Building acoustics embraces the design of indoor environments to achieve acceptable levels of privacy, communication, and comfort for the building occupants. Acoustical performance involves room shaping, reverberation control and the location and separation of spaces. Noise control concerns may encompass the design of the building envelope, the placement and isolation of mechanical spaces and the design and control of ventilation, exhaust and air conditioning systems. Vibration issues include the control of walker-induced vibration and vibration isolation of major mechanical systems.
Building Acoustics
Quality Environments Require Good Acoustics
Featured Projects
Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience
California Institute of Technology
The Chen Neuroscience Research Building is a Gold LEED certified facility that supports vibration and noise sensitive spaces including laboratory spaces and a large lecture hall. The building is three stories tall and includes two basement levels. We provided acoustical input regarding partitions for behavioral suites with stringent STC requirements as well as architectural acoustics support for offices, conference rooms and the lecture hall. Additionally, we provided support for vibration control via the structural and mechanical design for the vivarium and research labs. A site survey was conducted to confirm that the area was not problematic with regards to vibration and noise. Additionally, measurements were taken to verify that the construction of CNRB did not negatively affect nearby sensitive spaces on campus.
Stieff Building Materials Characterization & Processing Facility
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company / Johns Hopkins University
The Materials Characterization and Processing core facility is maintained by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The MCP serves the entire Johns Hopkins community, with focus on inorganic characterization and processing.
Our vibration surveys for both post-demolition, and post-construction of the lower level labs were consistent with results prior to the start of the project.
Optical Metrology Tool Vibration Specification
Photon Dynamics
Extreme Ultraviolet Lithograph System Sensitivity Study
Sandia National Laboratory
Optical Microscope – Vibration Sensitivity Study
Nikon
Crystal Grower Sensitivity Study
Confidential Client
Prober Equipment Vibration Sensitivity
Tokyo Electron Ltd (TEL)
Surgical Microscope Vibration Control
St. Agnes Medical Center (SAMC), Fresno CA
Micro-Positioning Spinstand and Disk Device Manufacturing Equipment
Seagate Technology
Westworld Arenas
Scottsdale, AZ
Cell Tower Noise Study
TrussNet USA, Bisbee AZ
Campus-Wide Environmental Noise Study
University of California - Merced
Generator Noise Control
Kaiser Permanente, South San Francisco CA
hospt
Santa Clara County Crime Lab
San Jose, CA
Campus-Wide Environmental Noise Model
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD
We worked with NIH to develop a comprehensive detailed computer environmental noise model of their entire campus in Bethesda, MD.
Mechanical and Process Equipment Noise and Vibration Control
Multiple Semiconductor Manufacturing Clients
Building Demolition Vibration Monitoring
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD
Factory Construction Vibration Control and Monitoring
Confidential Semiconductor Manufacturing Clients
Laboratory Vibration Monitoring
JILA, University of Colorado - Boulder
Block Lab Construction Vibration Monitoring
Stanford University
Construction Vibration Mitigation
New York Structural Biology Center
Pile Driving Vibration Measurements
University of California - San Francsico
Pile Driving Vibration Study
Crystal Growing Facility, Portland OR
Crystal Springs Pipeline #2 Replacement
San Mateo County, CA
Water Pipeline Replacement
San Jose, CA
North Shore to Channel Force Main Improvement
San Francisco CA
Nitrogen Plant Noise Control
Linde
Machine Shop
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Central Utility Plant Upgrades and Chiller Replacement
NIH, Bethesda MD
New Central Plant
Oklahoma State University
Bechtel Residence
Caltech
New Trier High School
Winnetka, IL
The Phillips Brooks School
Menlo Park, CA
Discovery Montessori School
Sacramento, CA
Collins Middle School
San Jose, CA
Portal Elementary School
Cupertino, CA
Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute
University of South Florida
Aztec Recreation Center
San Diego State University
Manzanita Hall
Stanford University
Wellness Center
University of Colorado
University of Wisconsin Hospital
Madison
Thomason General Hospital
El Paso, TX
Joint Health Sciences Center
Rowan University Rutgers-Camden
Knight Cancer Research Building
Oregon Health Sciences University
Falk Center
Stanford University Medical Center
MRI and PET Imaging Suite
University of Louisville Health Science Center
NeuroImaging Center
Las Palmas Medical Center, El Paso
The Children’s Hospital
Denver, CO
Imagenetics Facility
Sanford Health
Arizona Cancer Center
University of Arizona
Outpatient Diagnostic & Treatment Center (ODTC) and Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Tower II
Scripps Memorial Hospital
Student Success and Access Center
California State University - Long Beach
A renovation of the existing Peterson Hall 2, the center is dedicated to increasing services for CSULB’s tens of thousands of students. The facility serves as the new Bob Murphy Access Center, formerly known as Disabled Student Services. The Student Success Center also houses programs such as BUILD, which supports undergraduate research in the health sciences, and the Women’s Gender & Equity Center.
William Eckhardt Research Center
University of Chicago
This multifaceted research center is home to the Institute for Molecular Engineering, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, the Dean’s Office of Physical Sciences, and the Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility.
G.G. Brown Laboratories Addition
University of Michigan
This new facility houses The Center of Excellence in Nano Mechanical Science and Engineering, and includes a state-of-the-art Ultra-Low Vibration Facility. The unique and innovative vibration and noise control design for the ULV facility resulted in some of the lowest vibration amplitudes we've ever measured.
Central Energy Facility
Stanford University
Place a large new power plant on the Stanford University campus, next to the golf course, in proximity to Stanford Hospital, other campus buildings, and nearby residences – and remain a good neighbor.
Crime Lab Facility
City of Denver Police Department
Audio and Video Device Research and Development Lab
Confidential Client - Bay Area, CA
Engineering Innovation Building
University of Illinois - Chicago
Traffic Company and Forensic Services Division Facility
City of San Francisco
Institutes for BioMedical Research – R&D Campus
Novartis Shanghai
Li Ka-Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences
University of California - Berkeley
Marcus Nanotechnology
Georgia Tech
Animal Health Diagnostic Center
Cornell University
Duffield Hall
Cornell University
BioDesign Institute
Arizona State University
Cardiff Innovation System Campus (CISC)
Cardiff University, Wales
Kavli Nanotechnology Institute
Caltech
Chen Neuroscience Research Building (CNRB)
Caltech
Alkek Hospital Expansion – Construction Noise and Vibration Control
M.D. Anderson, Houston TX
Construction vibration and noise control for a 12-story expansion atop an operating 12-story hospital.
Transgenic Mouse Facility
Baylor College of Medicine
Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building (ISTB) 7
Arizona State University
Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
The Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center includes a 10-story, 98-laboratory research tower, a seven-story, 108-bed inpatient treatment center, and a multi-disciplinary treatment center.
Biodesign C
Arizona State University
A five-story, 189,759 SF, LEED Platinum research facility located next to an active light rail track and a busy highway containing a mixture of laboratory types: high bay spaces, multi level generic laboratories, and a Compact X-Ray Light Source facility.
Parking Structure 6
City of Santa Monica
This award winning parking structure included a high-end retail space, which could not tolerate significant vibration from cars driving next door and overhead.