Making Good Acoustics “Happen” with Paul Marks
Recently, Paul Marks, a Principal at BKL, sat down for a chat with James from the Site Visit Podcast. They talked...
Recently, Paul Marks, a Principal at BKL, sat down for a chat with James from the Site Visit Podcast. They talked...
Air source heat pumps are growing in popularity. While these systems can help you save on your heating bill, they...
In honour of International Women’s Day, we would like to put a spotlight on the SIV (Soroptimist International of Vancouver)...
An acoustical site visit during construction can bring peace of mind to developers — and peace and quiet to the...
One of our founding partners, Douglas Kennedy, retired this year. Doug was a pillar at BKL and put the “K”...
In December 2022, Ken Barron passed away. He was 89. Through his design work, entrepreneurial vision, and technical innovations, Ken...
Our journey is almost complete. Along the way we’ve looked at sound isolation, YouTube acoustics, noise-measuring smartphone apps, and event...
Our previous foray took us through the world of noise-measuring smartphone apps. Earlier, we discussed sound isolation and viral armchair...
Last time we entered the realm, we examined sound isolation and room acoustics, and before that we met the armchair...
In Part 1 we met the armchair acoustician and discussed the differences between sound isolation and room acoustics. In Part...
Here we dispel common misconceptions and take a look at the proper way to solve problems related to noise and...
Tribute to Michael R. Noble, a former partner of BKL Consultants Ltd., who passed away at the North Shore Hospice...
Pickleball is among Canada’s fastest-growing sports. It’s also one of the noisiest. As municipalities try to meet demand for the...
This post looks at the benefits of sound masking, how it works, and why sound masking systems, alongside other acoustical...
Congratulations, Doug Kennedy! This past year, Doug celebrated his 50th anniversary with our consultancy. It’s an incredible achievement! We are...
Many ancient amphitheaters are recognized for their wonderful acoustics. Legend says that in the Colosseum, the emperor could hear the...
As the pandemic continues, people across Canada have adopted new daily rhythms. More people are working from home, so fewer...
Most folks know that a decibel is a measure of sound, but there’s much more to it than that. This...
Noise, the increase of or lack thereof, can make an enormous difference in the ambience of a space. Since COVID-19–related...
Our buildings are going to look a lot different in the not-so-distant future. British Columbia is on the cusp of...
Since last September, David Nguyen has been working a co-op term here at BKL. As David’s co-op nears its completion...
Congratulations to BKL Acoustical Consultant Forest Borch, who earned his P.Eng. this past fall!Forest has consulted with BKL for six...
On April 29, 2019, the City of Vancouver declared a climate emergency. At the same time, the municipality announced “six...
Office space is changing.During the industrial revolution, factories started bringing huge numbers of people together to work. Not long into...
In the months since COVID-19 took over the news cycle, restaurants have adapted to stay open and observe the recommendations...
During BKL’s 54 years of acoustical consulting, the method of calculating and predicting outdoor noise propagation has evolved from hand...
Congratulations to BKL acoustician Graeme Garvin, who earned his professional engineering licence from Engineers and Geoscientists BC this past July....
Two of our newest acoustical consultants found themselves in a few layers of “the new normal” – starting a new...
Where do buses start and finish each day? At a transit centre. These facilities are the hubs of public transportation...
In January 2020, Simon Fraser University (SFU) student Ryan Heo began an eight-month term as a co-op student at BKL....
Even before the pandemic, more and more people were working from home regularly. Thanks to contemporary computers and cellphones, with...
Do trees block sound? How do you soundproof a room? Why is there a fountain in the lobby? As acoustical...
Last November, BKL was again invited to present at the BC Building Envelope Council’s Annual Conference. To lead the 45-minute...
With both 2019 and this decade coming to a close, we can't help but look back at all that we've...
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the office,Not a keyboard was clacking—the quiet was flawless;Except the low rumble...
All of us have broken into song during a shower at least once. Many of us go all out. As...
Often constant and usually monotonous, a low-frequency noise or hum in your home can make you feel like you are...
Under the umbrella of engineering opportunities lies the field of acoustics, a smaller yet undeniably valuable realm that focuses on...
In March 2019, BKL’s Phil Miville-Deschênes presented on the acoustical guidelines of the 2018 BC Building Code before members of...
BKL is proud to announce that one of its partners, Gary Mak, has earned a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. What...
What makes a building sustainable? In the past, a mix of building design standards sought to provide guidelines for environmental...
For some projects, noise can factor significantly in the environmental assessment process. For others, however, noise isn’t a major concern....
Compared to traditional construction, modular buildings offer shorter build times, less wasted material, and lower overhead. These benefits have popularized...
Last October, Mark Bliss, one of the Principals at BKL, presented on acoustics at the BC Building Envelope Council’s annual...
Back in 2015, updates to the National Building Code ushered in new acoustical requirements for sound transmission between adjoining suites....
Ever wonder how we assess impact sound isolation in floor/ceiling assemblies? Well, for starters, we don’t send one acoustician upstairs...
BKL has another P.Eng. on its team! Trevor Cheng joins the list of Professional Engineers at BKL, earning his professional...
For BKL, 2018 was a year of innovation.Why? For starters, the firm received the Innovation Award from the North Vancouver...
