Sound Off

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?

My time at Aercoustics has not been entirely what I expected. I came in as an intern in May of 2014, and I expected to be doing what an intern does. In my mind, this involved a lot of sitting at a desk, doing the jobs nobody else wants to do, learning a lot, and waiting for 5pm to roll around. My internship at Aercoustics has surprised me in more ways than one.

Your home is supposed to be a peaceful retreat…until the neighbours make a lot of noise. Noise can be much more concerning for owners of semi-detached homes, condos, or townhouses where sound can easily travel through walls, even if they are built to code. As an acoustical consultant, I get at least one call a month from condo owners asking if we can come to test noise, or what can be done to minimize noise from their neighbours. Upcoming proposed changes to the National Building Code (NBC) will eventually change the way builders and architects construct homes.

What better way to start the New Year (2015) than with a fresh look! Over the last year, here at Aercoustics, we have been working hard to rebrand our firm and develop a strategic marketing plan. Let’s be honest – in most small to medium sized businesses, our resources are slim and marketing/sales expenditures come off the bottom line and take money directly out of the owner’s pockets. We tend to see marketing as a budget item that spikes every few years or so – typically a reactive response that results in creating a new website or attending a slew of conferences or tradeshows.