Soundproofing | Acoustic Insulation | Sound Absorption | Sound Reduction

Acoustic Treatment at Brownhills Primary School

When Aedas Building Consultancy got involved in the Refurb of Brownhill Primary School, they became aware of a reverberation and echo problem with the multi-purpose hall within the building. Have come across this problem before, they knew exactly who to contact for free consultancy and advice – Sound Reduction Systems Ltd – who offer all UK schools free of charge site visits and advice under the terms of their ‘Acoustics for Schools’ initiative.

Upon receiving the call from Aedas, SRS Ltd sent a member of their technical and installation team to Brownhill school to meet with Headteacher Georgina Winterburn to view the problem area, take measurements and discuss possible solutions. SRS Ltd Technical Director Richard Sherwood visited site and commented:

“The hall was typical of many of this type – a large, open space with many harsh, acoustically reflective surfaces. This was creating a great deal of reverberation and echo making it an uncomfortable environment to teach and learn in.”

After processing the information taken away from site, SRS were then able to present Mrs Winterburn with a detailed report, graphical predictions of the acoustic performance of the hall, both before and after treatment, a prosed layout design and, finally, cost for the supply and install of all materials.

The proposal involved the distribution of 54sqm of Sonata Vario acoustic absorbers across the walls and ceiling of the hall. The Sonata Vario is a raft type absorber that stands proud of the walls and ceiling, giving the impression that the absorbers are floating. This technique opens up the back of the panel to absorb sound, and ensures greater performance than standard, directly bonded panels. All sonata panels are manufactured from non-shedding foam as opposed to mineral fibre making them perfect for school environments.

The size and colour of the panels were chosen to compliment the aesthetics of the hall and fit around the motivational graphics already selected by the school. Once installed, Headteacher Mrs Winterburn commented: -

"Our hall was a large noisy place especially during lunchtimes with in excess of 150 children eating and talking. With a high ceiling and no soft surfaces, although the children weren’t shouting, it always felt uncomfortably loud and, for very young children it was a daunting place to be. The installation of Sonata acoustic panels has significantly changed this. The hall now feels and sounds like a vibrant place, still the volume associated with large numbers of children in one space but no longer sounding as though all the children are shouting. Children can hear each other talking and if someone is shouting we can pinpoint where the sound is coming from. When using the hall for PE or other lessons, voices are no longer lost in the void therefore making it easier to have discussions and when children are doing presentations they can be heard much more clearly.

I would definitely recommend the installation of Sonata acoustic panels to help reduce noise and improve the lunchtime experience in primary schools."

For further details on the Sonata range of products, the SRS Acoustics For Schools initiative or any other acoustic issue you may have, please get in touch with us for free, professional advice on 01204 380074, email info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit www.soundreduction.co.uk where all information is available for download.

SRS Launch 3 Step Acoustic Absorption Estimator.

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) know that it can be a daunting and difficult task for people not involved in acoustics to try and solve reverberation and echo problems within rooms – especially when the current acoustic conditions are causing problems for the people living or working within the space.

This is why SRS have launched their 3-Step Acoustic Estimator service that customers can use get the relevant information to them as quickly and conveniently as possible. Whilst it is a complicated process to specify the materials and coverage of acoustic absorption required to treat a specific room, the basic information required to perform the calculations can be gathered easily and by anyone.

The 3-Step Acoustic Estimator itself is a simple form available in two formats - as a download to be faxed or emailed back, or as a webform that can be submitted online. Step 1 concerns your details for reference, Step 2 refers to the basic properties of the room with the acoustic problem, such as dimensions and surface finishes, and Step 3 requires the customer to email or upload a few images of the room itself – nothing fancy, camera phone pictures are fine.

On receipt of this information, the industry leading technical team at SRS will feed the data into their acoustic modelling programme to get a prediction of how the room is currently performing acoustically. From there, they will add data from their Sonata range of acoustic absorption products into the equation until they have achieved the desired level of absorption for the room. The customer will then receive a report on the acoustics of the room along with a specification and a quote for the materials to solve the problem, all within 48 hours, if not sooner. This information will be supported with graphical data showing the predicted acoustic performance before and after treatment, and a suggested layout plan detailing where the panels could be installed.

The service is completely free of charge and SRS are as happy to model small home cinema rooms and recording studios as they are to model commercial premises, school halls, gyms and community centres. Essentially the 3 Step Acoustic Estimator is a service available to anyone with a reverberation problem.

You can request for the hard copy to be emailed to you by contacting SRS or it can be found on the ‘Downloads’ section of our website. The online webform can be found here: 3-Step Acoustic Estimator

You can contact acoustic insulation and absorption specialists, SRS, on tel: 01204 380074, email: info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit the website at www.soundreduction.co.uk

Aldwyn School choose Sonata for Reverberant Hall.

When Carillion Local Government Services were asked to investigate the reverberation problem at Aldwyn School on behalf of Tameside Council, they decided to call in sound absorption and insulation experts Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS).

As per the terms of their ‘Acoustics For Schools Initiative’ SRS sent a member of their technical team to site to meet with approved installers, Floorscan Acoustics, and Aldwyn School Estates Manager, Arthur Hindle, to discuss possible solutions.

SRS Technical Director, Richard Sherwood commented:

“A survey from an acoustic consultant had recommended the installation of 100sqm of a high performance absorptive product to solve the reverberation issues within the hall. We were happy to offer the Sonata Vario absorbers along with a design service to ensure the panels both fitted into the space and looked pleasing once installed”

Vario sizes of Sonata Vario panels were supplied to fit the required meterage into the space and Floorscan Acoustics were able to install the panels in a matter of days to fit in with the schools busy timetable. The panels were installed at high level on the walls and also suspended from the ceiling itself to give the perfect balance of acoustic within the hall.

SRS also supplied some of their innovative and exclusive acoustic Memo boards – a fully functioning noticeboard that also acts as an acoustic absorber. These are perfect when wall space is at a minimum.

Of the performance and service, School spokesperson Caroline Charnock, Associate Headteacher commented:

“The Sonata panels enhance the school hall environment. They look good and fit in well with the design of the hall. The noise quality is much improved. In assemblies, PE lessons and at lunchtime the hall is quieter. The baffles absorb footfall sound and voices. They also seem to enhance the sound when one person is speaking providing clarity at a lower volume. We are very happy that the installation has been completed to a high standard and provides us with an improved learning environment.”

As part of their ‘Acoustics For Schools’ initiative, SRS offer all UK schools and educational establishments free of charge site visits, advice and specifications. Please contact them on 01204 380074, email info@soundreduction.co.uk or fill in their 3-Step Acoustic Estimator form online at www.soundreduction.co.uk – You can also view a gallery of this project, and many others at www.flickr.com/soundreduction

Oxford University Challenge

The Lobby at Oxford University’s Oriental Institute was causing staff and students problems with its poor room acoustics. Oxford University contacted sound absorption and insulation experts Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) to take advantage of their offer of a free site visit to any UK school or educational establishment with a noise problem.

SRS Technical Director, Richard Sherwood, travelled to site to assess the problem – he commented:

“The intricate and unusual shape of the room, along with many hard, acoustically reflective surfaces, were causing a great deal of echo and reverberation within the lobby. This was making it difficult for staff and students to communicate effectively. However, it was clear that the introduction of Sonata absorbers would solve the problem.”

Richard prepared a report on the acoustics and submitted detailed proposals for remedial treatment, along with a design service to show how and where the panels could be installed for best effect – all of which is free under the terms of the SRs ‘Acoustics for Schools’ initiative.

The treatment consisted of Sonata Vario absorbers, fitted at high level to the walls by SRS’s specialist installers, Floorscan Acoustics. SRS also supplied a Sonata Memo board – a fully functional noticeboard that also acts as a high performance absorber.

Feedback on the service and the performance of the panels has been very positive – Phil Rust, of Oxford University Estates Directorate, commented:

“The installation of SRS Sonata panels and Memo board have improved the acoustics of the entrance hall by reducing reverberation to an acceptable level. It is now possible to utilise the circular entrance hall as a reception area. The improvements in sound absorption benefit not only the receptionist but also staff and students passing through the space and improve conditions on open landing areas above. SRS has helped us to achieve this transformation with minimal disruption and at a reasonable cost”

SoundBar Overcomes Taxing Soundproofing Problem.

When Deloitte’s Corporate Tax Partner, Stephen Nuttall, discovered he had a noise problem within his new office he decided to call in acoustic insulation experts, Sound Reduction Systems Ltd.

A member of the SRS Ltd team arranged to visit site free of charge the same week to investigate the problem and offer possible solutions. Upon visiting the site, it was clear to SRS where the main problem lay. The office partitions only continued to the underside of the suspended ceilings, leaving a common cavity over the top of the offices. This problem was further aggravated by the use of a perforated metal ceiling tile, which offer no resistance to the sound travelling through the ceiling void and into the adjoining offices.

SRS Ltd have a number of solutions to this type of acoustic problem, however, the amount of services and lights within the ceiling itself meant that the specification of SoundBar, acoustic ceiling void barrier, made the most sense. The SoundBar is designed to be installed as a continuation of the partition through the ceiling void, from the partition head to the ceiling soffit, and is supplied as a kit with all fixing accessories. With a D_ncw of 53dB it offers very high acoustic performance – ideal for separating offices. SRS Ltd were also able to organise fitting via a company that have previously installed their materials.

Deloitte Partner, Stephen Nuttall, commented:

“ I was very impressed with the service and products’ performance - this soundproofing has made a big difference.”

With over 25 years’ experience in the acoustics industry and a team of qualified technical staff, Sound Reduction Systems are able to deal with any soundproofing or sound absorption issue in domestic, commercial, industrial or educational environments. Their professional advice and specifications are free of charge. Tel 01204 380074 Email: info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit the website www.soundreduction.co.uk

Arresting Acoustics at Old Police Station

SRS Ltd’s Sonata panels have been used in a recent project to control the acoustics in a large, open hall.

The Old Police Station in Keighley has recently undergone a full Refurb that has turned the bottom floor of the building into a museum documenting the changing nature of policing over the years along with a cafe. Part of the Refurb included the creation of an events hall on the first floor, for use by Keighley council. The hall in question had a particularly bad echo and reverberation problem due to the number of hard, acoustically reflective surfaces within the room.

