It is widely accepted that medium density housing (MDH) improves housing affordability and slows down urban sprawl. MDH has become popular in both private and public sector residential developments in our main urban centres over recent years.

MDH can be defined as multi-unit dwellings up to six storeys. As such it includes duplex, terrace home and apartment projects. One of the challenges that designers of MDH projects face is how to protect the occupants from excessive levels of environmental noise. Examples of this type of noise include traffic, trains, aircraft, lawnmowers and late-night revellers. These environmental noise sources can cause irritation and loss of amenity for the MDH occupants.

Designers can help to mitigate the effect that environmental noise will have on their MDH projects by specifying a rigid air barrier on their exterior walls. Out of all the available rigid air barrier materials, the density and stiffness of GIB Weatherline® makes it a very effective rigid air barrier when it comes to reducing the transmission of environmental noise.

The GIB Weatherline® Rigid Air Barrier Systems Design and Construction Manual includes a section on environmental noise, including a table of acoustic performance data for some common external wall constructions.