Author
D.J. HARRIS1 and DR. A.J. JONES21 H+H Celcon Ltd 2 Acoustical Investigation & Research Organisation Ltd

Abstract
The effect of noise pollution is becoming increasingly important as peoples’ life styles change and domestic musical equipment becomes more powerful. The traditional remedy of using heavier masonry to achieve good acoustic performance often conflicts with the thermal requirements, where low density products are favoured because their use is more thermally efficient. H+H Celcon has over many years been involved in carrying out laboratory and field testing of aircrete construction and this has demonstrated that aircrete is uniquely positioned as it can provide both good thermal and good acoustic performance. This testing has resulted in a large database demonstrating the performance of aircrete separating and flanking walls, the derivation of a mass law for aircrete that has shown that it has better sound insulating properties than other materials of similar mass, and the development of cavity wall construction of thin joint aircrete masonry with the elimination of cavity ties that has provided enhanced sound insulation. The further introduction of reinforced aircrete elements into domestic dwellings for floors and roofs has also shown the benefits of this product to provide privacy internally between rooms and externally from the environment. This paper presents the acoustic performance of current aircrete construction and how it matches up to future requirements.