Acknowledging the problem, Alan Parry of Keighley Council contacted an acoustic consultant who was able to model the room and recommended the Sonata range of product as a treatment for the poor acoustics.

Within two weeks from the initial contact, Sound Reduction Systems Ltd and their specialist installers, Floorscan Acoustics, were able to supply and fit the acoustic panels so the hall could be used as quickly as possible. A combination of white and ‘Ice Cap’ blue Sonata Vario absorbers were installed on the walls of the room to fit in with the existing décor. Alan Parry of Keighley council commented:

The Special Projects Co-ordinator was very satisfied with the service and the outcome of the absorption panels was amazing. We are so pleased that we had the correct testing and the correct final outcome. “I found the company very amenable, flexible and understanding to our very high specification needs. I would certainly recommend this company for other projects coming up.”

The Sonata Vario absorbers are very high performance ‘raft’ type absorbers that are fitted onto brackets to stand proud of the wall. By opening up the back of the panel to sound, the performance of the Sonata Vario product is greater than that of standard, directly bonded panels. All Sonata products are manufactured from an acoustic and fire rated foam and are available in a range of colours and sizes.

If you have a reverberation and echo problem, please feel free to get in touch with Sound Reduction Systems Ltd to discuss the Sonata products in greater detail. Tel 01204 380074 www.soundredeuction.co.uk

SRS Solve Acoustic Problem in Sports Hall

Charlton School opened in September 2001 and is a Group 7 Community Special (ages 11–19) School, maintained by the London Borough of Greenwich, for students with low incidence special educational needs. When the pupils and teaching staff were suffering due to poor room acoustics within the large sports hall at Charlton School, Assistant Deputy Headteacher/Head of Physical Education Deborah Reid, decided to take Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) up on their current offer of free site visits to any UK school to see if they could help solve the problem.

Richard Sherwood of the SRS Technical Department visited site to take measurements and note the various surfaces before discussing the acoustic requirements of the hall, and any considerations that would need to be given in terms of aesthetics and practicality.

The room in question was a large, open sports hall, used by the children for their Games lessons as well as practicing and training for the schools various sports teams. As is typical in most buildings for this purpose, the hall had a lot of hard, acoustically reflective surfaces on the walls, floors and ceilings and as soon as any number of children entered the space, the noise echoed and reverberated around the hall making for a very unpleasant environment.

The data taken from the site visit is inputted into SRS’s reverberation modelling software, and by adjusting the level of absorption within the equation, SRS can specify, to the exact panel, the area of absorption that is required to achieve the desired result. A report, quote and layout suggestion is then emailed to the school for their consideration.

Building Bulleting 93 (BB93), the document that specifies acoustic conditions within schools, recommends that the reverberation time for a newly built multi-purpose school hall should be <1.5s – and the proposed treatment was sufficient to meet this standard.

To treat the sports hall at Charlton School, SRS proposed the use of 126m² Sonata, their high performance acoustic absorber range. Sonata Vario panels were suspended across the ceiling and also fixed at high level on the walls to ensure good, even absorption across all frequencies. From the many different colours available, the school chose ‘Smoke’ which they thought would look the best in the hall.

The Sonata absorbers were installed by Floorscan Acoustics Ltd and feedback has been very positive so far. Deputy Head, Deborah Reid commented:

“We have recently held a whole school assembly with 250 people in the hall and the impact on the reduced noise delivery was noted by parents and governors. The Physical Education Department have noted the difference in student behaviours particularly with students who have Autism as the noise level has been greatly reduced and this allows the sessions to be calmer and with less background feed.”

Noisy Call Centres – Sonata The Solution for U-Switch and Ford.

Call centres can be very busy, noisy places. When groups of people come together in an open plan office, often with many acoustically reflective surfaces within them, the sound levels can build up to unacceptable levels.

SRS were recently asked to help two such call centres suffering from the acoustic problems mentioned above. Both U-Switch and Ford operate busy call centres, and the poor acoustics of the rooms in question was affecting their staff and their ability to communicate effectively. After visiting site and taking away measurements and details of the materials and surfaces within the rooms, SRS were able to use their software to model the room and predict the current levels of reverberation.

This calculation is important, as an accurate starting point allows SRS to specify the correct amount of absorption required, rather than simply guessing, or using rule of thumb, which can lead to over ordering. The clients were then presented with a report detailing the current levels of reverberation, along with a prediction of the performance after the Sonata panels had been included, along with details of proposed layout and installation.

The recommended treatment included the installation of high performance ceiling and wall mounted Sonata Vario absorbers. Both companies also made use of the innovative Sonata Memo board – a wall mounted acoustic absorber that is also a fully functioning noticeboard.

The results were excellent, and the clients were delighted with both the initial service and, ultimately, the acoustic performance after installation – U-Switch Operations Director, Eddy Borrelli, commented:

“I would like to say how pleased we are with the general functioning of the sound panels supplied. We have noticed significant noise reduction in our call centre and the open space areas of our offices.”

Whilst Ian Wilson, General Manager of Ford Retail, Barnsley, stated:

“ I am delighted with the work carried out to the Business centre offices, the improvement has had a dramatic effect on the sound of the office and all the people in it are finding their job much easier now they can hear customers on the phone !! “

“Thanks for the way the whole transaction was carried out, I wish we had installed it earlier”

SRS are unique in their approach to customers, and the level of detail offered in their specification. Customers can expect site visits, acoustic modelling, layout and design suggestions and professional installation.

The Sonata panels are available in a range of fabric colours, and customers can choose to blend them in with the existing décor, or make a bold, colourful feature of them, as they prefer. Once installed they provide a beautiful solution to any absorption problem.

Another essential innovation of the Sonata panels is their use of a non-shedding acoustic foam, as opposed to the mineral fibre materials found in most other absorbent products. The use of a non-shedding, non-itchy material in educational environments is much preferred by end user and installers alike.

If you have any noise problem whatsoever, please email info@soundreduction.co.uk or call 01204 380074. Further details and a gallery of the Sonata range of absorbent panels, along with SRS’s full range of soundproofing products can be found at www.soundreduction.co.uk

SRS Proud to Sponsor Ringley Park Rangers

SRS Ltd are proud to sponsor the new kit for Ringley Park Rangers football team in Bolton. Ringley Park Rangers coach and SRS employee, Paul Buckley, said: “We are really grateful for the new kit from SRS – the children are very excited to play their first game in it."

Sonata Memo – Innovative Acoustic Notice Board

Reverberation and echo can cause a great deal of problems in commercial, medical and educational environments, to name a few. Often it can be difficult, or impractical, to fit enough absorption on the walls and ceilings to cure the problem.

In response to this common problem, soundproofing and sound absorption specialists Sound Reduction Systems Ltd have developed the innovative and unique Sonata Memo board. The Sonata Memo boards are 50mm thick and come in a variety of different sizes and colours, to fit in with the existing décor.

Once mounted, the Memo board will function as any other notice board, able to take drawing pins and similar fixings directly. However, the product is also a high performance acoustic absorber, and will help to increase the sound absorption within the room. Toby Makin from the SRS Technical Department commented:

“It is a problem we have come up against a number of times, and it’s great that we now have such a practical yet technically proficient solution within the Sonata Absorber range.”

The panels are constructed using non-shedding acoustic foam, as opposed to the mineral fibre used in most other absorbers, and a robust fabric facing - this makes them idea for schools and offices. They offer a practical solution when wall or ceiling space is at a premium, ensuring that acoustic efficiency can be maintained.

Other absorbent products within the Sonata range include the Aurio panels which can be directly bonded to most wall and ceiling surfaces, and our high performance raft absorbers, Vario, that are mounted on proprietary brackets. Both products are available in a wide range of sizes and colours and are each manufactured using our non-shedding acoustic foam.

Should you have any soundproofing or sound absorption problems at all, within any sector from domestic to commercial and educational, please get in touch with our industry leading technical team Tel: 01204 380074 or email your enquiry to info@soundreduction.co.uk

Project Profile - Tudhoe Moor Nursery School

When Tudhoe Moor Nursery School had a noise problem that needed sorting out quickly and efficiently, they approached acoustic insulation and absorption specialists Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) for help.

The level of noise in Dining Room at Tudhoe Moor Nursery School had become unbearable. SRS Director, Richard Sherwood commented:

"A combination of acoustically reflective surfaces on the walls, floor and ceiling, along with the high frequency noise generated by the children, was resulting in excessive levels of reverberation and echo within the room."

Under the terms of their ‘Acoustics For Schools’ initiative, SRS offer free acoustic reports and advice to any UK school, and Tudhoe Nursery School took advantage of this offer. After being supplied with dimensions and details of the surfaces within the room, SRS were able to use their acoustic modelling software to predict the current reverberation time of the dining area, and also work out how much absorption would be needed to solve the problem. It is this service in particular that ensures just the right amount of material is specified, ensuring costly over-ordering does not occur.

SRS recommended the installation of their Sonata Vario panels on the ceiling to reduce the reverberation time of the room. The Sonata Vario panels are mounted on fixing brackets to stand proud of the ceiling, giving the effect of a floating absorber. Unlike the traditional, directly bonded absorbers, this allows the back of the panel to absorb sound as well and greatly improves the acoustic performance of the product – this means you need far less panels to achieve terrific results.

Stephanie Collings, Nursery Head Teacher, was so impressed that once the first dining room had been treated, she instantly ordered enough material to treat a second room:

"We were all so impressed with the service and the product in the first room that we have re-ordered for another very similar room that needs the 'wonder' treatment."

If you have any noise problem whatsoever, and would like your School to benefit from the free report and advice service on offer from SRS Ltd, please email info@soundreduction.co.uk or call 01204 380074. Further details and a gallery of the Sonata range of absorbent panels, along with SRS’s full range of soundproofing products and a free guide to acoustic within educational environments, can be found at www.soundreduction.co.uk

How to get in touch over the Xmas Period

How to get in touch over the Xmas Period

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) would like to wish all their customers a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Our office and factory are closed from 12pm on Friday 23rd December 2011 until 8:30am on Tuesday 3rd January 2012. Unfortunately, during this period we will be unable to send out any of our high performance soundproofing and sound absorption products during this time. However, we appreciate that customers may want advice and information over the Christmas period and so you can still get in touch with SRS in the following ways:

Email: - We will be checking our email over the Christmas period, so please feel free to email info@soundreduction.co.uk with any enquiries.

