And you thought acoustics was only for concert halls!

by National Council of Acoustical Consultant

We expect our indoor environments – from home to school, from office to entertainment venue – to “sound” a particular way. The office should be free from distractions. Concerts and live performances should be dynamic and clear for every seat in the house. Industrial workplaces should not damage our hearing. Acoustics plays a pivotal role in the comfort and enjoyment of our everyday lives. Acoustics is equally important outside the buildings where we live and work.

With urban growth and industrialization have come increased public concerns over noise issues relating to transportation, industry, recreational facilities, and all types of development. Good acoustical solutions may go unnoticed; poor acoustics will be recognized immediately.

As our awareness grows, so do rules, regulations, and even confrontations over sources and control of noise. The acoustical consultant combines both Science – technical expertise and practical working experience and Art – insight, innovation, and creativity to shape the sound of our environment.

• Acoustics — The physical science of sound and vibration. The acoustician seeks to understand and quantify the production, control, transmission and effects of sound.

• Sound — Any audible vibration transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves through a material medium, such as air or water. The perception of sound is called hearing.

• Noise — Any sound that is damaging, undesirable, or interferes with one‘s hearing of a desired sound.

• Acoustical Consulting — An applied science dealing with acoustical issues in real-world settings. The acoustical consultant blends precise measurement, objective standards, and mathematical modeling with the practiced art of problem solving, creative design techniques, and a highly subjective human sense - hearing.