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Part E - higher acoustic performance requirements ahead?
TRADA, the Timber Research and Development Association, is warning that more noise regulations in the building trade could be made.
Although acoustic requirements in Part E Resistance to the Passage of Sound in the England and Wales Building Regulations have increased in recent decades, the number of complaints about noise continues to rise. Requirements therefore are likely to increase further, as TRADA's latest Construction Briefing highlights.
The scope of Part E is limited to dwellings and schools. With respect to dwellings the main emphasis is on:
- noise reduction between dwellings and within dwellings
- control of noise reverberation in the common internal parts of buildings containing flats or rooms for residential purposes.
TRADA regulations consultant Rupert Scott said: "With government's strong emphasis on thermal performance, designers and product manufacturers are seriously revisiting how to improve performance in this regard, in some cases going right back to basics. It is important to consider the impact of this on other performance areas, including acoustics. Generally, better thermal performance leads to increased acoustic performance, but not always.”
However, the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) offers very generous voluntary points for providing sound reduction levels over and above those set in Part E, with an 8dB improvement attracting nearly five percentage points at the time of writing. Rupert added. "This is clear evidence that the government recognises that home dwellers would appreciate considerably higher levels of performance than the minimum currently set. Future changes, in TRADA's view, are only likely to be upwards.”
Prior to 2003, proving the actual acoustic performance on-site was not necessary – laboratory results for generic details or specific products was acceptable. However, many buildings have achieved lower levels of performance in reality because of poor workmanship on-site. "Consequently, the effect of requiring proof of performance has raised actual performance without needing to raise the levels set,” added Rupert.
For separating elements, two methods of proving performance have been approved, pre-completion testing (PCT) and using Robust Details Limited (RDL)-approved details. These will be discussed further in a future TRADA Construction Briefing.
To find out more visit www.trada.co.uk/standards/summary/5.
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