Telephone (01204 380074): – Although the main office will be closed, calls will be diverted to a member of staff who will be able to help with pricing, technical and general enquiries. If it has not been possible for a member of staff to answer the phone, please leave a message on the answerphone and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

Twitter: - Please feel free to tweet @soundreduction @soundstudios or @tobymakin with any enquiries, or follow our feeds for the latest #soundproofing and #soundabsorption news.

Thinking of buying your loved one a musical instrument for Christmas? Now may be a good time to think about adding sound insulation within the home. SRS offer an extensive range of high performance home soundproofing products that are easy to install. Why not give us a call on 01204 380074 to discuss?

We look forward to hearing from you and hope you have a very Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!

SRS Ltd

All Quiet at All Saints Primary.

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) are proud to have been involved in solving an acoustic problem that had been affecting both teaching staff and pupils at All Saints Primary School in Kirby Overblow, Yorkshire.

Aedas Building Consultancy of Huddersfield contacted SRS on behalf of the school to try and come up with a specification that not only performed to an extremely high acoustic standard, but also looked beautiful, so as not to compromise the aesthetics of the new school hall.

They were glad to take advantage of the SRS Ltd ‘Acoustics for Schools’ initiative, which offers any educational establishment within the UK a free site visit, acoustic report, professional advice and a no obligation quotation for the remedial works.

SRS Director, Richard Sherwood commented on the project:

“The school hall in question was a large, open space, with a high, pitched roof. The acoustically reflective surfaces found on the walls, and floor meant that as soon as the hall filled up with children, the noise began to echo and reverberate, affecting the ability of the hall to operate as a teaching and learning facility.”

Using their acoustic modelling software, SRS were able to accurately predict how many absorbers would be required to meet the requirements of BB93 – the document detailing appropriate acoustic standards within schools.

The treatment consisted of Sonata Vario absorbers installed onto the ceiling and at high level on some walls. In this instance the school wanted to ensure the absorbers fitted in with the existing décor of the room and, therefore, white panels were specified, providing a stunning effect across the ceiling of the hall. The absorbers themselves are fitted on hidden brackets which stand the panels proud of the ceiling or wall – this allows every surface of the panel to absorb sound, as opposed to directly bonded absorbers, and increased efficiency.

SRS Ainstable Church Institute Case Study

Eden Valley Flix is a community film group established in 2007 that hold regular fortnightly film screenings at Ainstable Church Institute, a church hall built in 1906 in the small village of Ainstable near Carlisle.

Eden Valley Flix uses the hall as a cinema so that local people of all ages do not have to travel long distances to a multiplex cinema to see the latest film releases. It also gives people who reside in the Eden Valley area the opportunity to get together socially as a community.

The problem, however, was that Ainstable Hall suffered from excessive reverberation, a problem not uncommon to buildings of this kind. The hall was clearly not designed or intended to be used as a cinema when it was built over a hundred years ago. The poor acoustics meant that when films were being screened within the hall dialogue became unintelligible and ‘garbled’, especially male voices with an American accent. Feedback from members of the audience highlighted the need for improved acoustics.

Eden Valley Flix decided to involve Sound Reduction Systems Ltd to specify and supply acoustic absorption for the walls and ceiling. The acoustic absorption would solve the reverberation problems and allow the audience to get the most enjoyment from the ‘cinema’ experience.

Over a number of site meetings SRS worked closely with Eden Valley Flix and the Ainstable Church Institute Committee to find a solution that would not only solve the reverberation problem but also be satisfactory in terms of its appearance.

Computer modelling of the hall prior to the acoustic treatment showed that the reverberation time (T_mf) was around 3.4s, far too high for a room used as a cinema. Based on the expertise of SRS’s technical department it was decided that a target reverberation time of 0.85s would be appropriate and again modelling was carried out to calculate the exact area of Sonata Acoustic Absorbers were required to achieve this.

To solve the reverberation problems at Ainstable Hall, SRS proposed the use of 54.8m² Sonata Vario Acoustic Absorbers suspended across the ceiling and 7.2m² Sonata Aurio Acoustic Absorbers fixed at high level on the walls. This configuration of absorbers was chosen to not only meet the reverberation time targets but to also ensure good, even absorption across all frequencies.

White and Stone coloured Sonata Acoustic absorbers were chosen to be sympathetic to the existing décor within Ainstable Hall.

The Sonata absorbers were installed in one day by SRS’s approved installers, Floorscan Acoustics Ltd, much to the customer’s delight. The feedback so far has been very positive.

Graham Brown, Chairman of Eden Valley Flix, comments: “Our first film of the season was a great success. The film really tested our acoustic panels because of fairly quiet voices spoken, often, over loud music. But my ageing ears were able to pick up 99% of the dialogue so I deem them a good buy!”

The project was funded entirely by the National Lottery

For further details on the Sonata range of products, or advice on any acoustic problem, please get in touch with us for free, professional advice on 01204 380074, email info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit www.soundreduction.co.uk where all information is available for download.

DIY SRS! – Acoustic Insulation for BBC ‘Children In Need’ Project.

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) have recently been approached by the team at BBC’s DIY SOS to help out on a very special project in Liverpool. Nick Knowles and his team have been involved in the restoration of the Norris Green Youth Centre in Liverpool, as part of a special programme for Children In Need.

The project has managed to completely refurbish the Youth Centre, which is a vital part of the community, helping the local kids of this deprived area to stay away from crime by offering them opportunities that they otherwise would never have had. The project is the largest ever undertaken by the DIY SOS team, and something of this size would usually take over 6 months, and cost around £1m.

Due to the fantastic support of local trades and companies donating time, products and services, the project was fully completed in only 9 days – Ian Osprey of DIY SOS commented:

“I have watched footage from the reveal and the reaction from the staff and its users was immense. Not to mention the number of trades with more than just a tear in their eyes! I can’t wait for you to see it.”

When DIY SOS approached North West based acoustic insulation experts, SRS Ltd, with a desperate requirement for acoustic insulation to treat the floor of a music studio within the building, SRS were delighted to be able to donate some of their products for this worthy cause. SRS contacted their Liverpool based stockists, Floorscan Acoustics, who delivered 80sqm of their market leading acoustic flooring system, Acoustilay, to site the very next morning. SRS Director, Alex Docherty, commented:

“When we received the call from DIY SOS to help out with the acoustic insulation on this project, we were only too happy to contribute to such a worthy cause. The fact that one of our stockists happened to be in Liverpool allowed us to get the material to them as quickly as possible –SRS would like to wish everyone at Norris Green Youth Centre the very best of luck for the future.”

Acoustilay is an extremely versatile acoustic flooring system, suitable for domestic and commercial projects alike. Simply loose laid under most floor finishes, Acoustilay is the quickest and most economical method of upgrading the acoustic insulation of your floor – it can also be used to meet Part E of the Building Regulations.

It is hoped that the special edition of, ‘DIY SOS – The Big Build’, will screen on BBC in November. SRS Ltd are specialists in the field of sound insulation and absorption for both domestic and commercial buildings – please feel free to get in touch with their market leading technical team for free, friendly advice – Tel: 01204 380074 visit the website www.soundreduction.co.uk or email info@soundreduction.co.uk

Acoustics for Schools

Acoustics for Schools

By Richard Sherwood MIOA

Good acoustic design and specification within schools is important for both pupils and teachers alike.

Scientific studies on the effect that noise has on the ability of pupils to learn have time and time again shown that pupils taught in rooms with quiet rooms with good acoustics learn and behave better than noisy rooms with poor acoustics. There is a wealth of evidence that poor acoustics affect a child’s ability to show that external and internal noise affects children’s performance in literary, numeracy, and memory tasks with children with special educational needs especially affected. Good acoustic design can be used to reduce these effects.

The effect on noise on teachers is equally a concern. Put simply, to learn effectively the children need to be able hear the teacher speak during lessons. If the teacher has to repeatedly raise their voice to be heard then they run the risk of damaging their vocal chords and causing harm to their health. One case in 2010 lead to a teacher who lost her voice taking the council to an employment tribunal for personal injury and receiving £150,000 in compensation. Few would argue that a noise free, comfortable teaching environment would lead to reduced voice effort and fewer teacher absences due to stress related illnesses.

Such is the importance of good acoustics within schools, this year’s Noise Action Week, organised by Environmental Protection UK (EPUK and sponsored by the Institute of Acoustics, focused its attentions on raising the awareness of the impacts on excessive noise on both teaching and learning.

Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) is the document that gives acoustic design guidance for new schools and this is incorporated into section E4 of Building Regulations Part E. BB93 sets out minimum standards of sound insulation, maximum levels of internal noise, and reverberation time targets for every kind of room found within a school. Although these targets do not apply retrospectively to existing schools, BB93 also provides a comprehensive design guide for remedial and refurbishment projects.

Airborne Sound Insulation – Building Acoustics

Airborne sound is generated typically from sources such as voices and music and travels through the air into the structure of a building, and out again into adjoining rooms. Teaching and learning can be noisy activities, particularly in the case of music classrooms or areas where children are encouraged to work in groups and need to communicate. However, teaching and learning are also very sensitive to noise which can quickly distract children and increase teacher workload.

BB93 rates each room in terms of its sensitivity to noise and the level of noise that activity within the room will generate. With this information it is then possible to calculate the level of airborne sound insulation performance of a partition or floor that separates two rooms of a particular kind, with more sensitive or noisy areas requiring higher sound insulation performance. For example to prevent disturbance a partition that separated an English classroom from a maths classroom does not require as much performance as a music classroom adjacent to a library or quiet area.

Maxiboard acoustic building board manufactured by Sound Reduction Systems Ltd can be used as a lining to walls and ceilings to ensure that the separating structures meet the required level of separation between rooms within schools. At 17mm thick, Maxiboard maximises acoustic performance whilst minimising the loss of room space or head height.

Impact Sound Insulation – Building Acoustics

Impact sound is generated by footfall across a floor or furniture being moved in rooms above and is particularly apparent in rooms used for drama and at times when lessons change and students move around.

The most effective way to reduce impact noise through any floor structure is to include a resilient layer either beneath the concrete screed or beneath the floor finishes to create a floating floor.

SRS Acoustilay is the market leading proprietary acoustic underlay system and is ideal for reducing impact noise through floors of any kind. Rated at 43dB ΔLw, Acoustilay can be used to reduce the transmission of footfall and chairs scraping across the floor to rooms below. In non-domestic applications SRS recommend that Acoustilay is bonded to the sub-floor and overlaid with a 9mm layer of tongued and grooved MDF. The top surface of the MDF is then ready to receive a variety of floor finishes.

