Noise and Building

ARCHITECTURAL SCIENCE IV
ARCH 5251

PREPARED BY - BINYAM DERBE(MSC)

Chapter 2- Noise and Buildings
NOISE

When the sound waves are non-periodic, irregular and

• Undesirable sound (annoyance)
short duration, they produce displeasing effect this
• Depends on: sound is called as noise, unwanted or abrupt (sudden)
– Level sound. It can reach the ear due to high frequency of
– time of occurrence and duration sound or high intensity of sound or both.
– masking effect
– personal
NOISE: Psychological and
physiological effect

• Annoyance and dissatisfaction

• Affect communication
• Hearing damage
• Affect performance of task
• Deterioration in mental and physical health
NOISE SOURCES

• Speech
• music
• Machinery: house hold and industrial
• plumbing
• mechanical/ Air conditioning
• Traffic: airport, road, railway
NOISE SOURCES
• Point source: small compared with the measurement distance
– at the measurement distance their size
does not influence the behavior of the falloff of the sound field.
• Line source: Line sources are one-dimensional
– extend over a distance that is large compared with the measurement
distance.
• Area/planar source: two-dimensional surface that is large compared to the
measurement distance
– relatively flat. no fixed phase relationship among the various points on its
surface.
NOISE SOURCES
NOISE SOURCES
NOISE SOURCES: position of the source

• Fixed source:

• Moving source:

• partial line source:

NOISE SOURCES IN BUILDINGS
• The most common noise sources in buildings, other than the
inhabitants, are related to:

1. HVAC systems

2. Plumbing system

3. Electrical systems

4. Exterior sources
CLASSIFICATION
• Environmental noise
• Areal / Point / Line source
• Continuous/ non continuous
• Indoor / outdoor
• Air born / Dynamic or Impact
• Construction noise, industrial noise, entertainment
NOISE MEASUREMENT
• Environmental noise assessment

• Noise legislation /environmental, workplace/

• Noise control action plan

• Measurement:

– Acoustic factors

– Subjective reaction
QUANTIFYING THE NOISE
QUANTIFYING THE NOISE

• Type of noise:
• Frequency content:
• Time of occurrence:

NOISE SENSITIVE FUNCTIONS

• Building level:
• Environmental level:
 NOISE:
▪ 65dBA: noise may create annoyance/irritation.

▪ 90dBA: causes some permanent hearing loss.

▪ 100dBA: causes irreparable damage to the auditory organs.

▪ 120dBA: is painful.

▪ 150dBA: causes instantaneous loss of hearing.

 NOISE:
Sound level (NR Noise Rating A noise that will neither cause
number)
uncomfortable condition nor
20 – 25 dB is very quite
damage the acoustics of the building
30 – 35 dB is quite is called Acceptable noise level. the
40 – 45 dB is moderately noisy acceptable noise level depends up

50 – 55 dB is noisy on nature of noise, intensity of noise,

60 and over dB is very noisy

type of building, climatic conditions,
hearing ability of people, distance
between source and listener etc.
 Acceptable noise level in
residential buildings
• Acceptable noise level in the residential building itself differs from room to room
based on the normal activities, location of the building (urban & rural).

❑The least noise level is to be found in bed room and it normally from 10 to 15 dB.

• The acceptable noise level for living is 30 to 40 dB.

• the highest noise producers in the residential building are service areas like

kitchen, bathroom etc. and the acceptable noise level in these areas are 70dB.
 Acceptable noise level in
Commercial buildings
❑The acceptable noise level in commercial buildings depends on many reasons
such as data processing machines, size of space, type of activities etc. The

recommended noise levels for offices and shops is shown below as follows;

large offices ---------------------- 25 to 35dB

Medium offices ------------------ 40 to 45dB
drafting and typing offices ----- 55 to 60dB
For shops --------------------------50 to 60dB
 Acceptable noise level in
Educational buildings
❑Primary and secondary schools are the most sensitive areas. the recommended
noise levels for different activities in educational building are given below;

• For classrooms, study room and libraries --- 25 to 30dB

• Gymnasia, cafeteria, music -------------------- 50dB

• Auditoriums ------------------------------------ 80dB

 Acceptable noise level in
Religious buildings
❑It is better to isolate the congregation form the outside world due to use of high
amplification systems. Noise level in these buildings mostly depends up on type
of religious.

For churches and cathedrals --------------------------------35dB

For small churches where amplification is not used ------25 to 30dB
For large churches or halls --------------------------------------80dB
 Acceptable noise level in
Health buildings
❑these buildings need quite conditions. Sick people often need to sleep during
the day as well as at night. It is necessary to provide high degree of sound
insulation between wards and internal and external noise sources. The
acceptable noise level in health building is 35dB.
Acceptable noise level in
buildings
Building type Acceptable noise level in
decibels (dB)
Radio & T.V. studio 25-30
Music room 30-35
Hospitals 35-40
Homes, apartments, hotels 35-40
Libraries, conference rooms, small 35-40
offices
Court rooms, class rooms 40-45
Banks, large public offices 45-50
Restaurants 50-55
Factories 55-65
Loudness or Intensity
It is the flow of wave energy crossing per unit time through unit area. Sound
intensities are measured in decibels (dB). For example, the intensity at the
threshold (starting point) of hearing is 0 dB, the intensity of whispering is
typically about 10dB. Sound intensities are arranged on a logarithmic scale
due to a wide range of variations of the intensity of sound. Intensity of sound
can be calculated by the following equation;

I=

WHERE I = SOUND INTENSITY (W/M2) OR DB

W = SOUND POWER (WATT)

D = DISTANCE FROM SOUND SOURCE (M)

Loudness or Intensity
Sound intensity (w/m2) = 10 ((sound intensity level (db) /10) − 12)

Sound intensity level (db) = 10 × log (sound intensity (w/m2) / 10 −12 )

Example, two sound levels are given 90db and 80db the sum of the two is

not 170db!
NOISE PROTECTION
• at the SOURCE, PATH & RECEIVER or any combination of
these
NOISE PROTECTION:
built environment
• planning level

• building level, and

• building element level

NOISE PROTECTION:
built environment
NOISE AND BUILDING
Noise Control at Planning Level:
• Macro planning: Large scale:
▪ neighborhood/city level
▪ Zoning / Mixed use planning
▪ Principles of distance
Micro planning: Small scale:
– Zoning with sound contour(principle of distance)
Micro planning: Small scale:
• Micro planning: Small scale:
– Screening
Micro planning: Small scale:
– Screening
Micro planning: Small scale:
– Grass cover
Micro planning: Small scale:
– Volume proportion/ building street relation
Micro planning: Small scale:
• Layout typology:
DESIGN AT BUILDING LEVEL
• Functional zoning:

– Lateral zoning:

– Vertical zoning:
Screening structures:
DESIGN AT BUILDING LEVEL
Sound lobbies:
DESIGN AT BUILDING LEVEL
Structural Separation:
DESIGN AT BUILDING LEVEL
Structural Separation:
Design at Element level
• Insulation of :
– air born
– Impact
– Flanking
Design at Element level
• Insulation of : PLUMBING NOISE
– Openings & external walls PROTECTION
– Floors & Roofs
– Partitions • Pipes/ducts and from the
– Joints & connections walls of pipes/ducts
• Turbulent vs. smooth flow
• Direction change
• Cross-sectional change
Design at Element level
❑ Machines produce :
– Direct sound (air born)

– Vibratory sound (impact, flanking)

❑ Reflective and absorbing lining (Surface treatment )

❑ Resilient mountings

❑ Sealed corners

❑ Acoustic doors