Building Regulations Approved Document O
Approved Document O of The Building Regulations is a brand new piece of legislation that affects all new build residential developments. It dictates that the strategy for controlling overheating in bedrooms at night must adhere to requirements on:
- Control of thermal gain / overheating
- Indoor sound levels caused by outdoor sources
- Protection from entrapment
- Protection from falling
- Security
Although part of Building Regulations rather than planning, this can have an effect on the design of residential properties, so is worth dealing with at an early stage of a development.
Acoustic Requirements of Approved Document O.
The first step is to have an outdoor acoustic survey undertaken of a residential development site. This will quantify whether a site or parts of it will comply with the ‘Simplified Method.’
If sound levels are low enough to comply with this simplified method, then overheating control can be achieved by using open windows and adhering to certain criteria on window dimensions.
For sites where sound levels are higher than the threshold for the Simplified Method, thermal dynamic modelling must be undertaken and a suitable strategy designed for controlling overheating.
Thermal Dynamic Modelling Method
Thermal dynamic modelling is undertaken by an appropriate consultant or engineer. We can work with them to specify required sound level reductions, assess the acoustic suitability of proposed overheating strategies and even give limits on allowable equivalent area (EA) for open windows on all parts of a development site. This can inform whether overheating can still be controlled using open windows, or whether a different approach is needed that may involve continuous extract, shadowing devices, acoustic louvres or mechanical ventilation systems.
Successful adherence to Approved Document O while minimising commercial impact can require a collaborative approach between an experienced thermal modelling engineer and acoustic consultant who properly understand the regulations.
David co-authored an article that explains Approved Document O in more detail for Construction Management Magazine https://constructionmanagement.co.uk/courses/cpd-noise-requirements-in-approved-document-o/
Site Testing
We can undertake test work at site in compliance with Approved Document O.
- Sometimes a complex approach to compliance with ADO results in the need to prove the strategy works by testing at site in a completed development
- We have performed tests at sites where buildings are partially complete and no previous work has been done towards compliance with ADO, or previous site conditions have meant that suitable test work could not be done until construction was underway.
If you have a new residential development that is subject to Part O of The Building Regulations, please call or email us for discussion or advice, whatever stage the project is at.
Contact us for advice, design and testing for compliance with Part O of Building Regulations…
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