A Practical Guide to Construction Noise Surveys
Noise is an unavoidable offshoot of any construction work. For those on site, it is a merely a part of the job – but, for those living and working in the surrounding area, it represents a significant and, at times, unmanageable disturbance to their health and wellbeing. From sleep disturbance to potential psychophysiological effects, excessive noise can cause a wide range of issues that must be anticipated, planned for, and mitigated as much as is possible in order to avoid interruption and potentially substantial fines.
For this reason, the lion’s share of construction projects will require a noise assessment from an experienced acoustic consultant prior to the commencement of work, which should be submitted to the local council, in order to ensure that an accurate environmental management plan is in place for noise control, and mitigating the negative impact on the surrounding environment.
In addition to providing continued noise monitoring during construction, your acoustic consultant will be able to ensure that you and your team are fully cognisant of any noise control measures needed to ensure that you remain protected against potential complaints or interference from the local council.
What is a Construction Noise Survey?
Methodologies for accurate noise assessment are carried out by an experience acoustic consultant at various stages of construction work to ensure that noise levels remain within a safe and manageable range.
Noise impact assessments have a range of uses. The BS4142, for instance, can be used to determine the level of workplace, and its impact on those living and working in the surrounding area. Alternatively, the BS8223 offers an invaluable methodology for anticipating the level of noise to which a new domestic property will be exposed, and creating a clear proposal for the noise insulation measures required to ensure a health environment for future inhabitants.
Both offer invaluable documents that may be required by the council, depending on the scope of your work, and can offer an excellent line of defence against further issues as work progresses.
Below, we look a little more closely at the ways in which your acoustic consultant can ensure a sustainable approach to construction through a suitable noise assessment.
What is the BS4142 Test?
In order to determine the potential for excessive noise pollution, the BS4142 assessment offers the strongest methodology – the results of which can be used by your acoustic consultant to determine the likelihood of noise complaints, and whether or not additional measures need to be taken to ensure noise control before work begins.
Complaints will entail significant disruptions to the site, and should be avoided as much as possible in order to ensure that the project stays on track, and that you are not putting yourself at risk of liability, costly downtime, or considerable fines from the local council.
The BS4142 is a British Standard, and it produces a rating that represents the difference between the existing noise level in the area due for construction, and the noise that will be generated by the construction work. It also takes into account factors such as tonality; in essence, certain sounds generated by specialised machinery will, in all likelihood, represent a greater disruption than sounds of the same magnitude but different tonality.
In an ideal situation, the noise generated by construction work will be lower than the average noise level of the area. Even 5dB difference between existing noise and construction noise should be avoided, and may raise your risk of complaints significantly, while a 10dB increase indicates a pressing need to work with your acoustic consultant on measures for noise insultation.
Once work has begun, your acoustic engineer will be able to continue working with you to ensure proper noise monitoring, which will offer protection against any potential complaints from locals, or further investigation from the local council.
What is the BS8223 Noise Assessment Report?
This test offers a strong methodology for determining noise insulation measures needed to ensure an acceptable level of noise within rooms of new homes (or buildings undergoing a change of purpose) and their gardens at various times of day. It is vital, with any new property, that the noise levels fit within the parameters stipulated by the test, just as it is important that a new build is able to undergo an SAP assessment in order to meet the required standard.
In areas facing a high level of noise – perhaps due to, say, a railway line – then the BS8223 report will likely be a condition of your planning permission.
Your acoustic consultant will visit the proposed site, and take a detailed noise measurement of the surrounding area at various points in the day and night to ensure a comprehensive overview of the sound environment in which the dwelling will be constructed.
They will then make recommendations for noise control and noise insulation in order to produce a realistic proposal for ensuring that future residents are not subjected to an intolerable level of noise throughout the day and night. This may then be submitted to the local authorities along with your planning proposal in order to make certain that no issues will arise later on in development.
Who Undertakes a Noise Assessment?
A noise survey requires the use of specialised tools to ensure that a precise reading is made for the existing environmental noise in the area, and, as a result, that an accurate prediction can be made for the construction site.
Our acoustic engineers are fully qualified to conduct these tests, which will ensure that you are prepared to undertake work in a way that will not entail any unwanted disruptions or issues further down the line. They can also work alongside you for the duration of the project, and ensure that your noise levels do not exceed the limits stipulated by the local council.
If you would like to find out more about working with an acoustic engineer to ensure that your construction work is able remain compliant with local restriction, then get in touch with our team today to find out more about how we can help.
