Double Glazing Forrestfield

Perth Airport’s published projections place Forrestfield among the suburbs facing up to 200 additional aircraft movements per day when the third runway (03R/21L) opens around 2028. At present the eastern approach corridor over Forrestfield carries a manageable and consistent level of aircraft. The projected increase is a step change in the flight path distribution once the new runway reaches full operation, not a gradual drift that will be barely noticeable.

Because final flight paths have not yet been confirmed by Airservices Australia, the exact noise geometry will be locked in closer to commissioning. What the published figure establishes is the order of magnitude of change. Homeowners who complete acoustic glazing before the runway opens will have already adapted their properties, rather than reacting after the increase has arrived.

Acting before the runway opens has three concrete advantages over waiting. First, installation at your own pace rather than under demand pressure: once noise increases in a suburb, demand for acoustic glazing spikes and lead times extend. Second, your family benefits from the acoustic improvement against current noise levels straight away, including the eastern corridor operations already running over Forrestfield. Third, your property presents as acoustically upgraded when the market adjusts to the new noise environment.

The Brisbane Bulimba corridor recorded a 10.7 per cent property value decline within five months of a new runway opening. Properties that had already addressed their noise envelope were better positioned in that market. That is a documented pattern across multiple Australian airport expansions, not a scare tactic. Acting early is lower-stress and carries a better timing outcome than acting after the change has landed.

Forrestfield’s profile changed significantly in October 2022 when the Forrestfield-Airport Link rail station opened, connecting the suburb to the Perth CBD in under 30 minutes. That connection accelerated infill activity and attracted buyers who previously looked elsewhere. New residential development is filling blocks near the station and extending south of Roe Hwy.

From a noise standpoint, the rail link is a separate and welcome change with no acoustic downside. But the two changes, rail access and the new runway, arrive in close proximity. A suburb growing in appeal is also facing a projected step increase in noise. Buyers making purchase decisions in Forrestfield now are already factoring in the airport change, and properties with acoustic glazing in place will carry a clearer value proposition than those that do not.

Standard single-pane glass used in 1980s and 1990s Perth brick construction provides no meaningful acoustic benefit against aircraft noise. It was specified for weather exclusion, not noise attenuation. The glass used in that era typically delivers an Rw rating of around 25 to 28, which means a jet at 75 dB outside will still register above 45 dB inside: enough to wake a sleeping adult and interrupt a child studying at home.

Acoustic double glazing in the Rw 35 to Rw 40 range, which is what Penot Double Glazing typically specifies for Forrestfield homes, reduces that same 75 dB event to around 35 to 40 dB indoors, background level for most people. The difference between a builder-spec pane and an acoustic unit is not incremental; it is a fundamentally different outcome. Learn more about how glazing Rw ratings work in practice.

There is no government grant, subsidy, or insulation program available for existing homeowners in Forrestfield. Noise insulation requirements under State Planning Policy 5.1 apply only to new residential developments above the relevant ANEF contour, not to homes already built. Perth has no equivalent of the Sydney Airport insulation scheme, which funded acoustic upgrades for over 4,000 homes at around $300 million.

The practical consequence is that homeowners who want acoustic protection will need to fund it themselves. There are no commitments from government or Perth Airport that financial assistance will be provided for existing properties. State Planning Policy 5.1, which governs land use near Perth Airport, sets out the planning framework and does not include retrospective insulation funding for homes already built.

Children are more sensitive to sleep disruption from aircraft noise than adults, and research consistently links interrupted sleep and daytime noise exposure to reduced concentration and retention. For Forrestfield families, the concern is concrete: the suburb’s school-age population faces a projected step increase in noise during daytime study hours as well as overnight.

Acoustic glazing in bedrooms and study rooms directly addresses this. Once the openings facing the primary flight direction are upgraded, the indoor noise environment becomes predictable regardless of what is happening outside. Prioritising the rooms children use most is a sensible first stage if a whole-home project needs to be completed over time. The improvement in sleep quality and study environment is reported consistently by Perth families who have completed the upgrade.

Forrestfield’s location at the base of the Darling Scarp means it experiences a wider daily temperature range than suburbs closer to the coast. Summer afternoon temperatures regularly exceed 35 degrees, and winter nights drop toward single figures. Standard single-pane glass in 1980s homes does almost nothing to moderate either extreme: solar heat pours in during summer and warmth escapes rapidly in winter.

Acoustic double glazing with thermally broken aluminium frames addresses both. The dual-pane construction with an air gap substantially reduces heat transfer in both directions, and laminated glass manages solar load better than standard clear panes. Perth homeowners upgrading from single pane typically record annual energy bill reductions of 10 to 20 per cent. In Forrestfield the thermal benefit is a genuine co-benefit, not a secondary point: the acoustic and thermal problems are solved by the same unit.

The cost of an acoustic glazing project in Forrestfield is shaped by four main factors: the number of openings to be replaced, the size and configuration of each window or door, the glass specification required (higher Rw units use thicker laminated panes and wider air gaps), and the condition of existing frames. A small front bedroom with two standard-size windows carries a very different cost to a large living area with full-height glass panels facing west.

The quote process starts with a free on-site assessment where every opening is measured and assessed. From that, a specification is produced matched to the acoustic requirement per opening, and a detailed quote is provided at no charge. There are no guesses from a phone description and no surprises after measure-up. Lead times and other project specifics are confirmed at quote stage. To get started, call 1300 121 603 or request your assessment online.

Forrestfield’s neighbours most directly affected include High Wycombe, Wattle Grove, and Maida Vale, all of which share the published new-runway projection of up to 200 extra daily noise events. Kalamunda and surrounding foothills suburbs sit on the same eastern corridor and are serviced by Penot for acoustic glazing assessments across the City of Kalamunda. Call 1300 121 603 to arrange an on-site assessment anywhere in this area.