1. ACOUSTIC DESIGN OF BUILDINGS

2. Introduction
Various individuals and organisations may be involved in the acoustic design of a building
Prospective user
who will know the purpose & use of the building
The owner of the building
who may require that its use can be easily changed
The Planning and Building Control authorities
who may modify the proposed designs
Building Services Engineers & other Contractors
who will have definite ideas about their input
Acoustic Consultant
who examines the plans and specifications & proposes modifications where necessary to meet the clients requirements.

3. Levels of Involvement
For simple contract there may be no requirement for an acoustic consultant
e.g. A house builder could use the detailed advice given in the Building Regulations, or use of Robust Details
For a more complex building or one in a challenging environment a consultant may be involved.
e.g. A Public Building in a city centre
For high value projects the client, developer and builder may each have their own acoustic consultant.
e.g. Shopping and entertainment complex (Cabot Circus)
The consultants will meet regularly and agree how
the building specification is to be met. Client’s consultant
will provide specifications, Builder’s adviser will make
sure these are met.

4. THE DESIGN PROCESS
Consider all possible acoustic requirements of the building
Decide which aspects are the most important
Specify appropriate standards (Rw, NR, RT, warmth, etc.)
Analyse existing plans and decide whether these standards will be met.
Propose modifications to meet the required standards
Monitor plan changes as the design progresses to ensure the acoustic specification is not compromised
Carry out acoustic testing on completion

5. Initial Considerations
Note the external ambient noise levels and all sources (plus effect of new building on these).
What is the potential for noise generated in and around the new building which may affect surrounding areas.
Requirements for sound insulation between spaces and from outside to inside and inside to outside
The possibility of arranging the internal and external layout of the building to minimise noise problems, for example;
two music classrooms can be separated by store rooms rather than relying on a single wall structure to achieve adequate sound insulation
a beer garden can be put on the side of a pub away from nearby houses
Are the external noise levels so high that mechanical ventilation should be specified rather than relying on opening windows for ventilation?

6. Building Services Noise
If the building is to be passively ventilated -- need for specially silenced vents?
If the ventilation is ducted, then suitable NR ratings can be chosen for each room, and fans, silencers, ducting etc. chosen to meet the specification.
Identify possible heating system, lighting, plumbing & drainage noise.

7. Reverberation
If an auditorium is included, then surface finishes will need to be chosen to achieve a useful reverberation time.
For larger auditoria it may be necessary to consider the distribution of sound absorbing surfaces in order to prevent unwanted effects such as flutter echoes or focusing.
Special rooms (recording, broadcast studios and cinemas) may have stringent acoustic requirements for insulation, reverberation times, and control of room modes.

8. STANDARDS FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUILDING

9. Education buildings
Detailed guidance can be found in Building Bulletin 93; Acoustic Design of Schools (2014). This covers;
External noise levels affecting indoor and outdoor spaces
Reverberation in different types of teaching rooms
Sound insulation between different rooms - according to the level of noise likely to be generated and also their sensitivity to noise
Reverberation in circulation spaces
Enhanced requirements in rooms for the teaching of hearing impaired children
Special guidance is given on the design and testing of open-plan teaching spaces to preserve speech intelligibility

10. Hospitals and Health Centres
The Department of Health publishes guidance on acoustic standards in NHS buildings. The document, HTM 08-01, was last revised in 2013.
HTM (Health Technical Memorandum)
More detailed advice on audiology rooms available in Health Building Note

11. Residential Buildings
Approved Document E details ways of complying with the Building Regulations, which cover:-
the sound insulation of party walls and floors some internal walls
reverberation in shared spaces.
Other guidance can be derived from the WHO publication Guidelines for Community Noise.
Other British Standards are available on the acceptability of environmental noise and vibration.

12. Concert halls and theatres
Designers of these buildings are normally well aware of the need for expert acoustic advice. The precise requirements will depend on the size of the venue and type of entertainment
Very large venues will normally depend on large loudspeaker arrays at the front of the auditorium. This can help to avoid audible echo effects from multiple loudspeakers, but there are potential problems from physical echoes from large, flat surfaces. Some designers prefer to use sound absorbing surfaces as much as possible and to add reverberation in the amplification equipment.
Spaces for speech or singing may need short reverberation times to improve intelligibility. Multi-use spaces may need variable acoustics
For music spaces it is likely that some of the more advanced room acoustic parameters will be of importance and that studies will be commissioned of the acoustic conditions in different parts of the auditorium.
Acoustic models may be used (physical & computer)

13. Case Studies Hodgson & Hodgson Applied Acoustic Design
Kirkegaard Associates
Saffron Hall
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

14. References
BS EN ISO (parts var. dates) Acoustics. Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building elements
BS 8223 : 1999 Sound insulation and noise reduction for buildings, Code of practice. (in revision – draft for comment)
BS : Guide to evaluation of human exposure to vibration in buildings. Vibration sources other than blasting
Building Regulations 2000, Approved document E; Resistance to the passage of sound
Dept of Health, 2008: Health Technical Memorandum 08-01: Acoustics
DfES, 2014: Building Bulletin 93, Acoustic Design of Schools
BBC 1993, Guide to Good Acoustic Practice