The Ministry of Education has developed the Designing Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand (DSNZ) standards to guide school boards in designing and planning works within their schools. These standards are mandatory for new builds and should be followed as closely as possible for maintenance and refurbishment projects.
In addition, the Ministry provides technical guidelines through the Designing Quality Learning Spaces (DQLS) series. These guidelines focus on three key internal environmental quality factors: acoustics, lighting and visual comfort, and indoor air quality and thermal comfort.
The DQLS requirements apply to all new projects, including modular buildings, as well as upgrades of existing school buildings. Designers need to make sure that new learning spaces comply fully with these requirements, and upgrades should meet them as closely as practicable.
Compliance with DSNZ and DQLS requirements is mandatory for all construction and refurbishment projects tendered through the Ministry.
General Requirements
The Ministry does not impose strict rules on the types of flooring schools may use, allowing school boards to choose what best suits different areas of their schools. However, flooring that are durable, proven in performance, and available on an ongoing basis are preferred to reduce long-term costs and ensure supply.
When soft flooring is specified, it must be carpet tiles that meet the following requirements:
- Heavy-duty commercial grade
- Low volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions
- Long-standing style and pattern
- Good colour fastness and fade resistance
Where soft flooring is unsuitable, resilient flooring must be used. Homogeneous sheet vinyl is the preferred option and must meet these requirements:
- Commercial grade with appropriate usage rating for the space
- Low VOC emissions
- Welded seams
- Coved upstand with a trim detail to the top in areas where frequent mopping is expected
Acoustic Requirements
Effective acoustic design enhances students’ learning by creating an environment that supports clear communication and concentration. In multi-storey school buildings, suspended floors are required to comply with the minimum sound insulation standards specified by the DQLS.
Suspended floors in spaces with high noise levels like music rooms and in spaces with hard floor coverings like technology rooms and laboratories must achieve a minimum Impact Insulation Class (IIC) rating of 55 dB.
For suspended floors in all other areas, the minimum IIC requirement is 50 dB.
When the floor slab and suspended ceiling designs outlined in the DQLS are used, all flooring and any acoustic underlay must provide a minimum impact sound reduction (ΔLw) of 15 dB. Alternative floor slab and suspended floor systems may be accepted provided an acoustic engineer verifies that they meet minimum IIC requirements.
The ΔLw values for selected Belgotex flooring products can be found in the Technical Specifications or on the website.
Visual Requirements
Research shows that well-designed lighting and visual environments in schools can improve attendance, enhance learning outcomes, and reduce energy consumption by lowering the need for artificial lighting. One effective approach is to use interior surfaces with sufficient brightness.
To support this, flooring should have a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of at least 20 to ensure adequate brightness, with a recommended maximum of 40 to make scuff marks less visible and cleaning and maintenance easier.
LRVs for selected Belgotex New Zealand flooring designs are available on the website.
Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Maintaining high indoor air quality is important for children’s health and wellbeing as they are more vulnerable than adults to environmental pollutants such as particulate matter and VOCs. One strategy for ensuring high indoor air quality is through the use of low VOC building materials.
Carpet tiles installed in schools must meet the maximum VOC emission limits set by a standard or certification scheme recognised by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC). Acceptable standards or certifications include ASTM D5116, Global GreenTag, CRI Green Label Plus, GUT Label, and UL GREENGUARD Gold. Certificates can be downloaded from the website.
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