How to reduce acoustic pollution with renovations and ventilation

Acoustic pollution is a type of environmental damage that is often underestimated compared to other forms of pollution. Usually, people tend to be more affected by what we see with our eyes, followed by what we smell with our noses. That's why water or food contamination is something so noticeable. In the air, we sometimes do not consider that poor quality can become a poison. And perhaps noise is what is given the least importance, although it is very important to try to reduce acoustic pollution to improve our well-being.

Unwanted noise and sounds coming from outside are problematic for our comfort, but they also affect our health and rest. That's why, even though they may seem unimportant, we must fight them.

We talked a few weeks ago about the risks of acoustic pollution and the possible methods to protect ourselves against this problem, from making small renovations like changing the doors of the house to modifying some habits such as wearing slippers or closing blinds. We also discussed the benefits of a mechanical ventilation system in order to close the windows and isolate ourselves from outside noise. But what should we consider if we start a renovation at home or build a house and want to reduce acoustic pollution?

The first thing to consider is to establish that the functions of the house will depend on the number of people living in it and their needs. To project a renovation that takes into account the acoustic insulation, we must first plan the space that the home will have and also whether it is a family with several members, a couple, or even a single person. If the idea is to rent the house, the criteria are more complicated.

Depending on this, we must consider that the dining room and living areas are considered, acoustically, as daytime zones. They are likely to be occupied at all times by all occupants. That is why they must have a combination of medium acoustic insulation and efficient ventilation. These are the areas that will need good emphasis on sound insulation elements, while also requiring a greater airflow for ventilation due to their high occupancy.

However, it is the considered nighttime areas, the bedrooms, where the acoustic insulation systems must be of high efficiency. For this, we must consider two factors:

• The acoustic insulation systems that are installed, such as reinforced windows and doors or polyurethane insulating systems in walls.
• The location of these nighttime areas and their proximity to daytime areas.

This is a common mistake in some small apartments, where the installation of hallways or entryways has been avoided to better utilize square meters. On an architectural design level, it is interesting for a room to have a wall adjoining a bathroom or kitchen instead of a daytime area if there are no hallways. In the case that it cannot be avoided, installing built-in wardrobes in the wall that separates a nighttime area from a daytime area can alleviate the problem a bit.

Bathrooms and kitchens, considered wet areas, should be located nearby, although in this case it is more due to the need to increase the efficiency of ventilation systems and keep the ducts as short as possible. This avoids pressure drops. In terms of sound, wet areas usually do not require great acoustic insulation; in this case, it is important to focus on the ventilation needs.

A ventilation system to reduce acoustic pollution

By having a mechanical ventilation system, we keep the windows closed, which isolates us from outside noise. On the other hand, not needing air conditioning units thanks to the exchanger of double flow systems, we also stop producing that noise at home. Although a comprehensive study of the home is fundamental in order to reduce acoustic pollution while improving the ventilation of the home.