## PREPARATION OF CRITERIA SUITABLE FOR UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN NORWEGIAN SOUND QUALITY CLASSIFICATION STANDARD NS 8175

Iiris Turunen-Rindel

Standards Norway

P.O. Box 242, 1326 Oslo, Norway

itr@standard.no

Norwegian standard for sound classification of buildings, NS 8175, is closely connected to technical regulations for buildings. Latest edition was published in 2008. The standard contains noise and sound insulation criteria for indoor conditions in buildings, and for outdoor noise nearby buildings and at outdoor areas around the building. There are four sound quality classes.

Present focus in technical regulations and laws in Norway is on universal design and accessibility for all in public and work buildings. The suitability of the present limit values and relevant types of criteria for hearing and sight disabled people are reconsidered in NS 8175.

The classification today concerns dwellings, hospitals, schools, kindergartens, offices, work places and similar. Updates have been made for open plan teaching environments and open plan offices. Other types of buildings that do not have specified criteria in the present standard, e.g. cultural buildings, museums, lobbies, assembly halls etc., are evaluated concerning accessibility to all. A questionnaire study is planned in order to survey these other types of buildings, spaces and rooms that are problematic for hearing and sight disabled. Types of problems in these spaces are to be registered and used for evaluation the criteria that are relevant to give in NS 8175.