Subjective and objective evaluation of the impact and airborne sound insulation of multi-unit residential buildings

Multi-unit residential building (MURB) occupants often express dissatisfaction with their suites' acoustic conditions despite existing building acoustic standards and regulations as well as growing research on noise control and building acoustics. Reasons for this include the lack of proper characterization of acoustic comfort in MURBs and lack of comprehensive and stringent regulations. To better understand factors that impact acoustic comfort and explore strategies to improve the acoustic performance of MURBs, investigations of acoustic conditions were carried out. This work presents the results of the investigations which include subjective and objective evaluations of acoustic conditions in two MURBs. Impact sound insulation measurements using both a tapping machine and a rubber ball as well as 24-hour indoor noise monitoring were carried out in unoccupied suites. An online survey was then used to collect subjective assessments of the noise conditions in the buildings and the effects on occupants' comfort post occupancy. Results of the data analysis suggest that occupants are more sensitive to low-frequency impact sounds than mid- and high-frequency impact noise.

Download Full-text

Vibro-Acoustic Comfort Assessment Methodology of Residential Buildings in Urban Environment

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.1041.428 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1041 ◽

pp. 428-431 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marian Flimel

Keyword(s):

Urban Environment ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Evaluation Criteria ◽

Objective Evaluation ◽

Sound Insulation ◽

Building Structures ◽

Assessment Methodology ◽

Noise Sources ◽

Acoustic Comfort ◽

And Performance

Noise in residential buildings should be assessed not only in terms of impact on health, safety and performance of inhabitants, but also for the “value” of the building (apartment) in a certain environment. Building energetic certification implementation is one of the first compulsory legislative evaluation criteria. This paper wants to draw the attention to the need for vibro-accoustic building (apartment) certification. Presented tabular evaluation is an objective evaluation. The reason for that are the tendencies related to noise in environment: increased number and levels of noise sources in buildings’ exterior and interior, increasing demands for sound insulation of building structures and growing number of “noise” complaints.

Download Full-text

Influence of Age on the Technical Wear of Tenement Houses

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11010297 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 297

Author(s):

Jarosław Konior ◽

Marek Sawicki ◽

Mariusz Szóstak

Keyword(s):

Residential Buildings ◽

Residential Building ◽

Numerical Approach ◽

Technical Condition ◽

Visual Methods ◽

Secondary Importance ◽

Building Maintenance ◽

Technical Maintenance ◽

Traditional Construction ◽

The Impact

The research presented in the article, which includes methods, models, and conclusions, contains synthetic and analytical model solutions concerning the problems of the technical maintenance and wear of residential buildings with a traditional construction. The cause and effect relationships between the occurrence of damage in the elements of tenement houses (treated as proof of their maintenance conditions), and the size of the technical wear of these elements were determined using a representative and purposefully selected sample of 102 residential buildings erected during the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in Wroclaw’s “Downtown” district. Quantitative damage analysis, which was carried out using empirical (visual) methods of assessing the technical condition of a building, indicates the type and size of damage to the building’s elements that are characteristic for the relevant maintenance conditions. Research concerning the cause–effect relationships (“damage–technical wear”) in observed states allows for a numerical approach to the impact of building maintenance conditions on the degree of the technical wear of its components. The maintenance and exploitation conditions determine the degree of the technical wear of the elements of an old residential building. The exploitation condition of these buildings is manifested by damage to elements caused by water and moisture penetration, which is especially important for poorly maintained buildings. The article shows that the age of the elements of an old residential building with a traditional construction is of secondary importance in the process of the intensity of losing its serviceability value. It was calculated that no more than 30% of the damage of building components is explained by the passage of time, and it is therefore not age that determines the course of the technical wear of the elements of the analyzed tenement houses.

Download Full-text

Ceiling Construction Low-Frequency Noise Issues

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.649.277 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 649 ◽

pp. 277-280

Author(s):

Petra Berková ◽

Pavel Berka

Keyword(s):

Spectral Analysis ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Sound Insulation ◽

Frequency Noise ◽

Low Frequency Noise ◽

Frequency Tone ◽

The Impact ◽

40 Hz

Through the use of a spectral analysis of the source of noise – person’s movement over the ceiling construction – it was found out that in this kind of noise distinctive low-frequency tone components occur (31,5 - 40 Hz) which is beyond the evaluation area of the impact sound insulation of the ceiling construction, s. [2], [3].

