Industrial
Modelling
Planning
Residential
Specsavers retail premises – Sparks Mechanical Services
Forth Noise & Vibration was commissioned by Sparks Mechanical Services to undertake an acoustic assessment of proposed air-conditioning plant serving a Specsavers retail premises in Fort William. The assessment considered the potential impact of external mechanical plant noise on nearby residential properties.
The challenge
The proposed air-conditioning equipment was to be installed within a mixed-use town-centre environment, with residential accommodation located close to the commercial premises.
The assessment therefore needed to consider the propagation of plant noise to neighbouring dwellings and the potential for noise ingress through open windows, while providing a robust basis for evaluating the proposed installation against appropriate internal noise criteria.
Our approach
Forth Noise & Vibration undertook a desktop acoustic assessment using manufacturer octave-band noise data for the proposed air-conditioning equipment.
Sound power levels were established for the plant and acoustic propagation calculations undertaken to predict noise at the nearest residential façade. The assessment considered the combined operation of the proposed equipment, façade reflections, source directivity and external-to-internal sound transmission through open windows.
Conservative modelling assumptions were adopted throughout to provide a robust representation of potential noise impact under both heating and cooling operation.
The outcome
The assessment provided the project team with a clear understanding of the likely acoustic impact of the proposed air-conditioning installation and its relationship to relevant residential noise criteria.
The work provided a technical basis for progressing the mechanical services design and addressing noise considerations associated with nearby residential properties.
Services provided
- Air-conditioning plant noise assessment
- Mechanical plant noise
- Environmental noise prediction
- Octave-band noise assessment
- Residential noise ingress assessment
- Acoustic design support
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