Bill > H0862

This bill mandates that the Division of Fire Safety update the Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code by July 1, 2027, to establish minimum standards for controlling indoor sound and reverberation in nonresidential public buildings. Specifically, the updated code will require rooms and spaces, excluding dwelling units and utility rooms, to have ceilings made of sound-absorbing materials with a noise reduction coefficient of at least 0.75, covering at least 50 percent of the "available ceiling area" – meaning any visible ceiling surface not occupied by structural elements like beams, skylights, or ductwork. The amendments may also include requirements for limiting sound transmission through walls and from impacts through floor-ceiling assemblies, with the overall act taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Justice

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.862