New guidance from Robust Details states that robustdetails® walls and floors can be used to demonstrate compliance with Approved Document E in mixed use buildings with podium floor slabs. This is particularly relevant to developers hoping to use IsoRubber Top as part of robustdetails® solution for concrete-framed construction, as commonly used in mixed use buildings. When IsoRubber Top is used over a slab built as E FC 10 with a lightweight separating floor construction (E-WS-1, E-WS-2 or E-WS-3), only the separating wall requires pre-completion testing even if the podium slab is continuous across the party wall.
Part E of Schedule 1 in The Building Regulations imposes a requirement for protection against sound from other parts of the building and adjoining buildings; which should be demonstrated by sound insulation testing, or by using one or more design details approved by Robust Details Ltd. Thermal Economics has a number of separating floor details approved by Robust Details; using the IsoRubber products for sound reduction.
Robust Detail E¬ FC 10 is appropriate for use as a concrete separating floor when the structural floor is a minimum of 175 mm in-situ concrete floor slab with density of 2400 kg∙m 3 or greater. Impact sound resistance is provided by 3 mm IsoRubber Top bonded to the slab with IsoBond adhesive; the ceiling must be suspended at least 150 mm beneath the floor slab. Further details on the installation of IsoRubber Top can be found in the Thermal Economics installation guide.
The advantage of registering the plots with Robust Details with E FC 10 as the floor construction and E WS 1 / E WS-2 / E-WS-3 as the separating wall construction, is that the floor will not require sound insulation testing under the provisions of the robustdetails® scheme. This has both cost and time benefits, and is an easier way of complying with Regulation 41 of The Building Regulations. The key design points are:
• Podium slab has thickness ≥ 175 mm and density ≥ 2400 kg∙m 3;
• Separating floor insulated with IsoRubber Top bonded to slab with IsoBond;
• Ceiling suspended ≥ 150 mm on metal grid system;
• Separating wall is E-WS-1, E-WS-2 or E-WS-3 built off the slab.
For further guidance on using Robust Detail E FC 10 on podium slabs, please speak to a member of Thermal Economics technical department on 01582 450814 or [email protected]!