European variety of descriptors for building acoustic performance and translation into proposed harmonized descriptors

摘要

Though based on the same measurement principles, many different descriptors are used in Europe to quantify the acoustic performance of buildings. Over the last years this situation has been presented in literature (i.e. Rasmussen) and proposals have been formulated for more harmonization in this field. This has lead to a so-called COST Action, a fruitful platform for discussions and coordination of research in Europe. To facilitate harmonization in the area of acoustic descriptors it is not only needed to know and define the variations and the harmonized goal, but also to translate existing descriptors in new proposed descriptors. Such new descriptors can than be used to define a classification system by which different levels of performance can be adequately grouped for the various aspects. In this paper these three aspects will be addressed: an update of existing descriptors, the proposed new descriptors and the translation from one into the other. The focus will be on airborne and impact sound insulation, though also the situation for facade insulation will be sketched, as well as the current situation concerning classification systems.