A new year and a new decade have arrived bringing new hopes and expectations, both personally and professionally. It’s also a good time to reflect on the previous year. For our team, we experienced immense growth and development in 2019 and the same can be said about our industry. Looking Back: Last Year’s Key Changes to the Building Industry The past year was a big one for mass timber construction and we expect it will only get bigger in 2020 with the National Building Code changes allowing the construction of tall wood buildings up to 12-storeys from the current limit of six. The only exception is British Columbia which secured permission from the National Research Council (NRC) to adopt the rules right away. This industry has welcomed this new-ish construction capability as a more sustainable material. For us, it has created challenges, as there hasn’t been enough noise and vibration […]

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National Building Code Changes Make Way for Wood Mass timber has been used widely for more than two decades in Europe but it wasn’t until 2012 when mass timber construction made its debut in North America. Since the first construction, interest and adoption has been swift. And now thanks to changes to the National Building Code (NBC), construction is likely to accelerate with the height restrictions set to double in the New Year. In 2020, the NBC will allow for the construction of tall wood buildings up to 12-storeys with the exception of British Columbia. The province secured permission from the National Research Council (NRC) to adopt the rules immediately in 2019. Growing Interest in Mass Timber Projects Mass timber buildings can be defined as one in which the primary load-bearing structure is made of either solid or engineered wood such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), nail-laminated timber (NLT) or glue-laminated […]

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Acoustics is subjective. Whenever I explain the concept of acoustics, I tend to share this: Sound is me cutting my lawn. Noise is my neighbour cutting his lawn. Music is my neighbour cutting my lawn. It’s not always about how loud something is, but how it affects us, sometimes consciously and often unconsciously. 5 Common Myths About Acoustics While acoustical design can be artistic, it’s by no means art or even magic. Acoustics is firmly rooted in science. It is defined as the science that deals with the production, control, transmission, reception, and effects of sound. It is often a misunderstood field which can lead to investing in solutions that won’t create your desired acoustical environment. In my 20 years as an acoustical engineer, I have heard just about everything. Here are some of the most common misconceptions: 1) Myth: Acoustic design is strictly about room finishes Truth: Acoustics is […]

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This past year marks the 20th anniversary of Canstruction Toronto, a design and build competition that challenges teams to create structures made entirely from canned foods that are donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank. The result is a series of creative and whimsical designs that showcase the incredible design skills of local architectural and engineering firms while restocking a food bank that many Torontonians depend on. Our team at Aercoustics is proud to have been involved as volunteers and participate in Canstruction. It’s something we look forward to every year. All for a Good Cause Canstruction is just one of many causes we support at Aercoustics. When I first came to know about Canstruction, I wanted to participate as a team, but given our smaller company size at the time it was not possible. So instead, I got involved volunteering as one of the co-chairs of the event and […]

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Aercoustics Hosting International Wind Turbine Experts in Toronto It’s clean, affordable, and endlessly renewable. It’s no surprise that wind power is one of the fastest growing methods of electrical generation in the world. But whether it’s here in Canada or abroad, the topic of wind energy can be divisive. But it may not be the turbine’s fault. If a wind project is not designed or tuned properly, turbines can be a noisy neighbour. Accurately Measuring Wind Turbine Noise Wind farms are unique installations and present different challenges when it comes to noise. Because the noise is dependent on the wind conditions, measurement of wind turbine noise at neighboring residents can be a complicated affair. Over the years, many different measurement techniques have been applied with the goal of quantifying wind turbine noise far away from the turbines. Many have been unsuccessful, but a few have honed the craft of measuring […]

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Aercoustics brings Canada’s only acoustic and visual simulation room online Our engineers have had the great honour of working on some amazing projects including the Aga Khan Museum, Orpheum and Queen Elizabeth Theatre to name just a few. But we are particularly proud of one of our most recent projects because it is our own. Earlier this year we finished a state-of-the-art room to be part of our new Aercoustics environment. We call it The Bridge and it is the first of its kind in Canada. So what is The Bridge? This remarkable room allows our clients to experience audio and visual simulation of their spaces before they ever break ground. Now owners, architects, engineers and contractors can test their acoustical design and make sure it achieves its goal. Acoustic simulation techniques Depending on the facility, sound quality might be a critical component. If it is a performance venue or […]

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Fitness centres and gyms are constantly popping up around the city. From office buildings to the grocery store to condominiums, having a fitness facility in close proximity to other amenities and residential housing makes it easier for people to use their memberships. But gyms tend to be noisy places. The bass pumping beats may get everyone going but it is a little annoying if you live above it. Combined with the sound of weights hitting the floor and people coming and going, the noise generated from a fitness centre can result in complaints from neighbours. Gym members may also find noise inside the space overwhelming depending on how it is designed. Unfortunately, most of our calls about gyms come from clients who have already signed a lease. But there are ways to mitigate potential noise issues so you are not driven out of your space by noise complaints: 1. Soundproof […]

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The City of Toronto is sitting up and paying attention to noise—and updating the noise bylaw that is in place. New condos and office towers have re-energized the downtown core but with more people living in the area, construction noise is becoming more of an issue. Recent changes to the City of Toronto’s noise bylaw will have a big impact on how and when certain aspects of construction are done in the city. The City has removed current construction exemptions from the noise bylaw and now restricts builders from pouring concrete or using heavy cranes for work late into the night. The Biggest Change to City of Toronto’s Noise Bylaw The most significant change is the ability to pour or finish concrete. Anyone in the construction industry will tell you that once you start pouring concrete, you can’t stop and come back to it. It’s a chemical process that takes […]

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Hiring new members of your team is a time-consuming process. We invest time and resources in to ensure we find the right fit. We also find you need to be creative and expand your borders when it comes to a talent search. Our industry is a niche business and finding good recruits can be a challenge even when the job market is not so competitive. When we need experienced people, we use all avenues available to us and often source people through direct referrals and partnerships.

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