Challenges in Housing Accessibility Towards Universal Design

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. Abstract: The abstract should strictly adhere to the journal's guidelines, ensuring it contains the following key components:

- Background: This section has been appropriately addressed by the authors, providing a clear context for the study.

- Methods: A significant omission in the abstract is the description of the methods employed in conducting the research. Including a concise summary of the methodology is essential, as it allows readers to understand the basis upon which the results were obtained.

- Results: A critical element missing from the abstract is a brief summary of the main findings. The results are a fundamental part of the study and should be succinctly presented to provide the reader with a clear understanding of what was discovered.

- Conclusions: This section should encapsulate the key takeaways from the research, drawing on the results to offer a well-rounded summary. Expanding the abstract to include a strong conclusion that highlights the implications of the study is necessary.

 

It is crucial to ensure that the abstract is revised to incorporate these elements, offering a more complete and informative overview of the research presented.

 

2. Graphical Section: The manuscript lacks a crucial graphical section throughout. Incorporating diagrams, figures, and illustrations would significantly enhance the reader's understanding of the study and the topic presented. Additionally, the absence of visual representation of data is a notable weakness. Graphs, charts, or other data visualizations would make the results more accessible and comprehensible, allowing readers to engage with the findings more effectively.

 

3. Introduction: The introduction lacks sufficient detail about the study that is the focus of the manuscript. While there is a sentence outlining the research objective, it is too general and does not provide enough clarity regarding the specific scope of the legal review being considered. It remains unclear which regulations are being reviewed, the time period in question, or the documents that are being examined. A more precise description of the research aim is necessary to set clear expectations for the reader.

Furthermore, the introduction should include a comprehensive literature review, with references to specific legal documents, regulations, and previous research. This would provide a solid foundation for the study and demonstrate its relevance within the existing body of work.

4. The methodology section needs to be described in detail, following the journal's guidelines. This is a critical part of the manuscript, as it provides the foundation for the study's validity and replicability. A clear and thorough explanation of the methods used is essential for readers to assess how the research was conducted, including the selection of data, tools, and procedures applied throughout the study.

5. Results: The results section is a critical part of the paper, and while the individual legal documents have been appropriately listed and described, providing a solid research foundation for residential development planning, the section lacks a concluding summary. It is important to clearly articulate what conclusions can be drawn from the detailed enumeration of these legal acts. How do these documents collectively contribute to the research findings, and what implications do they have for the topic at hand? Additionally, incorporating visual aids, such as data visualizations, could further support the findings and help readers better understand the relationships and impacts of these legal frameworks.

6. Although the conclusions provided in this section hold significant value, they are presented in a manner that is too broad. It may be beneficial to organize the conclusions more clearly, possibly by using a matrix or another structured format to summarize the findings. This would make the key takeaways more accessible and easier to interpret for the readers. 

 

7. References: The references section must be formatted in strict accordance with the journal's guidelines. It is essential to ensure consistency in citation style, including the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and ordering of elements such as author names, publication year, title, and journal information.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The overall language quality of the manuscript is good. However, minor stylistic revisions are necessary to improve readability and flow. Refining certain sentences and expressions would enhance the clarity of the text, ensuring it meets the high standards expected in scholarly writing.

Author Response

For research article

Response to Reviewer 1 Comments

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections highlighted/in track changes in the re-submitted files.

Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

Comments 1: Abstract: The abstract should strictly adhere to the journal's guidelines, ensuring it contains the following key components:

- Background: This section has been appropriately addressed by the authors, providing a clear context for the study.

- Methods: A significant omission in the abstract is the description of the methods employed in conducting the research. Including a concise summary of the methodology is essential, as it allows readers to understand the basis upon which the results were obtained.

- Results: A critical element missing from the abstract is a brief summary of the main findings. The results are a fundamental part of the study and should be succinctly presented to provide the reader with a clear understanding of what was discovered.

- Conclusions: This section should encapsulate the key takeaways from the research, drawing on the results to offer a well-rounded summary. Expanding the abstract to include a strong conclusion that highlights the implications of the study is necessary.

It is crucial to ensure that the abstract is revised to incorporate these elements, offering a more complete and informative overview of the research presented.

 

Response 1: The abstract is revised according to the reviewer's suggestions and some sentences are included. We have now added a sentence in the summary describing the methodology. Numerical data and two of the basic standards, the most important and the most recent, are included. More ideas are included in the conclusion, but without going over the 200 words maximum in the abstract. Revise the abstract and incorporate the reviewer's suggestions. Thank you very much.

