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)
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.
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)
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)
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)
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)
Acoustics By Design Honored As One of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Country!
For the first time in its history, the National Association for Business Resources has named the Best and Brightest Companies To Work For™ in the country. And guess what? Acoustics By Design made the list, alongside companies like Verizon Wireless, Henry Ford Health System, Amway, and American Academy of Pediatrics. (more)
How Does Acoustical Absorption Work?
Walk outside on a cold winter day just after the first big snowfall and you can hear the hush in the air. Everything sounds different because that hush in the air is the snow absorbing sound. Now, compare that to walking into a gym where the sound bounces around and lingers in the room. Also, have you wondered why some hotel rooms are “soundproof” and some seem to have walls that are paper thin? (more)
Student Job Shadows as an Acoustical Engineer
Many high school students have never heard of the “acoustical engineering” field so when local student Jordan Van Buskirk  (a Senior at Western Michigan Christian High School) asked his teacher about jobs that have to do with acoustics, it was a first for the school. After being contacted by Joyce Workman, Director of Advancement at WMCHS, Acoustics By Design proposed a project centered around a problematic space for the school. By working with an existing space, both Jordan and the school would benefit from the job shadow opportunity; Jordan was even able to get credit for a physics class by completing the project. Jordan worked with Tim Koldenhoven of Acoustics By Design and identified the gymnasium as a space that needed improvements. Not knowing what to expect, Jordan showed up on time and ready to learn. (more)
Acoustical Solutions for Cafetoriums and Gymnatoria
Multi-use school facilities (such as “cafetoriums” – cafeterias that double as auditoriums) are popping up all over Michigan because they save space and save money. But many schools are finding that they are not well-suited to serve multiple purposes. So how can multi-use facilities be optimized for both utility (think cafeteria) and performance (think auditorium)? (more)
ABD to Host 10 Year Anniversary Party
Acoustics By Design, an independent acoustical consulting and audio-visual design firm headquartered in downtown Grand Rapids, will celebrate its 10 year anniversary on October 6, 2011, at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. The invitation only event will host 300 architects and engineers as they celebrate a milestone for one of their own. (more)
Is It Really Sound Proof? Mixed Use Developments
Mixed use developments need to have the proper noise isolation partitions and the proper expectations for tenants. “I can hear their music and their phone ringing; I can even hear them repeat the order!” This comment came from a frustrated condo owner who lived above a sandwich shop in a mixed used condominium development. High density living often crashes with commercial spaces, and usually it is the residential owners that end up frustrated. (more)
I recently attended concerts at two out-of-state prestigious university level music schools, and from a noise control point of view, the auditoria couldn’t have been more different. While the room acoustics of both halls were superb, the background noise level in one was quite distracting. (more)
The other day at a popular chain restaurant, I dropped by the restroom before a long ride home. I’ve heard some loud toilet flushes in my day, and this one was right up there with the loudest of them. While it caught my attention, it didn’t make me jump too high out of surprise. However, when I saw a young girl coming out of the neighboring stall, she had a look of shock on her face. She said, “That SCARED me!” Not something I would think most businesses want to do to their customers. (more)
The National Council of Acoustical Consultants & the American Institute of Architects
The National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC) is the only North American organization fully devoted to certifying the credentials of acoustical consultants. Kenric Van Wyk, President of Acoustics By Design, was elected to the NCAC Board of Directors in 2006. He has served as the Vice President of Finance, and was recently elected as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications. To join the NCAC, acoustical engineering firms have to be completely independent with no ties to any product manufacturers or distributors. This ensures that each firm provides objective recommendations that are free from bias. Since 1962, the NCAC has supported the acoustical profession through:
- recognizing expert Acoustical Consultants and Engineers.
- promoting opportunities for peer interaction.
- providing a reference tool for the public to learn more about the profession and to find a consultant matched to their needs. (more)
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