The Noise Insulation (Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems) Regulations 1996

Regulation 12(1)

SCHEDULE 1 SPECIFICATIONS FOR INSULATION WORK

PART I

Interpretation

1.  In this Schedule—

“combined ventilator system” means a unit comprising an inlet fan ventilator system and a permanent vent type ‘A’;

“combustion appliance” means a combustion appliance whose purpose is to provide heating for the whole or part of a dwelling or other building used for residential purposes, or to provide heat for cooking;

“double-glazed window” means a purpose-built window which is glazed with panels comprising 2 sheets of glass which are separated by a gap permanently sealed from the air, with the edges of any opening lights of the window being well-sealed by compressible resilient strip or by other equally effective means;

“double window” means a window consisting of two independently fixed panes of glass as described in paragraph 6;

“flued-combustion appliance” means a combustion appliance, other than an open fire, designed to be connected to an open flue system, its combustion air being drawn from the room in which it is installed;

“H” means the total output rating in kilowatts of flued-combustion appliances present in the room in question;

“inlet fan ventilator” means a ventilator which has a fan to boost the air flow through it as specified in paragraph 8;

“kitchen/diner” means a room of which the floor area is greater than 9.3 square metres (or 7.4 square metres for a dwelling with a designed occupancy of 3 people or fewer) and—

(a)

there is no separately identifiable dining room; and

(b)

the main or only living room is less than 18.6 square metres (or 14.8 square metres for a dwelling with a designed occupancy of 3 people or fewer);

“open fire” means a combustion appliance, whether in use or not, with a permanent front opening which distributes its heat to the room in which it is situated, either by radiation alone or by radiation and convection, and includes both solid fuel appliances and flame-effect gas-fired appliances;

“permanent vent type ‘A’” means a permanent ventilator as described in paragraph 9;

“qualifying door” means an external door opening directly into an eligible room which—

(a)

except in relation to insulation work carried out pursuant to regulation 6(1) or 8, is in that part of the facade in respect of which the relevant noise level satisfies the requirements of regulation 4(2);

(b)

in relation to work carried out pursuant to regulation 6(1) is in a position which, in the opinion of the responsible authority, is physically comparable with that of a qualifying door or qualifying window in another eligible building;

(c)

in relation to insulation work carried out pursuant to regulation 8, is or will be, in the opinion of the responsible authority, subject to noise caused in the manner and at a level described in regulation 8(1);

“qualifying window” means a window in an eligible room which—

(a)

except in relation to insulation work carried out pursuant to regulation 6(1) or 8, is in that part of the facade in respect of which the relevant noise level satisfies the requirements of regulation 4(2);

(b)

in relation to work carried out pursuant to regulation 6(1) is in a position which, in the opinion of the responsible authority, is physically comparable with that of a qualifying door or qualifying window in another eligible building;

(c)

in relation to insulation work carried out pursuant to regulation 8, is or will be, in the opinion of the responsible authority, subject to noise caused in the manner and at a level described in regulation 8(1);

“room-sealed appliance” means a combustion appliance which, when in operation, has the combustion air inlet and the combustion products outlet isolated from the room in which the appliance is fitted.

PART II

Items to be included in insulation works

2.  Subject to the provisions of paragraph 5, the insulation works shall include—

(a) the conversion to double windows of all existing qualifying windows in each room in which there are to be insulation works or, if that is not practicable in the opinion of the responsible authority, the replacement by new double windows of all such existing qualifying windows, and such conversion or replacement shall be in accordance with the specifications set out in paragraph 6;

(b) the provision and installation in each room in which there are to be insulation works, of ventilation as specified in paragraph 3; and

(c) the provision of either—

(i) a second door behind or in front of any external door opening directly into an eligible room—

(A) the shortest horizontal distance between the 2 doors being not less than 150 millimetres, at least one of the doors being weather-stripped, and any glazing in the second door which reaches to less than 1,500 millimetres from the floor having glass of a thickness as set out in Table 1 below; and