Download Full-text

How Climate Trends Impact on the Thermal Performance of a Typical Residential Building in Madrid

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13010237 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 237 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

S. Soutullo ◽

E. Giancola ◽

M. J. Jiménez ◽

J. A. Ferrer ◽

M. N. Sánchez

Keyword(s):

Residential Buildings ◽

Minimum Energy ◽

Residential Building ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Weather Data ◽

Design Strategies ◽

Climate Trends ◽

Average Value ◽

Minimum Energy Consumption ◽

The Impact

Based on the European energy directives, the building sector has to provide comfortable levels for occupants with minimum energy consumption as well as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper aims to compare the impact of climate change on the energy performance of residential buildings in order to derive potential design strategies. Different climate file inputs of Madrid have been used to quantify comparatively the thermal needs of two reference residential buildings located in this city. One of them represents buildings older than 40 years built according to the applicable Spanish regulations prior to 1979. The other refers to buildings erected in the last decade under more energy-restrictive constructive regulations. Three different climate databases of Madrid have been used to assess the impact of the evolution of the climate in recent years on the thermal demands of these two reference buildings. Two of them are typical meteorological years (TMY) derived from weather data measured before 2000. On the contrary, the third one is an experimental file representing the average values of the meteorological variables registered in Madrid during the last decade. Annual and monthly comparisons are done between the three climate databases assessing the climate changes. Compared to the TMYs databases, the experimental one records an average air temperature of 1.8 °C higher and an average value of relative humidity that is 9% lower.

Download Full-text

Proposal of an Assessment Method of the Impact Sound Insulation of Lightweight Floors

Buildings ◽

10.3390/buildings10010013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

Łukasz Nowotny ◽

Jacek Nurzyński

Keyword(s):

Sound Pressure ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Assessment Method ◽

Sustainable Construction ◽

Sound Insulation ◽

Indicator Values ◽

Floor Covering ◽

Acoustic Performance ◽

Quality Rating ◽

The Impact

Lightweight floors are in line with a sustainable construction concept and have become increasingly popular in residential buildings. The acoustic performance of such floors plays a pivotal role in the overall building quality rating. There is, however, no clear and complete method to predict their impact sound insulation. A new approximation method and new acoustic indicators—equivalent weighted normalized impact sound pressure levels for lightweight floors—are proposed and outlined in this article. The prediction procedure and indicator values were initially validated on the basis of laboratory measurements taken for different lightweight floors with the same well-defined floor covering. These preliminary analyses and comparisons show that the proposed method is promising and should be fully developed on the basis of further research.

Download Full-text

Improving sustainability of residential homes: occupants motivation and behaviour

International Journal of Energy Sector Management ◽

10.1108/ijesm-01-2014-0002 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 477-491 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Patrick X.W. Zou ◽

Rebecca J. Yang

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficient ◽

Online Survey ◽

Energy Savings ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Residential Building ◽

Content Type ◽

South Wales ◽

Improvement Measures ◽

Research Findings ◽

High Level

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate residential occupants’ motivations and behaviour on energy savings. Energy consumption in residential buildings is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Design/methodology/approach – By using an online survey questionnaire instrument, this research collected 504 sets of responses from households in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Findings – Through statistical analysis of the data collected, this research found that construction cost and government incentive were considered as the major influencing factors on achieving energy-efficient residential building development, and the lower bills resulted from the reduced energy and water consumption were considered as the most important benefits. The research also found that many households exhibited a high level of awareness and had implemented some sustainability improvement measures. It is suggested, based on these research findings, that governments should articulate, by means of education, the rationale and benefits of sustainable home development that are identified in this research and reduce material costs and increase government incentives. Originality/value – A framework on improving residential sustainability was proposed in this paper. Stakeholders in the sustainable home supply chain could use this framework as a reference to pave the way for energy efficient home development from their perspective

Download Full-text

Mockup Investigation of Lightweight Timber Floor

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.899.499 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 899 ◽

pp. 499-504

Author(s):

Juraj Medveď ◽

Bart Ingeleare ◽

Lieven de Geetere

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Sound Insulation ◽

Light Weight ◽

Test Results ◽

Lightweight Construction ◽

Frequency Bands ◽

Timber Frame ◽

Measurement And Analysis ◽

The Impact

This paper dealt with measurement and analysis of different floor structures and their acoustic optimization towards the improvement of the impact sound insulation. Special attention goes to light weight timber frame constructions with taking in account the low frequency bands. The aim of the research is to create or design acoustic optimized lightweight floor constructions and mainly to find a good solution to achieve the best possible impact sound insulation for lightweight floors with the lowest possible thickness and low cost. Following contribution is first part of mentioned investigation and deal about test results on mockup lightweight construction.

