Noise is defined as “unwanted sound.” Effective control of unwanted sound is essential in nearly every building, and it is always more cost effective to design the attenuation systems into a building while it is still in the design phase.
Noise and vibration from mechanical systems can be very disturbing to occupants of a building and can adversely affect spaces that require high speech intelligibility. After setting a design criterion, we can recommend attenuation measures such as vibration isolators, duct design, silencers, and equipment location so that the criterion is met. We can also provide designs to acoustically isolate mechanical equipment rooms from the rest of the building.
Environmental noise has been increasing with the constant expansion of urban and suburban areas. Control of the noise often requires that state or municipal codes must be met. We can design building shells and exterior enclosures and barriers so that the sound level criterion is attained. We can also measure sound levels of existing equipment at the site.