Acoustics: playing a key role in sustainable development

Sustainable development can be defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland & Khalid, 1987). Considering sustainable development is paramount to the overall integrity of numerous industries and to the collective health, safety, and wellbeing of those who live, work, and play within the spaces created by building design professionals. As such, its relationship with acoustics is an increasingly important issue.

Fundamentally, an indoor or outdoor space is more sustainable with a good sound quality. The links between unwanted sound and health risks such as stress or sleep disturbance, is being further investigated and better understood as a major issue associated with continuing development. High density urban areas, where sources of sound (construction, road traffic, rail lines, airports, industrial facilities, etc.) are located in close proximity to noise-sensitive areas (e.g., residential, offices, school, hospitals) can cause conflict between the need of ongoing development and the users of those spaces.

Before joining Cundall, my career focus was on outdoor noise emissions and people’s behavioural or physiological responses to noise pollution. With reference to national policy (e.g., NPPF, NPSE) or more wider reaching international guidance (e.g., WHO Guidelines for Community Noise), I assessed changes to the external ambient noise environment introduced by new development and subsequent impacts on local communities. I developed mitigation strategies to help avoid, reduce, control and manage the scale of adverse noise effects in order to contribute to the longevity of a healthy environment.

With my recent career move to Cundall, this now gives me an opportunity turn my attention to internal noise environments, by looking at the architectural design of spaces. But why is this important in the context of sustainable development?

The 2001 National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS) identified that we spend close to 90% of our time indoors, be it at home, school, work, carrying out social and leisure activities, or inside vehicles. This statistic will vary for individuals or groups of people, but the key finding of NHAPS is we are essentially an indoor species.

Given that, as a modern society, we will spend most of our time indoors, it is essential that we are able to provide quality acoustic environments to people. At Cundall we can directly influence this as part of the internal building acoustics design. We can enhance the acoustics in sensitive spaces by developing acoustic insulation packages to achieve suitable internal noise levels; carefully selecting wall and floor partitions; optimising room layouts and adjoining uses; considering internal reverberation and surface treatments; controlling noise transfer from internal mechanical systems; and advising on the balance of fresh air provision, overheating and acoustics.

References

• Brundtland, G.H. and Khalid, M., 1987. Our common future. Oxford University Press, Oxford, GB.
  
• Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2010. Noise Policy Statement for England.
• Klepeis, N.E., Nelson, W.C., Ott, W.R., Robinson, J.P., Tsang, A.M., Switzer, P., Behar, J.V., Hern, S.C. and Engelmann, W.H., 2001. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): a resource for assessing exposure to environmental pollutants. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 11(3), pp.231-252.
• Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, 2021. National Planning Policy Framework.
• Berglund, B., Lindvall, T., Schwela, D.H. and World Health Organization, 1999. Guidelines for community noise.