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A. Mahdavi, O. Cakir, C. Pröglhöf, J. Lechleitner:
"Sound insulation of a double-leaf wall system with openings for natural ventilation";
Talk: IBPC 2012 - 5th International Building Physics Conference, Kyoto, Japan; 2012-05-28 - 2012-05-31; in: "Proceedings of the 5th Internaltional Building Physics Conference", IBPC organizing committee (ed.); Organizing Committee of the 5th IBPC., 1/1/Kyoto, Japan (2012), 1115 - 1118.

One of the impediments to the use of natural (window) ventilation in buildings is noise exposure. Noise from outside of a
building (particularly traffic noise) travels unhindered through open windows and can cause annoyance. Hence, sound
insulation issues must be addressed, while pursuing natural ventilation solutions for buildings. In this context, we report on the
initial results a number of controlled measurements performed in our laboratory, where we installed an experimental modular
double-wall system. This flexible construction allows us to modify a number of variables that affect the sound insulation of a
double-layered building envelope. Specifically, we can open and close one or more elements on each layer, controlling thus
the effective opening area. Moreover, openings on both layers can be arranged so as to face each other, or to be shifted against
each other. We can thus explore the extent to which the reduction of direct geometrical paths between source and receiver can
improve the sound insulation of the overall construction. The measurement results thus far suggest the possibility to formulate
general and approximate relationships to estimate the sound insulation of a ventilation permitting double-wall construction as
a function of the size of open elements, their relative displacement, and the frequency characteristics the acoustical exposure.

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building envelope, noise control, natural ventilation, acoustics, sound insulation