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Hea 05a - Acoustic Performance (non-residential)
Information correct as of 6thNovember 2024. Please see kb.breeam.com for the latest compliance information.
Acoustic performance in shell & core assessments - KBCN0235
The guidance below applies to all standard building types. For non-standard building types, a technical query should be submitted.
BREEAM does not consider it appropriate to impose requirements on tenants in a shell and core development to carry out acoustic testing in accordance with the criteria, therefore this issue is to be assessed as follows:
First credit: Indoor ambient noise level
The focus of this criteria is to assess the acoustic performance of the external building fabric which is outside the control of the tenant. The criteria for indoor ambient noise level applies as normal.
A Suitably Qualified Acoustician (SQA) must carry out an assessment of the built form specification, typical arrangement, and fit out specification for the building type and and any external factors that are likely to affect the indoor ambient noise levels. Where the layout is unknown, the acoustician must base their assessment on the most sensitive room type likely to be present in the building as a worst case. For example in a retail assessment where there are offices, the acoustician should make an assessment based the requirement for office buildings.
Should the SQA determine that an augmented fit-out specification would be required to meet the BREEAM requirements, such details must be covered by one of the three Shell & Core options.
First credit: Sound insulation
This requirement does not apply to Shell and Core projects and the first credit can be assessed based on indoor ambient noise criteria only.
Second credit: Reverberation time
If it can be demonstrated that the building will not have any "areas used for speech" the second credit can be awarded by default. However, if this cannot be clearly evidenced due to the speculative nature of the development then this credit must be withheld.
09/06/2020: Reference to meeting rooms has been removed, in accordance with the content of the technical manual
Acoustic performance standards - KBCN0922
For the Acoustic performance standards credits it is possible to use either:
- the building regulation requirements or other appropriate good practice local standards
or
- the good practice criteria outlined in the BREEAM manual.
If assessors want to use standards that have not been approved yet, they should submit these to BRE along with all relevant documents detailed in the standards approval process. The extent and scope of these local standards and the SQAs justification statement will be checked by BRE acoustic experts to ensure that the overall effect is similar to the stated BREEAM requirements.
Applying internal partition sound insulation criteria to internal doors - KBCN0665
Where sound insulation criteria apply to internal partitions the calculations do need to include any doors which are part of the wall in question.
While sound insulation performance of a typical door will be lower than for a typical wall, with careful design, specification and detailing, this can be overcome.
Appropriate project stage to appoint a suitably qualified acoustician - KBCN0256
BREEAM requires that a suitably qualified acoustician is appointed at an appropriate stage of the project, so as to ensure that early design advice on criteria of pre-requisition is met. The aim is to ensure that costly amendments to building designs are not made as a result of late appointment of the acoustician. Ultimately, it is for the assessor to determine at what stage of the project is deemed to be appropriate for this appointment to have taken place given the project specific circumstances and procurement type.
Compliant test body – alternative compliance route using a Suitably Qualified Acoustician - KBCN1412
Where acoustic testing and measurement has not been performed by an organisation or individual that meets the definition of a compliant test body, compliance with this requirement can still be demonstrated where a Suitably Qualified Acoustician has reviewed the relevant test report(s).
The test report must:
a) Be countersigned or authorised by a Suitably Qualified Acoustician
b) Include a clear statement that the acoustic testing and measurements have been carried out in accordance with the BREEAM or HQM testing requirements
AND
c) Include evidence that the verifier meets the definition for a Suitably Qualified Acoustician within the relevant BREEAM or HQM technical manual
International suitably qualified professionals - KBCN1266
In some issues the International NC and RFO schemes prescribe specific requirements for suitably qualified professionals. We appreciate that some countries might have different recognition schemes in place, and these might differ from the BREEAM requirements. Where this is the case, assessors should submit a technical query with appropriate information, and we will review and approve each situation on a country basis.
Prerequisite – users with special hearing and communication needs - KBCN0969
Intent
Criterion 1c ensures that the suitably qualified acoustician has influenced the design of the asset to:
- Meet the acoustic requirements of users with special hearing and communication needs.
- Ensure that accessible acoustic design is considered where this is not adequately covered by local legislation.
What this should cover will depend on the asset type and expected users.
Asset users
The UK Department for Education document BB93
Acoustic design of schools: performance standards building bulletin 93 (February 2015) defines users with special hearing or communication needs as those with any of the following:
- Speech, language and communication difficulties.
- Visual impairments.
- Fluctuating hearing impairments caused by conductive hearing loss.
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- An auditory processing disorder or difficulty.
- Being on the autistic spectrum.
This list is not exhaustive, and the suitably qualified acoustician must consider typical asset users, along with the other points a-d when giving early design advice regarding room layout, sound insulation and reverberation times.
Accessibility features
The principles of accessible design are universal and could be applied in a wide range of assets. Additional features that could be relevant to accessible acoustic design include, but are not limited to:
- Designation of quiet zones.
- Hearing assistive technologies.
- Induction loop systems.
- White noise machines.
- Infrared and FM systems to provide direct audio to individuals with special hearing needs.
- Noise barriers.
The suitably qualified acoustician must use their professional judgement to determine the scope of any such features as part of the design. Where no features are applicable this must be clearly justified.
04-Sep-2024: Wording and intent clarified. Information on additional accessibility features added. Scheme applicability updated. Title updated.
01-Mar-2019: Amended to clarify that this is a 'typical' list of users, but does not impose a new requirement.
Information correct as of 6thNovember 2024. Please see kb.breeam.com for the latest compliance information.