Building acoustics and noise control
When listening to a musical performance in a concert hall, we want the sound of the orchestra (or the soloist) to envelop us with a warm and reverberant sound, making the image of the musical source seem broad, yet localizable. In addition, rehearsal rooms for musical ensembles should allow the musicians to practice their instruments and voices in a satisfactory environment, helping them detect the nuances in their articulation and intonation, in preparation for live performance.
Recording and broadcast facilities also benefit from proper acoustical design. A well-designed recording studio will make musicians feel comfortable and undisturbed by extraneous noises, while allowing the recording engineer to precisely assess the quality of the sound that’s being recorded into media for future distribution.
Acoustics is an integral part of our daily life experience. When we sit in a crowded restaurant and struggle to understand what our friend is saying across the table, acoustics is the key to overcoming this dilemma.
Studies have shown that classrooms with bad acoustics, where students have difficulties in understanding what the instructor is saying, will negatively impact in the student's academic performance. Proper acoustical design of classrooms and other learning spaces can solve this problem.
A worship space has a very clear objective to fulfill: to accurately convey the Word of God from the preacher to the congregation. Success in this endeavor will very likely be associated to the quality of the internal acoustics of the space and to the effectiveness of the sound reinforcement system.
Concealed, distributed sound systems can be highly successful in enhancing the visitor’s experience to a museum exhibition or other cultural events.
HVAC, mechanical and plumbing noise can negatively impact the quality of life of people who are working, studying or resting in a building affected by this type of noise. Effective noise and vibration control of mechanical systems is a crucial step in attaining a healthy environment for work, play or relaxation.
Millions of human beings live in noisy environments every day. Cities have noise ordinances that seek to mitigate the sound levels which their citizens are exposed to. In the past, noise abatement was the approach used by government agencies to mitigate the negative impact of noise in humans. In the last decades, the novel concept of “soundscape” has been proposed and developed. The main idea behind this concept is that not all the sounds that we are exposed to are detrimental. Familiar sounds provide us with a sense of belonging, while strident sounds can alert us of dangerous situations. Working closely with institutions and government agencies, acousticians can help in creating new regulations and noise control programs with the purpose of obtaining a healthier and safer environment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that workers shouldn’t be exposed to sound levels louder than 85 dB during an 8-hour shift. Attaining this goal is difficult in today’s complex industrial plant layouts. Proper sound and vibration isolation of sensible machinery can help industries reach this objective.
Noise and vibrations generated by air and ground transportation can affect communities and their well-being. Analysis of outdoor sound propagation through noise maps and on-site measurements are the tools that the acoustician uses to analyze the noise pollution problem and propose adequate solutions.
Modern society increasingly relies in audiovisual information for decision-taking tasks and for effective communication of ideas and concepts between individuals or groups. Workers across the world can be brought together through immersive and realistic videoconferencing experiences that promote collaboration and interaction. System design is one of the requirements needed to create these successful interactive experiences, the other being the use of appropriate design criteria in the acoustics of the videoconferencing venue.
Airports, train and bus stations, hospitals and public buildings rely on audio and video for organizing their daily activities. Assuring clear, intelligible speech and visual accuracy in the conveyance of information to the public is of paramount importance in these spaces.
