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Yearly Archives: 2019

New acoustics, ventilation and overheating guide set for launch

After almost two years of research, ANC, the Association of Noise Consultants, is launching its Acoustics Ventilation and Overheating (AVO) Residential Design Guide.

 

Produced by the ANC’s AVO Group, the guide provides a resource for practitioners and designers to balance the interdependence of noise, ventilation, and overheating in the acoustic assessment of new residential developments.

 

Intended for the consideration of new residential developments that will be exposed predominantly to airborne sound from transport sources, and to sound from mechanical services that are serving the dwellings in question, ANC sought cross-industry consultation to obtain input from a range of sectors for the project, including building services and environmental health.

 

The official launch of the AVO guide takes place on Thursday, January 30th, at 15 Hatfields, South Bank, London.

 

Dan Saunders, Chairman of the ANC said: “We’ve received a considerable amount of support and interest from organisations including the IOA, CIBSE and CIEH, who recognise the need for more guidance and closer collaboration in this area of work.

 

“The issue of noise, ventilation and overheating is a pressing one, particularly in light of the changing climate patterns and drive towards more energy-efficient homes, and the AVO guide will provide a useful reference point in an issue of growing significance.”

 

A range of information to help avoid potential pitfalls is featured in the guide, including health and wellbeing risks for occupants, design risks for consultants and legal risks for developers.

 

It also includes an explanation of ventilation requirements under the building regulations and in Approved Document F, along with typical ventilation strategies and associated noise considerations, as well as an explanation of the overheating assessment methodology described by CIBSE TM59.

 

As supplementary guidance to the well-established Professional Planning Practice Guidance (ProPG): New Residential Development, the Acoustics Ventilation and Overheating (AVO) Residential Design Guide provides a consistent and complementary approach to the acoustic assessment.

 

It recognises that there is not a ‘one-size fits all’ style assessment and sets out the potential range of acoustic criteria and guidance relating to different ventilation and overheating conditions for both environmental noise ingress and building services noise  – and concludes with a worked example of the application of the AVO Guide, including indicative design solutions.

 

Dan added: “The AVO guide takes an integrated view of residential conditions for noise, ventilation and thermal comfort, suggesting tolerances over the conventional singular criteria for noise regardless of ventilation condition or provisions for overheating.

 

“The adaptive thermal comfort model illustrates the importance of control over one’s environment in avoiding annoyance or achieving satisfaction and the document takes the concept of control and integrates it to enable a much more nuanced assessment of internal noise conditions.

 

“This is vital to the design of sustainable, resilient dwellings that are adaptable to future scenarios.”

 

The guide can be viewed at https://www.association-of-noise-consultants.co.uk/avo-guide/

Acoustics Ventilation and Overheating Guide

The long-awaited AVO Guide has been published today and you can find it here.

 

On 30 January, there is a workshop to hear about the content of the AVO Guide, and learn how to apply the guidance in practice. This event includes presentations and workshops aimed at providing an understanding of how to consider the guidance for noise and ventilation, and for noise and mitigating overheating in residential developments.

 

The event takes place at 15 Hatfields, London, SE1 8DJ commencing 9.30am. The booking form and further details can be found here.

ANC AVO Residential Design Guide January 2020 v1.1

 

New Acoustics Technician Apprenticeship Launches to Industry

Organisers behind a pioneering new apprenticeship in acoustics are launching the programme to the industry.

 

Information about the Acoustics Technician Level 4 Apprenticeship programme is being presented at a cross-sector event, taking place in London on January 21.

 

The apprenticeship has been developed as an employer-led, industry initiative, with support from the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) and the Institute of Acoustics (IOA).

 

Richard Grove, Acoustics Director at BDP, is Chairman of the working group which has developed the apprenticeship.

 

He said: “The new apprenticeship will help deliver the acousticians of the future, which are needed across a range of industries to meet demand.

 

“It will also bring benefits to the higher education sector, by acting as a feeder for degree courses, either under the apprenticeship route or as a sponsored degree by a company.”

 

The Trailblazer Group behind the programme were recently presented with the Armstrong Next Generation Award at the John Connell Awards – organised by the Noise Abatement Society – for promoting and facilitating entry to the acoustics profession.

 

Mr Grove added: “Apprentices will have a clear, defined career path and the programme will offer opportunities for diversity and inclusion within the acoustics industry.

 

“We expect the first cohort of apprentices to start in 2020 and our hope is that employers support it.”

 

To find out more about the apprenticeship launch event in January, please email info@theanc.co.uk

 

More details about the apprenticeship standard can be found at; https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/acoustics-technician/

Meeting 19 November – Construction Nuisance presentation

The next Company Meeting takes place on Tuesday 19 November 2019 at 2.30pm at Woburn House Conference Centre, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HQ.

 

The topic for discussion is construction nuisance – the Hiscox –v- Pinnacle case 11 years on. Will Minting  explores the ramifications of the most significant Construction Nuisance case since Andreae v Selfridge [CA 1938], and how safeguarding advancements apply to Party Wall etc Act 1996 matters, as well as construction projects conducted outside that jurisdiction.

Sounding out a STEM challenge for Tomorrow’s Engineers Week

Budding engineers looking to make a sound career choice can tap into a series of short films, being launched to mark Tomorrow’s Engineers Week (4-8 Nov).

 

National trade body the Association of Noise Consultants is showcasing a range of videos, aimed at a school age audience, showing acoustics in action.

 

The playlist features nine films, made by acousticians as part of a new accolade under the renowned John Connell Awards programme.

 

 

Held in October, the John Connell STEM award – sponsored by the ANC and ANV Measurement Systems – recognised short film communications relating to acoustics, made by people studying or working in the field.

 

SRL Technical Services won the title, with a film highlighting how people in the community could be annoyed by irritating noises, and how they can be addressed.

 

AECOM and LOcHER (Learning Occupational Health by Experiencing Risk) were both Highly Commended.

 

Paul Shields, a member of the ANC Board, said: “The winning and shortlisted videos have all now been uploaded to the playlist.

 

“These films leave a great legacy, as the applicants have explained a highly technical subject in ways that engage with their young audience.

 

“They offer a useful resource for people interested in acoustics and STEM in general to tap into and, with the theme this year for Tomorrow’s Engineers Week focusing on health and wellbeing, they are particularly relevant.

 

“World Health Organisation guidelines state that exposure to noise presents the largest health risk to the population of Western Europe, second only to poor air quality.

 

“Environmental noise can have negative impacts on health and wellbeing and is a well-recognised public health risk.

 

“These impacts can include cardiovascular disease, annoyance, sleep disturbance and distractions in activities such as reading and conversation.

 

“As a result, we need talented people to enter our industry and engineer solutions to tackle this.”

 

The playlist initiative is part of the ANC’s ‘#ExploreAcoustics’ campaign, launched last year to demonstrate the wide range of opportunities available to students interested in a career in STEM.

 

#ExploreAcoustics includes video interviews and in-depth case studies featuring students, graduates, professionals and academics in the industry.

 

Gloria Elliott OBE, Chief Executive of the Noise Abatement Society, said: “We congratulate all of the winners of this exciting new John Connell Award for creating inspirational, informative and accessible videos to inspire young people about the aural environment.”

 

More information, including links to the John Connell STEM Award playlist, can be found at www.association-of-noise-consultants.co.uk/explore-acoustics