 

Comments 2: Graphical Section: The manuscript lacks a crucial graphical section throughout. Incorporating diagrams, figures, and illustrations would significantly enhance the reader's understanding of the study and the topic presented. Additionally, the absence of visual representation of data is a notable weakness. Graphs, charts, or other data visualizations would make the results more accessible and comprehensible, allowing readers to engage with the findings more effectively.

 

Response 2:  Thank you for your comments. One figure is now included in Materials and methods. One table and 7 figures are already included in the results. One figure is also included in the conclusions.

 

Comments 3: Introduction: The introduction lacks sufficient detail about the study that is the focus of the manuscript. While there is a sentence outlining the research objective, it is too general and does not provide enough clarity regarding the specific scope of the legal review being considered. It remains unclear which regulations are being reviewed, the time period in question, or the documents that are being examined. A more precise description of the research aim is necessary to set clear expectations for the reader.

Furthermore, the introduction should include a comprehensive literature review, with references to specific legal documents, regulations, and previous research. This would provide a solid foundation for the study and demonstrate its relevance within the existing body of work.

Response 3:  Thank you for your comments. In this study we have searched the Spanish regulations on accessibility in housing that are currently compulsory in order to highlight their obligatory nature and we have provided suggestions so that this legislation can be applied and complied with. Specific objectives are added. This change can be found in red on page 2-3, on lines 85-89. It is not yet clear which regulations are being reviewed (all regulations currently in force in Spain concerning accessible housing), the time period in question (all regulations in force are collected, the first one found is from 1960 and the last one from 2022) or the documents being examined (regulations are reviewed: laws, decrees and plans in force).

Documents on similar previous research are added, which we hope will serve as a basis for our study. Although it has been found that there is a gap in the literature on housing accessibility in Spain.

Comments 4: The methodology section needs to be described in detail, following the journal's guidelines. This is a critical part of the manuscript, as it provides the foundation for the study's validity and replicability. A clear and thorough explanation of the methods used is essential for readers to assess how the research was conducted, including the selection of data, tools, and procedures applied throughout the study.

Response 4: Thank you for the suggestion. It adds information that will help to understand the steps taken in the study. It can now be easily replicated. Now add a summary figure (Figure 1). This change can be found in red on page 3, on lines 91-94. And on line 97-102. And on line 107-108.

Comments 5: Results: The results section is a critical part of the paper, and while the individual legal documents have been appropriately listed and described, providing a solid research foundation for residential development planning, the section lacks a concluding summary. It is important to clearly articulate what conclusions can be drawn from the detailed enumeration of these legal acts. How do these documents collectively contribute to the research findings, and what implications do they have for the topic at hand? Additionally, incorporating visual aids, such as data visualizations, could further support the findings and help readers better understand the relationships and impacts of these legal frameworks.

Response 5: Thank you very much for your comments. A sentence has been added to the final results summarising the current regulations on accessibility in housing in Spain. There is now a figure for each standard (7 figures) to help identify these results. A paragraph summarising the contribution of the study and the implications has been added at the end. This change can be found in red on page 11 on lines 270-276.

 

Comments 6: Although the conclusions provided in this section hold significant value, they are presented in a manner that is too broad. It may be beneficial to organize the conclusions more clearly, possibly by using a matrix or another structured format to summarize the findings. This would make the key takeaways more accessible and easier to interpret for the readers. 

 

Response 6: Thank you for your suggestion. A paragraph has now been added as a summary and a figure has been added to help understand the conclusions in relation to the objectives. The conclusions have been separated from the recommendations. This change can be found in red on pages 13, on lines 363-368. The paragraph recommendations are included in line 400.

 

Comments 7: References: The references section must be formatted in strict accordance with the journal's guidelines. It is essential to ensure consistency in citation style, including the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and ordering of elements such as author names, publication year, title, and journal information.

 

Response 7: Thank you for your comments. The references section has been revised. It is now referenced in the correct style and new references have been added according to the journal's standards. To make it easier to see the changes, the references section on pages 17, 18, 19 and on the lines 504-581.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

La calidad lingüística general del manuscrito es buena. Sin embargo, son necesarias pequeñas revisiones estilísticas para mejorar la legibilidad y la fluidez. Refinar ciertas oraciones y expresiones mejoraría la claridad del texto, asegurando que cumpla con los altos estándares que se esperan en la escritura académica.