Download Full-text

Locomotor effects of a low-frequency fire alarm on C57BL/6 male mice: a preliminary study

Laboratory Animals ◽

10.1177/0023677217711966 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 647-651 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jessica M Povroznik ◽

Robert E Faith ◽

Matthew J Kessler ◽

Frank N Ali ◽

James Kosik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Frequency ◽

Valuable Insight ◽

Male Mice ◽

Behavioral Alterations ◽

Behavioral Experiments ◽

Fire Alarm ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Acoustic Conditions ◽

Research Facilities ◽

The Impact

Maintaining appropriate acoustic conditions for animal welfare and data collection are crucial in biomedical research facilities. Negative impacts of disruptive sound are known and can include auditory damage, immune function changes, and behavioral alterations. One type of disruptive sound occurring in research facilities is that of fire alarms. To ameliorate this problem, many facilities have incorporated the use of low-frequency fire alarms that emit tones outside the rodent audible range. The impact of these devices has been assumed to be negligible. However, this has yet to be evaluated with controlled behavioral experiments. Thus, our objective was to investigate the impact of low-frequency fire alarm exposure on locomotor behavior in the open field, a test sensitive to acoustic stimuli disruption. Male mice were randomized to three alarm exposure groups (No-Alarm; Alarm-During; and Alarm-After) and placed in individual photobeam-activated locomotor chambers. The Alarm-During group displayed significantly reduced horizontal locomotion, with a trend towards reduced vertical locomotion. These data suggest that a low-frequency brief alarm tone can temporarily disrupt movement, a valuable insight should an alarm be deployed. Further, findings support close collaboration between researchers and institutional facility staff to ensure appropriate acoustic conditions are maintained, whenever possible, for research animals.

Download Full-text

Architecture of residential environment in the settlements along the Chinese Eastern Railway

Урбанистика ◽

10.7256/2310-8673.2020.1.32316 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 34-48

Author(s):

Ekaterina Glatolenkova

Keyword(s):

Urban Development ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Mainland China ◽

Residential Building ◽

Residential Environment ◽

Spiritual Values ◽

Residential Areas ◽

Southern Branch ◽

The Subject ◽

The Impact

This article examines the peculiarities of formation of residential areas along the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER); analyzes the pattern of settlements; and examines the architectural nuances of residential buildings. The object of this research is the architectural urban development peculiarities of Russian railroad stations on the territory of Northern Manchuria. The subject of this research is the residential environment in the settlements along the Chinese Eastern Railway. The chronological framework covers the first three decades of the XX century: beginning of construction and first years of exploitation of the railway, characterized by active urban development process and creation of full-fledged environment for accommodation of construction workers, railway workers, migrants from Russia, Southern Manchuria and mainland China. The theoretical foundation for this study consists in the systemic-axiological approach, according to which the culture defines the system of materialistic and spiritual values passed from one generation to another, and allows determining the value grounds of cultural interaction and its panhuman significance. The work explores the peculiarities of architecture and urban development in the settlements along CER. Study is carried out on the construction process of the railway and living conditions of first workers, approaches towards design of the stations of the main line and the southern branch, as well as architecture of residential building of the settlements. The author considers the impact of Russian environment upon the existing Chinese cities, and the use of the traditional Chinese approaches in the projects by the Russian engineers and architects.

Download Full-text

PREFABRICATED TIMBER PANELS APPLICATION POSSIBILITIES FOR THE ENERGY REFURBISHMENT OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS ENVELOPE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND SLOVENIA

САВРЕМЕНА ТЕОРИЈА И ПРАКСА У ГРАДИТЕЉСТВУ ◽

10.7251/stp2014224g ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Darija Gajić ◽

Anna Sandak ◽

Slobodan Peulić ◽

Črtomir Tavzes ◽

Tim Mavrič

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Residential Building ◽

Building Envelope ◽

Hvac System ◽

The European Union ◽

Renewable Materials ◽

Building Stock ◽

Existing Building ◽

Residential Building Stock

System of prefabricated modules installed on the existing building envelope is one alternativesolution for deep energy refurbishment of buildings in the European Union. It allows thermalupgrade installation of new parts in the HVAC system. Moreover, some elements of the envelopecan be made of renewable materials. This research compares the residential building stock andidentifies potential types of buildings for energy refurbishment in Bosnia and Herzegovina andSlovenia. It presents refurbishment possibilities of existing residential building stock in bothcountries with prefabricated timber panels. It also presents potential obstacles to the widerapplication of this refurbishment solution.

Download Full-text