Yearly Archives: 2025

Acoustics study vital in managing health impacts of noise

24th April 2025

The Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) is urging graduates to consider a career in acoustics to help play a key role in managing the public health impacts of noise -and support the wider environment.

According to The World Health Organisation (WHO) Environmental Noise Guidelines (ENG) 2018, exposure to noise presents a significant 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.

Science and engineering can play a key role in tackling the issue and the ANC is signposting opportunities for a new generation of students with expertise in these fields to consider a role in the acoustic profession.

Louise Beamish is Chair of the ANC. She said: “Managing noise is an important, but often under-considered option, for the future well-being of society.

“Impacts of excessive noise can include cardiovascular disease, annoyance, sleep disturbance and distractions in activities such as reading and conversation.

“The increasing recognition of health implications associated with noise is shaping

the field of acoustics consultancy.

“Protecting people, and nature, from the detrimental effects of noise is becoming increasingly important for us all.

“Being a meaningful part of this as an acoustics consultant makes a valuable contribution towards enhancing health and wellbeing.

“STEM graduates with a talent for problem-solving, attention to detail and natural curiosity are excellent candidates for a career in the sector.”

ANC members provide consultancy advice across all areas of acoustics, noise and vibration sectors to support the built environment, transportation and entertainment sectors.

Roles in the sector are wide-ranging and include openings in architectural and building acoustics, environmental noise, product design, cinema sound, even sonar and ultrasound.

Acoustics also offers opportunities to mitigate the critical impact of noise on wildlife and natural spaces.

Heulwen Peters, Chair of ANC’s sustainability committee, said: “The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Frontiers’ report published in 2022 identified three emerging issues of environmental concern, with the first being noise.

“Today’s acousticians are developing the tools and solutions to these problems, but tomorrow’s acousticians will be instrumental in making the future inherently better for humans and wildlife by design.”

The ANC is signposting graduates to its #ExploreAcoustics careers guide in a bid to highlight acoustics as a career. Featuring in-depth case studies and pathways into careers it is available at https://www.association-of-noise-consultants.co.uk/explore-acoustics/

ANC Awards 2025 – entries close 1 May

15th April 2025

There are just over 2 weeks to go before entries for the ANC Awards close at midnight on Thursday 1 May.

The Awards will take place on Wednesday 25 June at 7pm, following the ANC Conference at the Crowne Plaza, Birmingham, where the shortlisted entrants will give presentations about their entries.

The awards promote and recognise excellence among UK acoustic consultants and look for examples of work that displays innovation, and originality in acoustic design or approach to a particular project.

What to do?

If you are interested in entering or want to find out more information about the awards and the process involved click here.
You can also view entries and winners from previous years to get a better understanding of the types of projects recognised here.

What to enter?

As with last year, you do not need to enter an award in a specific category – as part of the judging process, the judges will allocate entries into categories themselves – see previous categories below.

Never entered before?

Watch a 3 minute video where some of the judges talk about what they like to see from entries.
For tips on what to include and the benefits of entering see here.

Winning projects often include:

demonstration of value for the client
collaboration with other parties
how they benefit similar projects, or go beyond existing good practice
an explanation of how any problems were overcome
testimonials from end user or client
creativity and innovation in approach
evidence of a challenging project being delivered.

For more information about the awards and to request an entry form click here.

Award Categories

Award categories will be determined by the judging panel although reference should be given in any entry to which categories are relevant, such as:

Environmental Acoustics: Infrastructure – work involving sound outdoors. This is a dedicated award that relates specifically to transportation, energy and water infrastructure projects.

Environmental Acoustics: Non-Infrastructure – work involving sound outdoors. This is a dedicated award that covers all other environmental projects other than infrastructure.

Vibration prediction, assessment & control – work that concerns transmission of vibration, either associated with a building and / or the ground.

Acoustics for Inclusion – work which has contributed to improving the acoustic experience for those with additional needs such as a visual, hearing and/or cognitive impairment.

Building Acoustics – work concerning acoustics within any type of building.

Sustainability – recognises the work of Companies that have contributed to using acoustics to deliver sustainable developments.

