Acoustic Design & Testing for Education Buildings
Educational buildings place high demands on acoustic performance. Speech clarity, concentration, privacy between spaces and control of background noise all directly affect learning outcomes and occupant comfort.
We provide independent acoustic consultancy for schools, colleges and universities, supporting projects from early feasibility and planning through to detailed design, construction and final compliance testing.
Our work includes new buildings, extensions, refurbishments and change-of-use projects, and is routinely undertaken in support of Building Regulations, planning conditions and funding requirements.
Acoustic requirements in education buildings
Educational environments require careful control of:
- internal ambient noise levels
- sound insulation between teaching spaces
- reverberation time and speech intelligibility
- noise from building services and ventilation systems
- external noise intrusion where sites are noise affected
These factors must be considered together to ensure spaces function as intended — particularly in classrooms, teaching halls, music spaces and open-plan learning areas.
BB93 and regulatory compliance
In England, acoustic performance in schools is governed by Building Bulletin 93 (BB93), which sets mandatory standards for new school buildings and certain refurbishments.
We provide design advice, compliance assessments and testing in line with BB93, including coordination with architects and building services engineers to ensure that acoustic performance is achievable and buildable.
Many education buildings are assessed under BREEAM, where acoustic performance contributes to credits under Hea 05 (Acoustic Performance) and Pol 05 (Reduction of Noise Pollution). We regularly support project teams with acoustic input for BREEAM assessments, ensuring that internal acoustic standards, external noise control and testing requirements are properly integrated into the design and construction process.
Universities, lecture theatres and specialist spaces
Universities and higher education buildings are not always directly covered by BB93, but acoustic performance remains critical — particularly in lecture theatres, seminar rooms, libraries and performance spaces.
We provide bespoke acoustic design criteria for these environments, balancing speech clarity, reverberation control and architectural intent, and supporting design teams with practical, proportionate solutions.
Our services for education developments
We can provide:
- early feasibility studies and site noise assessments
- acoustic design advice and specification review
- coordination with design teams and contractors
- compliance testing to BB93 and project-specific criteria
- reporting for planning, building control and funding bodies
Our approach is pragmatic, technically robust and focused on helping education buildings perform properly from day one.
David Garritt BEng MIOA
Director and Acoustic Consultant
Speak to an Acoustic Consultant
If you would like to talk to us about any aspect of acoustics and how we can help, please do not hesitate to contact us:
e-mail: contact@sdgarritt.co.uk
Phone: Doncaster main office, 01302 854 303
David Garritt’s mobile, 07894 073 973
Elizabeth Garritt BSc AMIOA
Acoustic Consultant