• Going Rogue with Acoustic Design: How We Leveraged New Technology to Reimagine Stratford’s Tom Patterson Theatre

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    Once a quarter, on a Thursday afternoon, the Aercoustics team shuts down operations for 24 hours. No checking email or voicemails allowed. Everyone in the office is encouraged to work on any project and it does not have to be company-related. Our Rogue Days are meant to be an opportunity to innovate. Many have led to new tools and software, technology and solutions now used by our consulting engineering practice. But even our Rogue Day expectations were exceeded with the creation of a tool that would help our team set precedence in acoustic design in a Canadian cultural landmark: The Tom Patterson Theatre (TPT). Set on the banks of the Avon River in Stratford, Ontario, the TPT hosts the annual Stratford Festival, which welcomes half a million theatregoers each year. The Aercoustics team had the honour of working on the Festival’s first new performance venue in two decades. The TPT […]

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  • Listen Up: Schools Need Good Acoustics and Consistent Standards to Promote Learning

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    As children, we’re told by our teachers to pay attention. But what if the classroom acoustics were hindering our ability to hear? In traditional learning environments, there are many sources of sound: the voices of students, teachers, staff, and students in the hallways plus external sources like construction or traffic outside the school. How that sound travels and is received by staff and students depends on many factors from the layout of the room to the internal finishes. When that sound is not wanted and disruptive, it becomes noise. The issue is compounded as schools look to help collaborative learning which is one of the most effective ways to promote better learning outcomes in schools. However, with poor acoustics, collaborative learning environments have been shown to inhibit learning advancement.   Studies have shown that poor classroom acoustics can be harmful to a student’s academic success. Students may have difficulty hearing […]

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  • How to Manage Flanking Noise in Mass Timber Buildings

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    Interest and adoption of mass timber construction has been swift since it made its debut in North America in 2012. And demand has only multiplied with growing interest in biophilic design which integrates natural elements such as plants, green walls, healing gardens and wood finishes into building interiors. It has become so popular, that a recent report projects that the number of mass timber buildings could double every two years.   Acoustical Challenges of Mass Timber The use of exposed wood walls and ceilings have become trendy as well as beautiful. And it has a lower carbon footprint than steel or concrete, is fire-resistant and can be economical since mass timber structures can be built as components offsite and then transported to the project site ready to be installed. But mass timber needs to be incorporated carefully into the design because using wood as a structural element can introduce significant […]

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  • How to Control Construction Noise and Vibration on Sensitive Projects

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    Construction is synonymous with noise and vibration. There is no disputing it. However, in certain situations, noise and vibration can and must be controlled.  Not only can it cause damage to property, but it can interfere with sensitive equipment such as MRI or CT machines at a nearby hospital. While bylaws vary by city, Toronto requires you to complete a vibration control form before securing a building permit. Generally, the permit process in most municipalities, including Toronto, is focused on structural damage to nearby buildings or services. It does not take into account the impact on uniquely sensitive uses like patient bedrooms or equipment in healthcare settings, recording studios, or an art gallery housing delicate artifacts. This gap in the municipal requirements can be problematic. Excessive vibration close to a gas line could be disastrous. Near a broadcast studio, it can impact a live or taped event. Near a hospital, […]

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  • How Integrating Our Sales and Marketing Helps Boost the Bottom Line

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    For many smaller speciality consultants in our industry, developing strategic company goals to pursue certain sectors and clientele is typical, but many do not capitalize on the natural partnership of sales and marketing. Aercoustics is an exception. We use sales targets to create our marketing plan. Aligning sales and marketing means they operate as a unified organization with a shared system of strategy, goals and communication. We have found by working together, we can concentrate limited resources on the best opportunities to grow our market share. When the overall company initiative is going in one direction, sales and marketing need to support. There are countless studies showing a collaborative effort between the two can increase customer acquisition and help boost the bottom line. In the U.S., it is estimated that $1 trillion is lost a year due to a lack of coordination. How to Foster Collaboration between Sales and Marketing […]

