PIEK Certification Scheme
for manufacturers of low-noise products
The Noise Abatement Society introduced the Dutch PIEK certification scheme for vehicles and equipment operating under 60dB.
The PIEK Noise Standardisation is a regulation used to enforce the permittable levels of heavy-duty vehicle noise entering an urban, residential or Noise Sensitive Locations (NSL), between the hours of 10.30pm and 7 am.
Introduced in 2004, the PIEK certification was developed as a standard for vehicles and equipment manufacturers (such as truck-mounted refrigeration equipment), to help reduce the noise emissions during loading and unloading during night time deliveries, to prevent noise disturbances.
Vehicles and equipment operating under 60dB are eligible for the PIEK certification.
Initially introduced in the Netherlands in response to growing concerns from local governments and supermarkets and residential areas, to reduce the noise levels of deliveries in urban areas, this certification has now been widescale adopted in the UK, France, Germany, and Belgium.
About the Standard
In 1998, the Dutch government set out a condition of standards, which govern the noise levels produced by trucks and heavy-duty vehicles, which are loading or unloading retail goods in urban areas at inconvenient times.
A report which was introduced by the Dutch Government as part of the Environmental Management Act resulted in the 2015 test report (an update from the 2010 test report), on the ‘Measurement methods for peak noise during loading and unloading’. The report offers guidelines in terms of measurement methods so that new equipment can meet the compliance standards and the noise limits.
The use of the PIEK Noise Standard is intended for all companies, particularly vehicle OEMs and equipment manufacturers who are involved in the production and marketing of new products and materials used in loading and unloading goods in the retail trade.
This report makes it possible for OEM’s to have components certified under the PIEK Standard and to reduce the effects of noise pollution and disturbances.
To learn how you can gain PIEK Certification for your product, talk to a member of our Acoustics Team.
Gaining PIEK Compliance
To achieve the PIEK Standard, each product must complete acoustic testing, to confirm that its operational noise levels are below 60dB(A), at 7.5m from the sound source. Once products meet this standard, it is accepted that out-of-hours deliveries will not cause noise disruption to nearby residential areas.
Each product must complete acoustic testing, to confirm that its operational noise levels are below 60dB(A), at 7.5m from the sound source.
While the noise produced from equipment (for example trucks) when traveling is not considered ‘disturbing’, the main challenges for the equipment and component manufacturers are in reducing the noise produced during loading and unloading. Particularly at night, when the background noise is typically low.
Achieving these extremely low operating levels demands consideration for both the product design and additional noise control components. A combination of both these features will help companies achieve the demanding noise certification.
The benefits of PIEK compliance
PIEK compliance is an attractive certification for OEMs, particularly in the marketing of new products. It also supports
Increased efficiency, shorter travel and delivery times
Higher productivity for carriers and receivers
Less environmental impacts
Better working conditions as vehicles are removed from rush-hour traffic to off-peak times
Reduced noise disturbances and noise levels
Assessing a Product for PIEK Compliance
The methods used to determine if the product meets PIEK noise limits have been designed so that they assess the impact the noise reduction measures have. They are used to evaluate whether the product meets Dutch peak noise reception limits and to make a comparison between competitive products.
These measurement methods include:
Constant speed, acceleration and breaking at low speeds for trucks and vans. Doors, hatches, hinged and sliding doors or trailers, bodies, and cabs.  Tail lifts, body floors, and walls of trucks and vans.  Shopping trollies, good’s cart, ‘rollies’, dollies and hand pallet trucks. Forklift trucks and mobile forklift trucks. Transportation cooling units.
How Ventac support OEMs in gaining PIEK compliance
Ventac has extensive industry experience in supporting our clients to gain PIEK compliance. Our testing processes are designed to support vehicle and equipment manufacturers in achieving the necessary noise reduction and noise levels needed.
As part of our PIEK noise testing process, we conduct an in-depth acoustic assessment. The product is tested under as true circumstances as possible, to validate its performance in a low-noise area such as night time, NSL and residential areas.
Ventac’s acoustic test programs support in the design and manufacture of a product solution to target specific areas of problem noise and to achieve the required level of 60dB.
