Acoustic regulations for offices – Comparison between selected countries in Europe

Regulatory acoustic requirements for offices exist in some countries in Europe, but most countries have either no regulatory limits or only recommendations. The main reason for considering acoustic conditions in office premises is to ensure satisfactory working conditions for the various tasks and activities taking place in the many different kinds of rooms. Examples of room types are offices, meeting rooms, open-plan offices, reception areas, corridors, stairwells, canteens, all with different acoustic needs. The extent of acoustic limit values vary considerably between countries. Some specify a few only, while others define several criteria. The findings from a comparative study carried out in selected countries in various geographical parts of Europe show a diversity of acoustic descriptors and limit values. The paper includes examples of criteria for reverberation time, airborne and impact sound insulation, noise from traffic and from service equipment. The discrepancies between countries are discussed, aiming at potential learning and implementation of optimized limit values for more room types. In addition to regulations or guidelines, some countries have offices included in national acoustic classification schemes with different acoustic quality levels, and references are made to publications with examples of such classification criteria.