Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, said on the 29th that it has established "guidelines for reducing outdoor unit noise for noise-free multifamily dwellings."
Accordingly, newly filed applications for approvals of dwelling construction project plans will be subject to the guidelines. Yongin also plans to recommend that the guidelines be reflected at sites under construction.
The guidelines were prepared to resolve residents' discomfort caused by noise and vibration from air-conditioning exhaust devices (outdoor units) at ancillary and welfare facilities within multifamily dwellings.
Although current law regulates outdoor units for air-conditioning equipment within individual households, there are no installation or shielding standards for shared outdoor units at common ancillary facilities within complexes. As a result, residents of local multifamily dwellings have faced difficulties with after-the-fact measures over noise and impaired aesthetics.
There have also been opinions that an institutional mechanism is needed to resolve problems from noise and vibration, especially for lower-floor households, as outdoor units have recently been installed in clusters around ancillary facilities such as community facilities and outdoor spaces within multifamily dwelling complexes.
In response, Yongin decided to prepare guidelines that can be applied from the planning and design stages of dwelling construction projects. The goal is to proactively block noise and vibration damage from outdoor units.
According to the guidelines, when installing outdoor units outside, installation near residential buildings is completely prohibited, and the discharge direction of the outdoor unit's exhaust noise must be arranged so it does not face the fronts of dwelling units. In addition, facilities that can reduce noise and vibration—such as soundproof panels, noise reducers, sound-absorbing materials, and anti-vibration pads—must be installed.
Yongin will attach conditions during approvals of dwelling construction project plans and during the Architecture Committee's deliberations, including whether the placement of outdoor units has been designated and noise-reduction measures reflected. At the groundbreaking stage for multifamily dwellings, the city will review the outdoor unit noise-reduction plan and the design of shielding facilities, and at the use inspection stage it will confirm whether noise standards are met. Multifamily dwellings that fall short of the standards must establish additional measures.
Yongin plans to officially incorporate the guidelines into multifamily dwelling complex planning in May.
A Yongin official said, "We expect to resolve noise and aesthetics issues from outdoor units, which have been viewed as unwanted facilities, and to reduce social expense from after-the-fact measures," adding, "We will work to create a pleasant residential environment that satisfies residents."