About this publication 6 School client body 7 0.2.2. School Premises Regulations and Independent School Standards 9 0.3. Areas covered by the regulations 9 0.3.1. Teaching and non-teaching spaces 9 0.3.3. New-build, conversion and refurbishment work 10 0.3.4. Nursery and community education 11 0.3.5. Sixth-form colleges, universities and colleges of further education 11 0.3.6. When do the regulations apply? 12 0.4. Provision for children having special hearing or communication needs 13 0.4.1. Special school accommodation and special units attached to mainstream schools 14

0.5. Alternative performance standards 0.6. Surface spread of flame rating of acoustic linings and absorbers 15 1.1. Indoor ambient noise levels in unoccupied spaces 18 1.1.2. Acoustic performance standards 18 1.1.3. Building services and indoor ambient noise levels 21 1.1.4. Noise from ventilator actuators and dampers 25 1.2. Airborne sound insulation between spaces 26 1.2.2. Acoustic performance standards 26 1.3. Airborne sound insulation between circulation spaces and other spaces used by 1.3.2. Acoustic performance standards 28 1.4. Impact sound insulation of floors 30 1.4.2. Acoustic performance...

1.8.2. Acoustic performance standards 37 2.2. Alternative performance standards 39 Useful resources and external organisations 42 Other relevant departmental advice and statutory guidance 42 Other departmental resources 42

Summary About this publication This document supersedes section 1 of ‘Building Bulletin 93’ (BB93) published in 2003. It sets out minimum performance standards for the acoustics of school buildings, and describes the normal means of demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations. It also provides guidance in support of the School Premises Regulations (2012) and the Independent School Standards (2013). Acknowledgements The Department for Education (DfE) would like to thank the Schools Committee of the Association of Noise Consultants and the Institute of Acoustics for their help in drafting...

Definitions School client body The school client body consists of both the commissioning authority and the school entity. The school entity has day to day control of the school and may be represented by the headteacher or a governor. The commissioning authority is the authority that commissions the work: central government, a local authority or the school itself.

0. Introduction and scope 0.1. Background This document should be read in conjunction with ‘Acoustics of schools: a design guide’ Ref.1 , published by the Association of Noise Consultants and the Institute of Acoustics, which contains supporting information and additional design considerations. References to the guide are made throughout this document. On publication, the guide will supersede sections 2 to 7 of Building Bulletin 93 (2003) Ref.2. Section 1 of this document sets out the acoustic performance standards. The normal way of satisfying Requirement E4 of the Building Regulations Ref.3,...

0.2.2. School Premises Regulations and Independent School Standards The School Premises Regulations and Independent School Standards applies to both new and existing school buildings and contain a similar statement to that in Requirement E4 of the Building Regulations: “The acoustic conditions and sound insulation of each room or other space must be suitable, having regard to the nature of the activities which normally take place therein.” In addition to the design and construction standards covered by the Building Regulations, the School Premises Regulations and Independent School Standards...

0.3.2. Temporary buildings Buildings that are in place for 28 days or less are exempt from the Building Regulations including Requirement E4 but not from the School Premises Regulations and the Independent School Standards. New school buildings and extensions with a site life of more than 28 days should comply with all applicable Building Regulations including Requirement E4. Many buildings in schools have only temporary planning permission, which usually lasts for 2 years. These buildings are subject to the Building Regulations. Additional guidance on prefabricated buildings is given in Clause...

The meaning of material change of use is given in Regulation 5 of the consolidated Building Regulations. For schools the most common material changes of use that are listed in Regulation 5 will be: “5.(e) any building used as a public building, where previously it was not; and... A “public building” is defined as a building consisting of or containing— (b) a school or other educational establishment ...” The Requirements of the Building Regulations relating to material change of use are given in Regulation 6.-(1): “6.-(1) Where there is a material change of use of the whole of a building, such...

the design of these buildings. Part E4 does apply to sixth-form units forming part of a school. ‘Schools’ includes independent schools, academies, free schools, university technical colleges, sixth-form colleges attached to schools, and nursery/community and adult education spaces within school complexes. School Premises Regulations apply to all schools, including community special schools and pupil referral units, which are treated as ‘schools’ in the table above. Temporary buildings are those not intended to remain in place for longer than 28 days. All buildings that remain in place longer...

Regulation 4 of the Building Regulations requires that any building work on existing buildings should not make an existing condition any worse than before work was carried out. 0.3.7. Planning issues Whilst planning consents should not be subject to conditions that are covered by other legislation, such as the Building Regulations, local planning authorities may include conditions relating to noise and acoustics when granting consent. These could cover such aspects as noise from schools affecting nearby noise sensitive properties, or educational establishments where the acoustic conditions are...