(B) the ceiling and walls between the two doors being lined with sound-absorbent material;

or, where in the opinion of the responsible authority it is not practicable to provide a second door—

(ii) a new door in place of the existing qualifying door, the replacement door being a new exterior quality door having a solid core and being not less than 44 millimetres thick, any glazed panel in the door having a minimum thickness as set out in Table 1 below (with the total glazed area not exceeding 50 per centum of the area of the door), the door opening being effectively sealed (including threshold seals), keyholes having covers on both sides, and any letterbox having flaps on both sides with effective seals and positive closers:

provided that a claimant for insulation work who desires to refuse an offer of a second door or a replacement door may do so without prejudicing his right to the carrying out of other insulation work or to a grant.

Type of ventilation to be provided and installed under paragraph 2

3.  The type of ventilation to be provided and installed pursuant to paragraph 2(b) shall be as follows—

(a) where there is no combustion appliance in the room, or there is one or more room-sealed appliances and no other combustion appliance in the room, a permanent vent type ‘A’ communicating directly with the external air at the highest level which is reasonably practicable in an external wall of the room:

• provided that this sub-paragraph shall not apply where a combined ventilator system is to be provided and installed under paragraph 4(a)(ii);

(b) where an open fire and no other combustion appliance is in the room either—

(i) 3 permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a); or

(ii) 2 permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), together with an inlet fan ventilator system; or

(iii) one combined ventilator system and one permanent vent type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a);

(c) subject to sub-paragraph (d), where one or more flued-combustion appliances, and no other combustion appliance, is in the room and—

(i) where there is no mechanical ventilation present or to be installed, a permanent vent type ‘A’ or an appropriate number of vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), to provide a total effective area of the air path which shall not be less than the effective area in square millimetres calculated on the basis of 550 times H:

• provided that the total effective area in square millimetres provided by the vent or vents shall not be less than 3,250, and shall not be less than the cross-sectional area of the flue connection;

(ii) where mechanical ventilation is to be installed, either—

(A) an inlet fan ventilator unit plus air supply duct with external cowl or grille as specified in paragraph 4(a)(i)(A) together with a permanent vent type ‘A’ or an appropriate number of permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a) so that the total effective area provided by the permanent vent or vents shall not be less than the effective area in square millimetres calculated on the basis of 550 times H minus 3,250, so however that the total effective area in square millimetres provided by the permanent vent or vents added to 3,250 shall not be less than the cross-sectional area of the flue connection in square millimetres; or

(B) a combined ventilator system as specified in paragraph 4(a)(ii) and, where necessary to ensure that the effective area of the air path through the combined ventilator system calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 10 (together with the total effective area provided by any permanent vent or vents) shall not be less than the effective area in square millimetres calculated on the basis of 550 times H, a permanent vent type ‘A’ as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), so however that the total effective area in square millimetres provided by the combined ventilator system and any permanent vent or vents shall not be less than the cross-sectional area of the flue connection in square millimetres;

(d) where a gas fire, other than an open fire, and no other combustion appliance is in the room and such fire has an input rating of less than 7 kilowatts, a combined ventilator system or a permanent vent type ‘A’ or an inlet fan ventilator unit;

(e) where 2 or more open fires and no other combustion appliances are in the room, either—

(i) permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a) to provide a total effective area of air path of 19,500 square millimetres or 50 per centum of the combined flue areas in square millimetres, whichever is greater; or

(ii) an inlet fan ventilator system and sufficient permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a) so that the total effective area of air path provided by the permanent vents type ‘A’ shall not be less than 16,250 square millimetres or 50 per centum of the combined flue areas less 3,250, whichever is the greater; or

(iii) a combined ventilator system, and sufficient permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), so that the effective area of air path through the combined ventilator system together with the effective air path through any permanent vents shall be 19,500 square millimetres or 50 per centum of the combined flue areas in square millimetres, whichever is greater;

