UNI 11367: the acoustic class of dwellings
Summary
TAV. 00The standard that classifies the acoustic quality of a dwelling into four classes (I to IV), combining insulation between units, facade, impact and systems noise. It is voluntary and adds to the binding minimum requirements of D.P.C.M. 5/12/1997, certifying a graded quality verified on the finished building. Protected technical standard: its logic is described.
Scope of application
TAV. 01It applies to the voluntary acoustic classification of residential and similar dwellings. It is read together with D.P.C.M. 5/12/1997 (binding minimum requirements) and Law 447/1995 (framework): the class is an additional quality, verified by measurements on the finished building.
How this standard works
TAV. CIt defines a method to classify the acoustic quality of a dwelling into four classes (from I, the best, to IV), based on a few measured or calculated descriptors — airborne sound insulation between units, facade insulation, impact sound, systems noise — combined into an overall class. It is voluntary and adds to the legal minimum requirements: it certifies a graded quality, not just compliance.
A class for silence
As with energy, noise too has a class. UNI 11367 defines the acoustic class of a dwelling, from I (the best) to IV, assessing how well the home is protected from sound. It is a voluntary tool, but increasingly demanded by the market: it turns acoustic comfort, usually invisible, into a label.
What is assessed
The class arises from combining a few aspects of sound insulation: between different units (airborne noise), from outside (facade), from footsteps and impacts (impact noise), and from systems (continuous or intermittent operation). None prevails: a good facade does not offset a noisy floor.
Voluntary, but above the legal minimum (the hard case)
Here is the point not to confuse. D.P.C.M. 5/12/1997 sets the binding minimum acoustic requirements: the floor below which you cannot go. UNI 11367 is voluntary and classifies quality above that minimum. A home may comply with the law yet fall in a modest class: 'compliant' and 'class I' are not synonyms.
Verified on the finished building
The class is not certified on paper alone: it is verified by measurements on the finished building. It is the moment of truth, because between the acoustic design and the site hides the workmanship: a poorly executed detail — a joint, a service penetration — can drop the class. Acoustic quality is, more than others, a matter of execution.
Why it matters
UNI 11367 gives acoustic comfort a language: it makes it declarable, comparable, marketable. For premium architecture it is the proof that silence was not left to chance but designed and measured — a value perceived every day, which the market is beginning to reward.
Key points
TAV. K- It classifies a dwelling's acoustic quality in four classes, from I (best) to IV (protected standard).
- It combines several descriptors: insulation between units, facade, impact and systems noise; none prevails.
- It is voluntary and sits above the binding minimum requirements of D.P.C.M. 5/12/1997.
- 'Legally compliant' and 'class I' are not the same: the class is an additional graded quality.
- The class is verified by measurements on the finished building: execution counts, not just design.
Materials concerned
TAV. MFrequently asked questions
TAV. QWhat is the acoustic class of a dwelling?
An acoustic-quality rating (from I, the best, to IV) defined by UNI 11367, combining insulation between units, facade, impact and systems noise.
Is acoustic classification mandatory?
No, it is voluntary; what is mandatory are the minimum acoustic requirements of D.P.C.M. 5/12/1997. The class certifies a higher, graded quality.
Is a 'compliant' home in class I?
Not necessarily: compliance with the legal minimum does not coincide with the best class. One can be compliant and in an intermediate class.
How is the class determined?
By combining the dwelling's acoustic descriptors, verified by measurements on the finished building.
Why is workmanship so important?
Because a poorly executed detail (a joint, a service penetration) can lower the class: acoustics depends greatly on execution.
Glossary
TAV. G- Classe acustica
- Level of acoustic quality of a dwelling, from I (best) to IV.
- Isolamento ai rumori aerei
- Ability of a partition to reduce the passage of airborne sound (voices, TV).
- Rumore da calpestio
- Noise transmitted through the structure by footsteps and impacts on the floor.
- Rumore degli impianti
- Sound produced by the building's systems (plumbing, lifts, ventilation).
- Verifica in opera
- Measurement of acoustic performance on the finished building, not only in design.