The AEC industry is increasingly recognizing that design profoundly shapes human experience, especially with inclusion and belonging. This session explores the critical role of inclusive design in creating built environments that move beyond compliance to become inclusive and empowering for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

A central theme of this presentation is the unique contribution of occupational therapy. As a profession focused on enabling meaningful participation in everyday life, occupational therapy offers deep insight into the relationship between people, their activities, and the environments they navigate. This holistic lens allows occupational therapists to identify barriers and facilitators to participation, extending beyond physical access to include cognitive, sensory, and social dimensions of space.

Grounded in occupational therapy-informed approaches, this session will share practical strategies for embedding inclusive design throughout planning, engineering, design, and construction. It will also highlight how collaboration with occupational therapists can help teams address diverse user needs, drive innovation, enhance satisfaction, and build more sustainable, human-centered communities.