Applying the requirements to shell only + shell and core assessments - KBCN00075
A Suitably Qualified Acoustician (SQA) must carry out a quantifiable assessment of the specification of the built form, construction and any external factors that are likely to affect the indoor ambient noise levels. From this assessment, the SQA must confirm that the developer’s scope of works will enable a future tenant utilising a typical fit-out and specification to meet the levels required to demonstrate compliance with the BREEAM criteria.
Where the specific room functions and areas within the building are yet to be defined, the acoustician’s assessment should demonstrate that the criteria for the most sensitive room type likely to be present in the building is capable of being achieved. Where the typical fit out would include a range of requirements (e.g. offices with a mix of open plan, cellular offices, meeting rooms and breakout areas; or retail with sales floor, stock/storage, office and staff rest areas), the acoustician should make an assessment based on a speculative layout and outline specification to determine whether the requirements of the relevant best practice standard are achievable and include examples of the most sensitive room types.
Where the majority of a building’s floor plan will require high performance acoustic environments (e.g. classroom/seminar buildings), then the BREEAM requirements must be achieved for the entire shell where specific layouts are not determined by the built form.
Post-construction testing is not required subject to confirmation from the project team that the built form, construction and any external factors have not changed from those used in the SQA's assessment.
14-Feb-2024 - Scheme applicability updated. Clarified applicability to shell only assessments. Title updated.
09-Aug-2019 - Updated applicability to UK NC 2018
08-Dec-2017 - Clarification added regarding post-construction evidence.
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 26