The Case For Minimum Impact Noise Requirments in The National Building Code of Canada

Authors

  • Matthew Golden Pliteq
  • Roderick Mackenzie Soft dB

Abstract

In the latest 2015 revision of the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC), Section 5.8 and 9.11 underwent significant changes to finally recognize minimum airborne field performance criteria and flanking sound transmission. Yet the revised NBCC again failed to mandate any minimum require- ment for impact noise isolation for multi-family dwellings, several decades after Canada’s interna-tional peers began implementing mandatory minimum requirements. This is despite a stated objec- tive of the Code to provide “noise protection” to building occupants. A recent code change request submitted in 2016 proposed the inclusion of impact noise protection in the NBCC, including mini- mum IIC/AIIC performance levels and methods of demonstrating compliance.

In this paper, we present the case for prioritizing and requiring mandatory, minimum impact noise criteria in the NBCC by synthesizing the submitted NBCC Code change request. This includes a summary of previous research related to: the objectives of the Canadian National Building Code with respect to noise; A comparison with other developed countries; Canadian and International dwelling occupant satisfaction surveys concerning residential impact noise; the potential health effects as re- lated to impact noise sound levels and frequency; the structural changes required to the NBCC to introduce mandatory impact noise criteria; suitable criteria and enforcement mechanisms; and the various steps that can and should be taken by the Canadian acoustical community.

Additional Files

Published

2019-10-16

How to Cite

1.
Golden M, Mackenzie R. The Case For Minimum Impact Noise Requirments in The National Building Code of Canada. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2019 Oct. 16 [cited 2024 Nov. 21];47(3):50-2. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3329

Issue

Vol. 47 No. 3 (2019)

Section

Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada

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