Sound Absorption – Room Acoustics

Subjectively we assess poor room acoustics by noticing the persistence of sound with a room after the noise source has ceased to exist. Objectively we can measure this persistence as a reverberation time, in seconds, with a high reverberation time indicating a lively room and a low reverberation time indicating a dry or dead room. Reverberation time is influenced by a number of factors such as the volume of the room and the area and kind of surface finishes that are present within.

Reverberation problems exist within many existing school halls. Typically, school halls, especially within primary schools, are used for everything from dining and assemblies to PE and activities that involve speech, singing and the reproduction of music. They are large spaces with high ceilings and hard wearing, acoustically reflective floors leading to high reverberation times, especially within the frequencies of sound present within speech. The reverberant energy within the hall often lifts the overall noise level considerably especially at lunchtime when the children are in the hall and compete to be heard over the background noise. This situation exposes both children and staff, such as lunchtime supervisors, to excessive levels of noise and often contravenes Noise at Work regulations. The solution to this kind of problem is to introduce acoustic absorption within the hall. SRS offer an aesthetically pleasing fabric wrapped and mineral fibre free acoustic absorber range called Sonata that can be suspended from the ceiling and secured to the walls at high level. Using software it is possible to acoustically model a given space and calculate the area of absorption that is required to meet the required reverberation time of 0.8-1.2s T_mf as required in BB93.

Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) has a long history of supplying high performance sound insulation and sound absorptions products for use within schools. Recent examples are below:

Recent work:

Stanley Road Primary School, Worcester – Multipurpose School Hall

Canon Slade School, Bolton – Recording Studios

Full details on the products and specifications that SRS offer can be found at www.soundreduction.co.uk

Richard Sherwood BSc (hons) MIOA is a graduate of the University of Salford’s Acoustics Department and Technical Manager of Sound Reduction Systems Ltd. Email him at richard@soundreduction.co.uk

The ‘Cream’ of the Acoustics Industry.

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS) has recently had some of their acoustic insulation products installed in UK Superclub, Cream, as part of a large refurbishment of the property.

In order to ensure that the majority of the noise produced inside the club stayed exactly there, and didn’t disturb the neighbours, Cream enlisted the expert help of Floorscan Acoustics. Liverpool based Floorscan are SRS’s approved North West stockists and distributors, and have the expertise to advise on any noise problem. Director and Institute of Acoustics member, John Howell, said:

“At Floorscan we pride ourselves on being able to deliver professional acoustic solutions for any environment, from nightclubs, to schools, to domestic properties with noisy neighbours. We were delighted to work with the people at Cream, as it is such an iconic nightclub, and deliver the acoustic specification they required.”

The brief was to design and install acoustic lining within the nightclub to reduced noise breakout through external walls and the lightweight ceiling. Floorscan specified a lining of dBoard, an acoustic building board, for the project at Cream. At only 13mm thick, dBoard is designed to be installed as quickly and simply as plasterboard, but with far greater acoustic performance.

Overall, approximately 200 square meters of dBoard was installed within the venue. The installation of the acoustic materials was undertaken by Floorscan’s contracting arm, ensuring the high performance acoustic materials were fitted in the correct way, and would perform to their highest potential. Everyone has been delighted with the results. Contractor Alan Randall from Floorscan East comments:

“The acoustic performance of the dBoard material, and the quality of its installation, have allowed us to address and comply with the acoustic requirements at Cream. We can now get back to entertaining our customers, without having to worry about the noise breakout.”

dBoard is ideal for reducing sound transmission through walls and ceilings in commercial, industrial or domestic environments. Its unique design ensures a very high acoustic performance for very little loss in room space.

If you would like further information on the dBoard product, or have a particular acoustic issue you would like to discuss, please contact SRS on 01204 380074, email info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit www.soundreduction.co.uk

You can contact Floorscan on 0151 9330939 or visit www.floorscan.co.uk

Contact Cream through their website http://www.cream.co.uk/

SRS proud to be involved with Edgworth Real Ale Festival 2011

Soundproofing experts, Sound Reduction Systems Ltd, are proud to once again sponsor the beer glasses at the 2011 Edgworth Real Ale Festival.

The ERAF committee are proud to announce that the 6th annual Edgworth Real Ale Festival will take place at the Barlow Institute, Edgworth, from Friday 30th Sept to Sunday the 2nd October. This year, proceeds from the festival will be divided between Help For Heroes and Great Ormond Street Hospital. Last year the festival raised over £12,000, which was donated to Bolton Mountain Rescue Team and North West Air Ambulance.

This year the theme of the festival will be the Marathon - a pin was placed in the Barlow Institute on a map, and a radius of 26.2 miles was drawn around it. The challenge was to source a wide and diverse range of beers from within this boundary to offer at the festival. Luckily, our local breweries offer a fantastic variety of beers and there will be an incredible selection on offer at the festival.

The headline sponsor of the festival this year is Holdens Ice Cream Shop - an Edgworth institution. They will be selling their ice cream throughout the festival, including a real ale flavoured offering!

ERAF Chairman, Alex Docherty said:

“The success of previous festivals ensures that this event is eagerly anticipated by ale lovers from around the North West, and we look forward to welcoming them once again – it is through their custom, and the generosity of our sponsors, that we are able to raise so much money for these great causes.”

We’d be delighted if you could join us for a pint – Food will be available throughout the festival and entertainment will be provided by The Witnesses on Friday and Saturday nights. For further details of the festival, please visit the website at www.eraf.org.uk or follow us on twitter @edgworthrealale

Cheers!

Sonata Studio Absorbers used at Canon Slade School, Bolton

SRS have recently supplied Sonata Studio acoustic absorbers for use within the control room at Canon Slade School's excellent new recording studio. The full story is told in a case study which is now available to view online.

To view the case study, written by qualified acoustician Toby Makin MIOA, click here: Canon Slade School

For further details on Sonata Acoustic Absorbers click here: SRS Absorption Solutions

For free advice on any noise problem please call the SRS technical team on 01204 380074 or email us at info@soundreduction.co.uk

SoundBlocker Premier at new Olympic Vue Cinema

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd’s high performance acoustic ceiling tiles, SoundBlocker, have been used extensively throughout the new Vue Cinema at the Olympic Village in Barking. SoundBlocker has been specified widely in cinema complexes, for three main reasons:

In the first instance, SoundBlockers are used to improve the sound insulation within the cinema from external sources, such as traffic (road and air) by increasing the acoustic performance of lightweight suspended ceiling systems.

Additionally, they are used to improve the vertical inter-cinema sound insulation in increasingly popular stacked auditoria where there are a range of cinemas on more than one level. The level of sound insulation required here, between auditoria, is considerable, particularly if very diverse films happen to be showing on adjacent screens.

Finally, SoundBlockers are also used to reduce noise in traditional single storey multiplexes which offer a different sort of problem to those of stacked cinemas. In single storey multiplexes, where the inter-cinema walls may often be acoustically very effective, SoundBlockers are used to overcome the problem of noise flanking through the roof support and steelwork.

The SoundBlocker range provides one of the most comprehensive systems available for reducing the break out of sound through suspended ceilings. It is perfect for any area where lightweight suspended ceilings are installed, such as recording studios, home cinemas, bars, nightclubs, offices etc. The SoundBlocker range also extends to a number of accessories for the acoustic treatment of lights, air grilles, sockets and switches.

For further information on SoundBlocker or for expert advice on any acoustic insulation problem please contact Sound Reduction Systems by Tel: 01204 380074 or email: info@soundreduction.co.uk

Soundproof Studios – Get the most from your audio!

Soundproof Studios are very proud to announce the launch of their new website at www.soundproofstudios.co.uk.

Soundproof Studios are a division of long established architectural and domestic acoustic insulation company, Sound Reduction Systems Ltd. They are dedicated to sound insulation and absorption in a variety of specialist areas, namely commercial recording studios, home recording studios, commercial cinemas, home cinemas, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and music venues. Soundproof Studios have identified these areas as places of particular acoustic sensitivity, where the best soundproofing and acoustic absorption products are required to ensure the venue can operate to its greatest potential.

What sets Soundproof Studios apart from most of the other companies in this specialist field is that we develop and manufacture soundproofing and sound absorption products. We understand acoustics and our industry leading technical team have both academic qualifications and practical experience in the field. All the advice that you receive from our Institute of Acoustics registered technical team is free of charge, and we will be happy to talk through any project that you have - past, present or future – why not email info@soundproofstudios.co.uk or call 01204 380074 today.

Soundproof Studios have exclusive access to the best performing acoustic products on the market, such as incredible acoustic building board, Maxiboard, for walls and ceilings; high performance acoustic underlay, Acoustilay and state of the art Sonata Acoustic Absorbers, such as Sonata Vario. Our comprehensive product range includes acoustic treatments for floors, walls and ceilings and our range of accessories, including Bass Traps, Isolating plinths, acoustic enclosures and acoustic socket and switch boxes.

For fast, free and friendly professional advice on any acoustic insulation or sound absorption issue, please get in touch today, or visit www.soundproofstudios.co.uk – Soundproof Studios: Passionate about audio!

SRS Sonata Duo and Aurio Absorbers used at Manorfield Primary School

The Architects Department at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have for a number of years now been designing new schools and extending existing ones to produce state-of-the-art buildings offering high energy efficiency.

The recently completed extension to the Manorfield School in East London takes this concept even further, with a modern approach of exposed building services, concrete ceilings and light, open, corridor areas. The School was built with due consideration to all of the latest government environmental specifications, including BREEAM and, of course, BB93 ‘The Acoustic Design of Schools’.

SRS were selected to provide various products from their range of modern room absorbers throughout the school, to not only meet the necessary acoustic specifications but to complement the dramatic visual appeal of the building interior.

A particular success was the ability of the Sonata Duo absorber to be suspended between and around the exposed building services in both corridors and classrooms. Their ability to fit within the vertical spaces between high level service pipes and ducting helped to avoid both over complicated interior design and engineering.

Sonata Aurio panels were chosen for the walls to provide acoustic balance and to complement the bold interior design.

