Staying Up to Date with the Latest Acoustical Standards

22 Feb Staying Up to Date with the Latest Acoustical Standards

At BKL, we stay up to date with the latest standards, developed by the world’s leading researchers in the fields of acoustics and vibration. With access to these insights, we align our methods for taking measurements, analyzing data, and developing software models with current industry best practices. It’s all part of our commitment to providing the highest quality services possible. Keep reading to learn about a few of the recent updates we’ve purchased and find out why they’re important in BC.

Health Canada Guidance for Evaluating Human Health Impacts in Environmental Assessment: Noise (published 2017)

Effectively Canada’s opinion on what constitutes good practice and due diligence in environmental noise assessments, this guidance outlines how to predict health risks relating to noise from infrastructure projects such as dams, mines, pipelines, and more. It should be referenced on almost any environmental noise assessment project in Canada.

ISO 1996-2:2017 Acoustics — Description, measurement and assessment of environmental noise — Part 2: Determination of sound pressure levels

This standard is the worldwide industry benchmark for taking sound level measurements outdoors. This latest update provides additional guidance for conducting long-term measurements, calculating the influence of weather conditions, and quantifying the uncertainty in the results.

ISO 8041:2017 Human response to vibration – Measuring instrumentation – Part 1: General purpose vibration meters

All our vibration meters meet this instrumentation standard so we can record precise, consistent values and analyze data with confidence.

Institute of Acoustics Professional Practice Guidance on Planning and Noise: New Residential Development (published 2017)

This standard outlines ways to consider acoustics early in the design of new residential projects. We use it to identify and minimize the potential for incompatible land use and costly building upgrades.

ASTM E336-16 Standard Test Method for Measurement of Airborne Sound Attenuation between Rooms in Buildings

We’ve incorporated the latest 2016 revisions of this standard into our procedures to ensure the sound transmission class (STC) or noise isolation class (NIC) value we measure for you is correct!

ASTM E1007-16 Standard Test Method for Field Measurement of Tapping Machine Impact Sound Transmission Through Floor-Ceiling Assemblies and Associated Support Structures

We purchased the latest 2016 revision of this standard to confirm the accuracy of our impact isolation class (IIC) measurements.

ANSI S12.70-2016 Criteria for Evaluating Speech Privacy in Healthcare Facilities

Acoustical requirements in healthcare are changing rapidly. This current standard includes the latest methods for evaluating speech privacy in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities.

ISO 1996-1:2016 Acoustics — Description, measurement and assessment of environmental noise — Part 1: Basic quantities and assessment procedures

This standard, which provides the latest reference values to relate noise levels to community disturbance, covers the basics of describing and assessing noise in the community. It’s a key resource for predicting how a community will react to long-term noise exposure.

ANSI S12.9-2016/Part 7 Measurement of Low-frequency Noise and Infrasound Outdoors and in the Presence of Wind and Indoors in Occupied Spaces

Improperly measured low-frequency noise can lead to all sorts of wrong conclusions on major projects—especially in the wind energy sector. We use this standard to guide our methods for measuring low-frequency noise to ensure that our analysis is consistent and accurate.

ANSI S12.72-2015 Procedure for Measuring the Ambient Noise Level in a Room

This detailed standard illustrates how a simple sound level measurement in a room is affected by so many variables. Because our procedures for measuring background noise meet the requirements of this standard, our clients can be confident in the precision of our results and analysis.

BS 8233:2014 Guidance on sound insulation and noise reduction for buildings

Addressing ways to control both internal and external noise for new buildings, renovations, and refits, this UK standard provides invaluable sound insulation advice, insight that’s not available in current North American guidance.

BS 4142 2014 Methods for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound

This standard describes one of the best ways to assess the impact of industrial and commercial noise on adjacent residences. We’ve incorporated the latest update of this world-famous British standard into our procedures because it provides clarity on how to best define background sound level, among a number of other important considerations.

Institute of Acoustics Good Practice Guide for the Assessment and Rating of Wind Turbine Noise (published 2013)

More thorough than anything published in North America, this UK guidance connects wind turbine manufacturer test data to actual sound levels that will be measured in the field after a wind farm is operational.