ACOUSTIC TESTING FROM WARRINGTONFIRE AND AL-FUTTAIM ELEMENT At Warringtonfire and Al-Futtaim Element, we offer two UKAS-accredited state-of-the-art acoustic testing laboratories: High Wycombe, UK which specialises in laboratory-based acoustic testing for doors and windows; and Dubai, UAE which performs acoustic tests on various building elements. WHAT IS ACOUSTIC TESTING? The BS EN ISO 10140-2:2010 & ASTM E90-16 acoustic tests are conducted to determine the acoustic performance of various building elements and measures the ability of a building product and/or assembly to reduce the transmission of sound. Typically acoustic testing applies to products that form separating walls and floors, for example between flats, houses, hotel rooms, hospital rooms and classrooms. The acoustic test facility will comprise two separate, acoustically isolated chambers, including a source room and a receiving room. Both rooms will have been installed on separate, isolated acoustic floor systems to limit the sound and vibrational energy transference between the rooms and from the immediate surroundings. Our facilities have been designed to satisfy British, European, American and International standards for the measurement of sound transmission loss. Diffusion of the sound field in both rooms is achieved by exposing the structural timber framing to provide diffraction elements, eliminating the use of reflector plates and diffusing panels.
WHY TEST A PRODUCT’S ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE? In the UK, Approved Document E of the Building Regulations requires party walls and floors to prove their sound insulation performance, either through on-site pre-completion testing or through the use of Robust Details (of known performance), but proving this performance is becoming increasingly important on a global scale. Acoustic performance in excess of the minimum standards is also being specified to satisfy wider sustainability initiatives, such as Code for Sustainable Homes or BREEAM.
Furthermore, there are a number of acoustic design standards such as Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) for schools and Health Technical Memorandum 08-01 (HTM-08-01) for healthcare premises. Although the acoustic performance of individual projects is not typically specified, acousticians will calculate sound insulation values of façades, walls and floors based on acoustic laboratory test data for products that comprise these elements. If your product does not have this data it is less likely to be included in specifications for these type of developments as well as for other projects where noise may be an issue, eg hotels, hospitals, care homes, schools, student accommodation and offices. Noise is also a key consideration in planning requirements for a number of locations, eg where the property is close to roads, railways and airports The findings of these environmental impact assessments may dictate that external windows and doors need to achieve a set level of acoustic performance. For instance, if a school is situated close to a constant noise source, such as a road, railway or airport, the specification may need to be increased to reduce the ingress of external noise. Products that claim to have acoustic properties will need to have evidence of such for CE and UKCA marking purposes. Finally, noise is likely to be a consideration in the buying decision for an individual or an organisation, for both residential and commercial properties. Products with proven acoustic performance are likely to be more attractive to purchasers than similar products which cannot demonstrate their sound insulation.
Building assurance in the minds of our customers and offering solutions for a complex world underpins everything that we do at Warringtonfire. To consistently deliver on our promise, we work to three guiding principles, technical excellence, operational excellence and customer excellence.
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