Part E Acoustic Performance: Getting Your Meeting Rooms Right

What Part E requires

Part E of the Building Regulations covers 'resistance to the passage of sound'. For commercial fit-out, the relevant sections are:

• Sound insulation between rooms — meeting rooms, boardrooms, executive offices
• Reverberation control — absorption in rooms to reduce echo and support speech intelligibility
• Background noise levels — from mechanical services

Part E is enforced under Building Regulations sign-off. Commercial fit-outs involving new partitioning or ceilings almost always trigger Part E compliance — even where the fit-out is within an existing building with CAT A compliant infrastructure.

The ratings that matter

Two independent ratings govern commercial acoustics:

Rw — weighted sound reduction index

How much sound a partition or ceiling stops passing through. Higher = better.

• Rw 35: basic glazed partition (single-glazed). Audible conversation on the other side.
• Rw 42–45: standard meeting-room target. Speech muffled but understandable at close proximity.
• Rw 48–52: boardroom and confidential-meeting standard. Speech not intelligible through partition.
• Rw 55+: executive-grade. Complete acoustic isolation.

NRC — noise reduction coefficient

How much sound a surface absorbs (vs reflects). Higher = more absorption, less echo. Relevant for ceiling tiles, wall panels, carpet.

• NRC 0.50: basic plasterboard ceiling — reflective
• NRC 0.75: standard mineral-fibre tile — good absorption
• NRC 0.90+: high-absorbing acoustic tile or raft — open-plan performance standard

Partition system choices

System	Rw	Cost / linear m
Single-glazed frameless	35–42	£380–£550
Double-glazed acoustic	45–52	£650–£900
Demountable solid (plasterboard)	42–48	£140–£240
Executive timber + glazed	48+	£900+
Bespoke 55+ specification	55+	£1,200+

See full Office Partitioning service for system-by-system detail.

Where acoustic specification goes wrong

1. Partition stops at ceiling grid

   Single most common failure. Rw 50 partition with 600mm void above the ceiling tile passes sound freely through the void. Always specify 'slab-to-slab' partitions for meeting rooms.

2. No acoustic ceiling baffles between partitions

   Where slab-to-slab isn't possible, soffit-level acoustic baffles (Rw 45 minimum) should bridge the void.

3. M&E penetrations un-lagged

   HVAC ducts, extract grilles and cable trays passing through partitions need acoustic lagging or in-line attenuators.

4. Glazed door-sets with gaps

   Glass door plus 3mm seal gap = Rw drop of 10+. Always specify drop-seal thresholds and acoustic-gasket frames.

5. Hard-surface flooring

   Adds 3–5 dB to reverberation time. Mitigate with acoustic rafts, carpet tile or wall-mounted absorbers.

Independent acoustic testing

For boardrooms, confidential-meeting spaces and any space requiring documented acoustic compliance, commission in-situ Part E testing on completion.

• Test per ISO 10140 / BS EN ISO 16283
• Typical cost £400–£900 per tested partition
• Provides documentary Rw rating for licence-to-alter and future due diligence
• Identifies flanking-path failures pre-handover so they can be remedied

What we do

Our Office Partitioning and Ceiling Works teams specify and install to documented Rw and NRC performance, with independent Part E testing on request. Sign-off reports included in the handover pack.

FAQs