What acoustic regulations for noise limitation in educational and training institutions ?

What acoustic regulations for noise limitation in educational and training institutions ?

With regard to nursery schools, elementary schools, colleges, high schools, regional establishments for adapted education, universities and establishments of higher education, general, technical or professional, public or private, it is a question that arises in various contexts:

• for the architect, engineer, technician in charge of the construction or renovation of such an establishment
• for the head of such an establishment, for for the head of general resources
• for anyone, working there or passing through (users, parents of students) perceiving that the acoustic comfort leaves something to be desired

In France, the decree of April 25, 2003 relates to the limitation of noise in educational institutions; among other technical regulatory aspects, acoustic insulation, limitation of reverberation and equipment noise are the subject of formalized requirements.

Acoustic regulations for the limitation of noise in educational and training institutions: acoustic insulation between premises

With regard to sound insulation (a major concept for noise limitation and acoustic comfort), the order of 25 April 2003 relating to noise limitation in educational institutions specifies the requirements relating to interior airborne noise to the building in terms of standardized sound insulation weighted DnT,A ^[1]:

• when the noise emission is located in a room for teaching, practical activities, administration (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 43 dB(A) for a room for teaching, practical activities, administration, in a library, an information and documentation center (CDI), a music room, a meeting room, a room for teachers, a moderately noisy workshop
  • 43 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
  • 40 dB(A) for a multipurpose room
  • 40 dB(A) for a catering room
• when the noise emission is located in a medical room, an infirmary, a low-noise workshop, a kitchen, a closed assembly room, a meeting room, toilets (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 50 dB(A) for a room for teaching, practical activities, administration, in a library, an information and documentation center (IDC), a music room, a meeting room, a room for teachers, a moderately noisy workshop
  • 50 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
  • 50 dB(A) for a multipurpose room
  • 50 dB(A) for a catering room
• when the noise emission is located in a stairwell (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 43 dB(A) for a room for teaching, practical activities, administration, in a library, an information and documentation center (IDC), a music room, a meeting room, a room for teachers, a moderately noisy workshop
  • 43 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
  • 43 dB(A) for a multipurpose room
  • 43 dB(A) for a catering room
• when the noise emission is in a horizontal circulation, a closed changing room (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 30 dB(A) for a room for teaching, practical activities, administration, in a library, an information and documentation center (IDC), a music room, a meeting room, a room for teachers, a moderately noisy workshop
  • 40 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
  • 30 dB(A) for a multipurpose room
  • 30 dB(A) for a catering room
• when the noise emission is located in a music room, a multipurpose room or a sports room (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 53 dB(A) for a room for teaching, practical activities, administration, in a library, an information and documentation center (IDC), a music room, a meeting room, a room for teachers, a moderately noisy workshop
  • 53 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
  • 50 dB(A) for a multipurpose room
  • 50 dB(A) for a catering room
• when the noise emission is located in a dining room (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 53 dB(A) for a room for teaching, practical activities, administration, in a library, an information and documentation center (IDC), a music room, a meeting room, a room for teachers, a moderately noisy workshop
  • 53 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
  • 50 dB(A) for a multipurpose room
• when the noise emission is located in a noisy workshop (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 55 dB(A) for a room for teaching, practical activities, administration, in a library, an information and documentation center (IDC), a music room, a meeting room, a room for teachers, a moderately noisy workshop
  • 55 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
  • 50 dB(A) for a multipurpose room
  • 55 dB(A) for a catering room

And also:

• when the noise emission is located in a rest room (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 43 dB(A) for a rest room
  • 50 dB(A) for a teaching room, an exercise room
  • 43 dB(A) for an administration room, a staff room
  • 50 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
• when the noise emission is located in an exercise room or in a teaching room (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 50 dB(A) for a rest room
  • 43 dB(A) for a teaching room, an exercise room
  • 43 dB(A) for an administration room, a staff room
  • 50 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
• when the noise emission is located in an administration room (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 50 dB(A) for a rest room
  • 43 dB(A) for a teaching room, an exercise room
  • 43 dB(A) for an administration room, a staff room
  • 43 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
• when the noise emission is located in a medical room, an infirmary (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 50 dB(A) for a rest room
  • 50 dB(A) for a teaching room, an exercise room
  • 50 dB(A) for an administration room, a staff room
  • 43 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
• when the noise emission is located in an activity space, a meeting room, a games room, a closed gathering room, a reception room, a meeting room, toilets, a catering room, a kitchen, an office (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 55 dB(A) for a rest room
  • 53 dB(A) for a teaching room, an exercise room
  • 53 dB(A) for an administration room, a staff room
  • 53 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary
• when the noise emission is in horizontal circulation, a cloakroom (as far as the noise reception room is concerned):
  • 35 dB(A) for a rest room
  • 30 dB(A) for a teaching room, an exercise room
  • 30 dB(A) for an administration room, a staff room
  • 40 dB(A) for a medical room, an infirmary

