Search Results

Noise is unwanted sound, and is generally taken to be a negative thing. Quiet, is clearly the absence of sound. Tranquility is a little more tricky, but generally is understood to be an absence of man-made sound, but need not be quiet if the visual aspects are calming. All good so far, but with the emerging field of "soundscape" - the sound environment as perceived by a listener (defined in ISO 12913-1:2014), there now comes the need to find the language that goes with it, so that we can properly begin to design better soundscapes, as acousticians. So - what do we call sound that we want in our soundscape? - We don't have a word for it. As unbelievable as that is, and it is time that we did. Please let me know your thoughts in your comments, but here are mine. The word "Acoustics" came from the Greeks ἀκουστικός (akoustikos), meaning "of or for hearing, ready to hear" .. makes sense so far... so why not go back to the Greeks? They might now be wishing they could have Grexit , but a while back they led the way! The most suitable fit I can find (which I must acknowledge was assisted by a friend who is an English teacher) is the word "Euphony" from the Greek euphōnos meaning sweet voiced or musical. The evolved meaning as it influenced Latin and then English has become sounds that are pleasing and harmonious, often associated with vowel sounds in speech. The opposite is Cacophony, which is far more commonly used, meaning harsh and discordant. Applying this not just to speech and poetry, but to environmental sound as the voice of the soundscape seems a sensible step, and one that I offer up. If you are in agreement then tweet or make a virtual cacophony using the tag #voteEuphony, and if there is enough support I'll take the idea to the UK's acoustic professional body and start a campaign to have it adopted formally. Designing and protecting our valued soundscapes, outside and inside, are areas which will become as normal as protecting the landscape in the future. This is necessary as we live close to each other, and noise sources where before the luxury of space allow us to put buffer zones in place. The evidence base for the benefits of quality soundscapes is now well established. Peter Rogers is an acoustics with 25 years experience, and currently a trustee of the Institute of Acoustics. He formed his own company called Sustainable Acoustics, where he uses his knowledge about sound to make things better through acoustic design. If you are a member of the IOA Peter is standing for re-election to Council, and would appreciate your vote via the website, and a supportive tweet to #voteRogers.

With Brexit approaching farmers are left wondering how they may be able to replace subsidies, such as those available for wildlife margins, and holding events (such as weddings) is a natural place to start. The risks of causing a nuisance to neighbours, who have tolerated noise associated with agriculture for years is seldom thought about, but weddings can be a noisy business, which may not fit with the surrounding character of the area. A raft of legislation is waiting to descend but with proper acoustic advice a lot is achievable to tackle noise from music, people, generators and vehicles as they disperse. The pictures below give some ideas of the mitigation that can be very effective, with good management, and make keep your locals and authorities on side. It is important that you get good advice to do this, which we can help you with and avoid alot of stress to all concerned. For more information or help contact sa@sustainableacoustics.co.uk, or call to speak to Peter Rogers.

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) could be music to the ears of pubs and clubs owners and existing businesses, with the possible gold rush at the developers expense, that they have been waiting for. Paragraph 182 of the new NPPF throws open the can of technical worms on the matter of Agent of Change, and what it means in planning terms. What it says is that impacts on existing businesses should “not have unreasonable restrictions placed on them as a result of development that is permitted after they were established”. The examples of these business that are given are places of worship, pubs, music venues and sports clubs. Noise from these licensed premises (in the main) is one of the main drivers for this making its way into national planning policy, drive by successful lobbying by UKMusic and Music Venue Trust. The implications of this will be far reaching as developers of new residential building “in the vicinity” of licensed premises, community facilities and businesses that make noise need to use suitable mitigation before completion to ensure the operation is able to continue as it did before. All sorts of questions arise, such as how far does the vicinity extend? What is the baseline of operational noise? Is there a chance for premises to improve their own sound insulation at the cost of the developer? What happens if residents then complaint even with the mitigation in place? What is the test that should apply for existing businesses like offices where gyms infill unused retail? Perhaps these questions will be answered as part of pending update in the NPPG, expected later this year, but it is certain that Agent of Change ushers in the need for premises to keep a close eye of planning applications near them, and then seek good advice. My word of caution is to be careful what you wish for, as the value of the vibrant areas that exist in the UK, will need Good Acoustic design to make sure they are protected and not killed, once residential encroaches upon them“ I’d do a more comprehensive note once I get time, which I’ll publish , to assist those who want to be one step ahead of this rather interesting development in the dance between the planning and licensing regimes. Peter Rogers Managing Director and Founder, BSc(Hons) MSc CEng FIOA FRSA Expert Witness and Fellow of the Institute of Acoustics For further information click here

