Clearview National February 2016 - Issue 171 | Page 44

doors&windows

A Well-Insulated and
Peaceful Building
»»There have been many studies
highlighting the harmful consequences of
noise pollution to our health. It has even
been suggested that increased exposure to
noise correlates to a higher waistband and
cholesterol levels.
Internorm’s Thomas Hagen looks into how
the right glazing can be used to improve our
wellbeing significantly by opting for a wellinsulated system such as triple-glazing.
Unwanted noise can cause real distress
and disorientation, with long-term exposure
above 85 dB increasing the risk of developing
hearing impairment and tinnitus. Most
commonly, however, occupants of a building
with poor acoustics will suffer from sleep
disturbance.
Persistent poor sleep then becomes a serious
health hazard, elevating the risk of developing
diabetes and depression. For those living in
urban areas, exposure to noise pollution,
particularly from the outside, is likely to be
higher, with aircraft noise exposure being a
considerable concern. By keeping exposure at
a minimum, blood pressure can be lowered as
well as the possibility of developing noiseinduced hearing impairment.
Improving sound insulation is therefore
an obvious priority for residential buildings
but also for those in the health sector. By
reducing stress levels and lowering blood
pressure, research has shown an improved
environment also supports the healing
process. In elderly care, age-related hearing
loss (presbycusis) causes communication

44 » F EB 2016 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

problems for approximately 37% of people
between the ages of 61 and 70 and this rises
to 60% for people aged between 71 and 80.
Poorer hearing tu rns communicating into a
real effort, which results in rapid fatigue - and
frequent misunderstandings are known to
cause withdrawal and depression.
Educational environments can benefit from
specifying a triple-glazed system for classrooms
and study rooms. Almost half of teachers
have to strain their voice to be heard so this is
especially true for schools situated in noisier
areas, whether that’s because they are near
a busy road or in a city. In a more peaceful
environment, teachers can concentrate on
delivering quality teaching and overall grades
improve.
Equally, this is an important design
consideration for office spaces. Being
distracted is only one of the many impacts
high levels of noise can have on employees.
In fact, productivity levels and absenteeism
improves as well.
Nowadays, acoustic design requirements
of buildings in the UK recognise all of these
benefits that good acoustics can offer. However
the key to meeting these requirements is in the
quality of the products used and ensuring the
application is at a high standard.
Triple-glazing with triple gaskets add extra
soundproofing, which cuts noise pollution
significantly compared to other types of
window. As an example, Internorm’s PVCu
and PVCu/aluminium windows offer sound
protection between 35 dB and 45 dB. This

is achieved in part due to the size of the
gap between the panes of glass in various
Internorm systems.
The thickness of the glass used is also a
crucial element when aiming for optimum
sound insulation. This is because the glass will
block a different frequency according to the
thickness of the glass. By combining panes to
include glass at various levels of thickness, it
therefore improves the acoustic performance
of the window system.
For the installers it is also important that
the windows are air tight as well as fitted and
sealed properly against the surrounding wall
to ensure they perform to their full potential.
Customers will then be able to benefit from a
more peaceful environment, whilst the energy
efficient nature of a triple-glazed system also
offers gas and electricity savings too.
www.internorm.co.uk