Abstract

Countries around the Arabian Gulf have building codes for specifying the rules of construction, safety and welfare in buildings. However, these codes typically lack details about the acoustical requirements. The acoustical code precepts are specified according to standards specified for procuring, ideally, a noiseless environment for living, working and studying. Private houses built in quiet city areas together with dwelling apartments suitably protected from noise generated by neighbors or from outdoors traffic tend to be highly rated on the quest lists of the real estate market. Similarly, classrooms in schools as well as office spaces constructed and internally designed in compliance with the acoustical recommendations ensure respectively a better learning environment and improved working performance. This paper presents the most important components of an acoustical code to reckon with in view of enacting a building code that is complete from the engineering, sustainability and judicial perspectives.

Keywords:Building code; Building acoustics; Architectural acoustics; Noise