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  • Ask Me Anything: Sounding Off with Aercoustics VP, Architecture, Amanda Robinson

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    Describe your career path I studied mechanical engineering at the University of Adelaide (one of only five women in a class of 50). I took an acoustics specialty subject in my final year, and really enjoyed it. When Dr. Peter Swift – someone very well known in the acoustics world in Australia – spoke to our class and said his firm was hiring, I applied right away, and was successful. That was back in 1996, and I’ve been in acoustics ever since, though I did dabble in mechanical services consulting along the way. An intercompany exchange program took me to the UK in 2000 where I worked and did a lot of travelling through Europe until 2004. After a six-month sabbatical sailing (both in the UK and Australia), I joined Marshall Day Acoustics in 2005, and was given the opportunity to work on some amazing projects – everything from desalination […]

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  • Managing Noise Issues When Developing Energy Storage Facilities

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    In Ontario, the demand for electricity is projected to grow 1.7 per cent annually over the next two decades as the population grows. This is coupled with expected reductions in existing capacity, as nuclear assets are decommissioned or refurbished and contracts with existing generators expire. These factors have combined to create a forecasted shortfall in energy supply in the coming years. To ensure a sufficient and reliable supply of electricity, the province recently announced it is looking to procure up to 4,000 MW of new capacity, 2,500 MW of which could be energy storage. Large scale energy storage is new for Ontario and is an emerging technology globally. Rather than generating new power, it can help store it from various sources and dispatch it on demand when the needs are highest. This helps keep the electrical grid in balance and improve the utilization of variable power generators like wind and […]

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  • Ask Me Anything: Sounding Off with Aercoustics Associate Dylan Salazaar

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    How did acoustics, noise, and vibration become your specialization? My career path didn’t start out in acoustics. I went to school for mechanical engineering, and in university, we very briefly touched on vibration. Other than that, I had no idea that this field even existed. My first job after school was with a mechanical contractor. During my first week, I met someone from Aercoustics on a project, but I never imagined I would end up working at the same company. Later, I had the opportunity to change my career with a finance role that leveraged some of my technical background. But I found that I missed the technical challenge of more formal engineering work. That was when one of my coworkers reintroduced me to Aercoustics and the field of acoustics. Given my love of music, my interest in building design and my education as an engineer, I was intrigued and applied. That was […]

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  • Ask Me Anything: Sounding Off with Aercoustics Associate Derek Flake

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    How did acoustics, noise, and vibration become your specialization? Ever since my high school physics teacher explained how bass in music goes through walls, I’ve had an interest in the way sound waves interact. My affinity for sound grew during my undergrad in Engineering Physics. During my graduate studies, I chose to focus on high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and designed and built a prototype device capable of generating and steering complex sound fields underwater.   How did you arrive at Aercoustics? It didn’t take me long to narrow down the industry I wanted to work in. I focused on the relatively small number of companies in the area with an acoustics, noise and vibration specialty, and even contacted professors around the world to obtain specific course materials so I could get a leg up when applying. After working for a couple years at one firm, I was approached by an Aercoustics partner to […]

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  • How to Prevent Burnout: Implementing Mental Health Initiatives in the Workplace

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    Mental health has become more of a focus in recent years as organizations work hard to educate, provide resources and remove the stigma associated with mental illness. And, for good reason. One in five Canadians will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime. By the time you are in your 40s, the chances are one in two. The pandemic only exacerbated the problem as many experienced feelings of isolation, anxiety and stress. We saw a significant rise in one such mental health issue during the pandemic: Burnout. Whether or not you love your job, or you work from home or the office, if you work too hard or too long, without the required amount of shutdown time, burnout is a possibility. At Aercoustics, the pandemic prompted us to look at ways to recognize and prevent burnout as well as enhance our mental health. In a recent blog post, we […]

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