Acoustic Performance Case Studies
Old Ribbon Factory, Coventry
Usage: Ground floor, A3; 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors, residential
Construction: Timber floor, T&G boards on joists at 450mm centres
Original specification: Floating floor on top of raised acoustic floor; acoustic ceiling system
Testing: Rooms were built on site and residential / residential and residential / A3
Results: Airborne: Before = 29dB DnT,w After = 62dB DnT,w
Impact: Before = 86dB L’nT,w After = 53dB L’nT,w
System used: AC90 / 25FP acoustic ceiling
Actual cost: £50/m²
1960’s office tower block, Baldwin Street, Bristol
Usage: Residential – conversion to 60 apartments
Construction: Two kinds of existing floor – beam and block with 50mm screed and hollow pots with 50mm screed.
Original specification: Cradle & batten floor system; acoustic ceiling
system with secondary ceiling system.
Original cost: £90/m²
Testing: Test rooms were constructed on site for both types of existing floor and residential / residential tests carried out, prior to PCT. Only an acoustic floor was needed.
Results: Airborne: passed
Impact: Before = 88dB L’nT,w After = 40dB L’nT,w
System used: IN20 acoustic flooring
Actual cost: £20/m²
Kenilworth Road, Leamington Spa
Usage: Residential – Victorian house conversion to nine apartments
Construction: Timber floorboards over joists; lath and plaster ceilings
Original specification: H203 floating floor and acoustic ceiling system
Original cost: £80/m²
Testing: Tests were conducted in existing rooms and acoustic flooring on its own was found to be sufficient..
Results: Airborne: Before = 36dB DnT,w + Ctr
After = 44dB DnT,w + Ctr
Impact: Before = 76dB L’nT,w After = 50dB L’nT,w
System used: C40 cradle and batten system acoustic flooring
Actual cost: £15/m²
The Turnbull Building, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Usage: Five storey Victorian factory conversion to 80 prestige apartments
Construction: Brick structure with exposed oak beams and joists which were to be retained and always cause acoustic insulation difficulties.
Original specification: Floating floor on top of raised acoustic floor; acoustic ceiling system
Testing: Source and receiver rooms were built on site and residential/residential tests carried out. Building Regs. required 48dB DnT,w, C40 floor system achieved 50dB DnT,w but the client wanted 52dB DnT,w. After trying various modifications the source room was rebuilt with Isolating strips under all walls and a C40 acoustic floor system.
Results: Airborne = 56dB DnT,w
System used: C40 cradle and batten system acoustic flooring; Isolating strips
Actual cost: C40 £15/m²; Isolating strip £1/m²
Many different council house flats for Bristol City Council
Usage: Residential upgrades with the Council requiring improvements to old Building Regs
Construction: Some 27 different varieties of construction of house type flats.
Testing: Site tests have been successfully conducted on all 27 types of building construction
Results: Airborne: Before average = 32dB DnT,w
After = 50dB DnT,w
Impact: Before average = 78dB L’nT,w
After = 54dB L’nT,w
System used: Various acoustic floor systems and some wall systems depending upon the type of construction.
Regent Street, Nottingham
Usage: Residential – Three storey Victorian office conversion to 15 apartments
Construction: T&G boards over joists; pugging between boards; lath and plaster ceilings
Original specification: Overlay flooring system and acoustic ceiling system
Original cost: £80/m²
Testing: Test rooms were constructed and residential/residential tests conducted.
Results: Airborne: 44dB DnT,w + Ctr = passed according to ADE 2003
Impact: 57dB L’nT,w = passed according to ADE 2003
System used: No system was required but C40 cradle and batten flooring system installed for floor levelling and improved acoustic performance
Actual cost: £15/m²
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