Canadian Wood Council

ACOUSTICS – AVOIDING

COMPLAINTS AND

MEETING/EXCEEDING BUILDING

CODE REQUIREMENTS Cristian Wallace Business Development and Specification AcoustiTECH Toronto Wood Solutions Fair

November 2nd, 2017

This presentation defines building code requirements and

outlines acoustic principles in addition to discussing efficient

means of acoustic insulation using multiple floor/ceiling

assemblies for light wood-frame and mass timber buildings.

This presentation will benefit any building and design

professionals such as architects, designers, acoustic engineers, builders/developers and general contractors.

Course

Description

Learning

Objectives

1. Define general acoustics principles 2. Demistify : Propagation of noise in different materials 3. Demistify : Sound insulation of floor/ceiling assemblies 4. Recognize the proper acoustic solution

At the end of the this course, participants will be able to:

Acoustics – Avoiding complaints and meeting/exceeding

building code requirements

acousti-tech.com

Woodworks Toronto November 2nd, 2017

Who am I ?

Cristian Wallace Business development and specification

Who is FINITEC GROUP / AcoustiTECH

Manufacturer of the following brands

ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS for: - Floors - Walls - Ceilings - Drainage pipes

▪ Midtown Crossing, Nebraska

▪ The Sterling Mason, New York

▪ Park Hyatt Hotel, Toronto

(underway)

▪ Alt Hotel Ottawa

▪ Habitat Altitude, New Brunswick ▪ Kilbourn Tower, Milwaukee

▪ Arbora, Montreal ▪ Ritz Carlton Residences, Colorado

▪ Trump Tower, Vancouver

▪ Claridge Plaza, Ottawa

AcoustiTECH success stories

▪ Cathedral Hill, Ottawa ▪ Evolo, Montreal

▪ Roccabella, Montreal

▪ Ritz-Carlton, Montreal

▪ The Florian, Toronto

▪ Four Seasons Hotel, Montreal

(underway)

▪ Travino, Victoria

▪ Wood Innovation and Design

Center, Prince Georges ▪ Tribeca, Ottawa

▪ And more…

Now let’s set the table…

• Wood frame buildings are growing in popularity

• Extraordinary building/multiple advantages

• Unfortunately, acoustics is too often neglected

• Many of the latest constructions came with dissatisfactions

Sound insulation is now a must!

Sound VS Noise

SOUND NOISE

Pleasant Unpleasant

• Sounds have different tones (pitch) and timbres (identity)

• Different frequencies Bass sounds = low frequency High sounds = high frequency

• Auditory perception:

Auditory perception of the sound level

Let’s play a game !

Subjectivity of sound… How old are your ears ??

Average age : Everyone ☺ (8kHz) Under 50 years old (12kHz) Under 40 years old (15kHz) Under 30 years old (16kHz)

• STC (Sound Transmission Class)

Airborne noises

• IIC (Impact Insulation Class)

Impact noises

2 types of noises in a building

Airborne noises

• Conversation • Television • Music • Pets

Impact noises

• Drop of objects • Moving furniture • Walking/running

Code requirements

Minimum IIC required = N/A Minimum AIIC required = N/A Recommended minimum IIC = 55

Minimum STC required = 50 Minimum ASTC required = 47 Recommended minimum STC = 55

According to our experience…

• What people expect : AIIC / ASTC 60 +

• Building code recommends IIC 55 / requires STC 50

• Many people still get: around AIIC /ASTC 50

IIC / AIIC / FIIC ---- STC / ASTC / FSTC… ?

Source : CLT Handbook, FPinnovations, Pointe-Claire, QC, p.361

STC / IIC

ASTC / AIIC

Trying to minimize the

vibrations going through the

blue path would mean FSTC

/ FIIC

Laboratory

Important acoustic principles

• Mass

• Resilience and decoupling

• Void treatment

• Sealing

• Flanking

Important acoustic principles

Mass

Important acoustic principles

Resilience and decoupling

Important acoustic principles

Void treatment

Important acoustic principles

Sealing

Important acoustic principles

Flanking

• The flanking influences greatly the performance

• The easiest/cheapest principle to put right

• How to mitigate the flanking :

1. Decoupling masses (between wood frame and concrete

topping)

2. Decoupling the floor covering from the concrete

topping

3. Decoupling gypsum boards

4. Decoupling baseboards and quarter-rounds

Flanking

Decoupling

Everything has a unique sound identity

Building vs structure

Concrete structure Light wood-frame structure

Building vs structure

Mass timber structure Steel structure

Light wood –frame vs Concrete

• Usually, light wood-frame performs: AIIC 53-57

• Sometimes: AIIC 57-60

Is a light wood-frame structure more efficient than a concrete structure?

Light wood –frame vs Concrete

• Usually, light wood-frame performs: AIIC 53-57

• Sometimes: AIIC 57-60

• NOW: possible to reach AIIC 62-69

Is a light wood-frame structure more efficient than a concrete structure?

Light wood-frame structure typical assembly – with topping

Assembly description:

• Engineered hardwood flooring

• Acoustic membrane

• Concrete topping

• Resilient material

• OSB or plywood panels

• Joists (I-joist or web joists)

• Acoustic insulation

• Resilient channels or gypsum suspension

• Gypsum boards

ASTC = 62+ ; AIIC = 62+

Light wood-frame structure without topping

Light wood-frame Assemblies without topping

Advantages of an assembly without concrete topping

• Easy installation

• Quick execution

• No drying time

• No humidity in the building

• No concrete leveling required

• Decreases the charge over the structure of app. 20 lbs/sq.ft.

Innovative solutions without concrete topping – rubber/felt solutions

ASTC = 61 ; AIIC = 64+ STC = 58 ; IIC = 56

Innovative solutions without concrete topping – dry topping

ASTC = 60+ ; AIIC = 56+

Innovative solutions without concrete topping – structural acoustic panel (SAP)

AIIC = 67 AIIC = 70

Mass timber structure

Mass timber assemblies

Mass timber assemblies – with concrete topping

ASTC = 50 ; AIIC = 50 ASTC = 60+ ; AIIC = 60+

AIIC = 58

Mass timber assemblies – dry topping

AIIC = 45 AIIC = 57

Mass timber assemblies – structural acoustic panel (SAP)

ASTC / AIIC = 55-56 ASTC / AIIC = 55-56

Other noise sources

Plumbing

Combination of impact and airborne noises (vibrations)

Request process

There is no miracle recipe:

Every detail is important

Sound Insulation is not an expense,

but an investment!

Thank you Booth #202

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