For further information on Manorfield Primary School visit: www.manorfieldprimaryschool.co.uk

SRS Sonata Vario Absorbers Used Extensively at Hesketh Bank Christian Centre

Hesketh Bank Christian Centre is a community church serving Hesketh Bank and Tarleton in West Lancashire. Completed in 2008, the Centre comprises a multifunctional Main Hall, Reception with Cafeteria, offices and teaching rooms.

Typical of many contemporary interior spaces, high levels of noise reverberation created by the hard acoustically reflective surfaces, marred the function and use. We were asked to assess the problem and provide a solution.

As always, proper consideration was firstly given to activities within each space. The diverse range of uses for the Main Hall – Christian worship, live music and song, dancing and light sports - called for a solution across a wide range of sound frequencies; for the Reception & Cafeteria, speech clarity was the predominant concern, with reduced cutlery clatter on Café tables.

Our calculations showed that suitably reduced reverberation times could be achieved, and reflecting the client’s preference to avoid treatment being applied to the ceilings (so to be wall based), and for this to be visually discrete - panels to match colour as walls.

Sonata Vario panels fitted on mounting brackets provided the solution. The client’s chosen fabric facing to the panels sympathetically responded to the existing aethetics.

For further information on Hesketh Bank Christian Centre visit: www.heskethbankchristiancentre.co.uk

SRS Sonata Vario Installed within Kirkby Lonsdale Methodist Church

The new hall at Kirkby Lonsdale Methodist Church suffered from a problem that is common to many halls, excessive reverberation. This problem was particularly evident during times where two crèche groups were using the hall simultaneously and the high reverberation prevented speech from being clearly understood.

The brief from the client was to provide a solution that both reduced the overall reverberation time whilst not being visually imposing.

The solution was an installation of Sonata Vario absorbers to the sloping ceiling in the main hall and also to the ceiling of a smaller side room. The effect of the installation was very successful and a reduction in reverberation time in the main hall of 2.11 seconds down to 0.85 seconds was achieved.

Comments received were very positive:

"It seemed very quiet and peaceful this morning, even though there were as many children as any week"

- from a parent attending the weekly Mum’s and Toddlers group, who didn’t know about the project

"The atmosphere was much less frantic this morning"

- from a member of the church after the Sunday service when refreshments are available

"We’re indebted to you for a good job done which exactly fits our hopes and expectations."

- Peter Deaville, Kirkby Lonsdale Methodist Church

For further information on Kirkby Lonsdale Methodist Church visit: www.klmethodistchurch.org

SRS Sonata Vario installed at Park Central, York Science Park

Park Central is, as the name suggests, the centrally located hub of the York Science Park’s Innovation Centre.

This contemporary space is a multipurpose area functioning as the YSP catering facility and a readily adaptive environment for meetings and conferencing. Good room acoustics are therefore not only desirable for the relaxation of diners, but essential for clear speech communication during meetings and conferences.

Park Central was marred by excessive reverberation stemming from the predominance of hard surfaces such as wooden floors, glazing and table tops. This all resulted in an acoustically difficult environment for the users and staff.

The client brief was to offer a proposal for treatment that not only addressed the reverberation problem, but most essentially one that gave due regard for the existing interior design and preferably where treatment would be to the ceiling only.

Sonata Vario absorbers were introduced to the free areas of the ceiling. The result was major improvement of the environment, giving crisp clarity of speech, reduced noise from cutlery and chairs, and generally a more pleasant and relaxing environment. The clean lines and high light reflectance of the Sonata Vario absorbers do appear to respect, even arguably enhance, the distinctive Park Central space.

Mr David Garside, Facilities Manger at the YSP comments:

“ The project was a trouble free and painless experience and required very little effort on our part.”

“Staff have commented on the difference without knowing how it was achieved …..thanks for a good job well

done and quickly.”

SRS Sonata Vario Installed within Bishop Wilton Hall

Bishop Wilton Hall is the recent newcomer to the North Yorkshire village bearing its name. Situated in a rural Wolds setting 15 miles east of York, it provides a modern community facility with adjoining sports pavilion and grounds.

SRS were asked to advise on the problem of high noise reverberation within the Main Hall. Typically, the reverberation was seriously marring Hall use. Not only was this creating an unpleasant environment, but day-to-day income, essential to maintaining the facility, was affected.

SRS appraised the Hall and provided a proposal for treatment, giving the committee a range of choices to meet the necessary reverberation reductions, achieve a visually sympathetic solution along with a number of budgetary options.

The Solution: Sonata Vario panel absorbers on Sonata Vario mounting brackets were equally placed to the two walls either end of the Hall; Sonata Aurio absorbers were fitted directly to the two sloping ceilings.

Sympathetic to the Hall decoration, the Sonata Vario panels were chosen in a colour to match the doors; the Sonata Aurio panels in white to perfectly blend with the background. The Hall was suitably transformed and the results are plain to see and hear.

Steve Swire, Chair of Committee said:

‘Just a note to confirm that all went well today with the Bishop Wilton Hall installation. The approved fitting team were very accommodating, the job looks stylish and most importantly the echo/reverb has to all intent and purpose been killed. So it’s thanks to you and the team for a job well done. I would be more than happy to provide references should you wish me to do so’

For further information on Bishop Wilton Hall, including hire rates, visit: www.bishopwiltonhall.co.uk

SRS use Rainbow to Solve Acoustic Problem in School

When the pupils and teaching staff were suffering due to poor room acoustics at Stanley Road School in Worcester, they took advantage of the free site visit, advice and report currently on offer to all UK schools from the Sound Reduction Systems Ltd.

Qualified SRS technical representatives visited site and discussed the acoustic requirements of the hall, with consideration given to both the aesthetics and practicality of any possible solutions.

The room in question was a typical multipurpose school hall used for everything from assemblies and PE to activities that involved speech, singing, and the reproduction of music. There was a High vaulted “arched” ceiling, and an acoustically reflective parquet floor. Not only was the reverberation time too high, but the shape of the ceiling was making things worse by focusing sound towards the floor, causing serious speech intelligibility and acoustic clarity issues.

SRS’s exclusive reverberation modelling software allows their technicians to take away data such as room shape and volume along with material information such as the floor, wall and ceiling finishes and input that into the programme to create a simulation of the acoustic performance of the room. By adjusting the level of absorption within the equation, SRS can specify, to the exact panel, the area of absorption that is required to achieve the desired result.

SRS Technical Sales Manager, Richard Sherwood, comments “The dining hall at Stanley Road was one of most reverberant halls that I had visited in some time. Having modelled the space, it was evident that it was especially poor in the speech frequency range, making it very difficult for pupils to understand the teachers and vice-versa. It was no wonder that the pupils and staff struggled to use the space and it was clear that a solution needed to be found urgently.”

Building Bulleting 93 (BB93), the document that specifies acoustic conditions within schools, recommends that the reverberation time for a newly built multi-purpose school hall should be <1.2s. As this school hall was existing, the target was set at <1.5s - greater than a halving of the reverberation time of the hall prior to any acoustic treatment.

To solve the acoustic issues at Stanley Road School, SRS proposed the use of Sonata, their high performance acoustic absorber range. Sonata Vario panels were suspended across the ceiling and Sonata Aurio was fixed on the walls to ensure good, even absorption across all frequencies. At Stanley Road the children get input into everything that happens within the school, and they were consulted prior to the install to decide upon which of the highly decorative fabrics colours to choose. The children certainly gave SRS a challenge when they requested a rainbow design, but they were delighted to help make it happen for them.

The Sonata absorbers were installed by Floorscan Acoustics Ltd and feedback has been very positive so far. Anne Potter, the Head at Stanley Road Primary School, comments: “Our hall is now a more pleasant place to be, the difference was noticeable from the very first day, and we have assemblies, lunches and PE under our very own rainbow.”

For further details on the Sonata range of products, the SRS Acoustics For Schools initiative or any other acoustic issue you may have, please get in touch with us for free, professional advice on 01204 380074, email info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit www.soundreduction.co.uk where all information is available for download.

SRS Maxiboard Used Extensively in State of the Art Wedding Venue

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd’s high performance acoustic building board, Maxiboard, has been used extensively throughout a state of the art wedding venue in North London.

The proximity of the venue to a number of houses meant that planning could only be agreed with the right acoustic specification. Richard Groborz of SRS Ltd’s stockist and approved agent for the area, Trim Acoustics, visited site to advise on the acoustic insulation. He said:

“In order eliminate the risk of disruption to the neighbours, and to offer a practical and cost effective solution to the client, we specified a treatment of Maxiboard for the walls and ceilings. The results have been fantastic leaving the venue owners, local council and neighbours delighted.”

In total, over 2000 square meters of Maxiboard was installed by Gama Construction at The Little Princes and Little Princesses Wedding Venue to meet the stringent requirements of the council. Due to the pressing nature of the project, Trim Acoustics were able to supply the Maxiboard out of their stock at very little notice, ensuring no delays on site.

The Venue, owned by Metro Wedding and Function Halls, is capable of accommodating over 800 people, and was officially opened by local MP, Mr Andy Love, in September.

Maxiboard is an extremely versatile and high performance acoustic building board, designed to be used as an alternative to plasterboard where increased sound insulation is required. Maxiboard ceilings and walls are often used to meet the acoustic standards of Part E of the Building Regulations and can often offer an hour’s fire resistance as well.

For further information on Maxiboard, or to talk about any acoustic issue that you may have, please feel free to get in touch with the industry leading SRS technical team for free, professional advice – tel: 01204 380074, email info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit the website www.soundreduction.co.uk

SRS Ltd – The Architect Friendly Acoustics Company

At Sound Reduction Systems Ltd, we are aware of the diverse and complicated nature of designing and remodelling buildings. Acoustics may only be a small part of the overall process, but it is extremely important and can get quite involved.

We want Architects to be able to specify our products and systems with confidence and have one less written spec to create themselves. To this end, we have created comprehensive list of ‘Copy & Paste’ specs for each of our products and systems. The specs have been designed to protect the architect and maintain the integrity of the specification itself.

The specs all follow the same easy to use format, and contain details of the Manufacturer, the product/s involved, general installation information and procurement advice. The details are neat and concise, and perfect for dropping into any specification documents.

To view the SRS Copy and Paste Specifications please click here: SRS Copy and Paste Specifications

If, however, your requirement is more bespoke, please feel free to get in touch with a member of the SRS Ltd technical team on 01204 380074 or email info@soundreduction.co.uk - they will be happy to write an individual specification for your particular application.