(f) where one or more open fires and one or more flued-combustion appliances are in the room and—

(i) where there is no mechanical ventilation present or to be installed, permanent vents type ‘A’ as appropriate, installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), to provide a total effective area of air path which shall not be less than 550 times H plus 50 per centum of the combined areas of the flues of the open fires, in square millimetres;

(ii) where mechanical ventilation is to be installed, either—

(A) an inlet fan ventilator system together with an appropriate number of permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), so that the effective area of air path through the inlet fan ventilator together with the effective area of air path through any permanent vents shall not be less than 550 times H plus 50 per centum of the combined areas of the flues of the open fires, in square millimetres; or

(B) a combined ventilator system and permanent vents type ‘A’ installed as referred to in sub-paragraph (a), so that the effective area of air path through the combined ventilator system together with the effective air path through any permanent vents shall be not less than 550 times H plus 50 per centum of the combined areas of the flues of the open fires, in square millimetres:

provided that the appropriate number of vents for the purposes of paragraphs (i) and (ii) shall be determined by the need to ensure that sufficient combustion air ventilation is introduced into the room to secure the safe operation of any combustion appliance in the room;

(g) where there is a gas cooking appliance and no other combustion appliance in a kitchen/diner, ventilation directly to the outside of the dwelling by either—

(i) a mechanical ventilator unit with a permanent vent incorporated; or

(ii) a permanent vent type ‘A’;

(h) where there are one or more other combustion appliances in a kitchen/diner in addition to a gas cooking appliance, the ventilation requirements for those appliances shall apply.

Items which may be included in insulation works

4.  In addition to the items referred to in paragraph 3, and subject to the provisions of paragraph 5, the insulation works may include only the following items—

(a) where no inlet fan ventilator system or combined ventilator system is to be provided under paragraph 3, either—

(i) (A) the provision and installation in each room in which there are to be insulation works of one inlet fan ventilator unit of a type conforming to the standards of ventilation and acoustic performance specified in paragraph 8, including the connection of the ventilator unit by wiring of not less than 5 amperes capacity to the nearest convenient point in the existing electric supply circuit or to the electric mains switchboard; and

(B) the provision of an air supply duct with external cowl or grille in accordance with the specifications in paragraph 8, in an external wall of each room in which there are to be insulation works for supplying fresh air to the ventilator unit and the blocking up of any existing air brick, provided that flues and direct inlet ducts to combustion appliances in use shall not be blocked; or

(ii) the provision and installation of a combined ventilator system in accordance with the specifications referred to in paragraph 10;

(b) the blocking at fireplace level, by means of a board of a minimum weight of 10 kilogrammes per square metre adequately sealed around the edges, of chimneys into rooms which have been insulated in accordance with paragraph 3: provided that flues to existing combustion appliances shall not be blocked;

(c) the provision of Venetian blinds between the double windows in a room in which there are to be insulation works which has an aspect falling anywhere within a 270 degrees arc between the bearings of 45 degrees and 315 degrees from true north, subject to the blinds complying with the specifications set out in paragraph 7;

(d) the making good of the existing fabric and decoration (not including curtains) after the installation of double windows, ventilation equipment and second doors, including the adaptation of any existing pelmet and curtain track.

Conditions relating to insulation works

5.—(1) Two eligible rooms, without combustion appliances, may be treated as a single room for ventilation purposes if there is an area of permanent opening between them equal to at least one-twentieth of the combined floor areas of the two rooms.

(2) An eligible room may be ventilated though an adjoining room where—

(a) the adjoining room is a conservatory or similar room which has not been insulated; and

(b) there is an opening (which may be capable of being closed) between the eligible room and the adjoining room with an area equal to not less than one-twentieth of the combined floor areas of the two rooms; and

(c) for rapid ventilation there are one or more ventilation openings to the external air in the adjoining room, having a total area equal to at least one-twentieth of the combined floor areas of the two rooms, and with some part of each ventilation opening being at least 1.75 metres above floor level; and

(d) for background ventilation there are ventilation openings to the external air in the adjoining room, and between the two rooms, each opening having a total area of not less than 4,000 square millimetres, and being located so as to avoid undue draughts.

