AS/NZS 2107:2016 Acoustic Design Guide — Every Room Type, Every Australian Standard

The Standard That Defines Acoustic Comfort in Australia

Published jointly by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, AS/NZS 2107:2016 "Acoustics — Recommended design sound levels and reverberation times for building interiors" is the most widely referenced acoustic standard in the Southern Hemisphere. It specifies design sound levels for over 40 distinct room types — from operating theatres to hotel lobbies, from courtrooms to restaurants — making it one of the most comprehensive room-type classification systems in any national acoustic standard worldwide.

First published as AS 2107 in 1977, the standard has been revised five times, with each revision expanding the room type table and refining the noise level recommendations. The 2016 revision (the current edition) introduced a joint Australian/New Zealand designation, updated references to ISO measurement standards, and added room types for data centres, teleconference rooms, and aged care facilities that reflect contemporary building use.

AS/NZS 2107 occupies a unique position in the Australian regulatory framework. It is not legislation itself, but it is referenced by the National Construction Code (NCC) Volume 1 through Performance Requirement FP5.3, by the Green Building Council of Australia through Green Star IEQ-4, and by the Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants (AAAC) as the standard of care for acoustic design. Compliance with AS/NZS 2107 is, in practical terms, mandatory for all major building projects in Australia.

Structure and Scope

AS/NZS 2107 addresses a single acoustic parameter: the internal design sound level — the background noise level from building services, expressed as LAeq in dBA. For each room type, it provides two values:

• Recommended (design) level: The target for good acoustic design. Achieving this level ensures occupant comfort for the room's intended function.
• Maximum acceptable level: The upper limit. Exceeding this level is likely to result in complaints, reduced productivity, or impaired function.

The Complete Room Type Tables

Offices

Educational Buildings

Healthcare Buildings

Courts and Civic Buildings

Religious and Community Buildings

Hospitality and Retail

Residential (Referenced by NCC Volume 2)

Relationship to NCC Volume 1

The National Construction Code (NCC) Volume 1 addresses commercial buildings, public buildings, and multi-residential buildings (Class 2–9). Its acoustic provisions are found primarily in Section F5 (Sound Transmission and Insulation) and Performance Requirement FP5.3 (Services Noise).

FP5.3 — Services Noise

NCC FP5.3 states that building services must not generate noise levels within occupied rooms that would adversely affect the amenity of occupants. The Performance Requirement does not specify numeric targets — instead, it references AS/NZS 2107 as the verification method.

In practice, this means:

• Meeting the AS/NZS 2107 'maximum acceptable' level is the minimum for NCC compliance
• Meeting the 'recommended' level is not required by the NCC but is considered best practice and is required for Green Star IEQ-4 (2 points)

F5 — Sound Transmission and Insulation

NCC Section F5 specifies minimum sound insulation requirements for building elements. The key provisions are:

NCC F5 does not specify sound insulation requirements for partitions within commercial office spaces (private office to private office, conference room to corridor, etc.). These are addressed by Green Star IEQ-4 and by the AAAC Guideline for Commercial Building Acoustics.

Measurement Methodology

AS/NZS 2107 Section 4 specifies the measurement methodology for verifying compliance:

Equipment

• Class 1 or Class 2 integrating sound level meter per IEC 61672-1
• Calibrated before and after each measurement session per IEC 60942

Measurement Conditions

• Room unoccupied
• All building services (HVAC, lighting, lifts, hydraulic systems) operating at normal condition
• Windows and doors closed
• External noise intrusion should be noted and, if significant, measured separately

Measurement Period

• LAeq measured over a representative period — typically 5–15 minutes per position
• If the noise is steady-state (HVAC), a 5-minute measurement is sufficient
• If the noise is intermittent (lift motors, hydraulic pumps), the measurement period should capture at least three complete cycles

Microphone Positions

• At ear height for the typical occupant: 1.2 m (seated) or 1.5 m (standing)
• At least 1 m from any reflecting surface
• At least 1.5 m from the noise source (if identifiable)
• Minimum 3 positions per room, with the average reported

Reporting

• Report LAeq overall and octave-band levels (63 Hz to 8 kHz)
• Plot against NR curves to identify the NR rating
• Note any tonal or impulsive characteristics (these warrant a 5 dB penalty per AS/NZS 2107 Section 4.3)

Worked Example: 100 m² Australian Office Fitout — Sydney

Project Description

A tenant fitout on Level 8 of a commercial office building in Sydney. The tenancy area is 100 m² and includes:

