Approved Document E - Resistance to the Passage of sound

Approved Document E
(Download from Planning Portal)

MAIN CHANGES IN THE 2003 EDITION

This edition of Approved Document E - Resistance to the passage of sound, replaces the 1992 edition. The main changes are:-

1. This requirement now includes rooms for residential purposes as well as dwelling houses and flats. "Rooms for residential purposes" means a room or suite of rooms, which is not a dwelling-house or flat and which is used by one or more persons to live and sleep in including rooms in hotels, hostels, boarding houses, halls of residence and residential homes but not including rooms in hospitals, or other similar establishments, used for patient accommodation.
2. Performance standards are given for walls, floors and stairs having a separating function, in new buildings and buildings formed by change of use. Site testing of sound insulation is intended on a sampling basis.

(c) This is a new requirement that sets standards for the sound insulation of walls and floors in dwelling-houses, flats and rooms for residential purposes. Site testing is not intended.

E3 Reverberation in the common internal parts of buildings containing flats or rooms for residential purposes

(d) This is a new requirement to control reverberation in the common parts of buildings containing flats or rooms for residential purposes. Site testing is not intended.

(e) All new school buildings are now controlled under the Building Regulations and this requirement covers the sound insulation, reverberation time and indoor ambient noise levels. Guidance on meeting the Requirement is given in Building Bulletin 93, to be published by DfES in 2003.