The design of a building can help to mitigate the effect of noise by 'insulating' it from exterior noise sources. Various building materials and systems offer different levels of acoustic insulation.

Acoustic insulation can be retrofitted to protected premises and facilities. However, this is generally more expensive and the available reduction is usually less compared to new buildings with good acoustic design.

Acoustic insulation is a limited tool, in that it does not mitigate noise levels in outdoor living areas or outdoor public spaces. In addition, the design of acoustic insulation needs to incorporate adequate ventilation, as actions such as opening a window or door will often void any mitigation provided by acoustic insulation.

For new buildings, a range of guidance and standards are available, including information in a possible change to Clause G6 of the Building Code as well as AS/NZ 2107. These standards include recommended criteria for a variety of rooms and building uses and are mainly intended for new or retrofitted buildings in an existing noisy environment.