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BEAM PLUS FOR NEW B UILDINGS SITE A SPECTS (S A)
V ERSION 1.2 SA 14 NOISE FROM BUILDING E QUIPMENT
Copyright © 2012 BEAM Society Limited. All rights reserved.
Page 57
2 SITE ASPECTS 2.3 EMISSIONS FROM THE SITE
SA 14 NOISE FROM BUILDING EQUIPMENT
EXCLUSIONS None.
OBJECTIVE Encourage proactive design techniques intended to reduce the nuisance
caused to neighbours by noise from building services equipment.
CREDITS ATTAINABLE 1
PREREQUISITES Compliance with the Noise Control Ordinance and Subsidiary
Regulations.
CREDIT REQUIREMENT 1 credit for demonstrating the level of the intruding noise at the facade of
the potential noise sensitive receivers is in compliance with the criteria
recommended in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines.
ASSESSMENT On the basis of promoting good environmental design assessment shall
assume that a noise sensitive development already exists or has the
potential to exist and be affected by the building. Ideally, therefore,
assessment should be made at the facade of the potential noise
sensitive receivers.
The noise assessments shall be conducted in accordance with the
Technical Memorandum [1]. This lays down statutory Acceptable Noise
Levels (ANL). However, in order to plan for a better environment, all fixed
noise sources should be located and designed so that when assessed in
accordance with the Technical Memorandum, the level of the intruding
noise at the facade of the nearest sensitive receiver should be at least 5
dB(A) below the appropriate ANL shown in Table 3 of the Technical
Memorandum or, in the case of the background being 5 dB(A) lower than
the ANL, should not be higher than the background, in accordance with
paragraph 4.2.13, Chapter 9 of the Hong Kong Planning Standards and
Guidelines [2].
The Client shall provide evidence in form of detailed analysis,
appropriate calculations and/or measurements that the building complies
with the assessment criteria.
BACKGROUND Noise emission from equipment on and around buildings contributes to
noise pollution with potential impacts on neighbouring properties. Under
the Noise Control Ordinance noise emanating from certain types of
premises is controlled by means of Noise Abatement Notices which may
be served on owners or occupiers of offending premises if the noise
emitted:
 does not comply with the ANLs as set out in a technical
memorandum;
 is a source of annoyance to any person other than persons on the
premises; and
 does not comply with any standard or limit contained in any current
Regulations.
1 Environmental Protection Department. Technical Memorandum for the Assessment of Noise from Places Other than
Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction Sites.
2 Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines, Chapter 9 Environment