Acoustic Services for East Calder Primary School

Client: Morrison Construction Scotland – Central on behalf of West Lothian Council

Architect: Norr Architects

Contractor: Morrison Construction Scotland – Central

Project value: £18.3m

Project team: Eleni Kontesidou

Completed in July 2024, the fabulous triangle-shaped building replaced the existing primary school, providing required additional facilities. The new two-storey building is designed and built with open plans vertically and horizontally between classrooms and activity spaces.

Robin Mackenzie Partnership was appointed as consultants by Morrison Construction Scotland to carry out acoustic services for the East Calder Primary School project in conjunction with the design team which comprises Norr Architects, Atelier Ten M&E Engineers, Wardell Armstrong Landscape Architects, Woolgar Hunter C&S Engineers, and Jensen Hughes Fire Engineers.

The detailed acoustic review was undertaken with client specific requirements and BB93:2015 as design guidance, which provides specifications for the acoustical design of both new build and refurbished schools and nurseries. Indoor ambient noise levels and reverberation time were key elements of the review to ensure a suitable learning environment and to allow good level of speech intelligibility in all teaching and learning areas such that a single un-amplified speaker can clearly communicate to a teaching group. The control of reverberation time was particularly important as the new primary school features a lot of open plan teaching and learning spaces.

The project consultant also proposed a programme of site testing prior to project completion to verify that the design has met the project criteria. The scope of Completion testing included a survey of intrusive noise levels, sound insulation and reverberation time testing as well as plant and noise breakout testing.

In June 2024, RMP undertook the final Acoustic Compliance testing which, despite the open plan layout of the school, demonstrated a high degree of compliance with BB93 acoustic requirements.

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