Project Experience

Civic & Community, Commercial, Healthcare, Industrial & Energy, Transportation, Water

Construction Sites

About These Projects

Construction activities on large projects can generate considerable noise over extended periods. BKL has provided consultation for noise mitigation on the following projects:

Common Acoustical Challenges:

Disruption to occupied buildings
Long-duration work near homes
Pile driving noise and vibration
Blasting noise
Vibration near sensitive equipment
Noise specifications and scheduling

Bentall V

Vancouver, BC

Assessment and control of construction noise impact on existing offices in a high-rise building resulting from an 11-storey addition.

CBC Regional Broadcast Centre

Vancouver, BC

With ongoing TV and radio production, the expansion of the old CBC building was approached by first conducting field trials of demolition activities to measure and subjectively gauge expected disruption. Meetings with stakeholders were conducted to establish user requirements and discuss and approve mitigation strategies such as saw cutting concrete slabs to reduce structure-borne noise transmission and detailed scheduling of construction and production activities to minimize disruption.

Little Mountain Reservoir Reconstruction

Vancouver, BC – Greater Vancouver Regional District

Prediction, assessment and mitigation of noise from a major construction project in the midst of an urban park and residential community. This project involved preparation of noise control specifications for the construction contract, participation in public open houses and noise monitoring prior to and during construction.

Port Mann / Highway 1

Lower Mainland, BC

Prediction, monitoring and assessment of noise and vibration received in residential and commercial areas along the 37 km long corridor of this major highway project. Included Cadna/A computer noise models with detailed construction equipment information (e.g. pile driving, mobile equipment, plants) to approve or restrict operating locations or schedules and vibration monitoring at multiple simultaneous locations to assess damage potential.

Royal Jubilee Hospital

Victoria, BC

The effects of construction noise from hospital expansion or renovation are particularly inimical to patients, who may already be suffering the stresses of illness. Guidelines and specification for control of construction noise were provided as part of a facility expansion feasibility study, with emphasis on hard rock drilling and excavation within 50 feet of existing patient rooms for construction of a $70 million addition.

Seymour Shaft for Water Supply Tunnels

North Vancouver, BC

Prediction, monitoring and assessment of noise received in a residential community during construction of an 11m diameter, 180m deep shaft within Lynn Canyon Park. Noise levels due to blasting were monitored and reported throughout a ten-month period.

UBC District Energy Centre

Vancouver, BC

Construction noise and vibration limit specification and monitoring to protect sensitive laboratories (vivaria, micro CT scanning and electron microscope labs) in nearby buildings.

Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project

Vancouver, BC

Measurement of underwater noise due to pile driving to assess damage risk to fish.

Winnipeg Public Safety Building

Winnipeg, MB

Measurement and assessment of interior noise resulting from several alternative installation methods for the exterior re-cladding of an occupied public safety building including a 24/7 emergency response call centre.

Featured Case Study

Water

Little Mountain Reservoir Reconstruction

At its heart, engineering is about using science to find creative, practical solutions. It is a noble profession. – Queen Elizabeth II Little Mountain Reservoir is part of Metro Vancouver's water distribution system and is built into a hillside within Queen Elizabeth Park, in the City of Vancouver. Due to its age and vulnerability to a major seismic event, Metro Vancouver decided to replace the reservoir with a new facility on the same site. The top of the existing reservoir serves as a parking lot for many of the park attractions, including MacMillan Bloedel Conservatory, Seasons in the Park restaurant, a lawn bowling club, and Queen Elizabeth Gardens. Considering the close proximity of these attractions to the construction site and the presence of nearby residences, noise from demolition and construction was a major concern. To address this concern, BKL Consultants was retained to predict, assess, and recommend means of mitigating noise impact. The first stage of BKL's overall scope of work included modelling of construction equipment and activities to predict overall noise exposures at various receptor locations. This was done for the two stages of construction that were expected to create the highest noise exposure. The resultant noise impact on park users and residents was assessed considering both absolute noise levels and predicted increases above existing ambient levels. This required 24-hour ambient noise monitoring, carried out at eight locations within and adjacent to the park. Noise mitigation measures recommended by BKL included temporary noise barriers, limits on equipment noise emission and numerous other noise control requirements that were incorporated into the construction contract. Throughout the planning phase of the project, Metro Vancouver held information sessions for residents and park users and BKL's project engineer attended to explain and discuss noise mitigation efforts. Have a project in mind? Get in touch today.

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