Research To Fund Acoustic Research For Apartments

News Release 23 October 2007

Building Research To Fund Acoustic Research For Apartments

Building Research has announced that it is co-investing with the Department of Building and Housing and the University of Canterbury, in a research project currently being undertaken by Jeffrey Mahn at the University of Canterbury. Building Research will invest $12,500 a year for three years.

The three year PhD research programme is investigating sound flanking (acoustics) standards covering noise transmission in buildings. It will test whether the European Committee for Standardisation standard EN12354 for the prediction of flanking noise transmission can be used with confidence in New Zealand buildings.

Dr Sunil Vather, chief executive of Building Research, the building and construction sector’s leading research investment organisation, says, “This study has the potential to benefit the industry by providing a proven and recognised model that can be applied with confidence to predict noise transmission in both new and existing buildings. This is extremely relevant as the number of people living in high density apartment buildings continues to rise.”

If the EN12354 standard is validated, it could provide a model to predict the flanking noise in buildings before they are built; providing the building industry with a tool for assessing and evaluating various building designs.

This research study will also complement other work undertaken by the University of Canterbury Engineering School and commissioned by Building Research into the effects of flanking noise and noise transmission in buildings.

Sunil Vather said: “While there is a good understanding of the need to use tested acoustic separation systems, the quality of the separation is often diminished by flanking noise; when sound is transmitted by paths that go around the system. These flanking paths can arise by virtue of design or from site practices, so this research is important in that in will help provide some solutions and a model that will enable sound flanking to be accurately predicted. We look forward to seeing the results of Jeff’s research.”

Building Research is the independent industry association owned and directed by the building and construction industry. Each year, they allocate funding to assist students with outstanding academic credentials to undertake research in fields which are deemed to be of importance to the construction sector.

This year Building Research has budgeted $8.475 million to invest on research and information transfer, an increase of around 20 percent on 2006-2007. Around $2.8 million of that investment is earmarked for information and technology transfer, and providing independent research-based advice to those in the industry.

ENDS

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