Hemel Hempstead School
Attune has been collaborating with the project team on a new three-storey building, constructed from steel and pre-cast concrete. This building is located opposite the original heritage structure on the school grounds and will provide new secondary teaching and design facilities.
Throughout the design phases, we provided a range of acoustic services to meet the Department for Education’s (DfE) requirements, targeting compliance with Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) and Approved Document Part E. Our key contributions included:
- Conducting a noise impact assessment as part of the planning application. This assessment covered demolition and construction noise, vibration impacts, and noise from the new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA).
- Reviewing external noise impacts on the building and offering guidance on the ventilation strategy to ensure optimal acoustic performance.
- Providing assessments and recommendations for internal sound insulation for doors, walls, floors, and areas utilizing natural cross-ventilation. We also contributed to junction detailing to enhance sound insulation.
- Assessing reverberation times across the teaching, learning, and common areas. Based on the architectural design, we developed acoustic specifications for sound treatments, which included hanging rafts to manage reverberation effectively.
As the project transitions into the construction phase, Attune has continued its involvement. We have conducted site visits to advise the team on key construction details, particularly around the building of partitions. Our guidance is aimed at minimising the risk of sound insulation failures during construction.
Our collaboration with the project team ensures that the building will meet both regulatory standards and the school’s functional needs, providing an environment conducive to teaching and learning while respecting the acoustic challenges of the site.