Improved Liveability dwelling have bedrooms upstairs?
Yes. Clause 1.1 says it is reasonable for Improved Liveability bedrooms to be on a level reached only by steps. The WC, shower, basin, living area, kitchen and laundry still need to be on the entry level or a lift-served level.
Can one dwelling be Improved Liveability and another category?
Yes. The Design Standard allows a single dwelling to be certified under multiple design categories. All shared areas must comply with the minimum requirements of every enrolled category. Each category has to be shown on the drawings.
Talk to an accredited SDA assessor
Gary Finn of Sydney Access Consultants is listed on the NDIS find-an-assessor register as SDA00039, and is an Accredited Member of the Access Consultants Association, member 435. Ask about a design-stage review or independent certification on (02) 9586 3111. The practice can advise the design or certify it. Not both on the same development.