Riverside apartment in Battersea: 49dB noise reduction
How we cut battersea park fireworks & event nights from 96dB to 47dB using 10.8mm Stadip Silence with a 150mm decoupled air gap.
Installation specification
Verified outcome
Firework peaks cut from startling (96 dB) to a distant thud below normal conversation level; dog and toddler now sleep through Bonfire Night.
"Bonfire Night used to mean no sleep for anyone. Last November we watched the display in silence through the glass."
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Firework noise reduction by acoustic glass type
Fireworks are impulsive noise: a short, very high peak with most of its energy in the 63–250 Hz range. That low-frequency percussion is exactly where thin glass and sealed double glazing units perform worst, which is why displays still shake sash frames behind modern windows. Mass, laminate damping and a wide decoupled air gap are what actually stop it.
| Glazing specification | Glass | Low-frequency (125 Hz) | Peak reduction | Indoor result (96 dB peak) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Existing single glazing (no secondary) | 4mm float | ~10 dB | ~22 dB | 74 dB indoors — startling, wakes sleepers | [1], [6] |
| Standard double glazing | 4-16-4mm sealed unit | ~14 dB | ~29 dB | 67 dB indoors — frames still rattle | [1], [2] |
| Secondary glazing, 4mm toughened | 4mm | ~21 dB | ~34 dB | 62 dB indoors — audible thud | [1], [7] |
| Secondary glazing, 6.4mm laminate | 6.4mm (0.38mm PVB) | ~28 dB | ~41 dB | 55 dB indoors — muffled but present | [2], [4] |
| Secondary glazing, 6.8mm Stadip Silence | 6.8mm (0.76mm acoustic PVB) | ~31 dB | ~44 dB | 52 dB indoors — booms reduced to soft thuds | [3], [5] |
| Secondary glazing, 8.8mm acoustic laminate | 8.8mm (0.76mm PVB) | ~34 dB | ~46 dB | 50 dB indoors — distant pops | [3], [4] |
| Secondary glazing, 10.8mm Stadip Silence | 10.8mm (0.76mm acoustic PVB) | ~40 dB | ~49 dB | 47 dB indoors — below conversation level | [3], [5] |
| Secondary glazing, 12.8mm asymmetric laminate | 12.8mm (6.8 + 6mm) | ~42 dB | ~51 dB | 45 dB indoors — percussion effectively gone | [4], [7] |
Indicative figures based on a 96 dB(A) peak measured approximately 100m from a display, with a 150–175mm decoupled cavity and fully sealed perimeter. Actual results vary with distance, reveal depth and wall construction.
Sources & standards
- [1]BS EN ISO 10140-2:2021 — Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building elements — International Organization for Standardization. Defines the reverberation-room method used to derive the airborne sound reduction index (R) per third-octave band that the 125 Hz figures are taken from.
- [2]BS EN ISO 717-1:2020 — Rating of sound insulation, airborne sound — International Organization for Standardization. Defines Rw and the Ctr spectrum adaptation term. Ctr weights low-frequency content and is the correct rating for firework percussion, not Rw alone.
- [3]Stadip Silence acoustic laminated glass — technical data — Saint-Gobain Glass. Manufacturer-declared acoustic performance for 8.8mm and 10.8mm acoustic-PVB laminates, including Rw (C; Ctr) values used for the laminate rows.
- [4]Optiphon acoustic laminated glass — performance data — Pilkington United Kingdom. Independent-lab tested Rw (C; Ctr) values for 6.4mm to 12.8mm acoustic laminates, used to cross-check the asymmetric build figures.
- [5]BS 8233:2014 — Guidance on sound insulation and noise reduction for buildings — British Standards Institution. Source of the internal ambient noise criteria used to interpret whether a resulting indoor level is acceptable in living rooms and bedrooms.
- [6]Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region — World Health Organization. Basis for the sleep-disturbance thresholds referenced when describing indoor outcomes such as 'wakes sleepers'.
- [7]Secondary glazing and acoustic performance in historic buildings — Historic England. Field evidence on cavity width, decoupling and perimeter sealing in period windows, underpinning the 150–200mm air-gap and seal guidance.
Laboratory values are converted to expected in-situ performance by applying a typical 3–5 dB field allowance for flanking transmission and reveal detailing, in line with BS 8233 practice. Ranges are indicative, not a guarantee for a specific property.
Below 100mm the cavity couples the two panes and low-frequency booms pass through. 150–200mm is the sweet spot for firework percussion.
Two panes of differing thickness (e.g. 6.8mm + 6mm) avoid a shared resonant dip, adding 2–3 dB where it counts.
A 1mm perimeter gap can cost 8–10 dB. Impulsive noise exploits any air path, so brush seals alone are not enough.