Peter Rogers and Sustainable Acoustics' newest addition Sebastian Woodhams received the honour of invitation to renowned exposition Euronoise 2018, to make a presentation on one of the hottest topics in acoustics today. Peter and Sebastian traveled to Crete to present their paper on Standardising Structure-Borne Noise Assessments at the Creta Maris Conference Centre in Hersonissos. Speaking alongside a multitude of respected orators, including Professor Dick Botteldooren, Professor Gaetano Licitra, and Professor Carl Hopkins, they gave an update of the groundbreaking research conducted at Sustainable Acoustics. Noise and vibration from gyms can be one of the most disturbing activities to sensitive occupants of the same building, and the trend in the UK to place gyms in vacant units close to sensitive receptors requires careful consideration of the suitability of a building for such a use. Determining the suitability of a building for fit out as a gym requires consideration of the building response as a whole to heavy impacts, as the resulting structure-borne noise that is generated is a combination of a complexed response to input forces. A standardised test methodology is now being proposed, based on a practical approach to enable the real building response to various input forces to be robustly assessed in a repeatable and consistent fashion. By exciting the base response of the building with a number of simulated impulsive vibration sources that represent real activities it is possible to identify firstly if the building is suitable, and secondly what levels of mitigation treatments may be required. “At Sustainable Acoustics we are building the foundations for one of the most relevant new standards in acoustics today, leading the way for relevant reuse of buildings as part of sustainable development." - Peter Rogers BSc(Hons) MSc CEng FIOA FRSA

Sebastian Woodhams BSc(Hons) MIOA, has been brought into the fold at Sustainable Acoustics, already making waves in the industry with his groundbreaking contributions to gym assessment methodology. Seb joined Sustainable Acoustics in 2017 as a consultant. In his previous role at a multidisciplinary consultancy he gained extensive knowledge of building acoustics, including building services and sound insulation. In addition he gained experience in the environmental and education sectors. At SAL he has been involved in a wide range of projects, including planning applications for residential and commercial developments and school refurbishments.

The Science Centre wish to explore how an exhibit about sound could draw people through the space, provide them with an engaging and memorable experience and leave a unique sense of discovery and learning around sound. It also aims to provide a science lecture space where wider learning can take place in an iconic and permanent installation. The concept design creates a journey for the visitor to follow sound as it travels through the ear, encountering the mechanics of hearing, with the destination being an an-echoic chamber, where there is no sound and no reflections (representing the quietest place in the body – the cochlea). The Exhibit will provide a unique and world class experience, drawing a wealth of interest to the Science Centre, as it become the centre-piece of its attraction. Most people have never experienced an an-echoic space, so this for many will be a unique experience best encountered in small groups.  Once the processed information is received in the ear, it then passes into our brain, where it becomes merged with our experiences and physiological effects occur.  Sound has the ability to change how we feel as a result, as in the case of music, or to impact upon us negatively as in the case of 'noise'. Humans have evolved hearing primarily for threat detection, but also we evolved to develop language that relies on the detection of sound for our connection to people and the world around us. The study of sound is acoustics, and the exhibit will use this science to the full, but also focus on why we need to consider creating difference types of acoustic environments in our lives and why “quiet” is so important. This is a very exciting project, which we are delighted to be a part of.  To combine good acoustic design with the message of the exhibit will make this exhibition work on a number of different levels, including the practical one of providing an excellent learning lecture space. The science will draw from the basics of changes in reverberation, and ambient noise levels, and the need for creating a great speech space. It will include consideration of the structure, and materials used to make sure the focus remains on sound as the central focus of the exhibit. Stayed tuned for more exciting news on this project to come.