Respuesta: Gracias por sus comentarios. El manuscrito está siendo revisado de nuevo por angloparlantes. Las expresiones y palabras que mejoran el texto se han cambiado y resaltado en verde en todo el manuscrito.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The research is correct and very interesting but it will be useful to include some graphic material or diagram in the paper in order to give it more readability according to the architectural approach.

The conclusion could be more concise. After line 333, page 10, "Below are some possible suggestions for improvement in this area" could be added a new section called "Recommendations" instead of including it inside the section of "conclusions".

Additionally, some references could be included in the paper:

in relationship with the Laws- Analysis of the effects of (de)regulation on housing prices in Spain 1977–2019

In line 173, page 6. Diagrams in this article can help the authors - Rethinking Collective Housing: A Case Study of Spatial Flexibility and Adaptability in Arturo Soria (Madrid, 1975)

Author Response

For research article

Response to Reviewer 2 Comments

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections highlighted/in track changes in the re-submitted files.

Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The research is correct and very interesting but it will be useful to include some graphic material or diagram in the paper in order to give it more readability according to the architectural approach.

Response: Thank you for your comments. Graphical material on the methodology is included (Figure 1). Seven figures are also included in the 'Results' section, from the architectural approach. One figure is now included in the 'Conclusions' section, which corresponds to the objectives of the study.

The conclusion could be more concise. After line 333, page 10, "Below are some possible suggestions for improvement in this area" could be added a new section called "Recommendations" instead of including it inside the section of "conclusions".

Response: Thank you for your suggestion. We have now added a figure to the conclusions section that corresponds to the objectives of the study. A new section on recommendations has been added

Additionally, some references could be included in the paper:

in relationship with the Laws- Analysis of the effects of (de)regulation on housing prices in Spain 1977–2019

In line 173, page 6. Diagrams in this article can help the authors - Rethinking Collective Housing: A Case Study of Spatial Flexibility and Adaptability in Arturo Soria (Madrid, 1975)

Response: Thank you for your recommendation. Figures have been added to the manuscript. New references are also included in the manuscript, previously there were 27 and now there are 39.

 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. Regarding data visualization: it is commendable that the manuscript includes diagrams and illustrations. However, they are not graphically consistent at this stage. It would be beneficial if they adhered to a similar graphic standard. For example, Figures 1 and 9, which are based on the same principle, should follow a unified graphic style. All illustrations and diagrams should also include proper authorship credits to respect intellectual property rights. Some illustrations are difficult to interpret - for instance, Figure 4 presents three arbitrary functional zones at different scales. Please clarify and present this graphically in a clearer manner. Additionally, if any of the illustrations are not your own, please provide appropriate references. 

2. The captions for the figures should be clear, specifying exactly what the illustrations depict, and should also include proper attribution to the authors. Clear, descriptive captions will help readers understand the relevance of each figure in the context of the manuscript. Additionally, authorship or source references should be provided to ensure proper intellectual property acknowledgment.

3. The figures should be of high graphic quality, with text and labels on the figures presented in a legible manner. Clear, sharp images and easily readable descriptions are essential for effectively conveying the information to the reader. This will greatly enhance the overall clarity and professionalism of the manuscript.

4. Figure 2 is unclear. Please provide a more detailed description of the figure to clarify its content and relevance. Additionally, ensure that proper authorship is included to acknowledge the source of the figure. This will improve both the figure's comprehensibility and its attribution.

5. Figure 5, related to the "Land and Urban Rehabilitation Act," requires clarification. Is this a section of an illustration from an existing document, or is it an original drawing created by the author? Please specify the source or authorship accordingly to avoid any ambiguity.

6. Additionally, Figure 7, labeled as "National Plan for Accessibility to Housing," includes seemingly unrelated illustrations concerning user arm reach and ergonomics. Please clarify the exact subject of this illustration and explain what it is intended to represent. Clear alignment between the title and the content of the figure would help ensure that the visual information supports the text effectively.

7. Figure 8 is unclear. While the caption states that it pertains to "Cognitive Accessibility," this connection is difficult to discern from the figure itself. I recommend revising the diagram to ensure it accurately reflects and supports the concept of cognitive accessibility.

8. From a scientific perspective, it would be beneficial to present the recommendations in the form of a table or matrix. This approach would help to create a clearer and more structured outcome for the research findings, making it easier for readers to interpret and apply the results.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The quality of the English language is good, and only minor corrections have been made. The text reads smoothly and is easy to follow. However, a few minor editorial adjustments will be necessary before the manuscript is ready for publication.

