![]() How do these new recommendations apply to the current approach for multifamily construction? As Figure 2 shows, a commonly specified design for many multifamily projects, which is also recommended by acoustical consultants, includes: When one is designing a building on the higher end of market rate or luxury level, or has tenants or owners sensitive to noise, the desire should be for a ‘preferred’ level of performance. As the names suggest, when one wants a building that has an acceptable level of acoustical separation, ‘acceptable’ is targeted. These new levels now give a clearer direction on what levels should be targeted for desired acoustical performance, depending on the building type. The requirements are currently insufficient to meet occupant needs.Īs shown in Figure 1, the guide provides two levels of acoustical performance: ‘acceptable’ and ‘preferred.’ Both exceed code minimums for airborne and structure-borne noise. The current level and approach of sound isolation requirements in the building code needs to be upgraded. ![]() In response to the need for updated acoustical guidelines, the International Code Council (ICC), along with several respected acoustical experts, created ICC G2-2010, Guideline for Acoustics. You May Also Like Diamond Schmitt completes state-of-the-art Texas performing arts venue ![]() To compound the subject, many of the amenity upgrades offered, such as hard-surfaced finished floors and canister lighting, can adversely impact a floor/ceiling assembly’s performance. This is astounding when one considers acoustics continue to be one of the driving factors in maintaining low vacancy levels, as well as one of the most litigated issues in this type of construction. This shift brought greater awareness of acoustical ratings and their deemed thresholds in unit-over-unit construction, however these code levels remained aligned with the UBC’s established minimum requirements of STC and IIC 50 (or 45 if field-tested).Īs the multifamily industry became more competitive, developers began offering upgrades in flooring and lighting to tenants as an amenity, yet little to no attention was paid to acoustical performance. In 1997, UBC gave way to the International Building Code ( IBC) as the widely accepted model code. The higher the rating, the better the performance. UBC required an STC and IIC rating of 50 (or 45 if field-tested as F-STC or F-IIC). This document, along with the Uniform Building Code ( UBC), helped project teams recognize an acoustical threshold was needed in multifamily construction. In fact, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) wrote A Guide to Airborne, Impact, and Structure Borne Noise: Control in Multifamily Dwellings in 1967, helping reinforce the importance of sound control in multifamily construction. Thanks to product technology improvements and more stringent regulations, the wood-frame multifamily industry is paying increasing attention to the acoustics of the floor/ceiling assembly.īoth these single-number ratings apply to the full assembly of building materials used to separate tenants, including floor/ceiling assemblies.įor more than 50 years, these measurements have helped architectural project design teams quantify the acoustic levels of floor/ceiling assemblies. footfall, chair scrapes, and dropped objects) transmitted through a floor/ceiling system. impact insulation class (IIC), which deals with impact noise ( i.e.walls, doors, windows, and floor/ceilings) and sound transmission class (STC), which pertains to the amount of airborne sound contained by a given building element ( i.e.Two of the principal measurement standards for acoustics in multifamily construction are: This article reviews important new guidelines that must be taken into account by architects and specifiers, and examines how construction manufacturers have created new products or enhanced existing ones in the pursuit of achieving higher acoustical performance. How do design professionals keep pace as the traditional approaches to multi-unit residential sound control evolve? This has been driven by consumer desires, new guidelines from code bodies, and stricter enforcement of existing codes. In recent years, demand has increased for better floor/ceiling acoustics in multifamily construction. ![]()
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