(3) Any combustion appliance should either be room-sealed or the room or space containing it should have a ventilation opening of a type required by paragraph 3. If this opening is to an adjoining room or space then such room or space should have an opening of the same size direct to external air. Ventilation openings should not be located in fire-resisting walls or otherwise breach the requirements of paragraph B3 of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 1991(1).

(4) Where a room to be insulated contains only a room-sealed appliance or no combustion appliance, the air path through the ventilator system or the vent may be made capable of being easily closed by a suitable means readily accessible within the room, if in all other respects, including standard of construction and installation, the combined ventilator system or vent when open to the maximum extent conforms to the standards of ventilation and acoustic performance specified in paragraphs 8 or 9 as appropriate and, whether opened or closed, meets the requirements for electrical and fire safety referred to in paragraph 8(e) or 9(4) as appropriate.

(5) If desired by the claimant, a double-glazed window may be installed in place of the double window required by paragraph 2(a), whether or not the standard of acoustic performance provided by such a double-glazed window is comparable to that provided by the window specified in paragraph 6, but grant shall be payable only up to a maximum of the cost of the work specified in paragraph 6.

(6) The insulation works may consist of, or include, items different from those specified in paragraph 2 where the standards of ventilation (including air admitted for the purpose of combustion) and acoustic performance provided by such items are not less than those which would have been provided by items specified in paragraph 2, except where paragraph 5(5) or 6(g) applies.

(7) Where any item or part of any item is provided otherwise than under these Regulations and complies with relevant specifications in this Schedule, it shall not be required to be duplicated as a condition for payment of a grant under these Regulations.

(8) Any installation of glazing in windows or doors shall comply with British Standard recommendations on safety published under reference numbers BS 6262:1982 and BS 6262, part 4: 1994.

(9) Where insulation works consist of or include items described in paragraph 6(g), grant only shall be payable, up to a maximum of the cost of glass specified in paragraph 6(b).

PART III

Specifications for windows

6.  An existing window shall either be retained and converted to a double window by the installation of an additional window or, if this is not practicable in the opinion of the responsible authority, be replaced by a new double window, as follows-

(a) any gaps in the outer window shall be effectively sealed by a compressible resilient strip or other means;

(b) the inner window shall be framed in wood, metal or plastic, and shall be well fitted into the existing window reveal or planted on the wall around the reveal, with the junction between the wall and the window frame fully sealed by means of mastic packing, cover strips or other equally effective means, and shall be glazed with glass having a thickness of not less than 3 millimetres, except for those windows which reach to less than 800 millimetres from the floor, and those windows within 300 millimetres of a door which reach to less than 1,500 millimetres from the floor, which corresponding to the width of such windows specified in the first column of Table 1 below shall be glazed with glass of a thickness specified in the second column of that Table:

TABLE 1

Width of window	Thickness of glass
Not more than 250 millimetres wide	6 millimetres
More than 250 millimetres, but not more than 1,100 millimetres	8 millimetres
More than 1,100 millimetres, but not more than 2,250 millimetres	10 millimetres
More than 2,250 millimetres	12 millimetres

(c) both the outer and inner windows shall be capable of being opened sufficiently for means of escape in case of fire to the extent that the existing outer window allows for this, and for direct ventilation when required; the inner window shall be capable of being opened sufficiently for cleaning purposes but the opening lights of the inner window shall be well sealed around their edges either by compressible resilient strip or by other equally effective means;

(d) if the window is a bay window or bow window, the inner window shall either follow the shape of the outer window or shall be taken straight across the bay or bow, and any projecting surround or window board required to close off the window cavity shall have a weight of not less than 10 kilogrammes per square metre;

(e) the shortest horizontal distance or, in the case of a bay window or bow window where the inner window is taken straight across the bay or bow, the mean horizontal distance, between the glass of the outer window and the glass of the inner window shall be not less than the distance specified in the second column of Table 2 below in relation to the thickness of glass of the inner window specified in the first column of that Table:

TABLE 2

Thickness of glass of inner window	Distance between inner and outer windows
At least 3 millimetres, but less than 4 millimetres	200 millimetres
At least 4 millimetres, but less than 6 millimetres	150 millimetres
At least 6 millimetres	100 millimetres

(f) two or more reveals of the window opening between the outer and inner windows shall be lined with sound absorbent material;

(g) if desired by the claimant, the works specified in this paragraph in relation to an inner window may include materials other than glass, whether or not the standard of acoustic performance provided by such material is comparable to that provided by the use of glass as specified in sub-paragraph (b), but grant shall be payable only up to a maximum of the cost of the work specified in sub-paragraph (b);

(h) balanced vertical sliders shall be provided where appropriate.

Specifications for Venetian blinds

7.  The specifications for Venetian blinds shall be as follows—

(a) the surface of the slats shall be coloured white or near white;

(b) the ratio of width to spacing of the slats shall be between 1.15:1 and 1.25:1;

(c) the blind shall have horizontal slats, capable of being raised or lowered, and the slats shall be adjustable in angle of tilt, the control being either—

(i) by a single continuous cord operating both the raising and lowering and the tilting mechanisms from one end of the blind box; or

(ii) by controls for the raising and lowering and the tilting mechanisms at either end of the blind box;

(d) the controls specified in sub-paragraph (c) shall, where practicable, be readily accessible within the room with the windows fully closed;

(e) the opening for control cords shall be sealed or kept to the minimum necessary for smooth operating;

(f) the blind box shall be fitted to the top window reveal or frame head, between the panes of the double windows; the length of the slats shall be between 10 millimetres and 30 millimetres less than the length of the recess at its narrowest point, and the blind shall be capable of extending to the lowest level of the glazing of the outer window.

Specifications for inlet ventilator systems

8.  The inlet fan ventilator system shall consist of a sound-attenuating inlet fan ventilator unit (in this paragraph referred to as a “ventilator unit”) and an air supply duct and cowl or grille; such air supply duct and cowl or grille may be of separate construction from the ventilator unit or integral with it, but the following conditions shall be complied with—

(a) the air supply duct and cowl or grille shall be designed so as to allow the passage of air between the ventilator unit and the external air at all times and shall be so constructed that when installed in a cavity wall exposed to the weather—

(i) the weather resistance of the cavity is retained; and

(ii) the external cowl or grille provides protection against the passage of snow, rain and vermin;

(b) the ventilator unit shall consist of a controlled variable-speed inlet fan with sound attenuating duct and cover, shall be fitted with an easily removable and washable air filter on the inlet side of the sound attenuating duct to afford adequate protection for the acoustic lining, and shall be capable of supplying fresh air to the room directly from outside by means of the supply duct and cowl or grille;

(c) the ventilator unit shall be securely fixed to the wall in such a position that the air filter can be easily removed, and the junction between the ventilator unit and the face of the wall shall be fully sealed by means of compressible strip or other equally effective means;

(d) the air supply duct and cowl or grille shall be securely fixed to the wall and the junction between the air supply duct and the internal leaf shall be fully sealed by suitable means;

(e) the ventilator unit shall be electrically safe in operation and maintenance and shall not present a fire hazard;

(f) the ventilator unit with air filter in position, by itself or with an integral air supply duct and cowl or grille, shall be capable under continuous control of giving variable ventilation rates ranging from—

(i) an upper rate of not less than 37 litres per second against a back pressure of 10 pascals and not less than 31 litres per second against a back pressure of 30 pascals, to