BKL sends you joy, laughter, and warmth this Christmas!Along with bountiful presents, we hope you also give the gift of presence...
The modern-day restaurant, bar, or tasting room is a place to relax and enjoy food, drink, and the company of...
In recent years, the number of fitness centres, gyms and workout studios has increased greatly. New apartment buildings, shopping malls,...
BKL offers a warm welcome to Shirin Escarcha, who recently joined the team as Marketing and Communication Specialist. In this...
Every successful radio, television, or film studio provides an environment where voices are reproduced to exacting standards—without interference from unwanted...
Taking on a growing number of exciting projects, BKL has hired four new acousticians since January. With these specialists onboard,...
It’s official! BKL is proud to share that Brigette Martin earned her professional engineering licence from Engineers and Geoscientists BC in...
According to building codes, party floor/ceiling assemblies must provide a minimum Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of 50. To achieve this...
A Quiet Place tells the story of a family in plight—the Abbotts—fighting for survival against killer aliens that are sightless,...
Environmental noise and vibration can rankle at any hour. From first light (we’re looking at you, songbirds) to the stroke...
Few buildings have more demanding acoustical requirements than houses of worship. Because the delivery of spoken word and the offering...
BKL introduces its newest acoustical engineer, Banda Logawa. Welcome to the team, Banda!Banda joins BKL as a permanent staff member after...
At BKL, we stay up to date with the latest standards, developed by the world’s leading researchers in the fields...
Whether you are building a new school or upgrading an existing facility, properly planning the acoustics in your music rehearsal...
All of us at BKL send along our warmest holiday greetings. As we celebrate with our families and friends, we...
While human ears and brains are remarkable speech processors, our ability to understand speech is easily degraded by a little...
Last month, APEGBC introduced its new brand: Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia. Along with the new business name, the association...
Reflecting sound waves significantly affect how a room sounds, so optimizing these reflections is an essential part of the acoustical...
This past week, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Murray Hodgson and Chris Wolfe. Both Murray and...
Storytelling is one of the oldest human traditions, and a great drama space connects the audience to the actors, setting...
Music, in all its styles and forms, interacts with its environment. Because the acoustical environment is part of the musical...
“It’s the best of both worlds,” says the salesman. “All you need are these little screens, an acoustical tile ceiling,...
Anniversaries are a big deal. At BKL, we wanted to celebrate our 50th during 2016 by highlighting past achievements and...
Kenric Van Wyk (left) with his wife, Carol, and BKL acousticians Vincent Lau and Ken Bell, 1992Kenric Van Wyk came...
Reverberation time (RT) is a measure of how long it takes for sound to decay in a space. It can...
BKL is very pleased to announce that Gary Mak and Paul Marks have become company partners. Gary and Paul join principals...
Photo Credit: Andy MetelkaAnother successful Acoustics Week is in the books! This year’s conference was held in Vancouver from September...
The recently updated National Building Code (NBC) of Canada 2015 presents a new way to control airborne sound transmitted between...
BKL is pleased to announce that APEGBC has recognized Phil Miville-Deschenes's professional engineer (P.Eng.) designation, which he originally earned in...
Outdoor noise barriers can effectively reduce the transmission of noise from source to receiver. When placed between source and receiver,...
Last fall, we wrote about how acoustical design can improve speech intelligibility for people with impaired hearing. Yet even in a...
After a long, distinguished career in both acoustical and marine engineering, Ken Harford, P.Eng., has announced that he will retire...
BKL proudly recognizes Gary Mak, who received his professional engineering licence from APEGBC on February 16, 2016. Congratulations! When he received...
BKL has added two new acousticians to its team.Phil Miville-Deschenes, P.Eng., is a professional engineer and associate member of the Acoustical Society...
Have you ever wondered what makes a concert hall sound great?“Sonic Magic: The Wonder and Science of Sound,” a recent...
We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! Please note that our office will be closed on December 25th,...
BKL is pleased to welcome two new employees, Forest Borch and Jordan Reniak.After completing a successful internship with BKL last...
When designing your care facility, rest home, classroom, university lecture hall, amphitheatre or house of worship, consider incorporating acoustical design...
A recent survey of green buildings (mostly in the United States) indicated that the main drawbacks from the users perspective...
Work hard in silence, let your success be your noise
— Frank OceanConstructing a noise barrier or enclosure can be a significant investment. BKL works alongside owners and project managers to help them...
In 2014, approximately $30 billion was invested in clean energy sources in Canada. That’s an increase of 9 percent from...
2014 was a great year for BKL! We experienced continued growth, working with more clients and projects, building on our...
Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom
— Francis BaconBKL is proud to announce its certification through APEGBC’s Organizational Quality Management Program (OQM). This certification, which formally recognizes BKL’s...
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at BKL! ...
Evidence of BKL’s leadership in acoustics can be found in live performance venues across Western Canada. For example, BKL consulted...
BKL Partner Mark Bliss prepared a paper and presentation about environmental noise assessment of proposed wind farms for the 5th International Conference...
BKL Partner Mark Bliss prepared a paper and a presentation for NOISE-CON 2013 Denver summarizing two music-related assessments we performed for the City...