How We Monitor Performance
RDL employs a team of acoustic consultants (The Inspectorate) to carry out this programme and the results of the activities are monitored on a national basis, facilitating the identification of trends and issues related to sound insulation that cannot be matched by any other organisation in the industry.
Housebuilders who register the use of RDs in their developments are advised, through RDL's Terms and Conditions, that their sites may be selected for Performance Monitoring visits.
Each test or inspection is awarded a green, amber or red grade - the latter two indicating varying degrees of non-compliance with RD specifications. A written report of each site visit is returned to RDL. In practice, the majority of inspections and/or tests result in a green status. Please click on the pie chart above if you would like more information on the results of the performance monitoring carried out so far.
Occasionally, a surveillance test result may fall below the RD performance standards, but still meet the minimum requirements of the Building Regulations. These are known as amber test results, and RDL carries out an investigation to identify the reason (s). So far, all such instances were caused by failure to build in accordance with the relevant RD specification. In other words, all properly built RDs tested in service so far have met RD and Building Regulation performance standards.
Where either a visual inspection reveals noncompliance with RD requirements, or a sound test results in lower than expected performance, RDL informs the builder concerned, explaining the consequences and offering advice where appropriate.
In the case of a red grade (where the test result reveals sound insulation fails to meet the minimum standard required by the Building Regulations), the Building Control Body (BCB) is also notified. The builder is advised to contact the relevant BCB in order that the issue can be suitably resolved, which may include pre-completion sound testing (PCT).
So far, RDL has received excellent co-operation from builders in conducting inspection and testing. This has already enabled RDL to identify and resolve a few national issues which otherwise might only have been resolved locally. It is therefore hoped, which is supported by experience to date, that housebuilders will willingly co-operate in the Performance Monitoring process.
