Twenty-one new single layer GIB Noise Control®  systems have been released. There are options for timber frame walls, double frame timber walls, steel frame walls, double steel frame walls and GIB® Rondo® Quiet Stud® walls employing a range of 13mm and 16mm GIB® plasterboards suitable for intertenancy and commercial projects. This breadth of system offering adds significant functionality and choice to the GIB Noise Control® System range.

Two layer noise control systems have traditionally been Winstone Wallboards' view of best practice for noise control because multiple layers tend to give some buffer against on-site installation issues, and mass can be cumulatively added.

As we developed the GIB® Healthcare Design Guide, we challenged ourselves to further optimise GIB® solutions, developing new systems that were particularly targeted to this sector, though would also have wider use in a range of commercial and intertenancy applications.

Our product development team spent significant time in the acoustic laboratory testing and comparing different boards and configurations to produce a range of additional GIB Noise Control® systems that employ only a single layer of plasterboard either side of a wall to give noise control options for both intertenancy (above 55 STC) and sub-intertenancy (below 55 STC). These systems are all based on real test results and are designed for the New Zealand Building Code. 

Reducing the material leads to cost savings, while also maintaining adequate performance. Particularly for healthcare situations, where sub-intertenancy systems (lower than NZBC intertenancy requirements of 55 STC) offer good privacy and sound reduction properties while minimising cost, the range of systems adds real function and options to our full GIB® range. It should be noted that single layer systems do put more impetus on correct installation, and while material costs are reduced, associated labour costs can increase.

The new GIB® single layer Noise Control systems have  been added to the GIB Noise Control® supplement, a live document available on our website which collates any updates, changes and new information relevant to GIB Noise Control® Systems between updates to the GIB Noise Control® Systems literature. In  addition to the new single layer Noise Control Systems, we are moving towards giving specific system codes to systems that utilise alternative GIB® plasterboards. For instance, this update includes a range of systems that utilise GIB Toughline® (or GIB Toughline® Aqua) and are given a unique system code, rather than requiring the specifier or contractor to use the GIB® alternative tables to substitute in different GIB® plasterboards. This gives you more certainty, accuracy and confidence that the specification is understood and will be installed correctly.