Part E Building Regulations (England and Wales)

Part E - Resistance to the Passage of Sound

Noise control in buildings for residential use in England and Wales is regulated using Approved Document E. This Building Regulation now applies to any kind of building used as a dwelling, including houses and apartments; and rooms for residential purposes, such as students and nurses accommodation, nursing homes and hotels. It also applies to dwellings that have been created as a result of a conversion or material change of use.

The aim of the regulation is to protect residents from the noise of activities in other rooms or adjoining properties. This has been highlighted as a major cause of tension between residents. The acoustic requirements are shown below in tables 1.1a & 1.1b:-

Table 1.1a: Dwelling-houses and flats - performance standards for separating floors, stairs and walls that have a separating function.

Table 1.1b: Rooms for residential purposes - performance standards for separating floors, stairs and walls that have a separating function.

In addition to these targets, separating structure within a dwelling must also meet or exceed the following targets as set out in the table 1.1c it is anticipated that these standards should improve the level of privacy within a dwelling.

Table 1.1 c: laboratory values for new internal floors within: dwelling-houses, flats and rooms for residential purposes, whether purpose built or formed by material change of use.

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