Although the dominant part of the envelope of the house are the walls, the glazing of the windows determines the comfort of living very significantly. Its appropriate choice is crucial especially for acoustic comfort. In the segment of acoustically insulating glazing, HELUZ IZOS presents one of the widest offers.

Verified database of acoustic properties
The sound insulation level of insulating glass can be obtained either from generic data from technical standards or by calculation. The disadvantage of this determination is the greater dispersion of the values or their lower accuracy. The second option is to choose a more demanding but more accurate method, namely the physical measurement of acoustic parameters on a test sample of insulating glass. This method is preferred by HELUZ IZOS. This enables it to work with a database of highly accurate sound insulation results for different insulating glass compositions. The database includes insulating glass units ranging from basic double and triple glazing units with an airtightness starting at 31 dB to highly acoustically efficient insulating glass units with an airtightness of 45 dB. The measurement database is continuously expanding so that HELUZ IZOS can offer window manufacturers, designers and building contractors a quality basis for addressing different types of requirements. A comprehensive range of acoustic insulating glass has been certified by ITC.

Perception of noise pollution 
We perceive noise pollution from the external environment almost everywhere. In cities, we are mainly confronted with traffic noise. In quieter areas, we may encounter random noise from various activities such as gardening or animal noise. Homes located along a less busy road may also be affected by short-term increases in traffic in the morning or afternoon or the random passage of a heavy car. In this case, although the noise is not permanent, the impact noise is all the more annoying. In addition, even low noise levels over a long period of time can lead to damage to health. "We are talking about values of around 55 dB or more. For example, if we want to have an undisturbed conversation with a speech level of around 50 dB, the maximum ambient sound pressure should be 35 dB. Therefore, noise from the outside environment should also be properly isolated. If we want to have a good rest, the value in the interior of the building should be a maximum of up to 40 dB and even as low as 30 dB during sleep. For more sensitive individuals, it can be even lower," explains Ing. Pavel Heinrich, expert consultant at HELUZ IZOS. 

Assessing acoustic comfort in buildings is an important aspect of building design. As noise has demonstrably negative effects on people's health, statutory regulation is in place to limit it.The basis for this is the Public Health Protection Act No. 258/2000 Coll. and Government Regulation No. 272/2011 Coll. The regulations set limits for protection against adverse health effects of noise, establish permissible limits according to the type of protected area, and also specify how measurement is used to demonstrate compliance with these requirements. For the design of the building envelope, the binding standard ČSN 73 0532 must be respected, which sets out the requirements for the sound insulation of the building envelope (i.e. including windows) according to the noise load. When permitting buildings, it is necessary to submit documents for the binding opinion of the Regional Hygiene Station. It is therefore also important to design the building envelope correctly so that the building is designed comprehensively with an emphasis on noise elimination. 

Individual solutions to your needs 
As a general rule, the sound insulation of a building envelope is determined by the weakest element, which is usually the window, as walls usually have significantly better sound insulation. Furthermore, the larger the window, the greater the demands placed on its sound insulation. For a given ratio of window to solid wall of the building envelope, the sound insulation level of the window corresponds to the sound insulation or glazing properties of the window. Therefore, the selection of the correct insulating glass for each window in the house is very important. "The question is whether we only want to meet the legislative minimum or whether we want to indulge in greater acoustic comfort. If we choose an unsuitable insulating glass for windows, this mistake is very difficult or expensive to remedy. In practice, this can mean replacing glazing or entire windows," adds Pavel Heinrich. 
To give you an idea, the airtightness (Rw) of masonry envelope constructions is usually between 45 and 50 dB, for example HELUZ UNI brickwork has an Rw value of 49 dB. 
The development of HELUZ IZOS products has resulted in a wide portfolio of soundproof glazing. For example, the IZOS Shadow Acoustic triple glazing with 8, 4 and 4 mm glass panes meets the 40 dB soundproofing requirement, while at the same time showing an excellent heat transfer coefficient value of Ug = 0.5 W/m2K. The use of 8 mm, 6 mm glass sheets and VSG 44.2 safety glass ensures that IZOS Shadow Protect Acoustic has an airtightness of up to 45 dB, which is 1 to 4 dB better than competing products. The specific solution is always based on the individual needs and requirements of the client, who with HELUZ IZOS gets a unique insulating glazing combining several advantages in one. 

What noise we find in our neighborhood:
Light rain: noise from light rain usually reaches levels of around 30-40 dB. This sound can be soothing rather than disturbing.
Wind turbine: Noise from a wind turbine usually ranges from 45-55 dB at a distance of 400 metres. The noise decreases with increasing distance.
Pedestrian zone: Pedestrian zones are usually less noisy, noise can range from 50-60 dB, but can be louder if there are crowds or street performances.
Dog Barking: Noise from a barking dog can reach 60-90 dB depending on the size and proximity of the dog.
Streetcar: Noise from a streetcar can reach 70-90 dB depending on the type of streetcar, condition of the tracks, and speed of travel.
Noisy street: Noise on very busy roads can range from 70-85 dB, depending on traffic density and vehicle speed.
Nursery (playground): Noise from playgrounds or nurseries can reach 70-80 dB during children's active play.
Bus: Noise from a bus can be in the range of 80-90 dB up close, especially when starting or stopping.
Lawnmower: Noise from a lawn mower typically ranges from 80-100 dB up close.
Truck: Noise from trucks can exceed 85 dB, especially when accelerating or loading and unloading.
Loud Music: Depends on the type and settings of the sound equipment, but levels can easily exceed 85-100 dB at concerts or clubs.
Airport: Airport noise, including aircraft taking off and landing, can range from 80-110 dB depending on aircraft type and distance.
Fireworks: noise from fireworks can easily reach 140-160 dB in very brief peaks during explosions, which is loud enough to cause immediate hearing damage if you are too close. More distant observers will experience lower noise levels, but these can still be very loud events.
It is important to note that exposure to noise levels above 85 dB for long periods of time can lead to hearing damage. Values are approximate and may vary depending on many factors.