New Dutch Code of Practice for equipment noise
Invited paper
LBP|SIGHT B.V.
Wednesday 3 june, 2015, 09:00 - 09:20
Auditorium 2 (592)
Abstract:
In the previous decade, there were many complaints about noise from ventilation systems (45 dB or more in living rooms were no exception). This noise resulted in incorrect use of these systems, which in turn caused health problems. In addition, the near zero energy policy for dwellings will result in the development of new types of service equipment, which could also produce such high sound levels that they might be used incorrectly. In order to prevent this, the Dutch government ordered new requirements for this field. Apart from this, the old Codes of Practice on equipment sound were already outdated and needed to be renewed because of the changes in equipment technology and building methods. Together, the Dutch Standardization Organization (NEN) and the Knowledge Institute for the Equipment Sector (ISSO) commissioned a new Code of Practice: NTR 5076 Equipment Sound in Dwellings and Apartments.
In this presentation, the Dutch requirements for maximum sound levels produced by service equipment will be explained, as well as the developments made in the past 20 years. The principles for equipment sound and building acoustics will be described because they have to be used together in order to reach a sound level of 30 dB or less. These principles apply to the following types of equipment: ventilation systems, either for one dwelling or multiple apartments, equipment for the supply and drainage of water, central heating systems, heat pumps (near zero energy) and automatically opening garage doors.
The starting points for achieving such sound levels are the sound power level L<sub>W</sub> of equipment components and the characteristics of sound propagation in these components. The sound insulation of building elements and the indirect sound transmission between rooms are the building-acoustical parts. New measurement results have been incorporated to make this possible.