The School Insulation Scheme (SIS) provides noise insulation solutions for schools and registered pre-schools (here after referred to as schools) within the designated noise contour. The scheme aims to ensure that noise levels inside classrooms and school buildings do not exceed 45dB LAeq over an 8-hour school day.
What schools are eligible?
Condition 6 of the North Runway Planning Permission provides for the voluntary noise insulation of schools:
Condition 6:
“Prior to commencement of development, a scheme for the voluntary noise insulation of schools shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the planning authority (in consultation with the Department of Education and Science). The scheme shall include all schools and registered pre-schools predicted to fall within the contour of 60 dB LAeq 16 hours within twelve months of the planned opening of the runway to use...”
All eligible schools and pre-schools have been contacted about the scheme.
Upgrades and Measures Delivered
Dublin Airport is responsible for delivering the SIS. Expert acousticians carefully assess the existing fabric of a building and determine the specific needs of each classroom with the aim of enhancing its sound performance. Insulation measures delivered may include:
- Acoustic ventilation may be offered to ensure adequate background ventilation is provided while also ensuring a good degree of noise insulation.
- Acoustic windows may be offered to replace existing windows, or secondary glazing will be provided where the existing windows are not providing adequate sound insulation.
- Chimney caps and dampers may be offered where necessary.
- Additional attic and roof insulation may be offered where necessary. Typically, this will involve the addition of insulation in the attic and/or the additional of extra mass layers into the overall construction.
All eligible schools have been contacted. If you'd like to check a schools eligibility, you can do so by clicking the button below.
Progress and Review
Since Dublin Airport initiated the Scheme in 2017, we have offered insulation to 25% more schools than we are conditioned to do under the Condition 6 of North Runway’s planning permission.
| Total number of schools offered insulation | 5 |
| Total number insulated to date (September 2024) | 3 |
The Scheme is subject to review every two years. The latest review was completed in 2024 based on 2023 summer operations at the airport. The next review will take place in 2026.
Frequently asked questions:
Noise contours are lines on a map that represent equal noise levels. These contours form a series of closed curves, with each curve enclosing areas exposed to the same levels of aircraft noise. As expected, noise levels tend to be higher closer to the source and lower further away. This is also true at airports, where aircraft generate more noise when closer to the ground, while noise decreases as they ascend and move further from the runways.
Noise contours are a key tool in assessing the impact of airport noise on surrounding communities. They allow comparisons of noise exposure in different areas around an airport and between airports. Many noise mitigation measures, such as noise insulation programmes, are based on noise contours to define a fair and consistent eligibility threshold.
Noise contours are calculated using computer models that take into account all aircraft activity at an airport, including details such as:
- Data from Noise Monitoring Terminals
For more information on Noise Contours, please click here.
Conditions 6 and 10 of the North Runway Planning Permission require a review of the noise insulation schemes every two years. This biennial review involves a progress report on the scheme and a reassessment of the scheme’s boundary. The original boundary was based on forecasted noise contours (before the North Runway became operational). The review now takes into account actual operations and noise levels with the runway in use.
Data from the Noise and Flight Track Monitoring system is used to validate the noise contour modelling and inform decisions about mitigation measures.
The review may lead to an expansion or contraction of noise contours, which can affect eligibility for the noise insulation scheme. If the contours expand, newly eligible schools will be invited to participate in the scheme.
The latest review took place in August 2024 and incorporated the operational noise contours for the summer of 2023.