Innovation – any type of project where innovative techniques have been developed.

Small Consultancy – recognises the contribution that smaller consultancies (generally with 6 or fewer technical staff, based on full time equivalent) bring to a successful project.

ANC Awards Information

31st March 2025

Where do I find the entry forms?

To request an entry form, visit the Awards 2025 page.

What sort of projects win awards?

If you’ve never entered before and want to see how others approach it, click here to check out some previous winners.

What are the benefits of winning an award?

The awards are a great way to promote your expertise. Winners get a trophy, certificate and logo to add to your emails or website, plus your video and brochure entry appear on the ANC website.

What the judges are looking for

demonstration of value for your client
your collaboration with other parties
how you benefit similar projects or go beyond existing good practice
an explanation of how any problems were overcome
testimonials from end users or clients
creativity and innovation in the approach
evidence of a challenging project being delivered.

The deadline for entries is fast approaching. Submissions need to be in by the 1st May, with the awards being presented on Wednesday 25th June after the Annual Conference at the Crowne Plaza in Birmingham.

ANC announces annual conference date

3rd February 2025

The Association of Noise Consultants 2025 Annual Conference and Awards takes place 25^th June at the Crown Plaza, Birmingham.

ANC members are being urged to put forward entries for the awards, which are presented on the evening of the conference.

The accolades promote and recognise excellence among UK acoustic consultants and look for examples of work that displays innovation, and originality in acoustic design or approach to a particular project.

The categories are;

Building Acoustics (sponsored by CDM Stravitec)
Education and Office Buildings (sponsored by Getzner)
Environmental Noise: Infrastructure (sponsored by AcSoft)
Environmental Noise: Non-Infrastructure (sponsored by ANV Measurement Systems)
Vibration Prediction and Control (sponsored by CMS Danskin)
Acoustics for Inclusion (sponsored by the Institute of Acoustics)
Sustainability (sponsored by Pliteq)
Innovation (sponsored by Mason)
Best presentation (sponsored by Gramm Barriers)
Smaller Consultancies: The Patrick Shortt Award

The judging panels are made up of consultants, academics, suppliers and those with specialist knowledge of each award category.

More details about the 2025 awards and conference can be found here.

New guidance launched to support compliance with Approved Document O

13th January 2025

The 38-page ‘Approved Document O Noise Guide’ lays out the requirements set down in the Building Regulations, focusing on overheating mitigation in new residential buildings.

A Working Group of industry experts from the ANC and IOA has worked on the advice, which sets out a method to demonstrate compliance to the Building Control Body of the noise constraints in Approved Document O.

It supersedes the ‘Guide to Demonstrating Compliance with the Noise Requirements of Approved Document O’, which was a draft for consultation.

In the latest document, the statutory guidance relevant to the industry in Approved Document O is explained, and the authors have focused on overheating mitigation using methods such as opening windows, ventilation louvres in external walls, and mechanical ventilation and mechanical cooling systems.

Louise Beamish, Chair of the ANC, said: “This guide sets out a method to demonstrate compliance to the Building Control Body of the noise constraints in Approved Document O.

“It aims to provide clarity for practitioners and regulators so that assessments can be carried out consistently, and the outcome is repeatable and reliable.”

Chair of the Working Group, James Healey added: “Meeting the requirements of Approved Document O has been a challenge for developers, particularly from a design coordination perspective and due to varied interpretations of the approach, which affect the route to compliance.

“This latest guide offers an extensive evaluation of all the methods available to developers of residential properties, with contributions from the principal authors of the Acoustics, Ventilation and Overheating Guide.

“It provides guidance for practitioners to appropriately implement the requirements of Approved Document O, assists the industry in the understanding of what is published in the regulation and uses award-winning research to provide an approach that uses one language form for both acousticians and thermal modellers to increase coordination.

“Whilst the requirements of Approved Document O are succinct, there is some ambiguity regarding important details. Some of these have been addressed in this new guide, which provides interpretation and clarification on content within a published regulation.”

The guide is available for free download at https://www.association-of-noise-consultants.co.uk/approved-document-o-noise-guide/