Acoustic Performance

Built in Sound Performance

There are a number of factors that need to be considered by specialist contractors, acoustic consultants and designers when choosing products with a specified acoustic performance. There are ways to achieve specified sound performance that are simple and cost effective and one example is to use a roof system with inherently good acoustic performance that can significantly reduce or absorb external and internal noise. It is a common misconception that metal roofs do not have good acoustic performance. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, metal roofing like Elite Systems from Euroclad may outperform other types of constructions that have to rely on suspended ceilings to achieve specified acoustic performance. To start with a roof needs to have a specified performance for sound reduction, sound absorption and rain noise moderation. To select the most suitable roof system to use it is necessary to understand what each of the sound performances represents:

Sound Reduction

Sound Reduction reduces the amount of sound transmitted through a building element. It may also be termed Sound Insulation or Sound Attenuation.  In the case of Euroclad systems Sound Reduction is considered alongside Thermal Insulation and the two elements generally complement each other.  Euroclad Elite System 4 has excellent acoustic performance taking advantage of the unique properties of its standing seam profile.  Typically a sound reduction of 46dB can be achieved.  That means that if the external noise was around 86dB it would be the equivalent to loud traffic on a busy road at close range; the reduction to 40dB would be the volume of a quiet room or the hum of a refrigerator and would be more than 100,000 times quieter!

Sound Absorption

Reverberation of sound within spaces or rooms occurs when sound inside the room is reflected from the various surfaces exposed to it. The more reflective the surfaces are to sound, the longer the echoes or reverberations will last.  Metal roofs like Euroclad Elite systems can be produced using a perforated liner or deck which efficiently absorbs sound generated inside a building.

Rain Noise Moderation

Sound created by impact, typically rainfall, may also be of concern and although it has different characteristics from airborne sound it is also dealt with under Sound Reduction.  To enhance its already exceptional rain noise performance Euroclad has launched a rain noise enhanced Elite System using an Elite Acoustic Damping Strip.

Technical Note

It is important to note that the use of a building or even an individual room will dictate the type and level of acoustic system required.   Sound reduction and sound absorption are not complementary; when the priority is absorption there are still good levels of reduction but the greatest levels of reduction are compromised.  Similarly sound absorption cannot be optimised if reduction is the main concern. So, for example, it may make sense to put a sound absorbing system in a music studio but install a sound reducing system in an examination hall. Built up assemblies like Euroclad Elite Systems can achieve or exceed required performance levels whilst offering practical application.

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