About this service

In the UK, several building standards and guidelines regulate acoustic design to ensure that building interiors meet specific performance criteria for sound insulation, noise control, and speech intelligibility. These standards cover a variety of building types, including residential, educational, healthcare, and office spaces.

Key standards we cover:

Part E – Resistance to the Passage of Sound: This regulation sets out minimum standards for sound insulation between residential dwellings and buildings used for residential purposes (such as flats, houses, hotels, and hostels).

BS 8233 offers guidance on sound insulation and the control of noise in various building environments. It is used to design comfortable acoustic environments in homes, offices, schools, and hospitals.

BB93 – Acoustic standards for schools, ensuring speech intelligibility and low noise levels.

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). While BREEAM is primarily focused on sustainability, it also includes acoustic performance as part of its criteria for achieving higher building ratings.

CIBSE Guide B4 offers detailed guidance on the control of noise and vibration from building services (e.g., HVAC systems, lifts, and plumbing). It provides noise level recommendations for internal spaces and methods to mitigate unwanted noise and vibration from mechanical equipment.

BS EN ISO 140 and BS EN ISO 717: These European standards are used in the UK for the measurement and rating of sound insulation in buildings.

If you are looking for HTM 08-01 guidance related to acoustics within healthcare settings, please note this is a highly specialised area related to patient safety concerns and we have a trusted network of consultants we can recommend to assist you with this.