This article identifies some of the most common reasons that documentation for feature S01.1 - Sound Mapping - is marked as pending in preliminary documentation review (WELL Certification) or round 1 (WELL at scale) reviews. This guidance does not include all possible reasons for a pending status, but provides information and context based on common review issues.
Sample documentation is available for this feature part–be sure to reference this resource as you prepare your documentation.
Meet documentation format requirements
This feature requires a technical document (i.e., an architectural drawing) rather than a narrative. Be sure to provide an annotated drawing that clearly labels all applicable zones.
Label acoustic zones
Section a of this feature requires you to provide a floor plan that identifies the following zone types throughout your entire project boundary:
- Loud zones
- Quiet zones
- Circulation zones
- Mixed zones
- Not applicable zones
You must label all spaces within your project boundary. The sample documentation for this feature includes an example properly labeled acoustic zones.
Demonstrate complete project coverage
The floor plans or design documents you provide with the acoustic zones labeled must represent the entire project. Be sure to include and label all spaces within the project boundary in the floor plan you submit.
Provide a sound transmission mitigation plan
The most frequent reason that this feature is marked as pending is that the project team does not provide a sound transmission mitigation plan. Section b of this feature requires you to provide a plan for reprogramming or mitigating the transmission of sound between quiet zones and loud zones, if there are any quiet zones bordering loud zones present in your project. If there are no quiet zones bordering loud zones in your project, you must still submit a document explaining that no such spaces exist.
Your team should use the results of the sound mapping exercise completed in section a of this feature to inform your mitigation plan and reduce sound transmission between loud zones that border quiet zones. The plan you provide must include specific measures your team has taken to reduce sound transmission.
You can find an example of a mitigation plan in the sample documentation for this feature part.
Make acoustic zone information available to occupants
For projects using addenda Q1-Q3 2023 or older, be sure to include a description within your technical document of how occupants can access the floor plan showing acoustic zones throughout the project. Alternatively, you may choose to use a newer addenda version for this feature that does not require that the document is available to occupants.