Author Response

For research article

Response to Reviewer 1 Comments

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections highlighted/in track changes in the re-submitted files.

Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

Comments 1: Regarding data visualization: it is commendable that the manuscript includes diagrams and illustrations. However, they are not graphically consistent at this stage. It would be beneficial if they adhered to a similar graphic standard. For example, Figures 1 and 9, which are based on the same principle, should follow a unified graphic style. All illustrations and diagrams should also include proper authorship credits to respect intellectual property rights. Some illustrations are difficult to interpret - for instance, Figure 4 presents three arbitrary functional zones at different scales. Please clarify and present this graphically in a clearer manner. Additionally, if any of the illustrations are not your own, please provide appropriate references. 

Response 1: Thank you for your comments. Figure 1 has been changed to be graphically similar to Figure 9 to follow a consistent graphic style. Authorship credits are added to each figure. Figures 4, 6, 7 and 8 are also changed to better reflect accessibility standards. Each figure is clearly described and the source is added.

 

Comments 2: The captions for the figures should be clear, specifying exactly what the illustrations depict, and should also include proper attribution to the authors. Clear, descriptive captions will help readers understand the relevance of each figure in the context of the manuscript. Additionally, authorship or source references should be provided to ensure proper intellectual property acknowledgment.

Response 2:  Thank you for your comments. What the illustrations show is explained and the authors or references are added to each illustration.

 

Comments 3: The figures should be of high graphic quality, with text and labels on the figures presented in a legible manner. Clear, sharp images and easily readable descriptions are essential for effectively conveying the information to the reader. This will greatly enhance the overall clarity and professionalism of the manuscript.

Response 3:  Thanks for the suggestion. Now the quality of the pictures is clearer and sharper, some have been changed. Descriptions with specific information have been added.

 

Comments 4: Figure 2 is unclear. Please provide a more detailed description of the figure to clarify its content and relevance. Additionally, ensure that proper authorship is included to acknowledge the source of the figure. This will improve both the figure's comprehensibility and its attribution.

Response 4: Thank you for the suggestion. A clearer Figure 2 has been added. There is now a new, broader and more concrete description. Now there is the source of the figure.

 

Comments 5: Figure 5, related to the "Land and Urban Rehabilitation Act," requires clarification. Is this a section of an illustration from an existing document, or is it an original drawing created by the author? Please specify the source or authorship accordingly to avoid any ambiguity.

Response 5: Thank you very much for your comments. Figure 5 is a section of an illustration showing the avoidance of all types of unevenness to achieve accessible routes. It is an illustration from a book, not from the authors. A link to the book has been added.

 

Comments 6: Additionally, Figure 7, labeled as "National Plan for Accessibility to Housing," includes seemingly unrelated illustrations concerning user arm reach and ergonomics. Please clarify the exact subject of this illustration and explain what it is intended to represent. Clear alignment between the title and the content of the figure would help ensure that the visual information supports the text effectively.

 Response 6: Thank you for your comments. The image in Figure 7 has been changed. It now includes an image from the National Accessibility Plan showing the universal accessibility chain.

 

Comments 7: Figure 8 is unclear. While the caption states that it pertains to "Cognitive Accessibility," this connection is difficult to discern from the figure itself. I recommend revising the diagram to ensure it accurately reflects and supports the concept of cognitive accessibility.

Response 7: Thank you for your comment. It is difficult to show cognitive accessibility in one figure. We have replaced figure 8 with another figure that shows the key points for ensuring cognitive accessibility.

 

Comments 8: From a scientific perspective, it would be beneficial to present the recommendations in the form of a table or matrix. This approach would help to create a clearer and more structured outcome for the research findings, making it easier for readers to interpret and apply the results.

Response 8: Thank you for your suggestion. We are now adding Table 2, entitled Recommendations.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The quality of the English language is good, and only minor corrections have been made. The text reads smoothly and is easy to follow. However, a few minor editorial adjustments will be necessary before the manuscript is ready for publication.

Response: Thanks for the comment, but we don't know what minor tweaks you're referring to, perhaps the editor can make them before publication.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 3

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The feedback received has been duly considered, and the article has been fully rewritten with noticeable and welcomed changes. We do, however, strongly advise you to focus more on the quality and clarity of the illustrations in future submissions. Clear, high-resolution visuals and photos greatly improve the reader's comprehension and interaction with the text. Regarding the descriptions and any other resources, please be aware of copyright rules. Maintaining the integrity and legality of the publication requires making sure that all content conforms with intellectual property standards.