Tempe 2044 · Inner West Council
Builders in Tempe: Designing Homes Under the Flight Path
The planes aren't going anywhere. Your bedroom can still be quiet.
Tempe sits close to Sydney Airport, with aircraft passing low overhead through the day. Older terraces and cottages here were never built with that in mind. A new home or a serious renovation can be, and the difference inside is dramatic.
Short answer
Do I need acoustic treatment to build under Tempe's flight path?
Usually, yes. Lots inside the higher ANEF contours need construction to AS 2021: thicker or laminated glazing, heavier roof and ceiling linings, sealed ventilation and careful room placement. Planning around the noise, with bedrooms away from the worst exposure, cuts the cost. New homes in Tempe cost about $2,090 to $2,520 per m² at mid-spec.
Written and reviewed by Oliver Alameri
Licensed builder, NSW Contractor Licence 487805C · Founder, Buildana
Fact-checked
ANEF contours: what they mean for your lot
Aircraft noise around Sydney Airport is mapped using ANEF contours, which show forecast noise exposure. Planning controls use them to decide whether new homes need acoustic treatment, and how much.
Australian Standard AS 2021 sets out how building sites are assessed against those contours and what indoor noise levels homes should achieve. For residential work in the affected zones, an acoustic consultant typically assesses the design and specifies the glazing, walls and roof needed.
Your planning certificate and council's mapping show where your lot sits. That tells us early whether acoustic construction is required or simply a good idea.
Most of the noise comes in through the glass and the roof. That's where the money goes.
What acoustic construction involves
Aircraft noise comes from above. So the roof matters more here than it ever does for road or rail noise, and heavier roofing, dense insulation in the ceiling and a second layer of plasterboard underneath make a difference you'll notice on the very first night. Skylights? Weak point, unless they're acoustically rated.
Glazing is next. Laminated glass or double glazing in well-sealed frames cuts noise far better than standard windows. Sliders leak. Hinged doors seal better. And every little gap around frames, vents and downlights is a path straight in for the roar of a jet on approach.
And ventilation. A house that's only quiet with the windows shut still has to breathe, so ducted air conditioning or mechanical ventilation gets planned from the start.
- Roof: heavier sheeting or tiles, dense ceiling insulation, doubled plasterboard
- Glazing: laminated or double-glazed, in sealed frames
- Doors: solid-core and properly sealed
- Ventilation that works with windows closed
- No unrated skylights or open vents into bedrooms
Build quiet into your Tempe home
Pass on the address and a rough idea of the project. I'll check the noise mapping and outline the acoustic construction it will likely need, with costs.
0476 300 300Plan the house around the noise
On a narrow Tempe block, you can't always turn the house away from the sky. But you can decide which rooms need the most protection. Bedrooms get the heaviest treatment and fewest openings. Living areas can open to a courtyard, where noise is still present but where you choose to be outdoors.
Doing the acoustic work during a renovation or rebuild costs far less than retrofitting later. Linings off? Then insulation and better glass are easy.
Building in Tempe
Tempe mixes Victorian terraces, Federation cottages and post-war homes on 200 to 500 square metre blocks, with heritage conservation areas in pockets. The Cooks River edge has alluvial soils and some flood and acid sulfate mapping.
Duplexes are a common enquiry here. Whether one fits depends on zoning, heritage status, lot size and frontage, and aircraft noise treatment applies to both dwellings.
At Tempe's 0.95 adjustment on Rawlinsons Sydney figures, a mid-spec home costs about $2,090 to $2,520 per square metre. Acoustic upgrades are priced from the consultant's report.
Before designing under the flight path
Six things that decide how much acoustic work your Tempe project needs.
- 01
Where the lot sits on the ANEF contour mapping
- 02
Whether council will require an acoustic report for your project
- 03
Which rooms need the most protection
- 04
Roof and ceiling build-up for the new work
- 05
Glazing specification and how many sliding doors are planned
- 06
Ventilation for rooms that need to stay closed
Aircraft noise and building in Tempe
Do I need acoustic treatment to build in Tempe?
It depends on where your lot sits on the ANEF contours and what council requires for your project. Many Tempe lots near the flight path need an acoustic assessment under AS 2021.
What reduces aircraft noise the most?
The roof and ceiling, followed by the glazing. Dense ceiling insulation, doubled plasterboard, laminated or double glazing and good seals make the biggest difference.
Can I retrofit acoustic glazing into my old terrace?
Often, yes, though in a heritage area the street-facing windows may need to keep their original appearance. Secondary glazing inside the original frames is one option.
Is a duplex realistic in Tempe?
Possibly, depending on zoning, heritage, lot size and frontage. Both dwellings would need to meet the same aircraft noise requirements.
Sources and references
Costs are from the Rawlinsons handbook with the local cost index applied; rules and timeframes are checked against the sources below.
Planes outside. Quiet inside.
A Tempe home with the flight path designed in, not patched on afterwards.