Seoul, South Korea – The Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) has announced the implementation of new construction methods for kitchens and bathrooms in apartment buildings, aimed at significantly reducing everyday noise.

Starting this year, LH plans to fully apply the "floor drain piping method" to public rental housing, which is designed to minimize bathroom drainage noise.

This method involves installing the building's drainage pipes on the bathroom wall of each household. This allows wastewater from toilets and showers to be discharged directly within the unit, rather than flowing down to the lower floor through pipes, thereby minimizing noise.

According to experiments conducted by the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, the floor drain piping method reduces drainage noise from 46dB to 38dB. LH stated that this level of noise reduction creates a quiet environment comparable to a study room.

Furthermore, LH will implement a "floor exhaust system" in all new housing units (both for sale and rent), which prevents noise and odors from traveling between households through kitchens and bathrooms.

Previously, when using ventilation devices such as range hoods in kitchens and bathrooms, noise and odors could travel to other units through shared pipes. The floor exhaust system addresses this issue by directly discharging air to the outside within each unit, effectively blocking the transmission of noise and odors between households.

"We are committed to discovering superior materials and new construction methods to address various types of household noise that cause inconvenience to communal living, in addition to noise between floors," said Oh Joo-heon, head of the LH Public Housing Headquarters. "We will continue to strive to improve the quality of housing for the public by providing a comfortable and pleasant living environment."

This initiative by LH is expected to significantly improve the living experience for residents of apartment buildings by reducing noise pollution and creating a more peaceful environment.