Sound Off

As one year ends and another begins, many workplaces like to reflect on the previous year and to celebrate their team and its achievements. At Aercoustics, we celebrate failures. Yes, you read that right. The biggest screw ups of the year are recognized with a trophy at our holiday party. This award is not meant to be negative. It is all in good fun and there is no shame in taking home the hardware. We do this to celebrate innovative ideas and learning. Our team works very hard and we want to reassure everyone that mistakes are part of the learning process.

Canada has a vibrant arts scene and many at Aercoustics count themselves as part of it, so we are ardent supporters. There is a critical shortage of rehearsal spaces for local musicians in cities like Toronto and Vancouver. Some of the already limited rehearsal spots have been swallowed up by re-development, leaving even fewer options for bands looking for a place to jam. That’s why we were thrilled to have the opportunity to work on Lynx Music…

All Wind Turbine Noise Impact Assessments Are Not Created Equal. When it comes to green power alternatives, wind power is a popular and growing option. It’s easy to see why: it is clean, affordable, and endlessly renewable. In fact, electricity from wind energy is one of the fastest growing methods of electrical generation in the world. And Canada is now the fifth-largest market in the world for the installation of new wind turbines.

Many contractors face complaints from noise and vibration that can threaten to delay or shut down their construction project. Some construction companies even found themselves fighting lawsuits launched by homeowners claiming the vibration damaged their property. Proactive noise and vibration monitoring can help mitigate this risk – and keep the peace.

As a whole, the restaurant and food service industry is a notoriously tough one. From well-known franchises to an independent establishment, the struggle is real and the numbers are bleak. Half of restaurants fail within four years and only make two per cent in profit.

If it seems like we have been making a lot of noise in our blog lately about noise, you’re right. It is a timely issue. Across the country, municipalities and ministries are repeatedly called to intervene when residents complain about noise disrupting their peace and quiet.

Experiencing life in other countries broadens horizons and allows you to learn about culture, food and people in another part of the globe. For many years, universities and colleges have embraced study abroad programs as an academically enriched opportunity.

Noise concerns—and noise complaints—are usually associated with residential properties because everyone has the right to peace and quiet in their own home. Commercial properties are often forgotten since they are a place of work.

Wood is an abundant, sustainable and affordable natural resource, which makes it suitable for many types of construction. A report on mid-rise wood frame buildings, commissioned by the BILD, estimated the cost savings of using wood frame for six-storey buildings could amount to 15 to 20 per cent less than a concrete structure.

Do Light Rail Transit (LRT) vehicles shake the ground they travel on? Can you feel an LRT in your house while you are trying sleep? Can an LRT shake your house more than an earthquake?

Did you hear? The Builder Bulletin 19R has been updated by Tarion! And acoustics plays a big part of the update. The Tarion bulletin provides an incredible depth of information for a builder to follow during design and construction of their building. Previous versions of the document listed various risk areas for condominium projects. Builder Bulletin 19 now lists Acoustics as its own risk area.

You’ve got a new gas turbine simple cycle or cogeneration power plant, or just finished an overhaul or modification, and it generates way too much noise or vibration. What happened and how can it be fixed?

Recent commitments made by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at COP21 outline the current desire across the country to push towards renewable sources of energy production and cutting our country’s carbon emissions. A majority of that new renewable power is expected to come from wind power generation.

Many commercial and industrial facilities that at one time had no need to consider their noise impact on the surrounding environment are now finding themselves out of compliance with Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change noise regulations or the cause of ongoing noise complaints, and are under pressure to remediate their operations. To the noise control engineer tasked with developing a noise abatement action plan (or NAAP) to remediate a facility in this situation, this can present a particularly interesting challenge…

As a recent post-secondary graduate I have experienced first-hand the challenges faced when finding that first job on the path towards a great career. A quick online search shows the well understood hurdles new graduates have in landing that first big break in the industry. But let’s say you’ve beat the odds and created the right opportunity, what’s next?

Over the past few years, regulatory scrutiny over noise from wind turbines has steadily increased in Ontario. We continue to read stories about people complaining about wind turbine noise, and the increased amount of litigation in the industry. Although claims are flying on both sides, the issue that keeps coming up is noise. So what’s all the noise about?