Acoustic regulations for the limitation of noise in educational and training institutions: specifications relating to the limitation of reverberation

With regard to the limitation of reverberation (another major concept for the limitation of noise and acoustic comfort), the decree of April 25, 2003 relating to the limitation of noise in educational institutions specifies the requirements relating to the equivalent absorption area of ​​absorbent coverings placed in horizontal passages and halls with a volume of less than 250 m3 and in courtyards:

• at least half of the floor area of ​​the considered premises

With regard to the limitation of reverberation, the decree of 25 April 2003 relating to the limitation of noise in educational institutions also specifies the reverberation time ^[3] for different premises:

• kindergarten rest room, kindergarten exercise room, kindergarten play room:
  • 0.4 s to 0.8 s
• room for teaching, music, studies, practical activities; dining room and multipurpose room with a volume at most equal to 250 m3:
  • 0.4 s to 0.8 s
• medical or social premises, infirmary, toilets, administration, foyer, meeting room, library, documentation and information center (IDC):
  • 0.4 s to 0.8 s
• room for teaching, music, studies or practical activities with a volume greater than 250 m3, except noisy workshop:
  • 0.6 s to 1.2 s
• dining room with a volume greater than 250 m3:
  • 1.2 sec as a maximum
• multipurpose room with a volume greater than 250 m3:
  • 0.6 s to 1.2 s
• other rooms and circulation areas accessible to pupils with a volume greater than 250 m3:
  • in the case of a volume lower than 512 m3: 1.2 s as a maximum
  • otherwise 0.15 times the cube root of the volume (this latter: iexpressed in m3)

Acoustic regulations for the limitation of noise in educational and training institutions: specifications relating to equipment noise

With regard to noise from equipment, the decree of 25 April 2003 relating to the limitation of noise in educational institutions specifies the requirements relating to noise generated by equipment in the building (with regard to the reception room noise):

• in libraries, documentation and information centers (IDC), medical premises, infirmaries and rest rooms, music rooms:
  • 33 dB(A) if the equipment operates continuously; 38 dB(A) if operating intermittently
• in all other premises (mentioned above):
  • 38 dB(A) if the equipment operates continuously; 43 dB(A) if operating intermittently

What can ITS offer for compliance with acoustic regulations for noise limitation in educational and training institutions ?

What ITS can offer for compliance with acoustic regulations for noise limitation in education and training institutions:

• an acoustic diagnosis:
  • with (on site) airborne noise insulation measurements, equipment noise level measurements e.g. for Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) facilties, reverberation time measurements of premises: involving a qualified measurement technician physical (specialized in instrumental techniques) and sound equipment duly calibrated and verified
  • with the study (based on darwings and involving calculations of sound propagation carried out by an acoustic engineer with extensive skills in building physics) of the issues refering to sound insulation (in relation to the construction systems constituting the envelope of the building and the separations between dwellings: walls, roof, floors, partitions - including doors and windows - for what concerns in particular the sound reduction index of such construction elements) and to the limitation of reverberation (in relation to the area and the sound absorption coefficient of the materials in the concerned premises, given their volume and the conditions of their use)
  • with a comparison of the planned or existing construction provisions with what the acoustic regulations for education and training institutions impose
• the marketing of solutions for compliance with acoustic regulations for for education and training institutions impose:
  • soundproofing materials and products (acoustic insulation, limitation of reverberation, reduction of equipment noise)
  • works, with guaranteed results

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^[1] difference between the sound pressure levels in the noise emission room (or alternatively: in front of a building) and in the reception room, with a corrective term taking into account the reverberation time ^[2] of the receiving room; when calculated for pink noise: accounting an emission sound spectrum with the same level in dB in each frequency band of 1/1 octave
^[2] time (s) required for the existing sound level in a room to decrease by 60 dB when the noise source is instantly interrupted
^[3] for the arithmetic average in octave intervals with central frequencies 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz