BREEAM Noise Assessments
Buildings without acoustic design input at the specification stage routinely fail BREEAM HEA 05, losing credits that cannot be recovered after construction.
BREEAM Noise Assessments — What They Involve
Buildings targeting BREEAM certification often appoint an acoustic consultant only for post-construction testing, by which point design decisions that determine HEA 05 performance have already been fixed. Credits that could have been achieved with early specification input are lost, and the BREEAM rating is reduced.
BREEAM noise assessments cover the full acoustic scope required for HEA 05 credit award: design-stage specification of separating constructions, room acoustic treatments and background noise controls, followed by post-construction measurement and an evidence report in the format required by the BREEAM assessor.
This service is commissioned by developers, contractors and architects on new-build and major refurbishment projects targeting BREEAM ratings from Good to Outstanding, typically at RIBA Stage 2 for design input and shortly before handover for post-construction measurement.
Why is acoustic input important for your BREEAM project?
HEA 05 credit achievement
BREEAM HEA 05 awards up to three acoustic performance credits on new-build and major refurbishment projects. Design-stage acoustic input maximises the number of credits achievable and provides the specification evidence the assessor requires before credits are awarded.
Design stage coordination
HEA 05 performance criteria directly affect separating construction specifications, mechanical services noise targets and room acoustic treatments. Early appointment ensures acoustic requirements are integrated into the design before construction details are fixed and specifications are issued for tender.
Post-construction credit evidence
BREEAM assessors require post-construction measurement evidence for HEA 05 credits. We provide measurement reports structured in the format required by the BREEAM Technical Standards, ready for submission to the assessor without further processing.
BREEAM rating protection
Acoustic credits represent a significant proportion of the BREEAM score under the Health and Wellbeing category, which carries a high weighting in most BREEAM schemes. Losing credits to avoidable acoustic shortfalls can reduce the overall rating and undermine the project's sustainability case.
What is BREEAM HEA 05 Acoustic Performance?
BREEAM HEA 05 is the Acoustic Performance credit within the BREEAM New Construction, Refurbishment and Fit-out, and International assessment frameworks. It awards credits for meeting defined criteria covering sound insulation, reverberation time and background noise levels. The number of credits available and the applicable performance thresholds vary by BREEAM scheme version and building use type.
HEA 05 references sector-specific standards: BB93 for education, HTM 08-01 for healthcare and BS 8233:2014 for offices and residential. Post-construction sound insulation is measured to BS EN ISO 16283 and reverberation to BS EN ISO 3382. Post-construction measurement evidence is required for the highest credit level and is submitted to the BREEAM assessor through the project's certification record.
Evidence report and submission
Credit scope review
We review the BREEAM scheme version, target rating and building type to confirm which HEA 05 criteria apply and the maximum credits achievable. The acoustic scope is agreed with the client and BREEAM assessor at the outset to ensure the right design inputs and measurement programme are planned from the start.
Design-stage specification
Working from the HEA 05 technical requirements, we specify separating constructions, room acoustic treatments and background noise targets to meet the applicable criteria for the building type. A design-stage acoustic report is produced documenting the predicted performance and the specification required to achieve the target credit level.
Post-construction measurement
On completion, we carry out in-situ measurements of sound insulation, reverberation time and background noise in accordance with the measurement standards referenced by HEA 05. Measurements are taken at the locations and in the numbers required by the BREEAM Technical Standards for the applicable scheme.
Evidence report and submission
A BREEAM acoustic evidence report is produced documenting the design-stage specification, post-construction measurement results and performance against HEA 05 criteria. The report is formatted for direct submission to the BREEAM assessor and structured to satisfy BRE's evidence requirements for credit award.
Questions
Find answers to common questions about noise assessment and compliance.
Any project targeting a BREEAM rating that includes the HEA 05 Acoustic Performance credit will require an acoustic assessment. This applies to most commercial new-build and major refurbishment projects across education, healthcare, office and residential sectors. The BREEAM assessor will confirm which credits apply to your scheme at registration.
Deliverables include a design-stage acoustic specification confirming how HEA 05 criteria will be met, a post-construction measurement report covering sound insulation, reverberation time and background noise, and a BREEAM evidence report formatted for direct submission to the assessor. We liaise with the BREEAM assessor directly where clarification on evidence requirements is needed.
HEA 05 references BB93 for education buildings, HTM 08-01 for healthcare and BS 8233:2014 for offices and other non-residential buildings. Post-construction sound insulation is measured to BS EN ISO 16283 and reverberation to BS EN ISO 3382. The applicable standards and thresholds depend on the BREEAM scheme version and building use.
Design-stage input should be commissioned at RIBA Stage 2 or early Stage 3, when construction specifications are being developed and surface finishes are still subject to change. Appointing an acoustic consultant only for post-construction measurement risks failing HEA 05 if the design has not been specified to meet the credit criteria from the outset.
If measurements fall short of the HEA 05 thresholds, we identify the likely cause, typically flanking transmission, inadequate separating construction or excessive background noise, and specify targeted remedial works. Credits at the highest level cannot be retrospectively awarded without measured evidence of compliance, so design-stage input is significantly more cost-effective than remediation after handover.
Need more information?
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