With multi-residential living on the rise in New Zealand, soundproofing has become a crucial consideration for developers. Compass Contracting required a reliable solution to minimise noise transfer between two homes in their newly built multi-storey project.
Their soundproofing objective was to create comfortable living spaces for both tenants while meeting the G6 NZ Building Code standards.
The G6 Building Code in New Zealand outlines the minimum standards for sound insulation in buildings, ensuring that noise transfer between spaces in multi-unit residential buildings is minimised. This covers both airborne sound (e.g., speech and general noise) and impact sound (e.g., footsteps and movement). The code requires floor/ceiling assemblies to achieve a Sound Transmission Class (STC) of 55 for airborne noise and an Impact Insulation Class (IIC) of 55 for impact noise, creating a more comfortable living environment by reducing unwanted noise between units.
Jason from Compass Contracting and his team initially installed a standard GIB system in the lower apartment, which effectively controlled airborne noise. However, impact noise such as footsteps from the apartment above remained an issue, and a more effective solution was required.
Seeking a solution to the impact noise transfer, their team researched the acoustic options in the New Zealand market and discovered PhoneStar, a cutting-edge German-engineered acoustic board.
PhoneStar was installed directly to the strand floor of the GIB system with an 8mm laminate floor covering over top.
Hear from Jason in the video below how PhoneStar provided a perfect solution to this project.
