In October 2010 Scotland introduced challenging new sound regulations for Intermediate Floors. The enhanced requirement specifies a minimum airborne sound insulation level of 43 dB Rw.

 

The change increased Scotland’s building sound regulations ahead of England and Wales (40dB). This presents a significant challenge to Housebuilders, how will they comply with these new requirements in a cost effective manner? The Generic Internal Construction details generated by the Scottish Building Standards Division all specify the use of insulation and either a double layer of plasterboard or metal resilient bars. Making it not only costly but time-consuming and problematic to install.

Fife-based Intelligent Wood Systems (IWS) have succeeded in delivering an engineered floor system that can achieve sound reduction of 44dB with 220mm IWS-Joists with standard 15mm ceiling and 22mm decking at (maximum) 600mm centres.

The IWS-Floor exceeds Section 5: Noise - The Building Regulations on a minimum specification floor and provides significant cost savings to builders as it has no requirement for resilient bar systems or insulation. IWS’s Marketing Manager Jonny Bell says “Now the transition period is over we have seen a big increase in floor enquiries due to the excellent acoustic properties without the need to fit costly and time consuming insulation or resilient metal bar systems, providing builders with an estimated saving of £8m2.”

www.intelligentwoodsystems.com