Silence is golden in schools - or at least something to aspire to. Concentration levels diminish rapidly in noisy environments, so mitigating such distractions in educational settings, beyond the inevitable din of the kids themselves, is enshrined in regulation. Guidance note BB93, governing acceptable j noise levels in schools, carries with it the weight of Part E of the Building Regulations and meeting it satisfies Part E4 of the code. It's well known to Martin Jones, managing director of Colchester-based acoustic consultant Pace Consult, which has worked on 'countless schools' UK-wide to help ensure that architects meet BB93 guidance. 'Table I of BB93 advises maximum indoor ambient noise levels across school accommodation,' ETones says. 'The document also advises that rainwater noise from roofs should be no more than 25dBA over the maximum 35dBA ambient noise in a classroom, so no more than 60dBA in total.' A 5dBA relaxation on this is permitted if the building is naturally ventilated, to allow for the necessary external openings. The requirement applies to independent schools as well as public sector ones.
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