In last month's issue, we covered the importance of preventing the spread of smoke and flames in concealed cavities, an issue raised by the National House Building Council (NHBC) Foundation in its report, Fire in Cavities in Residential Buildings. This time, I want to focus on the other issues associated with cavities, namely flanking sound transmission and heat loss. As well as providing a flanking path for flames, cavities also present other problems for designers at design stage. Both thermal and acoustic issues come into play, and this 'triple threat' must be managed effectively in order to provide a safe and comfortable dwelling environment that complies with Building Regulations.
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