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Onsite Testing
Sound Research Laboratories (SRL) has a dedicated Technical Services division, comprising a team of engineers capable of doing all noise and vibration measurements. They are fully trained in a wide range of noise and vibration measurements techniques to BS / ISO standards and SRL's own UKAS accredited best practice procedures. The aim of Technical Services is to obtain high quality test data that is both relevant and appropriate to meet the client's needs.
With nationwide offices in London, Manchester and Suffolk (Sudbury), we are able to provide countrywide cover
Our flexible approach and resources mean that we are able to meet the needs our of clients, even on very large schemes.
We use high quality calibrated test equipment. We have developed our own specialised testing kits (e.g. site sound insulation tests for Part E of the Building Regulations) allowing tests to be done efficiently and thus benefiting our clients by minimising the disruption to their site working.
Click on the links for further information
Pre-completion Testing (PCT) for Residential (Part E)
Ecohomes / Code for Sustainable Homes
Commissioning Testing for Schools
Pre-completion Testing (PCT) for Residential (Part E)
Approved Document E 2003 (Part E) of the Building Regulations (2000) sets down a mandatory requirement to achieve a minimum standard of sound insulation for separating walls and separating floors. This is done by either testing a sample of your constructions once built (known as pre completion testing - PCT) or by using Robust Details.
Part E also prefers testing to be done by UKAS accredited bodies, such as SRL, which means that Building Control Authorities will accept our results without question. Accordingly, our equipment and test procedures fully comply with BS EN ISO 140-4:1998 (Field measurements of airborne sound insulation between rooms) and BS EN ISO 140-7:1998 (Field measurements of impact sound insulation of floors).
PCT requires that one set of tests is done for every 10 dwellings (assuming they are built the same - if different separating constructions are used, then more tests will be needed).
A set of tests normally consists of between 2 and 6 individual tests. e.g. for terraced houses a set of tests would be 2 airborne wall tests for every 10 houses; for flats a set of tests would be 2 airborne wall tests, 2 airborne floor tests and 2 impact floor tests for every 10 flats.
If Robust Detail (RD) constructions are used, testing is not required, so the RD inspectorate do random site inspections / tests to check standards are being maintained.
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Ecohomes / Code for Sustainable Homes
Ecohomes (2005 and 2006)
This requirement is usually considered as part of the environmental assessment of a residential development, using the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). These assessments are required by many organisations, including regulatory, government and end clients.
Credits 1 and 2 are gained by doing more tests than required by Part E.
Credits 3 and 4 are gained by an increased testing programme (PCT) AND an increasing the performance standard (to 3dB or 5dB) over that required by Part E.
Note that the 2006 version of Ecohomes limits the total number of tests needed on larger developments.
SRL are UKAS accredited for on site sound insulation tests which is preferred by Ecohomes. Our equipment and test procedures fully comply with BS EN ISO 140-4:1998 (Field measurements of airborne sound insulation between rooms) and BS EN ISO 140-7:1998 (Field measurements of impact sound insulation of floors).
This means that Ecohomes assessors will accept your results from SRL without question.
Code for Sustainable Homes
The Ecohomes guidance has been updated and is now the Code for Sustainable Homes. This requirement is usually considered as part of the environmental assessment of a residential development, using the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). These assessments are required by many organisations, including regulatory, government and end clients.
There is no longer a need to do more tests than required by Part E. All credits (1,3 and 4) are gained by an increasing the performance standard (by 3dB, 5dB or 8dB respectively) over that required in Part E. Alternatively, Robust Detail constructions can be used which avoids the need for testing.
SRL are UKAS accredited for on site sound insulation tests which is preferred by Code for Sustainable Homes. Our equipment and test procedures fully comply with BS EN ISO 140-4:1998 (Field measurements of airborne sound insulation between rooms) and BS EN ISO 140-7:1998 (Field measurements of impact sound insulation of floors).
This means that Code for Sustainable Homes assessors will accept your results from SRL without question.
Commissioning Testing for Schools
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Although Building Building 93 (BB93) does not make acoustic testing mandatory, end clients often insist on tests to prove the school meets the standards in BB93 by way of the Contract.
As UKAS accredited testers, SRL are in an ideal position to provide you with accurate and reliable test data for sound insulation and reverberation times, etc which your client will normally accept without question.
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