March 2008

Bluestone Chooses Hodgson & Hodgson as Partner in £6 Million Student Accommodation Project

The Hodgson & Hodgson Group is celebrating another successful project after the completion of a consultancy contract for a £6 million new-build development - Victoria Hall in Nottingham. Builders Bluestone Plc chose the Group's Consultancy Division to provide comprehensive acoustic design, assessment and planning services on the scheme.

Situated in Saint Anne's Well Road, close to Nottingham city centre, Victoria Hall is an exclusive new-build development consisting of three cylindrical five, seven and nine storey steel frame blocks for student accommodation. Hodgson & Hodgson was involved early in the 51 week programme, to determine if the proposed site was suitable in terms of noise planning regulations and to assess the sound insulation performance of the proposed building shells in relation to their future city noise environment.

The proposed building envelopes were not typical brick/cavity/blockwork construction, but instead feature rendered insulation on metsec framing, allowing the building to show off its curves. Glazing and background ventilation also had to be considered - a challenge, give that the urban location close to a roundabout. Specialist double-glazing window units, together with through-wall acoustic air bricks were specified.

Hodgson & Hodgson provided further acoustic design advice for the separating walls and floors. For the walls, twin metal stud walls were suggested, with a resilient bar built on one side. For the separating floors, the density of the concrete floors were reviewed in terms of the level of airborne sound insulation they provided. Their impact performance was in need of improvement and Hodgson & Hodgson worked in partnership with Building Control to agree that a foam backed carpet could be considered an integral part of the floor and could be bonded directly to the slab.

Working closely not only with Bluestone, but also with the project's architects, The Henry Mein Partnership, Hodgson & Hodgson ensured the acoustic integrity of the building. All separating walls and floors exceeded the requirements of Approved Documents E whilst internal noise levels also met demanding ingress criteria.

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