See also - SRS Acoustic Specification Generator

Reducing Noise Pollution – Some Sound Advice

Noise pollution is an increasing problem in these days of hectic living, overcrowded towns and cities, and dense traffic. Noise pollution doesn't create as many major health problems as other forms of pollution, but they're there nonetheless. They include aggression, panic attacks, loss of hearing and high blood pressure, so noise pollution control and prevention is vital.

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 help protect the one million-plus UK workers exposed to noise pollution that could damage their hearing. Noise pollution at work has also caused deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions in about 170,000 people in the UK. Under the laws, employers must tell workers in noisy areas about the risks to their hearing. They must train someone to implement a noise programme and carry out regular noise assessments. And, if daily or weekly average exposure is likely to exceed 85 dB(A) in any area, it must be designated a hearing-protection zone.

Away from the law, technology has helped reduce noise pollution. Solutions include the installation of noise barriers along major roads to block noise; rerouting traffic away from residential areas is another method of reducing noise pollution. Buildings have been designed to contain noise, too, while car engines are much quieter these days.

Companies such as Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) provide materials for use in domestic and commercial premises that help prevent external and internal noise pollution.

For noise pollution from nightclubs and venues, Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) recommends Maxiboard, which can be built onto the framework of the walls and ceilings. For domestic issues, where noise pollution from traffic, aeroplanes, industrial sites and construction or roadwork is a problem, home-owners need to specify appropriately rated glazing to keep noise pollution out.

These days, the World Health Organisation recommends maximum internal noise levels within homes. In practice, this involves an acoustic consultant carrying out a PPG 24 assessment at planning stage, with average noise levels measured over a full 24-hour cycle, to establish which Noise Exposure Category the development falls within.

When we think about pollution, noise is probably not top of our list. However, in today's increasingly hectic world, it's something that we'll all have to pay more attention to – or risk the wrath of the law.

SRS has a wide range of products that can tackle any acoustic issue. The company also has the most experienced and qualified technical team in the business, and their advice is always free of charge. To talk over any acoustic issues you may have, please call 01204 380074 or email your enquiry to info@soundreduction.co.uk

The Top Ten Noise-Reduction Methods

Here are 10 easy-to-apply, affordable noise-reduction methods that can be used right across industry.

1 Damping

Typically used in applications such as chutes, hoppers, panels and tanks, damping usually uses two techniques: layer damping, in which a layer of bitumastic damping material is stuck to a surface, and constrained layer damping, which is more rugged and involves construction of a laminate.

Maxideck and Maxiboard from Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) can help. Maxideck, an acoustic-flooring solution, can be used in kitchens and bathrooms. It offers high levels of airborne and impact insulation when used on timber. It can be used to comply with the Building Regulations Approved Document E (2003), is easy to install and is only 28mms thick.

Maxiboard, for ceilings and walls, can also help meet Part E Regulations and can be used to form enclosures and independent structures. It takes screws and nails direct, and is extremely durable, yet only 17mms thick.

2 Fan installations

Curiously, when fans operate at peak efficiency, they're at their quietest. Common noise-reduction features are bends close to the fan and dampers. To cut down on up to 12 dB, ensure at least 2-3 duct diameters of straight duct between any feature that may disturb the flow and the fan itself.

3 Ductwork

Typically used in extraction, ventilation and cooling, ductwork involves openings in walls and enclosures. Instead of fitting silencers, it is often possible to achieve a 10 - 20 dB reduction in airborne noise from a duct or opening by lining the last bend in the ductwork with foam or fibreglass, or constructing an absorbent, lined right-angled bend to fit on the opening.

SRS has two products that can be used. Acoustic Socket and Service Boxes are made from two layers of 10mm-thick high-density gypsum-based board and will ensure the acoustic integrity of any metal or timber-framed separating wall containing sockets and/or services. Meanwhile, Soundstop 5 is a multi-purpose acoustic barrier that's ideal for ceiling voids or within partition walls. It reduces room-to-room noise by up to 46dB.

4 Fan speed

In axial or centrifugal flow fans, you can reduce noise simply by changing control systems or pulley sizes and resetting dampers.

5 Pneumatic exhausts

Pneumatic exhaust noise can be reduced by up to 30dB by fitting silencers. For back pressure, fit a larger coupling and silencer; for clogging, you need a straight-through silencer, while multiple exhausts can be manifolded into a single, larger diameter pipe.

6 Pneumatic nozzles

Pneumatic nozzles are often used for cooling, drying and blowing. You can usually replace the existing nozzles for quiet, high-efficiency units that can reduce noise by up to 10 dB.

7 Vibration isolation pads

Typically used on machine feet, pumps and mezzanine installations, vibration isolation pads are usually made of rubber or bonded cork and reduce vibration and noise pollution.

SRS's Acoustilay system is ideal for beneath washing machines. It improves the sound-insulation performance of timber floors and substantially reduces impact noise through concrete and timber floors. Acoustilay is simply laid under most floor finishes and can replace conventional carpet underlay.

8 Existing machine guards

In an open set of machine guards, halving the 'gap' open area can reduce noise pollution by 3 dB. Reducing the openings, such as flexible seals, by 90% can reduce noise by 10 dB.

Maxiboard with Coustifoam lining is ideal for this. Coustifoam is an acoustic lining to soffits or walls, or can be laid over the back of open-cell suspended ceilings. Its flexibility allows it to be easily formed around penetrations or contours.

9 Chain and timing-belt drives

Quieter timing belts with different tooth profiles aimed at limiting noise can replace noisy chain drives. A new type of belt for noise-critical applications uses a chevron tooth pattern that can cut noise by up to 20 dB.

10 Electric motors

The electric motors that drive fans and pumps can be replaced by general-duty motors that are up to 10 dB quieter. These can be phased into the system over a period of time.

The Ten Classic Soundproofing Slip-ups

Soundproofing. There's a lot of myth and folklore that surrounds the subject. So here's your guide to the most common soundproofing mistakes. After all, get soundproofing right and you'll be able to enjoy a quieter life.

1 Not seeking advice from qualified IOA registered professionals such as SRS

You can mess about with mattresses and egg boxes all you like, but failing to bring in the professionals in the worst cases of noise pollution is mistake number one. Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) has many soundproofing solutions for both domestic and industrial use and has excellent technical credentials. The company is widely recognised as a leading manufacturer of sound insulation and sound absorption materials, a result of 25 years' experience in the acoustic-supply industry. The firm's technical team is Institute of Acoustics-registered and can be relied upon for comprehensive and accurate advice on any noise pollution problem.

2 Poor acoustic design in rooms

Reverberation can be a problem in halls and classrooms. SRS's Sonata Aurio Absorbers can control the issue, but the right number must be used, as classrooms have different reverberation time requirements from multipurpose halls, for example. They look good and can be applied with adhesive – so no drilling required. Speak to SRS if you would like an assessment on this issue.

3 Poor acoustic design on buildings

SRS recommends Acoustilay, a barrier-mat material for floors that is 100% recyclable at the end of its life. For walls and ceilings, Maxiboard can meet the sound insulation performance requirements of Part ‘E’ of the Building Regulations for separating structures. A sister product, Maxideck, has been developed for timber floors.

4 Poor installation

Sadly, poor soundproofing installation is rife. Problems include shortcuts, poor site practice and the omission of materials. SRS soundproofing materials are typically very easy to install, resulting in fewer on-site issues.

5 Specification erosion

Specification erosion involves using cheaper, poorer-quality clone products that are claimed to be as good as the originals. However, they typically don't have the same performance or track record. For example, SRS's Acoustilay, which substantially reduces impact noise and airborne sounds, is one of the most copied products on the market. However, Acoustilay is so good that these copycat products can not match Acoustilay's outstanding performance.

6 Thinking mineral wool is the solution

Mineral wool is excellent thermally and for fire resistance, but it has little soundproofing performance as an acoustic absorber.

The acoustic experts at SRS suggest using their Maxiboard product. If the plasterboard remains on the studwork, it can be removed from one side of the partition and the area between the existing studs filled with mineral fibre. SRS Resilient bars will then be placed on the wall so that Maxiboards can be installed.

If the plasterboard on the other side of the studwork is in good condition, it can remain, and an extra layer of fire-rated plasterboard fixed directly through the existing plasterboard. If existing boards are damaged, they should be replaced by two layers of fire-rated plasterboard with all offset joints. For optimum acoustic performance, any sockets or switches on the Maxiboard wall should be surface-mounted, or flush-fitted using SRS Acoustic Socket Boxes.

7 Thinking it is possible to replace a carpet with a laminate/timber floor and acoustic underlay and not have the downstairs neighbours complain

Laminate and timber floors are attractive but do pose soundproofing problems in flats and apartments. Most underlays from DIY shops promise a 20dB reduction, but that's unlikely, as this figure uses a bare concrete floor for comparison. Much better is to use SRS' two heavier versions of Acoustilay: Acoustilay 8 and Acoustilay 15. These products have a long-lasting resilient core with a mass-loaded acoustic barrier. Together, they control both the ‘thud’ and the ‘clip-clop’ noises associated with hard floors.

8 Comparing laboratory test performance with site performance when looking for soundproofing materials

The laboratory test performance will always return a bigger number because of idealised test conditions. Talk to SRS about how a site might affect the performance of different materials. Our advice is always free.

9 Not asking to see substantiation of acoustic performance

Don't just take their word for it. A good soundproofing company, such as SRS, will always be glad to demonstrate the performance of their equipment. In fact, SRS publishes all product performance online in each of the product sections of the SRS website, at www.soundreduction.co.uk.

10 If in doubt, ask

If you have any doubts about the suitability of any materials or solutions for your circumstances, don't be afraid to ask. Any reputable company will be open and honest with you.

SRS Launch new Part E Specification Generator

Sound insulation experts Sound Reduction Systems Ltd are pleased to announce the launch of their new improved Part E Specification Generator: Click here to begin

The Part E Specification Generator allows architects and specifiers to easily select a solution from SRS' extensive selection of high performance sound insulation products.

For free, expert advice on meeting the sound insulation requirements of Document E, please call SRS Ltd on 01204 380074 or email info@soundreduction.co.uk

Failed a Sound Insulation Test? Acoustics Experts Sound Reduction Systems can help

Failing a sound insulation test is almost certainly the result of one, or a combination, of the following factors: -

Poor advice
Poor product
Poor installation
Flanking noise (Compromising the sound insulating element)

Unfortunately, some of these elements are all too common in the acoustic supply market today, and there is no magic answer that we can offer to solve the problem instantly. More often than not, the solution will involve more building work and another acoustic test – it’s harsh, but once you have a failure, you really have no other option. That said it is vital that the same mistakes aren’t made twice.

