Acoustic design and testing for health and wellbeing
Acoustic design and testing for health and wellbeing was written by Stephanie King and Gary Timmins and was published by the BRE Trust in February 2019. It is freely-available to download from the BRE Website.
Good acoustic conditions are fundamental to the quality and enjoyment of homes. Domestic noise problems may arise either from sound travelling from one premises to another, such as music, voices and footsteps, or from noise entering from outside, such as road and aircraft noise. The two are regulated in different ways. Sound insulation issues are dealt with through the Building Regulations. Exposure to outside noise is dealt with through the planning system. Both require careful consideration, as poor acoustic design is difficult and expensive to remedy once a building has been completed.
This 16-page guide identifies the basic elements of acoustic design and the standards most commonly used when considering noise impact on homes. It is intended to help housebuilders, building owners, designers, architects, planners, landlords and householders take the first steps towards understanding acoustic requirements for homes and the kind of technical data they might encounter on the way.
Its contents are:
- Summary.
- Introduction.
- Sources of noise disturbance – sound insulation.
- Sources of noise disturbance – environmental noise.
- The role of laboratory testing.
- Case studies.
- References.
- Acknowledgements.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Acoustic consultant.
- Acoustics.
- Acoustics in the workplace.
- Airborne sound.
- Approved Document E.
- Audio frequency.
- BRE articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- BRE Trust.
- BREEAM Acoustic performance.
- Building Bulletin 93: acoustic design of schools.
- Decibel.
- Flanking sound.
- Impact sound.
- Metamaterials.
- Noise nuisance.
- Pre-completion sound testing.
- Reverberation.
- Room acoustics.
- Sound absorption.
- Sound insulation.
- Sound insulation in dwellings: Part 1: An introduction (GG 83-1).
- Sound reduction index (SRI).
- Sound v noise.
- Structure-borne sound.
- Suitable insulation can help preserve the golden sound of silence.
- Timber and healthy interiors.
- Wellbeing.
Featured articles and news
We're expanding our collaborative mission by launching DB Intelligence, an exclusive market research advisory panel. Built environment professionals can now get paid to share their expertise on industry trends, products and services.
Panel members receive direct financial incentives for participating in research projects like short surveys, 1-2-1 interviews and focus groups. Register today to shape the future of the construction sector.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief exoplanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
CIAT May 2026 briefing.
From medieval scribes to modern word art.
ECA welcomes crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy, whilst CIOB seek fixed cladding removal timeframes.
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.