Protection against sound from other parts of the building and adjoining buildings Protection against sound within a dwelling-house etc Reverberation in the common internal parts of buildings containing flats or rooms for residential purposes
Acoustic conditions in schools Regulation 20A The Building Regulations 2000 (as amended) Regulation 12A The Building (Approved Inspectors etc) Regulations 2000 (as amended) Coming into effect 1 July 2003 MAIN CHANGES IN THE 2003 EDITION
This edition of Approved Document E – Resistance to the passage of sound, replaces the 1992 edition. The main changes are:
E1 Protection against sound from other parts of the building and adjoining buildings
This Requirement now includes rooms for residential purposes as well as dwelling-houses and flats. “Room for residential
purposes” means a room, or suite of rooms, which is not a dwelling-house or flat and which is used by one or more persons to live and sleep in, including rooms in hotels, hostels, boarding houses, halls of residence and residential homes but not including rooms in hospitals, or other similar establishments, used for patient accommodation.
Performance standards are given for walls, floors and stairs having a separating function, in new buildings and buildings formed by change of use. Site testing of sound insulation is intended on a sampling basis.
E2 Protection against sound within a dwelling-house etc
(c) This is a new requirement that sets standards for the sound insulation of walls and floors in dwelling-houses, flats and rooms for residential purposes. Site testing is not intended.
E3 Reverberation in the common internal parts of buildings containing flats or rooms for residential purposes
(d) This is a new Requirement to control reverberation in the common parts of buildings containing flats or rooms for residential purposes. Site testing is not intended.
E4 Acoustic conditions in schools (e) All new school buildings are now controlled under the Building Regulations, and this Requirement covers the sound insulation, reverberation time and indoor ambient noise levels. Guidance on meeting the Requirement is given in Building Bulletin 93, to be published by DfES in 2003.
Resistance to the passage of sound Approved Document E