AS 2107 Australia: Recommended Design Sound Levels — Complete Reference

AS/NZS 2107:2016 (Acoustics — Recommended design sound levels and reverberation times for building interiors) is the primary Australian and New Zealand reference standard for specifying acceptable acoustic environments in virtually every type of building. While the National Construction Code (NCC) and state planning legislation address structural sound insulation between building elements, AS 2107 addresses the quality of the acoustic environment within spaces — the background noise levels that occupants experience from external sources and mechanical services combined.

The standard covers offices, healthcare facilities, residential buildings, schools, entertainment venues, hotels, court buildings, religious buildings, and industrial workplaces — essentially every building category that acoustic consultants encounter. Each space type has a tabulated recommended maximum LAeq level for both daytime and night-time conditions.

Understanding AS 2107 is non-negotiable for Australian acoustic practice. Every noise impact assessment, mechanical services specification, and acoustic consultant's report in Australia references it. This guide covers the complete requirements table, explains the measurement basis, and explains how the standard integrates with NCC 2022 and state planning frameworks.

Background: Structure and Scope

Publication History

The original AS 2107 was published in 1977, with subsequent revisions in 1987, 2000, and most recently 2016. The 2016 edition is the current version and was developed jointly with Standards New Zealand to produce a common framework for both countries. It supersedes AS/NZS 2107:2000 and incorporates updated guidance on reverberation time targets for speech-critical spaces that align with ISO 3382-2.

What the Standard Does and Does Not Cover

AS 2107 specifies recommended maximum background noise levels — the LAeq level in a space from all sources combined (external environmental noise transmitted through the building envelope, plus mechanical services noise from HVAC, lifts, and hydraulic systems). It does not:

• Set requirements for sound insulation between building elements (covered by NCC Section F and AS/NZS 1276)
• Specify measurement procedures for external noise (covered by AS 1055 for environmental noise)
• Set noise emission limits for mechanical equipment (covered by manufacturers' specifications and project noise limits)
• Address noise from sources inside the tenancy (music, occupants, equipment) except in the context of those sources being external to the assessed space

Recommended Design Sound Levels: Complete Table

Residential Buildings

Office Buildings

Educational Facilities

Healthcare Facilities

Hospitality and Hotels

Performing Arts and Entertainment

Religious Buildings

Sports and Recreation

Industrial and Workplace (Non-Office)

Reverberation Time Recommendations

In addition to background noise levels, AS 2107:2016 includes recommendations for reverberation time (T20 or T30 at mid frequencies) for major space types. These align with ISO 3382-2 and ANSI S12.60 targets:

Measurement Basis: LAeq and Assessment Periods

LAeq Definition

AS 2107 specifies its recommended levels as LAeq — the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level over a defined measurement period. LAeq is an energy average: it represents the level of a steady sound that would contain the same total A-weighted acoustic energy as the time-varying measured sound over the assessment period.

LAeq is more appropriate than Lmax for assessing background noise levels because it:

• Accounts for the cumulative exposure rather than just peak events
• Smooths out intermittent sound events (HVAC cycling, external vehicles)
• Is directly related to the physiological and psychological impact metrics used in health research

Assessment Periods

AS 2107 recommends assessment over periods that are representative of the typical occupancy conditions:

• Daytime: 07:00–22:00, or as specified by the applicable planning framework
• Night-time (sleeping): 22:00–07:00, or as specified

For external noise assessment, the measurement period should capture the worst-case noise conditions: typically the peak traffic hour for road noise, peak arrival/departure periods for aircraft, or the highest-noise shift for industrial sources.

Relationship to NCC 2022 Section F

The National Construction Code 2022 (NCC, the Australian building code) addresses acoustic performance in Section F:

NCC F5.1 (Sound insulation of floors in Class 2 and 3 buildings) requires a minimum Dw (weighted level difference) ≥ 50 between dwellings and from carparks, and L'n,w ≤ 62 for impact sound. These are laboratory values (AIIC and ASTC — the Australian equivalents of IIC and STC).

NCC F5.2 references AS 2107 for acceptable internal noise levels in Class 2 (multi-residential apartment), Class 3 (residential care), Class 5 (office), and Class 9 (public) buildings. The compliance pathway for HVAC noise specifically cites AS 2107 as the benchmark for acceptable mechanical services noise.