• 2 private offices (10 m² each, 2.7 m ceiling height = 27 m³ each)
• 1 meeting room (15 m², 2.7 m ceiling height = 40.5 m³)
• 1 open plan area (55 m², 2.7 m ceiling height = 148.5 m³)
• 1 kitchenette (10 m², 2.7 m ceiling height = 27 m³)

Step 1: Identify Targets

Step 2: Assess Base Building Performance

The base building system delivers 42 dBA to the open plan area. This meets the 'maximum acceptable' level (45 dBA) but not the 'recommended' level (40 dBA). The open plan area needs a 2 dB noise reduction.

For the enclosed rooms (private offices and meeting room), the VAV system's final branches will be shorter (less duct between the VAV box and the room), potentially resulting in higher noise levels. Measurement of the nearest existing VAV box shows Lw = 45 dBA re 10⁻¹² W (overall) at design flow.

Step 3: Calculate Room Noise Levels

Private office (27 m³):

Using the room correction per AS/NZS 2107 Appendix C:

Room constant R = A / (1 − ᾱ)

For a 27 m³ room with carpet tile floor, acoustic ceiling (NRC 0.70), and plasterboard walls:

• Total surface area: 62.4 m²
• Average absorption coefficient ᾱ ≈ 0.25 (weighted by surface areas)
• Total absorption A ≈ 15.6 m² Sabine
• Room constant R = 15.6 / (1 − 0.25) = 20.8 m²

Lp = Lw − 10 log₁₀(4πr² + 4R) + 10 log₁₀(1 + S/4πr²)

Simplified: Lp ≈ Lw − 10 log₁₀(R) − 6 = 45 − 13.2 − 6 = 25.8 dBA

Wait — this seems low. The discrepancy is because the VAV box Lw is measured at the box outlet, but there is additional duct-borne noise from the fan and duct breakout noise. A more realistic estimate including all paths:

The private office achieves 34 dBA — meeting the 'recommended' target of 35 dBA.

Meeting room (40.5 m³):

Similar calculation, with two supply diffusers and a slightly larger room:

This exceeds the 'recommended' target of 35 dBA by 1.5 dB. Remedial measure: install a 600 mm rectangular duct silencer (mineral wool lined, 25 mm thick linings) in the branch duct feeding the meeting room. This provides approximately 8 dB insertion loss at 500–2000 Hz.

Revised meeting room noise: 30 dBA — comfortably below the 35 dBA target.

Step 4: RT60 Verification

Meeting room RT60 (for Green Star Point 3):

A = 0.161 × V / T_target = 0.161 × 40.5 / 0.6 = 10.9 m² Sabine required

RT60 = 0.161 × 40.5 / 17.4 = 0.37 s — meets the 0.6 s target with substantial margin.

Step 5: Cost Summary

For a 100 m² office fitout with a total budget of approximately AUD 180,000, the acoustic investment represents 2.0% of the fitout cost — a modest premium for compliance with AS/NZS 2107 'recommended' levels and Green Star IEQ-4 eligibility.

AS/NZS 2107 vs International Equivalents

AS/NZS 2107 is the most comprehensive room-type standard in the comparison, with over 40 room types compared to 25–30 for the UK and US equivalents. Its two-tier target system (recommended / maximum) provides useful flexibility for designers — the 'recommended' level can be used for premium fitouts and Green Star targets, while the 'maximum acceptable' level provides a pragmatic minimum for cost-constrained projects.

Key Takeaways

AS/NZS 2107:2016 is the foundation document for acoustic design in Australia and New Zealand. Its comprehensive room-type tables, two-tier target system, and clear measurement methodology make it one of the most practical acoustic design standards in use globally.

For practitioners, the key is to identify the appropriate noise level target early in the design process — 'recommended' or 'maximum acceptable' — and to communicate this to the MEP engineer before duct sizing and equipment selection are finalised. Achieving the 'recommended' level typically requires 5 dB lower HVAC noise, which is straightforward to achieve in new buildings but may require duct silencers, larger ductwork, or lower diffuser velocities in retrofit and fitout projects.

Related reading: Green Star IEQ-4 acoustic comfort guide | NABERS IEQ acoustic performance guide | Noise criteria curves explained

Verify your design against AS/NZS 2107: Use the AcousPlan calculator to predict RT60 and check noise levels for Australian building projects.