Residential Acoustic Case Studies
The following eight case studies reinforce the existing design guidance by providing actual acoustic test data from devlopments using steel construction in various forms.
Different forms of steel construction are commonly used for residential developments where good acoustic performance is required. The benefits of steel construction, including speed, quality and off-site prefabrication, are important to meeting the demands of construction for modern residential buildings, often on confined urban or brownfield sites.
The Building Regulations and Approved Document E set minimum standards of acoustic performance for the walls and floors in multi occupancy residential developments.
The SCI has published several design guides on the acoustic detailing of steel buildings. However, the following eight case studies reinforce the guidance given in those publications by providing actual acoustic test data from developments using steel construction of various forms.
Case Study 1: The Waterfront, Grantham: Steel frame with composite floors
The Waterfront is a major new residential complex developed by Urban Residential Development and Investment Ltd (URDI) in Grantham town centre. The building has been constructed using a hot-rolled steel frame with composite beams, composite floor slabs using metal decking and light steel infill walls.
Case Study 2: St Peters Court, Bristol: Steel frame with precast floors
St Peters Court is a £13 million mixed use development in Bristol’s Bedminster area, comprising 86 residential units, a health centre, offices, library, and conversion of an existing Grade II listed Police Station building into a public house and restaurant. The construction of the development is mainly a hot-rolled steel frame with Bison precast concrete floor units. The separating floors have a Gyvlon screed which is isolated from the precast units by a foam layer and a layer of dense mineral wool.
Case Study 3: The Paragon Project, London: High rise modular construction
The Paragon project in West London is Europe’s tallest modular structure. It comprises of five separate buildings, ranging in height from four to 17 storeys providing accommodation for over 1000 key workers and students within an urban environment. Modules for the Paragon project, supplied by Caledonian Building Systems, are a hybrid of hot-rolled and light steel sections. The frames of the modules are created from hot-rolled steel with fully welded connections and light steel is used for the floor and ceiling joists and wall studs.
Case Study 4: Light steel floors with Gyvlon screed
The 4-storey building uses braced light steel crosswalls, comprising 100 x 1.6 mm C sections, at 3.8 m spacing and in some cases up to 5.9 m spacing. The flooring system is 350 mm deep and comprises light steel lattice joists, shallow steel decking and a Gyvlon screed. The façade uses insulated render on cement particle board that is screw fixed to the light steel framework.
Case Study 5: Zero4, Plymouth: Hot-rolled steel frame with Slimdek floors
Zero4 is a large residential and commercial development that forms part of the redevelopment of Plymouth city centre. The 10-storey building comprises bars, restaurants and shops on the ground floor, a basement car park, and 120 apartments on the floors above. The apartments range from one bedroom studios to three bedroom luxury duplex apartments. The structural solution of a hot-rolled steel frame with Slimdek floors was selected because it allows flexibility of layout to accommodate the different size apartments. The Slimdek solution also offered a fast construction programme, which was necessary for the city centre site, and minimum floor-to-floor heights.
Case Study 6: Basingstoke: Modular steel frame construction
The Vision modular system from Vision Modular Structures has been used to provide 160 apartments for private and social tenure in the Houndsmill area of Basingstoke.Fully modular construction was used to meet the challenge of fast-build high quality procurement in the residential sector. The building concept was developed by architects PRP acting for Fleming Developments, based on a client’s master plan by HTA Architects. The development, which consists of 3, 6 and 11 storey buildings, is one of the first major projects in the UK using Vision modules.
Case Study 7: Riverview, Hereford: Hot-rolled steel frame with composite fibre-reinforced slab floors
Riverview is a Perfection Homes development of 23 luxury apartments in the heart of the city of Hereford with accommodation provided over five storeys. There are three main parts to the Riverview development. The largest part is a new-build five-storey steel frame structure with composite beams and slabs. The slabs are reinforced with the Corus FibreFlor system rather than traditional mesh reinforcement.
Case Study 8: Brightwell Court and Minerva Lodge, London:Fusion light steel structural framing
Brightwell Court and Minerva Lodge are both 4-storey, light steel framed care homes constructed in London by Fusion Building Systems. Brightwell court contains 35 apartments and Minerva Lodge contains 54.The walls and floors, which form the structural frame, are constructed from light steel framing.
Construction Services and Development
PO Box 1
Brigg Road
Scunthorpe
North Lincolnshire DN16 1BP
United Kingdom
T +44 (0) 1724 405060
F +44 (0) 1724 404224
