Noise, Ventilation and Overheating in Domestic Properties Guide for Home Owners
Approved Document Part F of the building regulations is a well-established standard for the requirement of ventilation and how to measure its effectiveness, also improvements made in building air tightness and the standards of insulation have resulted in a more energy efficient home. Consequently, the risk of overheating in buildings with poorly designed ventilation, target air tightness and insulative properties has increased. Noise can affect what ventilation methods are used to maintain both suitable air quality and comfortable temperature, which can lead to either misuse of ventilation or dealing with greater noise levels. Homes can be passively ventilated, simply by opening a window to equalise indoor and outdoor temperatures, or, mechanically ventilated, such as with MVHR systems or decentralised extract systems. During periods of hot weather, it maybe undesirable to open a window for an occupant living in a busy city area for instance, allowing external noise into their dwelli...