RESISTANCE TO THE PASSAGE OF SOUND E

The Requirements

This Approved Document, which takes effect on 1 July 2003, deals with the Requirements of Part E of Schedule 1 to the Building

Regulations 2000 (as amended by SI 2002/2871). [4] 1996 c.56. Section 4(1) was substituted by section 51 of the Education Act 1997 (c. 44).

Requirement

Limits on application

Protection against sound from other parts of the building and adjoining buildings

E1. Dwelling-houses, flats and rooms for residential purposes shall be designed and constructed in such a way that they provide reasonable resistance to sound from other parts of the same building and from adjoining buildings.

Protection against sound within a dwelling-house etc.

E2. Dwelling-houses, flats and rooms for residential purposes shall be designed and constructed in such a way that –

internal walls between a bedroom or a room containing a water closet, and other rooms; and

internal floors, provide reasonable resistance to sound.

Reverberation in the common internal parts of buildings containing flats or rooms for residential purposes

E3. The common internal parts of buildings which contain flats or rooms for residential purposes shall be designed and constructed in such a way as to prevent more reverberation around the common parts than is reasonable.

Acoustic conditions in schools E4. (1) Each room or other space in a school building shall be designed and constructed in such a way that it has the acoustic conditions and the insulation against disturbance by noise appropriate to its intended use.

(2) For the purposes of this Part - “school” has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Education Act 1996[4]; and “school

building” means any building forming a school or part of a school.

Requirement E2 does not apply to - an internal wall which contains a door; an internal wall which separates an en suite toilet from the associated bedroom;

existing walls and floors in a building which is subject to a material change of use.

Requirement E3 only applies to corridors, stairwells, hallways and entrance halls which give access to the flat or room for residential purposes.

Approved Document E Resistance to the passage of sound 5