If you do find yourself in this unfortunate situation, the first thing to do is ask the advice of the acoustic consultant on site. They should have a good idea of how and why the structure is failing, you might get some good pointers from them. The next thing to do is obtain a copy of the failed test report. This is very important information to arm yourself with when looking for solutions and allows the reputable and qualified manufacturers, who understand the figures and graphical results, to offer their best advice. SRS Ltd will be happy to receive and review any failed test reports to info@soundreduction.co.uk or fax: 01204 380957 completely free of charge.

SRS Ltd are the only company prepared to help ANY site which has a Document 'E' failure. If necessary, a member of the SRS Technical Department will travel to site and prepare a bespoke specification to ensure compliance with Document E, for a nominal fee. However, most failures can be dealt with over the phone, and SRS make no charge for their advice and specifications if this is the case. SRS Ltd will also be happy to liaise with your acoustic consultant to ensure that all areas have been covered – in short we will take the problem out of your hands and ensure that we deliver a remedial treatment specification that will ensure compliance with Document E.

If you do have a failure, please make SRS Ltd your first port of call. We have the experience, professionalism and products to ensure that your project can move forward swiftly.

To ensure you receive the very best advice on any future acoustic project, please call SRS Ltd on 01204 380074 or email info@soundreduction.co.uk – there will be no charge and we’ll give you the benefit of our knowledge and experience of just about any acoustic problem. SRS would also like you to take a look at their ‘Acoustic Suppliers Checklist’ – this is a very useful guide to assessing the credentials of the company advising you.

SRS Ltd to Sponsor The Edgworth Real Ale Festival (ERAF) for the Fifth Year Running

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd are proud to announce that they are the official glass sponsor of the Edgworth Real Ale Festival (ERAF) for the fifth year running.

2009 saw the festival beat its fund raising record, along with its own expectations, with a total of £12,500 raised. The fund was split evenly between Bolton Mountain Rescue and Derian House Children’s Hospice.

The ERAF committee was extremely proud to be able to donate such a fantastic amount of money to these worthy charities, and know that the money will be put to good use. In fact Bolton Mountain Rescue has already put our donation to work with the purchase of six sets of Water Rescue Kit along with a heavy duty inflatable boat.

ERAF 2010’s beneficiaries will be Bolton Mountain Rescue and North West Air Ambulance. Beneficiaries are decided by committee majority vote, and cannot be selected for more than two consecutive festivals.

The War of The Roses theme proved so popular in 2009, and competing breweries were so keen to sponsor the festival, that a re-run is planned for 2010. Lancashire took a narrow victory in 2009, but Yorkshire will be given an opportunity to get their own back this summer. As ever, the 2010 festival will run for three days over the last weekend in September – Friday the 24th, Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th at the Barlow Institute in Edgworth.

The traditional food, live music, terrific atmosphere – not to mention the excellent array of beers, wines and ciders on offer – will all combine once more in 2010 to create a festival to remember. This event, although making a name for itself amongst the real ale cognoscenti, is not exclusive and welcomes everyone through its doors - a real ‘more the merrier’ philosophy helps to engender a fantastic, friendly festival every year.

As ever, ERAF relies on the hard work of its voluntary committee members and the kindness of various types of sponsors in order to raise money. Sponsorship packages range from Main Festival Sponsors to simple Barrel Sponsors (ideal for the local firm!), so please feel free to email john@eraf.org.uk for further information on how you can be involved in ERAF 2010 and help our great causes.

ERAF is a not for profit organisation devised to promote real ale and raise money for worthy causes. The committee is made up of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who give their time willingly. However, the festival cannot run on goodwill alone, and, as such, relies solely on the generosity of sponsors. If you would like to help make ERAF 2010 a success, please go to www.eraf.org.uk to see a list of sponsorship opportunities ranging from barrel sponsorship, ideal for the individual or small businesses, to main event sponsors, perfect for larger businesses looking for an alternative form of corporate entertainment.

Put the dates in you diary for the 2010 event – 24th/25th/ 26th September in the Barlow Institute.

Click here to download the flyer: Edgworth Real Ale Festival 2010

If you would be interested in sponsoring a barrel at the festival (£60), or for further sponsorship opportunities, please contact committee member Alex Docherty on 01204 380074 or alex@soundreduction.co.uk, or visit www.eraf.org.uk

The Evolution of Acoustilay

Acoustic insulation innovators, Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS Ltd) , are not a company that are happy to sit still. Their market leading range of acoustic products are under constant review to ensure that they offer the maximum amount of benefit to specifier, installer and end user alike.

Acoustilay has remained unrivalled in the market place in terms of price, performance, sustainability and ease of installation for over 14 years, however, SRS Ltd are extremely proud to announce the latest evolution of the UK’s favourite acoustic flooring product.

The acoustic performance of Acoustilay is taken as read; however, it is the attention to detail with the new and improved product that keeps Acoustilay totally unique in the market place, and the No. 1 choice for anyone looking for acoustic flooring. The key innovations are detailed below: -

A completely unique and exclusive acoustic membrane – this material is only available from SRS Ltd in their Acoustilay product.
The exclusive acoustic membrane is both manufactured from recycled materials, and is 100% recyclable at the end of its life.
The recycled acoustic foam has been benchmark tested against many other foams and felts to ensure that it is not only the most environmentally friendly, but also the best acoustically.
Acoustilay now comes printed with a green film that carries both the fitting instructions and the logo. This ensures that installation issues are kept to an absolute minimum and that the specified product is instantly identifiable on site by both specifier and customer.
The emboss pattern on Acoustilay has been specially designed to create the optimum ‘key’ between Acoustilay and the adhesive, if bonding is required, and also to ensure the perfect surface to take the flooring element.
A wide range of accessories such as Acoustilay Perimeter Strips, for sound insulating beneath gripper rods, and the new Acoustilay joint tape ensure every aspect of installation has been thought through and dealt with.
The new version of Acoustilay is 100% sourced and manufactured in the UK.
The printed film has been specially designed and approved for use with most market leading flooring adhesives.

Most importantly, all of this product development and innovation comes at no extra cost to you – Acoustilay remains the most economic and efficient method of sound insulating a floor there is.

Acoustilay has long been a firm favourite with specifiers and end users due to its high acoustic performance, and ease of installation, and is often used to meet the requirements of Building Regulations Part E in flat conversions. However, Acoustilay is also widely used by people to simply upgrade the sound insulation of floors in their own properties for personal comfort.

Sound Reductions Systems have long maintained a commitment to provide free, professional advice on any acoustic problems to specifiers and end users alike, along with unique, high performance acoustic insulation materials for buildings. All members of the SRS technical team have both practical and academic experience in acoustics and are registered with the Institute of Acoustics.

For further information on the new, improved Acoustilay, or any other of our products please contact SRS Ltd on Tel: 01204 380074, email: info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit the website where all information is available to download: http://www.soundreduction.co.uk/Downloads/

SRS Parker Pen Giveaway for Specifiers!!

Acoustic experts Sound Reduction Systems Ltd are offering a Parker pen to every specifier who enquires about our high performance soundproofing and sound absorption products. SRS's industry leading technical department are on hand to offer solutions on any acoustic problems and any projects where acoustic materials are required. Please email project details direct to the technical department for free, prompt advice:

Richard Sherwood Bsc (hons.) MIOA - Email richard@soundreduction.co.uk
Toby Makin Bsc (hons.) MIOA - Email toby@soundreduction.co.uk

Alternatively please call to discuss the project on 01204 380074

Terms and Conditions - One pen per customer while stocks last

Replacing a carpet with timber or laminate flooring?

A guide to understanding the confusing world of acoustics by Toby Makin MIOA

Replacing a carpet with timber or laminate flooring? A guide to understanding the confusing world of acoustics

Many people want to replace carpet with a decorative timber or laminate flooring, but there are often concerns from neighbours and landlords relating to the potential noise problems that may result. The solution is to choose an appropriate product to help control the noise, ensuring that the new timber or laminate flooring does not cause disturbance to the neighbours, and this can get confusing with so many different websites and products pushing a range of technical data, but what do these numbers really mean?

The most common number you’ll come across, particularly on underlays for laminate floors sold in DIY shops, is the ‘Delta Lw’. Most ~5mm thick products offer around about 20dB, but does that mean you or your client will get 20dB when it’s fitted under a laminate? In short, not likely. This measurement (made to an industry standard methodology that most of us would never have to read, BS EN ISO 140:8) is frequently stated on packaging, but in practice bears little resemblance to the typical scenario of laminate flooring replacing carpet over a traditional timber floor structure. Actually, it’s a comparison between a bare concrete floor and the concrete floor with the underlay in question laid over the top, but crucially without the final hard, noisy, clip-cloppy laminate flooring. When installed on a typical floor, these products actually act as a very useful levelling layer, ensuring that the laminate flooring is not wobbling over the inevitable undulations of a floor, but is never realistically going to perform anywhere like as well as it says on the packet because you’d never use them in isolation.

So, how do we get something that works? The key is to understand what’s changing when laminate flooring replaces carpet - out goes the soft cushioning layer at the point of impact, and in comes a hard layer. When installed on a typical timber floor structure the ‘thud’ of footfall is accentuated and the new ‘clip clop’ noise of hard shoes hitting the floor is introduced. It’s obvious why this causes so much disruption! In practice we need a resilient layer that is going to create a ‘floating’ floor, not just a levelling layer and for that you need something a bit thicker that will typically have a Delta L_w of at least 35dB, the increased performance is directly linked to it being a bit thicker (~10mm). In addition, to combat the new clip-clop airborne noise, more mass is needed as a barrier layer, typically at least 12Kg per square metre or more, though if the subfloor is concrete and already very heavy, this isn’t required. A good example of two products that meet these criteria, are the two heavier versions of Acoustilay, Acoustilay 8 and Acoustilay 15. These products combine a long lasting resilient core with a mass loaded acoustic barrier to effectively control both the ‘thud’ and the ‘clip-clop’ noises associated with hard floor finishes. You can find the Acoustilay technical data, installation guidance and fitting video’s at www.soundreduction.co.uk or, alternatively, respond to this editorial for your free sample and brochure.

