Industrial developments by their very nature typically generate significant levels of environmental noise. Increasingly, industry and residential (or other noise sensitive developments) are located much closer together as undeveloped land in close proximity to transportation infrastructure and to the major areas of commerce becomes scarcer.
It is therefore considered essential that potential environmental noise impacts associated with industrial developments be examined early, at the planning stage. This is most often a requirement imposed by Council, the DEC, DIPNR and/or other approval authorities.
Frequently, there is the need to address industrial noise in retrospect, where operational noise is found to be excessive or where changes to operation are proposed.
Depending on the complexity of the project, environmental noise emissions are frequently computed using sophisticated computer noise modelling software. This modelling takes into account the ground topography, acoustical shielding provided by intervening topography or structures, the sound emission levels of plant and equipment and their frequency content, the height and location of the noise sources and receivers, ground and air absorption and meteorological effects.
Industrial noise related services provided by Heggies include the following:
- Identify the potential environmental noise impacts during the planning phase and provide advice on the noise mitigation measures available for consideration
- Carry out sound pressure and/or noise intensity measurements of plant and equipment within an existing development in order to model the overall noise emissions
- Noise modelling is then used to rank the major noise sources and identify noise mitigation requirements
- Assistance in the preparation of Noise Management Plans for progressive noise reduction over a period of time
- Identification and design of noise mitigation measures include engineering control implemented at the source (e.g. acoustic enclosures, silencers, etc), management controls and/or perimeter noise walls, as appropriate
- Being an engineering based firm, the company has a reputation of providing advice on mitigation that is practical and cost-effective
This is not an exhaustive list of our areas of expertise in the field of Acoustics. If you would like to find out more about the services we offer in this area, please contact us here.
