Noise from Service Equipment in Residential Buildings and Hospitals: Regulations in selected countries in Europe

Noise from service equipment can cause disturbances for both occupants and nearby residents. This paper describes the regulatory limits set by various European countries regarding noise from HVAC systems and other installations in residential buildings and hospital bedrooms. It is observed that the descriptors used are, in some cases, different from each other and therefore not always directly comparable. Very often the main differences are found in the verification procedures and descriptors rather than in the limit values. The regulations in each country define the necessary requirements and provide reference values for the design phase, while standards specify the measurement methods to be applied for field tests to ensure compliance with the requirements.