Why Video is Essential for Webinars
When we receive lunch and learn requests, we take into account how much time is involved. Travel to another office, planning lunch, and cleanup are all part of the “1 hour” equation. Can the four or five hours of work and travel fit into the schedule? Will your portable audio-visual equipment be acceptable? Could the experience be better? (more)
How to Sound Like Charlie Brown’s Teacher
Back when I was in grade school, I loved the animated Charlie Brown shows. I have particular memories of the scenes in class where the kids’ teacher would address them: “Wa Wa Wa, Wa, Wa Wa Wa, Wa.” Thinking about it still makes me smile. What a simple scene that helps visualize the point of my topic today. (more)
How to Measure STC Ratings (ASTC Measurements)
When we are testing a noise issue between units in a multi-unit housing complex or between closed office spaces, I often get the question “Can we just turn on some loud music in one room, and listen in the next room?” Good question. Although this can help confirm that there is an issue with inadequate sound isolation, it doesn’t exactly give us enough information to help provide a solution. (more)
ABD Named one of Michigan’s Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies
We don’t make a practice of tooting our own horns at Acoustics By Design, but for this we will make a small exception. Great news: ABD was just named to the list of Michigan’s Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies. As a professional consulting engineering firm, we sell no physical products, so we cannot tell our clients to “buy our green widget.” Instead, the challenge is showing the value of sustainable design and how it impacts our clients’ bottom line. In the past this has been an uphill battle, but in many recent projects, we are finding a groundswell of positive momentum for going green. Read the full list of sustainable companies here. (more)
Would You Like Surround Sound With That?
On a recent project we sat down for the kick-off programming meeting, and I started working through my list of questions to help us figure out what types of AV functionality the client needed for the project. At one point the owner’s representative (who was not from the technology team) stated that they really just wanted a good quality system with “microphones, speakers, and surround sound.” This was a corporate boardroom, not a movie theater, so I asked what types of video content they would be viewing in the room. (more)
One of the great things about being part of the local architecture and engineering industry is giving back to the students in our community who have an interest in the same field. For the last three years I have been a volunteer with The Academy of Design and Construction at Grand Rapids Public Schools’ Union High School. The program is based on teaching high school students about the construction industry. (more)
OHSA Requirements for Employee Noise Exposure
We frequently get calls to come and assess noise levels in industrial facilities. The concern is usually whether the employee’s exposure to noise is meeting OSHA requirements. So what are standard OSHA requirements for employee noise exposure? (more)
HIPAA Speech Privacy Acoustics
Standing atop my soapbox and surveying the healthcare land as we know it, I can declare at the top of my lungs, “I have a right to be heard… er, NOT HEARD… wait, wait… I have a right that a reasonable effort has been made to ensure that I won’t be heard!” I apologize for the confusion, and if you bear with me, I’ll show you why it is important to note that my awkward dialog has some relevance here. (more)
David Byrne of Talking Heads Talks About Acoustics
In this TED Conference video, David Byrne, lead singer of Talking Heads, gives us a brief a history of music and how it evolved in relation to architectural acoustics and reverberation. Worth the watch.
One issue this video doesn’t address is that architectural acoustics can be designed and optimized in any building. Sure, Carnegie Hall has a signature sound, but that sound can be altered. He mentions in the video that arenas are notorious for terrible acoustics. Again it doesn’t have to be that way. At Acoustics By Design, we engineer acoustical solutions for everything from nightclubs to theaters to outdoor amphitheaters. With the right tools, experience, and expertise, we can design the acoustical performance for your next performance space.
How Many Lumens Do I Need? Tips for Selecting Projector Brightness
We all have seen nice big projector screens that have an image that is just too dim to be clearly seen. To protect against this occurrence, we set a target brightness level during the design process, and we base it on a number of variables. The physical screen size needs to be compared to the amount of light from the projector. This comparison will give us lumens per square foot of screen. The lumens per foot result is compared with a target to determine if the projector is bright enough or even too bright. But how do we determine the target? (more)
Industrial Noise Mitigation Strategies
We were recently called in to help with controlling the noise levels at an engine test facility. I went to the site to take noise measurements in various areas of the facility. The problem was not within the test cells, but from all the external equipment needed to run the cells from air compressors, to dynamometer drives, to engine exhaust vents. The sound levels were not above the OSHA requirements but were definitely loud enough to warrant some noise mitigation. So what are the key considerations for industrial facility noise control? (more)
Classroom Audio-Visual Technologies that Work
“It depends.” This is probably my most frequent response I give when people ask me a tech-related question. Why? Because the answer to the question will vary depending on circumstances, factors, and requirements. So when someone asks me, “What’s the best AV technology to put into a classroom?” My answer usually is, “It depends.” What we first need to know is what the appropriate type and quantity of technology is in order to support the curriculum and teaching style of the school. (more)
Medicare Funding Linked To Patient Satisfaction Scores
How important is acoustics in hospitals? Just ask Medicare. A recent Washington Post article highlights how Medicare reimbursement payments for hospitals will be linked to patient satisfaction scores (such as Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Surveys). What does this have to do with acoustics? As it turns out, acoustics is the worse scoring section of patient satisfaction surveys nationwide! (more)
Seven Common Acoustical Mistakes and Misconceptions
Acoustics really is a complicated subject. Many of our recommendations need to be formed on a case-by-case basis, and some of that advice is based on principles that are not very intuitive. So here is a short list of common acoustical misconceptions: (more)
Sound System Commissioning and Equalization
What is the most important step in designing a sound system? Of course, every step is important, but I might argue that the final equalization is perhaps the most critical step, and often the most overlooked. Assuming a good design has been put together on paper and that the system has been installed as it was intended to be, it’s then time to put the finishing touches on everything. Equalizing (or commissioning) a large sound system is the final step in this complex process. (more)
How Much Acoustical Absorption Do I Need?
Every year my nieces’ elementary school has a winter concert in their gym. Excited kids from all grade levels file into one side of the gym while the parents and friends squeeze into every remaining space. It’s wonderful to see all the kids singing so proudly, but it gets very difficult to hear the music in such a lively space with the parents talking and moving around to get the best camera shot. At Acoustics By Design, we get called in frequently to help design acoustical improvements for large spaces like school gymnasiums, cafeterias, and large classrooms. The big question is always “how much absorption do we need?” (more)
The ABCs of Open Office Acoustics
Open office spaces with movable partitions and reconfigurable workstations have become more than a hot trend in office facility design; they have become the new normal. As acoustical consultants, we often work on open office spaces, and we always begin the conversation with something we call “The ABCs of Open Office Acoustics.” (more)
Digital Signage Systems for Hotels & Convention Facilities
Ever been in a large convention facility for the first time? Running a bit late and don’t know what room your meeting is in? Even if you have the room number, is the signage good enough to point you down the right hallway? If you are anything like me you will wander around just long enough to now be late to the meeting. (more)
Have you ever increased the volume of your music or television program in an effort to “drown out” your noisy neighbors? Or have you noticed how difficult it is to hear a conversation while walking along a busy street? In both of these situations, the “masker” (your music/television, traffic) is changing the threshold at which the “signal” (noisy neighbors, conversation) is perceptible. In other words, some sounds are masking – or covering over – the other sounds. (more)
How It Works: Acoustical Points in LEED for Health Care
Good News… after long delays, LEED for Health Care was finally released for public consumption! This blog provides a basic overview of how to meet the new acoustical requirements in LEED HC. In fact, your next LEED for Healthcare project can gain two points just by following good acoustical design practices that protect patient medical records, increase patient satisfaction, and provide for a quieter workplace. (more)
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