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BEAM PLUS FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (IEQ)
V ERSION 1.2 IEQ 21 BACKGROUND NOISE
Copyright © 2012 BEAM Society Limited. All rights reserved.
Page 147
meets appropriate performance criteria the credit shall be awarded.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA a) Offices
 Modular (private) offices and small conference rooms: 40dB
LAeq,T=8hr or 45dB LAeq,T=5min.
 Large landscaped offices: 45dB L Aeq,T=8hr or 50dB LAeq,T=5min.
b) Classrooms
Background noise shall be below 45dB LAmax in schools in urban areas,
otherwise at or below 40dB LAmax, effective between the hours of 08:00 to
16:00.
c) Residential premises and hotel rooms
 In bedrooms under window closed conditions at or below 30dB
LAeq,T=8 hr, or 35dB LAeq,T=5min, and < 45 dB between 23:00 to
07:00.
 In habitable rooms (other than kitchens) under closed window
conditions < 55dB L Aeq,T=16 hr between 07:00 to 23:00.
d) Indoor games halls & indoor swimming pool etc
Background noise level shall be less than 50dB LAeq,T=5min.
Tables 5 and 6 of BS 8233 [2] gives criterion for various activities in
buildings.
BACKGROUND Background noise includes that from external sources as well as from
the building services equipment. Table 4.1 in Chapter 9 of the Hong
Kong Standards and Planning Guidelines provides a summary of
maximum permissible noise levels at the external facade applicable to
building uses which rely on operable windows for ventilation. Guidance
on separation distances between road traffic and rail traffic and
residential buildings is given in the Guidelines.
Calculations can be made in terms of LAeq,T according to BS 8233, where
T = 16 h (daytime) and 8 h (night time), appropriate to the criteria
chosen. Calculations using the statistical energy analysis [3] are also
acceptable. In centrally air-conditioned premises while NC, NR, PNC,
NCB and RC are acceptable criteria for noise from air-conditioning
equipment, the presence of outside noise sources renders LAeq,T a better
performance indicator for the aural environment [4].
Noise levels at the facade of a building can be established by
measurement or prediction by simulation methods approved by the
Environmental Protection Department. The Environmental Protection
Department also describes practical measures that can be taken at the
design stages to achieve an acceptable noise environment in new noise
sensitive developments [5], and for planning residential developments
against road traffic noise [6]. The Environmental Protection Department
also provides guidelines on practical noise control measures for
ventilation systems [7], and for pumping systems [8].
2 British Standard Institution. BS 8233 Code of Practice for sound insulation and noise reduction for buildings.
3 European Committee for Standardization. CEN EN 12354 Building Acoustics – Estimation of acoustic performance of
buildings from the performance of elements. Bruxelles.
4 Chan D W T, Tang S K, Burnett J. Noise Criteria for Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Method for New
Offices and Existing Offices (HK-BEAM). HKIE Transactions. HKIE Transactions, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1998, pp. 1-5.
5 Environmental Protection Department. Practice Note for Professional Persons. ProPECC PN 4/93. Planning and
Designing Noise Sensitive Developments
6 Environmental Protection Department. Practice Note for Professional Persons. ProPECC PN 1/97. Streamlined Approach
for the Planning of Residential Developments Against Road Traffic Noise.
7 Environmental Protection Department. Good Practices on Ventilation System Noise Control.
8 Environmental Protection Department. Good Practices on Pumping System Noise Control.