Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

PART GSound insulation of dwellings

Application and interpretation

G1—(1) This Part—

(a)applies only to a dwelling; but

(b)does not apply to a wall separating a dwelling from an open access balcony.

(2) Regulation G2 shall apply to the erection of a building and to the structural alteration or extension of an existing building.

(3) Regulation G3 shall apply to the material change of use of an existing building or part of an existing building.

(4) In this Part—

open access balcony means a balcony which—

separating wall and separating floor mean respectively a wall or floor (including a stair) separating a dwelling from—

Separating walls and separating floors

G2—(1) A separating wall in conjunction with its flanking construction shall provide adequate resistance to airborne sound transmission.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) a separating floor in conjunction with its flanking construction shall provide adequate resistance to airborne sound transmission and, where such a floor is above a dwelling, adequate resistance to impact sound transmission.

(3) A separating floor or part of a separating floor which forms an open access balcony shall provide adequate resistance to impact sound transmission only.

Existing walls and floors which become separating walls and separating floors

G3—(1) An existing wall which becomes a separating wall shall provide adequate resistance to airborne sound transmission.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) an existing floor or stair which becomes a separating floor shall provide adequate resistance to airborne sound transmission and, where such a floor is above a dwelling, adequate resistance to impact sound transmission.

(3) A separating floor or part of a separating floor which forms an open access balcony shall provide adequate resistance to impact sound transmission only.

Deemed-to-satisfy provisions for regulations G2 and G3

G4—(1) The requirements of regulation G2 shall be deemed to be satisfied, in the case of a building specified in column (2) of Table G opposite the reference to that regulation, if the separating wall or separating floor (in conjunction with its flanking construction) of the building is constructed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the publications specified opposite thereto in column (3), as amended by the publications specified opposite thereto in column (4).

(2) The requirements of regulation G3 shall be deemed to be satisfied, in the case of a building specified in column (2) of Table G opposite the reference to that regulation, if the separating wall or separating floor is constructed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the publications specified opposite thereto in column (3), as amended by the publications specified opposite thereto in column (4).