Guide to Conversion of Traditional Buildings

5.2 Noise reduction between rooms

Mandatory Standard

Standard 5.2

Every building must be designed and constructed in such a way to limit the transmission of source noise from normal domestic type activities, through a wall or floor, between a room and internal space where noise is likely to occur, to a level that will not cause inconvenience to the building occupants.

Limitation:

This standard only applies to a wall or floor forming an apartment in a dwelling and a room in a residential building which is capable of being used for sleeping; other than:

a) a wall between an en-suite bathroom and the apartment or room it serves

b) a hospital

c) a place of lawful detention.

5.2.1 Application of standard to conversions

In the case of conversions as specified in regulation 4, the building as converted shall meet the requirement of this standard (regulation 12, schedule 6).

5.2.2 Commentary

This standard is concerned with noise reduction between rooms within the same dwelling. This standard also applies to walls and floors forming an apartment/room in a residential building capable of being used for sleeping e.g. hotels, student accommodation, hostels etc.

Such residential building types are often considered through the regulations as non-domestic buildings. As such, consideration should be given to the non-domestic handbook and whether this requires additional guidance e.g. noise separation between bedrooms, bedrooms and common areas, bedrooms above function areas Many of the existing wall and floor constructions within a traditional building will be constructed from materials which are generally no longer in use, such as lath and plaster. In such cases, the sound insulation level will not be known.

Therefore, it is not reasonably practicable for existing walls or floors to meet the performance levels in clause 5.2.1 of the Technical Handbooks. This is also because the determination of performance is a laboratory-based test, not an in-situ field test. Any additional new walls and floors being constructed will be expected to meet the insulation standards as set out in Section 5.2 of the Domestic Technical Handbook.

5.2.3 Recommendation to meet the standards

The design performance level for internal walls and intermediate floors to meet the standard should achieve a minimum airborne sound insulation level of 43 dB R_w.

a) Internal walls and floors

New walls and floors should meet the standard, which can easily be achieved using a product manufacturer’s solutions that will achieve the designed performance level. A carpet or foam-backed vinyl is a floor covering (i.e. not a permanent construction fixture) and should not be included as part of the construction used to achieve the design sound insulation levels.

5.2.4 Further reading

Additional guidance can be found in the following documents.

• The Building (Scotland) Regulations (2004): Scottish Statutory Instruments No. 406, Regulation 4
• Scottish Government (2026) Domestic Technical Handbook April 2026, Section 5 Noise
• Smith R.S., Wood J.B. and Mackenzie R.J. (2006). Housing and Sound insulation – Improving existing attached dwellings and designing for conversions’.