Page 47 - Build 165

Key ndings
Industry feedback o ered a variety of opin- ions, but the key issues related to:
● a lack of baseline acoustic knowledge
across industries
● New Zealand regulations
● access to independent New Zealand-
focused information
● integrated design requirements
● knowledge of end-user needs.
Need to improve understanding and knowledge Although there is an awareness noise needs consideration in MDH design, there is less knowledge of how to address it or what per- formance needs to be achieved. Feedback indicated this was a big issue, with a better understanding of relevant factors needed across all industry sectors. This is not only designers but also developers, planners, contractors and residents to ensure appro- priate consideration and implementation at all stages. Siting, whole-building design and construction all impact acoustic outcomes.
There also needs to be a clearer under- standing of why residential building acous- tics needs active consideration and the cost bene ts of addressing it appropriately. Regulations need updating
Currently, residential inter-tenancy noise is addressed through New Zealand Building Code clause G6 Airborne and impact sound. This was introduced in 1992, with the clause and supporting compliance document unchanged since 1995. G6 addresses some aspects of airborne and impact noise between abutting occupancies, but the interpretation and compli- ance requirements lack clarity and vary signi - cantly across the country’s building consent authorities. E orts to update G6 to address these issues have not resulted in change, despite 15 years of e orts to reach consensus.
Building requirements for protection from environmental noise are provided for in some noisy areas in some New Zealand district plans but not consistently.
Industry feedback revealed a mix of feelings about existing regulations, though only a small proportion felt regulations were excessive. Also, there was a desire for more
understanding of end-user needs and what satisfaction rates New Zealand’s current minimum regulations provide.
Lack of local, independent information Although technical information is available internationally, there is little focusing on meet- ing New Zealand requirements where build- ing styles and materials may be very di erent. Currently, there is common reliance on a few proprietary New Zealand product manuals to understand how to meet our acoustic needs.
There was a desire for more general, inde- pendent information, especially inter-tenancy oors, walls and integrated building solutions. Integration issues
Currently, acoustic considerations are often not included early enough in the design process to allow e ective integration with other design requirements.
Research that helps develop cost-e ective practical building systems that meet multiple building requirements is one of the best ways to reduce costs while providing better quality. Understanding end-user needs
The proportion of New Zealanders who live or have lived in medium or high-density housing has only recently become signi - cant. There is little New Zealand-speci c, acoustic-related, post-occupancy infor- mation. Although overseas experience is useful, understanding satisfaction rates and performance outcomes in the New Zealand context is important.
Recommendations
The research also provided key recommen- dations for immediate action.
Information dissemination
The rst priority is for more New Zealand- focused, independent residential acoustic information that is freely available.
An online quiet housing hub, provided by an independent body such as BRANZ or MBIE, is suggested as the most e ective way of delivering the information. This could potentially be part of a broader acoustic information hub and be a useful repository in the absence of immediate regulatory change and support future changes.
A promotion and education phase is recommended to raise awareness of the hub and raise baseline knowledge levels. Research and development Recommendations were provided for further research:
● Undertaking New Zealand post-occupancy surveys that include subjective and objec- tive acoustic performance.
● Enabling better building designs and solu- tions. This includes developing improved acoustic systems from existing construc- tion designs and adapting international systems for use in New Zealand.
● Developing better acoustic prediction tools. Prediction is very important, espe- cially for enabling more innovative and complex designs, including lightweight construction.
● Active review of New Zealand’s building acoustics regulations, including clause G6, is recommended. Feedback across all industry sectors was supportive of improved regulations in this area.
An exhaustive resource
The project collated a large amount of information on the current state of play and the information resources, needs and gaps relating to noise control and acoustics in New Zealand MDH. The industry survey and other consultation includes qualitative and quantitative data covering the full range of perceptions from across the industry.
The suggested online quiet housing hub format could use this information to deliver technical information to industry, better supporting noise control solutions for MDH and future changes to acoustic regulations. Information could also be better fed back to industry via the hub, providing a feedback loop for ongoing research.
However, building acoustics cannot be considered alone – for quality, affordable, desirable MDH, careful integration is needed with other areas of planning, design and construction.
For more For more information on this and other MDH research, visit www.branz.co.nz/mdh.
Medium-density housing
Build 165 — April/May 2018 — 45
FEATURE SECTION