Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

AAMA Releases Updated Sound Control Document

  • 03/05/15

Schaumburg, Ill. — The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has updated a document specific to sound control for fenestration products. AAMA TIR-A1 provides detailed technical information for the reduction of sound transmission through building envelopes in terms of the design and construction of both commercial and residential buildings. Some new definitions were added to this document, which was last updated in 2004.

Newly-defined terms include “Apparent Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class” and “Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class,” as well as “Sound Transmission Class.” The document was prepared for those who require information on how sound is transmitted and measured, and how its transmission can be controlled. It is intended to serve as a guide for anyone from window designers working with architects to sales teams trying to meet customers’ needs regarding sound control.

One of the significant updates to the document is the clarification and differentiation between the two methods of fenestration product classification: Sound Transmission Class (STC) and Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class (OITC), as well as the clear definition of their appropriate application.

“The document provides a helpful resource for fenestration designers, architects and consultants who want to enhance their understanding of sound control related to windows and doors,” says Scott Warner (Architectural Testing), Chair of the AAMA Methods of Test Committee. “This highly technical topic is presented in laymen’s terms such that building owners and sales staff will be able to understand and describe the important differences between OITC and STC as well as interior and transportation noise abatement.”

AAMA TIR-A1, along with other AAMA documents, is available from AAMA’s Publication Store. - www.aamanet.org

Featured

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.