The critical integration point is this: NCC Section F sets the sound insulation requirements between building elements (structural), while AS 2107 sets the acoustic environment quality targets. A building can pass NCC Section F (adequate party wall insulation) but still fail AS 2107 (excessive HVAC noise in bedrooms). Both must be addressed for a fully compliant acoustic design.

State Planning Frameworks and AS 2107

New South Wales

NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure guidelines for development applications near noise sources (industrial, road, rail) specify that residential development must demonstrate compliance with the NSW Road Noise Policy, NSW Rail Noise Policy, and the NSW Industrial Noise Policy. These policies set criteria expressed as LAeq levels that align with AS 2107 residential targets at facades and internally, with specific facade insulation requirements derived from the difference between external noise levels and internal targets.

The NSW SEPP 55 (Remediation of Land) and Infrastructure SEPP also reference acoustic criteria for sensitive receivers (hospitals, schools, residences) that are directly informed by AS 2107.

Victoria

The Victorian Planning Provisions reference State Environment Protection Policy SEPP N-1 (Control of Noise from Industry) and SEPP N-2 (Control of Motor Car Noise). Development permits for sensitive uses near noise sources require acoustic reports demonstrating compliance with AS 2107 internal noise level recommendations at the bedrooms of the proposed development.

Queensland

The Queensland Acoustic Assessment Code and the Acoustic Planning Policy (APP 2020) reference AS 2107 as the design criteria for internal noise levels in development applications for sensitive land uses (residential, schools, hospitals, hotels) within defined Noise Affected Areas around major roads, rail corridors, and airports.

Western Australia

State Planning Policy 5.4 (Road and Rail Transport Noise) specifies internal noise criteria for sleeping areas and living areas that directly reference AS 2107 target levels (35 dBA night, 40 dBA day for bedrooms).

Comparison with Other National Standards

The AS 2107 bedroom target of 35 dBA aligns with the UK BS 8233 "acceptable" target (the UK standard separately defines an "ideal" of 30 dBA for bedrooms in quiet locations) and matches ASHRAE 189.1. Australian and international professional practice is broadly consistent for bedroom noise levels, though the UK and Scandinavian countries apply stricter "ideal" targets for premium residential.

Practical Implications: Achieving AS 2107 in Australian Projects

New Residential Apartments Near Major Roads

A typical inner-city Sydney apartment building on a road carrying LAeq > 65 dBA requires:

• Double glazing (minimum 6/12/6 configuration) in bedrooms: achieves approximately 32–35 dB Rw
• Mechanically ventilated rooms (acoustic supply air intake with silencer) because opening windows would admit unacceptable noise
• Facade wall construction achieving DnT,A ≥ 30–35 dB to bring the external 65 dBA down to the internal target of 35 dBA

Office Buildings with Mechanical Plant

Achieving NC-35 (approximately LAeq 40 dBA) in conference rooms requires careful specification of:

• Low-velocity air distribution systems (duct velocity ≤ 3 m/s in occupied spaces)
• Variable air volume (VAV) terminals with acoustic lining
• Flexible duct connections at terminal units to prevent structure-borne noise breakout
• Fan selection for low radiated noise at design airflow

Healthcare Projects with MRI Equipment

MRI suites generate both acoustic noise (gradient coil vibration, 60–100 dBA within the scan room) and radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. The acoustic design requirement for adjacent spaces (patient rooms, consultation areas) must address both the low-frequency vibration transmission from MRI gradient operation and the AS 2107 background noise targets in those adjacent spaces.

Integration with AcousPlan

AcousPlan's Room Acoustic Simulator includes AS/NZS 2107:2016 compliance checking as a selectable target standard. The results view displays measured or calculated LAeq against the AS 2107 recommended design levels for the selected space type, flagging whether the space meets the standard level, exceeds it, or falls below it. Australian building type categories from the NCC are used to map project context to the relevant AS 2107 table rows.

All calculations are advisory. Compliance with AS 2107 for development applications requires acoustic reports prepared by a qualified acoustic consultant under AIRAH, IOA, or equivalent professional framework.