VHA PROGRAM GUIDE PG-18-3
April 2004
TOPIC 11. NOISE TRANSMISSION CONTROL
1. GENERAL: Where rooms do not contribute to or are not affected by sound transmission
from an adjacent space, conventional construction is satisfactory.
2. PARTITION-CEILING-DOOR-DUCT SYSTEM ACOUSTIC DESIGN
a. Acoustical Isolation. Design the sound resistant enclosures of the following spaces to
suppress generated noise and provide a satisfactory degree of acoustical isolation for adjacent
occupied spaces. Achieve a minimum Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of 45.
NOTE: When the VA Hospital Building System (VAHBS) is used, achieve the required rating
using construction such as a double layer of 16 mm (5/8 in.) gypsum board (GB) on both sides of
100 mm (4 in.) nominal metal studs and 64 mm (2 1/2 in.) sound attenuation blankets between
the studs. These should extend above conventional lay-in ceilings to the underside of walk-on
deck/platforms.
(1) A/C and other mechanical equipment rooms.
(2) Manual arts therapy shops.
(3) Auditoriums.
(4) Multipurpose rooms.
(5) Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service i.e. group therapy rooms.
(6) Emergency generator rooms.
(7) Kitchen & Dishwashing spaces.
NOTE: Alternatively, provide a gypsum board ceiling or gypsum board lay-in panels both with
a 65 mm (2 1/2 in.) sound attenuation blanket for non-VAHBS type of construction where ducts,
pipes, etc., make it impractical to extend sound partitions to slabs or deck above. Where gypsum
board ceilings with attenuation blankets are used, the double GB partitions and sound
attenuation blanket should extend 100 mm (4 in.) above the ceiling. Studs should continue to the
floor above. Give special attention to details shown on the construction documents to prevent
possible flanking paths for noise transmission.
b. Speech Privacy. Design the sound resistant enclosures of the following spaces to assure
speech privacy and achieve an STC rating of 40 (45 for space marked with an asterisk).
(1) Conference rooms.
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