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Acoustics, Noise and Vibration Control
News Release from: Institute of Acoustics | Subject: Code for Sustainable Homes
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 March 2006
Institute of acoustics on sustainable
homes code
The Institute of Acoustics (IOA) welcomes the Deputy Prime Minister's Consultation document entitled "Proposals for Introducing a Code for Sustainable Homes".
The Institute of Acoustics (IOA) welcomes the Deputy Prime Minister's Consultation document entitled "Proposals for Introducing a Code for Sustainable Homes" Whilst the IOA believes that this voluntary code is a positive step towards improving the sustainable design of residential buildings, in its current form it does not adequately address the effects of sound on people in and around their homes
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 6 Apr 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Acoustical factors are highly relevant to the success of "Sustainable Building".
Noise has been demonstrated to be a crucial factor affecting the "quality", "liveability" and "comfort" of people's lives.
Previous recommendations in the current 'Ecohomes' scheme, which the draft proposal would replace, have been useful in setting benchmark design targets and have helped to improve standards.
However, the present draft of the code does not improve upon the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) rating structure, and it is felt that more work is needed.
The draft proposals offer limited improvements for sound insulation, but do not take into account how people are affected by external ambient noise entering their homes.
In order to improve the scheme, the IOA has put forward a scale of credit points to be allocated for demonstrably improved sound insulation and for control of reverberation within habitable rooms.
The IOA has also recommended targets for internal ambient noise levels and believes that "Enhanced Acoustic Comfort" is an important issue that should be included in the assessment procedures in any published Code for Sustainable Homes.
Dr Tony Jones, President of the Institute of Acoustics states, "The Institute recognises that residential sound insulation and the acoustical environments in and around people's homes are particularly important". Request a free brochure from Institute of Acoustics ...
"Whilst welcoming the ODPM's tentative moves towards better standards in their draft Code for Sustainable Homes, we would be happy to work with government to make further improvements in the final publication with a view to maximising this opportunity of advancing appropriate standards of acoustical comfort." A full copy of the IOA's response can be found on the IOA website.
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