Sound insulation in multi-storey housing in Europe - Situation Anno 2017 and needs for upgrading

The acoustic situation for the European housing stock depends on several factors, including national acoustic regulations during design and actual construction solutions applied. Regulations and constructions vary across Europe, both now and in the past, thus explaining a diversified situation in Europe. Regulations for housing specify minimum requirements, aiming at protecting health for "normal" people with "normal" neighbours, exist in most European countries with acoustic criteria for new housing. However, complying with regulations does not guarantee satisfactory conditions for occupants, and several countries have introduced acoustic classification schemes with classes reflecting different levels of acoustical comfort/protection, enabling developers to specify and users to require an acoustic quality better than defined by regulations. Most classification schemes have focused on improving acoustic protection in new housing and with no or few classes for old housing. Consequently, little attention is given to existing housing, even if extensive renovation takes place with several upgrades "for the future". Considering that more than half of the European housing stock was built before implementation of acoustic regulations, and limited attention to upgrading of sound insulation, it is necessary increasing awareness on the importance of acoustic conditions for quality of life. While health implications of traffic noise have been quite thoroughly investigated, neighbour noise has mainly been considered a "social" problem to be solved by conflict mediation, although e.g. sleep disturbances caused by neighbours may be unhealthier than those caused by traffic. Based on indications from the field, very low sound insulation implies total lack of privacy, and for "luxury" apartments the problems are more related to hearing neighbours, in all cases leading to restraints on own activities. The paper will summarize main characteristics of the current national sound insulation requirements and quality classes for housing in Europe and suggest initiatives and policies for upgrading old housing.