Peter Rogers was honoured to be asked to Chair a meeting recently hosted by Rockfon at The Word, South Shields’ impressive state-of-the-art cultural venue, which brought together a good mix of people from different areas of the industry, to explore the relationship between aesthetics and acoustics. Principally, what emerged was a clear message that there is no need to compromise the visual aspects of projects where good design is embraced and acoustics is considered early.  Peter said “this sort of event shows how we can accelerate our learning in achieving a truly holistic design, that does not place the consideration of acoustics at the end of the queue, thereby making it a problem. With good design, great aesthetics and acoustics can be achieved. Thank you Rockfon for the opportunity to debate this”.

All set to compete with the likes of Berlin, Tokyo and New York, Sadiq Khan has made it clear that growing the city's cultural and night-time industries is a core priority and his vision aims to ensure that London is on the front foot in creating a thriving 24-hour economy. Sadiq Khan has outlined ten principles which aim to attract investment and tourism, promoting all forms of culture and leisure, increasing opening hours where appropriate to help businesses cope with the recent business rates hike; whilst working hand in glove with boroughs to create balanced and sustainable night time offers across the capital. To read more about the ten principles, which include working closely with planners, licensing experts, venue owners, artists, the Police, media, entrepreneurs as well as leaders of major cultural organisations, and for the full article, click here.

We are delighted to be awarded the Silver Standard in the National Green Impact Awards. Green Impact is a change and engagement programme which helps people to understand sustainability and social responsibility.  It shows people what they can do to make a difference, and supports them in achieving these actions. It has been developed over the last ten years, using social change theory and NUS expertise to produce a model that works in all environments and workplaces year after year. The programme covers the whole sustainability spectrum and is based on the themes of continual improvement, collaboration and meaningful change to establish new social norms and inspire people with the skills and passion needed to make a difference. Read more here.

ProPG The Institute’s Environmental Noise Group is in its final stages of preparing professional guidance that is primarily intended for acousticians to be able to interpret and implement the National Planning Policy Framework and National Statement for Noise in England. This is an important document which Government value as the industry’s response to what are otherwise very broad strategic documents. It is likely that this document will shape how environmental noise assessments are completed in the future. The members are being offered a final consultation phase before it is presented to the Institute Council for approval and commended for wide application.

The Good Practice Guide on the Control of Noise from Pubs and Clubs documented reference to inaudibility, which has proved contentious in relation to licensing conditioning, and was withdrawn and archived. The gap has left a need for new guidance as the Licensing Act 2003 included Public Nuisance as one of the objectives and forced noise to be assessed against different requirements. The Institute has recognised that the timing is right for further guidance, and with the Institute of Licensing is developing new guidance related to the control of noise from regularly operating entertainment venues. At this stage, it is expected that the assessment process will be based on a risk assessment process to determine the likelihood of the noise causing disturbance, rather than reliance on use of objective limits and inaudibility.  A draft is expected for consultation sometime this year, which will then be offered to the Institute Council for final approval and ratified for use in assessments of Noise from Licensed Premises.

The House of Lords Select Committee recognise the 'radical' suggestion that licensing committees be abolished and their work amalgamated with that of planning committees, following evidence from Peter Rogers stating, "Having attended both, my view is that the planning process is probably far more prepared and helpful to achieve the outcome we are striving for.  The licensing committee environment seems somewhat inconsistent - that is one word for it - and perhaps unhelpful in what we are trying to achieve.  The single best thing that could be achieved is to remove the Chinese wall between licensing and planning to enable both things to be considered". Peter goes on to say, "In my experience of both scenarios, I have seen perhaps more opportunity in the planning process for residents' concerns to be addressed early on.  They may still have an issue that they want to express.  They can do that to the committee and it will be considered.  In the licensing situation, I see almost a lost opportunity to have dialogue before, and we end up with a situation that is far more charged in the committee environment, where residents want to be heard, and rightly so.  There is an opportunity to learn from planning committees, ultimately to give the public a clear and consistent way of being treated". The Report states (at 154.) "Sections 6-10 of the Licensing Act 2003 should be amended to transfer the functions of local authority licensing committees and sub-committees to the planning committees.  We recommend that this proposal should be trialled in a few pilot areas"; and (at 155.) "We believe that the debate and the consultation on transferring the functions of licensing committees and sub committees to the planning committees must start now, and the pilots must follow as soon as possible".