Code for Sustainable Homes

Supersceeding Breeam: Ecohomes 2006 (For new homes in England only), the "Code for Sustainable Homes" has a credit system which is in addition to that of Approved Document E of the Building Regulations.

Assessment Criteria

Credits are awarded for achieving higher standards of sound insulation than those given in Approved Document E of the Building Regulations and demonstrating it by either using post-completion testing (called pre-completion testing in Approved Document E and in the text) or Robust Details as follows:

Increases to the Sound insulation requirements

Credits

Improvement of Approved Document E (dB)

Airborne Sound DnT,w+Ctr

Impact Sound L'nt,w

1

+3

-3

3

+5

-5

4

+8

-8

Criteria Class
A commitment to carry out a programme of pre-completion testing based on the Normal programme of testing described in Approved Document E for every group or sub-group* of houses or flats, and to achieve airborne sound insulation values that are at least 3dB higher, and impact sound insulation values that area at least 3dB lower, than the performance standards set out in the Building Regulations for England and Wales, Approved Document E (2003 Edition, with amendments 2004) 1
OR  
A commitment to use constructions for all relevant building elements that have been assessed and approved by Robust Details Limited, and found to achieve the above performance standards  
A commitment to carry out a programme of pre-completion testing based on Normal programme of testing described in Approved Document E for every group or sub-group* of houses or flats, and to achieve airborne sound insulation values that are at least 5dB higher, and impact sound insulation values that are at least 5dB lower, than the performance standards set out in the Building Regulations for England and Wales, Approved Document E (2003 Edition, with amendments 2004). 3
OR  
A commitment to use constructions for all relevant building elements that have been assessed and approved by Robust Details Limited, and found to achieve the above performance standards.  
A commitment to carry out a programme of pre-completion testing based on the Normal programme of testing described in Approved Document E for every group or sub-group* of houses and flats, and to achieve airborne sound insulation values that are at least 8dB higher, and impact sound insulation values that are at least 8dB lower, than the performance standards set out in the Building Regulations for England and Wales, Approved Document E (2003 Edition, with amendments 2004) 4
OR  
A commitment to use constructions for all relevant building elements that have been assessed and approved by Robust Details Limited, and found to achieve the above performance standards.  
Default Cases  
1.Detached dwellings 4
2.Attached dwellings where separating walls or floors only occur between non habitable rooms 3

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Acoustics - Flagship Projects

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Acoustic solutions for office buildings

Sound insulation testing of the newly built offices at St. Omar barracks, Aldershot

Acoustics for Healthcare Premises

Pre-completion testing at new oncology & haemotology unit, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull