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NC-v4 EQc9:Acoustic performance

Determining STC ratings for ceiling products

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Adam Stoker
Consultant, Sustainability
University of Calgary
LEEDuser Basic Member
2 thumbs up

The LEED v4 acoustics credit addresses sound isolation purely through composite STC ratings. In my research, I have struggled to find STC ratings for ceiling products. Ceiling product manufacturers typically publish acoustic performance information in the form of CAC ratings. Is there a method to convert CAC ratings to STC ratings? What are other projects doing to address the sound isolation requirements associated with vertical adjacencies?

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Daniel Hicks
Daniel Hicks, E.I., INCE
Geiler & Associates
LEEDuser Basic Member
175 thumbs up

Thu, 10/20/2016 - 19:38

The 'base' STC rating of a ceiling or floor/ceiling assembly will be provided by the structure of the assembly and that is where I would start to look in order to determine STC ratings. Ceiling tiles, gypsum, etc. will add to the base STC rating provided by the structure. They don't provide the STC rating by themselves and the amount that they contribute to the rating depends greatly on how they are attached and work with the structure of the assembly. CAC ratings are only for open ceiling plenum situations where dividing walls do not seal to structure above the ceiling and you have ACT ceilings on both sides of the dividing wall. The CAC rating is analogous to the maximum STC rating that a wall will provide if the top of the wall is open and both sides of the wall use the CAC rated tile.

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