Residential projects cover a wide range of accommodation provisions, from houses and flatted developments to care homes, hostels and hotels – all of which have to comply with detailed sound insulation requirements under the Building Standards, including pre-completion testing of accommodation that is attached to other accommodation.
The introduction of pre-completion testing for almost all residential developments has been the catalyst for substantial changes to the detailed design and construction management of residential developments – and CSP Acoustics provides a Test Risk Management service for such developments to help reduce problems at pre-completion testing by working with designers and constructors throughout the design and development stages. CSPA also has extensive experience of providing Noise Impact Assessments for large and small scale projects to help gain planning permissions for developments and refine designs to mitigate any impacts. These assessments have covered various types of transport noise, industrial noise, music and entertainment, shooting, dog barking and the like.
By understanding the architectural and engineering implications of residential projects CSPA is able to work closely with developers and designers to minimise noise impacts, optimise detailed construction designs and maximise Test Risk Management as demonstrated in the Award Winning West Burn Lane residential development in St Andrews.
Services we can provide as part of the Residential sector include...
Negotiations with Local Authorities will be required to establish the criteria for noise Impact Assessments, especially now that PAN 1/2011 gives each Local Authority the ability to set down its own criteria and standards. Residential projects that are proposed near to existing noisy operations will only be approved if it can be shown that complaints from the occupants of the proposed residential development will not jeopardise the existing business or operations. Equally design of the development will have to mitigate any transport noise that could result in unacceptable loss of amenity in the proposed dwellings. CSPA acoustics has extensive experience of dealing with these issues and will work with designers and developers to help optimise designs and secure planning permission.
Construction noise associated with residential projects can be a significant issue and will benefit from the CSPA Modelling and Mapping capability. Compliance with construction noise breakout limits can be critical issues if work is to progress smoothly. Our linked page on Environment and Noise services provide further useful information as does the section on Construction Noise Assessments and Control on the CSPA Noise and Nuisance service page.
For many projects compliance with Environmental Standards and Planning requirements can be critical to development viability either in relation to gaining the Planning Approval, in compliance with Planning Conditions within an existing Planning Approval, or in challenging a Local Authority decision by Appeal. CSPA can provide a range of services to assist with these objectives as outlined on our Planning & Building Control Applications Support pages.
For most clients and constructors the risk of pre-completion sound insulation test failure will be a matter of considerable concern given that release dates and cash flows could all be seriously jeopardised by failure. Clients, designers, and constructors will also be concerned that the costs and time to remedy any causes of test failure could be considerable – even if it were readily possible to identify, and subsequently rectify the causes of such failures.
It is a fact that the impact of many acoustical issues can be reduced by making appropriate early stage design interventions - site layout, building planning, materials and structures choices can all affect the magnitude and therefore cost of dealing with noise, privacy and communication issues. To help designers become more aware of the impact of acoustics on design and development CSP Acoustics is happy to provide CPD Updates on Acoustics and Noise Issues to design practices and client organisations. Lunchtime, or longer, CPD sessions can be arranged for delivery in-house to suit client and design organisations.
