Comparison of measured and predicted sound insulation for a thermal retrofitted building

In this paper, the effect of thermal retrofit on acoustic performance of buildings is investigated. Indeed, the actual French acoustic regulation does not usually apply when a building is renovated; it is suggested that the acoustic performance should not be degraded. A building from the late 70s is investigated before and after the thermal retrofit. This building is heavyweight concrete based. The thermal retrofit includes the addition of a polystyrene based external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) applied on the building facade and the replacement of the original windows by double glazing windows. The effect of this thermal retrofit on the acoustic performance is measured and predicted with the ACOUBAT software. The measured and predicted results are compared and discussed in terms of the different transmission paths. (C) 2011 Institute of Noise Control Engineering.