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The Building Regulations (2000)

Approved Document E ‘Resistance to the Passage of Sound’ 2003 edition plus amendments 2004 (ADE2003), stipulates single figure sound insulation ratings for both airborne radiated noise, at separating party floors and walls, and for impact radiated noise at party floors.

Whilst the regulations are divided into 4 categories, E1 to E4, the only requirement for pre-completion testing is to prove compliance with regulation E1.

Regulation E1 concerns itself with protection against sound from other parts of the same building and adjoining buildings and is relevant to separating walls and floors between dwelling houses, flats and rooms for residential purposes.

The ADE2003 requires at least 1 set of tests to be carried out for every group of up to ten dwelling-houses, flats or rooms for residential purposes, whether a material change of use or a new build.

Pre-completion testing is not normally required at existing walls or floors in a building subject to material change of use, neither is usual to test across walls between kitchens and/or bathrooms.

Room volumes of less than 25m3 would not normally be included in a testing programme.

A set of tests would normally comprise as follows:

Tests in Dwelling Houses – One set of tests comprising two individual (airborne) sound insulation tests each across separating party walls at a pair of living rooms and a pair of bedrooms

Tests in Flats with separating floors – One set of tests comprising four individual sound insulation tests, 2 airborne and 2 impact, 1 of each being across separating party floors between a pair of living rooms and a pair of bedrooms.

Tests in Flats with separating walls and floors – One set of tests should comprise six individual     sound insulation tests. 4 airborne and 2 impact as a combination of the tests stipulated above

Where layouts do not permit full testing as outlined above, e.g only 1 pair of rooms in adjacent flats, then the number of airborne and impact sound insulation tests may be reduced accordingly.

New build developments and developments which form a material change of use of the building have different performance standards which must be achieved. These are tabulated below:-

Table 3.1 Dwelling Houses and Flats – Performance Standards for separating walls, floors and stairs that have a separating function.

		Value in dB
		Purpose Built  Dwellings	Dwellings formed by material change of use
Walls, Floors and Stairs	Airborne Sound Insulation  DnT,w  + Ctr (Minimum value)	45 dB	43 dB
Floors and Stairs	Impact Sound Insulation   L'nT,w (Maximum values)	62 dB	64 dB

 Table 3.2          Rooms for Residential Purposes – Performance Standards for separating walls, floors and stairs that have a separating function.