Whether we’re designing a recital hall for musicians, tracking an annoying thumping sound, or measuring how much an office tower sways in the wind, the greatest reward is getting to do what we love.
But happily enough, accolades from peers and outside observers are another gratifying by-product of creativity and diligence.
Here are some of the awards we have received for our work:
Canadian Consulting Engineers Award of Excellence, 2011
The acoustical renovations at the 2,750 seat Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver was selected for a Canadian Consulting Engineering (CCE) Award of Excellence. The renovations turned the notoriously poor acoustics of this postwar hall into a triumph. The renovations have been described by the Vancouver Opera as a “minor miracle”. We used, and in some cases created, the latest tools and ideas in acoustics to make that happen. Acoustic reflectors were placed and aimed strategically, sometimes to within less than a degree tolerance, in order to maximize their efficiency in creating acoustic warmth and intimacy. This work is proof that large halls, even notoriously large postwar halls, can be made to work very well acoustically. More on this here.
The Schreyer Award, 2007
For engineers, the Schreyer Award is like Best Picture and the Stanley Cup rolled into one – the recognition comes from the best of our peers and the competition is strong. Our winning submission in 2007 was for a double stroke of innovation. The first was the “Renaissance” small scale acoustic modeling system we created for the design of the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The second was a new procedure for predicting and measuring background noise from ventilation systems for the same project – and subsequently applied in our work on the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts. The fact that our entry was selected from a field of 65 worthy and innovative engineering projects executed by Canadian firms in locations around the world made winning the award all the more significant to us. Read all about it.
Canadian Consulting Engineers Award of Merit, 1996
Our acoustical renovation of Vancouver’s 2,800-seat Orpheum Theatre was selected for another CCE award. The application of innovative engineering solutions in this project, particularly in creating a unique small scale modeling process, demonstrated a confidence in acoustical design unheard of 25 years ago. The modeling program was used to analyze a problem known as image shift, where perceptually the sound of musicians seemed to originate somewhere well above the theatre’s ceiling. Our resulting solution included acoustic panels placed above the audience chamber which also entailed aesthetic sensitivity to the heritage decorative aspects of the space. Read the article here.
Canadian Consulting Engineers Award of Excellence, 1995
Aercoustics received the CCE award for our design of an active noise control system for a cogeneration plant installed near Ottawa. The system essentially neutralizes industrial noise by inverting the sound waves and feeding it back on itself. This outdoor system was one of the first of its kind in the world. Not only was the active noise cancellation system more effective than building passive structures to contain the noise, this unique solution has also yielded long term cost savings, and superior acoustic performance over conventional noise control methods. Find out more.