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 We all know that education is important. But the quality of that education can be significantly impaired if the design of the schools, universities and colleges in which that education takes place does not take account of noise impact and noise quality.
Schools, colleges, universities, in fact all educational buildings need to be fit for purpose. This means that a number of key issues have to be considered, including: layout, lighting, facilities, location, access and crucially the acoustic performance of the building.
The government has recently published a minimum performance document called Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) for Schools.
Link (External)
BB93
BB93 is part of the Building Regulations and requires that all aspects of the acoustics of a new build, newly converted or extended school building meet specific minimum standards. The standard is compulsory for schools, but is also used for other educational buildings as a set of design targets.
Sound insulation between rooms, lecture theatres and other teaching rooms, noise levels within classrooms, lecture theatres and other teaching rooms, and reverberation times within rooms must all meet specific criteria depending on the intended use of the room and adjacent rooms. BB93 also requires acoustic modelling of some spaces.
The main aim of the regulations is to ensure that those trying to teach and learn are, at the very least, not hindered by the acoustics of the building, and at best the building is actually enhancing the learning experience.
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