(ii) a lower rate of between 10 and 17 litres per second against zero back pressure; and if there is no continuous control of the ventilation rate, the following intermediate settings shall be provided—

(A) a ventilation rate of greater than 31 and less than 33 litres per second against a back pressure of 10 pascals; and

(B) a ventilation rate of greater than 21 and less than 26 litres per second against a back pressure of 10 pascals;

(g) the effective area of the air path through the inlet fan ventilator system with the fan switched off and the air filter in position shall be not less than 3,250 square millimetres and such area shall be ascertained by measuring the static pressure difference across the system for various air flow rates through the system and calculating the effective area from

• (where Q is the measured air flow rate through the system in litres per second and Δp the measured static pressure difference across the system in pascals): effective areas shall be calculated for air flow through the system in both directions and the lower calculated value shall be taken for the effective area;

(h) the ventilator unit by itself or integral with the air supply duct and cowl or grille shall be so constructed that—

(i) when it is in operation in any room the sound level in the room due to the operation of the unit at a ventilation rate of 31 litres per second against a back pressure of 10 pascals, measured at any point not nearer than one metre to the unit or any of the room surfaces and normalised by the subtraction of

(where A is the equivalent sound absorption in the room in square metres measured at each one-third frequency interval from 100 to 3,150 Hertz), does not exceed 35 of B(A) and at the maximum ventilation rate of the unit does not exceed 40dB(A) against a back pressure of 30 pascals; and

(i)

the element-normalised sound pressure level difference, measured in accordance with British Standard number BS EN 20140—10: 1992, is not less than the figure shown in Table 3 below except for total adverse deviations (at all one-third octave frequencies) not exceeding 32 decibels and an adverse deviation at any one one-third octave frequency not exceeding 8 decibels.

TABLE 3

One-third octave frequency band centre (Hertz)	Normalised sound pressure level difference (decibels)
100	30
125	33
160	36
200	39
250	42
315	45
400	48
500	49
630	50
800	51
1,000	52
1,250	53
1,600	53
2,000	53
2,500	53
3,150	53

Specifications for permanent vents

9.—(1) Every permanent vent type ‘A’ shall consist of a sound-attenuating purpose-made opening or duct which is designed to allow the passage of air between the room and the external air at all times, and shall have an external cowl or grille for protection against the passage of snow, rain and vermin. It shall be so constructed that when installed in a cavity wall exposed to the weather, the weather resistance of the cavity is retained and the acoustic performance of the vent is protected.

(2) The effective area of the air path through the permanent vent shall be ascertained by the method set forth in paragraph 8(g) above, save that for the words “inlet fan ventilator system” in that paragraph there shall be substituted the words “permanent vent”.

(3) When installed, the permanent vent shall be securely fixed to the wall and the junction between the vent and the face of the wall shall be fully sealed by means of compressible strip, mastic packing, cover strips or other equally effective means, and where the vent has an air supply duct traversing a cavity wall the junction between the supply duct and the internal leaf shall be fully sealed by suitable means to prevent the passage of air to or from the cavity.

(4) Every vent shall be so constructed and installed as not to present a fire hazard.

(5) Every permanent vent type ‘A’ shall—

(a) have an effective area, calculated in accordance with sub-paragraph (2), of not less than 3,250 square millimetres; and

(b) be so constructed that the sound pressure level difference ascertained by the method set forth in paragraph 8(h)(ii), complies with the requirements therein set forth.

Specifications for combined ventilator systems

10.  The combined ventilator system shall conform to the design and standards of ventilation and acoustic performance specified in paragraphs 3(a), 4(a)(i)(A), 8 and 9 except that the requirement of paragraph 3(a) that the installation be made at the highest level which is reasonably practicable shall not apply.

(1)

S.I. 1991/2768 (1991 III, p. 6942), amended by S.I. 1992/1180 (1992 II, p. 3354)..