Sound insulation between dwellings - Classification schemes and building regulations in Europe

Abstract [778]  The paper will present the main characteristics of classification schemes and building regulations in several countries in Europe. While legal sound insulation requirements for dwellings have existed for up to approx. 50 years, classification schemes describing classes of acoustic quality of dwellings have been introduced during the last few years.
A comparison of main characteristics will be made concerning:
(1) Airborne sound insulation between dwellings
(2) Impact sound insulation between dwellings
A comparison of sound insulation requirements in approx. 20 countries shows that the sound insulation requirements differ considerably in terms of descriptors used, frequency range considered and level of requirements. The most recent version of the standard ISO 717 has contributed to the diversity by allowing several descriptors and by introducing spectrum adaptation terms with different - extended - frequency ranges for the evaluation.
There are significant discrepancies between the European classification schemes, among these descriptors, number of quality classes, intervals between classes, levels of classes, common or separate quality classes for multi-storey and terraced housing.
The status of the classification schemes in relation to the legal requirements varies. In some countries the building code and the classification standard are incoherent. In other countries they are strongly "integrated", implying that the building code refers to a specific class in the classification standard rather than describing the requirements. As a consequence, attention is drawn to the fact that the legislative requirements are minimum requirements, and providing an incentive to voluntarily specify and design for a better acoustic quality.