The modern office is a symphony of activity. Keyboards click, phones ring, conversations flow – a vibrant soundscape that can be both energizing and distracting. But when the music gets out of tune, with excessive noise from outside, conversations bleeding through walls, or an echo chamber effect, productivity and employee well-being suffer. This is where the science of office acoustics comes in.

The sizzle of steaks and the clatter of pots might be the soundtrack of a busy kitchen, but unwanted noise from extraction systems can disrupt the peace for nearby residents and noise-sensitive receptors if not properly considered.

In order to facilitate comfortable learning in an educational setting the importance of acoustics within the school can not be overlooked. For example, students in a school classroom with excessive noise breaking in from the external environment may find it hard to concentrate. Another example of how poor acoustic design may affect the learning abilities of students or people using the rooms would be a space with excessive reverberation

In the UK Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and Air Conditioning Units are becoming more commonplace. This is especially true as the country moves towards more energy-efficient ways of heating and cooling homes and the green revolution. However, the noise from these units is often overlooked.

With the implementation of these small plant units comes the inevitable increase in noise levels due to the operation of these plant units. Because of this, it is sometimes the case that in order to install an Air Conditioning Unit or an Air Source Heat Pump planning permission from your local planning authority would be required

With over 343,000 construction companies in the UK [1] it is little wonder that most people within their lifetimes will be exposed to some form of construction noise. In this blog, we are going to take an in-depth look at construction noise, how construction noise should be assessed and how constriction noise can be managed to ensure as little impact as possible.

In this blog, we are going to take a look at the Noise at Work regulations 2005. What they are, who they apply to and how compliance with this legislation can be achieved.

The Building Regulations Approved Document E was released in 2003 and denoted the minimum requirements for the resistance to the passage of sound in residential dwellings. Specifically, the document stipulates the requirements for pre-completion sound insulation testing once the development's construction phase is complete

A noise sensitive development is classed as any form of development that could potentially be adversely impacted by noise. Typical noise sensitive developments are residential dwellings and offices.

During the planning application process for a noise sensitive development such as a residential development generally, if the development site is located in an urban or semi-urban area or located next to static transport links the local planning authority will request a BS8233:2014 assessment.

Noise generating developments are defined as any development that generates noise. When submitting a planning application for a noise generating development the local planning authority planning departments may request a noise impact assessment. Specifically, they may request a BS4142 assessment.