What do acoustic consultants actually do
Sound pollution is becoming quite a big issue in many built-up areas today and recently I’ve started to think that maybe an noise consultant could do something to attenuate noise levels.
As it turns out, incessant noise pollution is not as much of a problem as sudden peaks and troughs although in the work environment, continuous noise that isn’t hugely loud is quite often a problem and can give rise to hearing loss.
One of the most significant human issues with noise is that it has a detrimental impact on sleep quality and continuous low level sleep deprivation is very detrimental to physical and mental well-being.
To an Acoustic consultant this will be familiar territory. They exploit the latest acoustic technology to measure sound levels & pin point sources of noise. By designing buildings to absorb noise energy they can significantly improve the quality of life for people and so improve their well-being as well.
A common problem is due to jet plane noise levels, especially near busy international airports like London Heathrow where jets come in low over densely populated areas. Even though there usually are controls on take off and landing times, busy international & national airports effectively operate virtually 24 hours a day. Noise consultants are being used by airport protestors now to log volume levels and then to act as expert witnesses in environmental assessment studies.