By using a little common sense, and reading past the attractive claims of performance, it’s possible to select a specification that will allow a range of floor finishes to be installed without inadvertently generating a difficult noise problem in the process. As always in acoustics, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is! Cheap, thin underlays will not, in our experience, offer anything like the acoustic performance required when replacing carpet with laminate.

Sound Reductions Systems have a wide range of acoustic flooring products to tackle any acoustic flooring issue, along with the most experienced and qualified technical team in the market, and their advice is always free of charge. To talk over any acoustic issues you may have please call 01204 380074 or email your enquiry to info@soundreduction.co.uk

SRS Ltd – Acoustics for Schools Initiative.

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS Ltd) are proud to launch their new ‘Acoustics for Schools’ initiative. The main thrust of the scheme will see acoustic specialists, SRS Ltd, launch their new ‘BB93 & Acoustics Within The Educational Environment’ guide whilst offering all UK schools and the specifiers and contractors working on them FREE OF CHARGE evaluations, guidance and specifications to ensure that the school meets all the acoustic standards set out in BB93, as well as the needs of its staff and students.

Many schools in the UK suffer from poor room acoustics due to the acoustically reflective surfaces traditionally found within the learning environment. This leads to a great deal of reverberation and echo which creates poor speech intelligibility - an environment like this has a detrimental effect on both teaching and learning.

SRS Ltd have a new and unique range of acoustic absorbers that can be used to control noise within all school environments, from large gymnasiums and canteens to small classrooms and media suites. The Sonata range of products offers extremely high levels of performance but does not compromise design, with various shapes, colours and finishes available. Unlike many traditional, mineral fibre based products, Sonata products are manufactured using innovative acoustic foams that are completely non-fibrous and perfectly safe to install during term time.

There are also significant problems with noise disturbance from adjoining classrooms, halls and corridors. Often, walls and ceilings are particularly lightweight and a simple application of an acoustic product can make a significant difference.

For example, walls and ceilings can be lined with Maxiboard – a high performance acoustic building board, designed to be used like standard plasterboard but with far greater acoustic performance. SRS Ltd also have a range of acoustic ceiling tiles, SoundBlocker, which can be used to increase the acoustic performance of lightweight suspended ceilings, as cross-talk between classrooms with these types of ceilings installed is often a problem area.

In short SRS Ltd has the knowledge, expertise and practical solutions to deal with just about any sound insulation issue within the educational environment and are happy to help our schools out in any way they can.

To download SRS's ‘BB93 & Acoustics Within The Educational Environment’ guide please click here: Download

Top 10 Tips for Soundproofing and Sound Insulation Within the Home

1) Install Acoustilay on floors - By far the easiest way of improving the sound insulation performance of a timber floor is to install SRS Acoustilay to the floor as an underlay for the floor finish. Acoustilay is the original proprietary acoustic underlay system - Beware of the clones. In its current form, genuine Acoustilay has a green PVC free barrier mat with the product logo and installation guidance printed to the top surface. Don’t accept imitations! Three versions are available to suit the particular acoustic requirements of the customer.
SRS Acoustilay Information
Request a sample of SRS Acoustilay

Should additional airborne sound insulation performance be required SRS recommend Maxideck
SRS Maxideck Information
Request a sample of SRS Maxideck

2) Maxiboard for Walls and Ceilings - SRS produce Maxiboard, a 17mm thick, high performance composite building board that can be used on walls and ceilings. For walls, perhaps to reduce transmission from noisy neighbours, SRS recommend installing Maxiboard off Maxi Resilient bars. This offers maximum acoustic performance for the minimum loss of room space. Noise from neighbours above can be reduced by the installation of the Maxi Dropped Ceiling or the Maxi 60 Ceiling System.
Maxiboard for Walls Information
Maxiboard for Ceiling Information
Request a sample of SRS Maxiboard

3) Replacing carpets with laminate or timber floor finishes - consider the implications! - Replacing a soft, acoustically absorbent carpet with a hard reflective laminate floor will generate an increase in noise transference and it is highly likely the neighbours downstairs will notice. There will always be an increase in noise but SRS produce Acoustilay and SubPrimo, both of which have a history of use beneath a variety of laminate and timber floor finishes.
SRS SubPrimo Information
Request a sample of SRS SubPrimo
SRS Acoustilay Information
Request a sample of SRS Acoustilay

4) Squeaky Floorboards - Stop the movement! Squeaking and creaking floorboards can cause a big nuisance. There are no proprietary solutions to this problem, it is a case of ensuring that timber joists are stiffened using plates and noggins, and ensuring that timber floorboards are firmly screwed (not nailed) to the joists. Once this has been carried out Acoustilay can be installed to reduce noise transmission through the floor.

5) Beware of dot and dab plasterboard! This is a quick and efficient method of installing plasterboard to the external walls of the home but acoustically it can cause problems if installed before the separating ceiling - a common cavity all the way up the building!

6) Mineral fibre: A sound insulation material? Check out our YouTube demonstration video: Maxiboard YouTube Demonstration. Mineral fibre is an excellent sound absorber, an excellent thermal insulation material, but it lacks the mass to provide very much sound insulation performance. SRS recommend that some absorption is always included where access to the void is possible but this should be used in conjunction with acoustic isolation, such as resilient bars, heavy board materials, such as Maxiboard and Maxideck, and resilient flooring materials such as Acoustilay.

7) Noisy Washing Machine? Acoustilay Isolation boards can be used beneath washing machines and other noisy household appliances to reduce the transmission of vibration. Acoustilay Isolation boards are 18mm thick so can be accommodated under most appliances.

8) Noisy traffic: Secondary Glazing. Sound is a lot like water: it will always exploit the path of least resistance. Windows within the external walls often present an easy transmission path for sound and can let in a great deal of environmental noise such as road traffic and aeroplane noise. How can this be reduced? The most effective systems on the market in our experience are Secondary Glazing Systems: Sliding and well sealed panels behind the existing windows.

9) Reduce Echo and Reverb with SRS Sonata Acoustic Absorption. Rooms with laminate floors and tiled hard surfaces may be visually stunning and give the aesthetic appearance that the homeowner is looking for but a lack of soft furnishings can lead to the space being unpleasant to be in. SRS Sonata is a range of decorative absorbers that can eliminate this problem. Further information available soon.

10) Ask the experts! When it comes to achieving the best overall performance it is highly recommended that you seek the advice of an acoustics expert at the earliest possible opportunity.

Here at SRS we have an industry leading technical team on hand to offer free and accurate advice on any noise problem. Both members of the SRS technical team can boast years of experience in the field and full Institute of Acoustics membership. Contacts: Richard Sherwood MIOA richard@soundreduction.co.uk; Toby Makin MIOA toby@soundreduction.co.uk

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd, Adam Street, Off Lever Street, Bolton. BL3 2AP. Tel: 01204 380074 Fax: 01204 380957 Web: www.soundreduction.co.uk

Ready to place an order? Contact one of our Approved Distributors

Code for Sustainable Homes

Code for Sustainable Homes

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd – Breaking the code.

Acoustic insulation specialists Sound Reduction Systems are first out of the blocks again, combining their industry leading acoustics and construction knowledge with acoustic systems and products, to deliver bespoke details to specifiers ensuring that they achieve the maximum amount of credits available, in terms of sound insulation, from their Code for Sustainable Homes project.

The Code for Sustainable Homes (CFSH) is an environmental assessment method for rating and certifying the performance of new homes. The Code became operational in April 2007 in England and having a code rating for new build homes became mandatory from 1st May 2008. The CFSH scheme replaces the Ecohomes scheme.

From the 1st of May 2008, a minimum of Code Level 3 is required for all new housing promoted or supported by the Welsh Assembly Government or their sponsored bodies and from 2nd June 2008, Code Level 3 is required for all new self-contained social housing in Northern Ireland. The Code does not currently apply in Scotland.

The full CFSH guidance document can be viewed on the Communities and Local Government website using the following link: Code for Sustainable Homes

SRS can assist with helping specifiers and customers achieve the maximum 4 credits for sound insulation within Section 7 of the Code (Health and Wellbeing). These 4 credits account for 4.48 percentage points towards the overall points score due to the weighting system used by The Code.

The CFSH rewards developers for achieving greater standards of sound insulation than Building Regulations currently require. To achieve the maximum 4 credits separating floors and walls have to be shown to achieve 8dB above the performance requirements of Part ‘E’ 2003. At the time of writing there are no specifications within the Robust Details handbook that are certified for 4 credits, therefore compliance has to be demonstrated by a scheme of pre-completion testing.

SRS Ltd offer a free of charge service for specifiers and customers wanting to achieve additional points through enhanced sound insulation. Their fully qualified technical department is on hand to discuss and advise on any CFSH project that you may have. For further advice on sound insulation and the Code for Sustainable Homes please contact SRS on 01204 380074 or info@soundreduction.co.uk

The Problem of Noise Created by Rainfall on Profiled Metal Roofing Systems

Acoustic innovators Sound Reduction Systems Ltd have developed Raincheck, the perfect acoustic damping material to reduce the noise generated by rain falling on metal profiled roofing systems. Raincheck is a 1mm thick, 1.9kg/m2, self-adhesive damping membrane.

Rain falling on metal profiled roofs causes a nuisance in many different environments, including commercial offices, schools, hospitals, and industrial units.

The problem of rain noise on profiled metal roofing systems is a well documented one, yet a test procedure to measure rain noise in the laboratory was only officially published in 2006, after extensive research by the Building Research Establishment. BS EN ISO 140-18:2006[1] outlines a method of simulating rainfall under ideal conditions, using a water tank with a perforated base suspended above the test specimen, with a receiver room below. Drop diameter and flow rate can be controlled, flanking sound transmission suppressed, and background noise monitored, making the process reproducible. Such controlled conditions would not be possible in the “real world”, outdoor measurements are not practical, nor would they yield any useful results for comparing different acoustic damping systems. Real rainfall can only be considered useful for validation purposes.

Rainfall Type	Rainfall rate (mm/h)	Volume Median Drop Diameter (mm)	Fall Velocity (m/s)
Intense	15	2	4
Heavy	40	5	7

Characteristic parameters for artificial raindrop generation[1]

BS EN ISO 140-18:2006[1] outlines that the rainfall type used for comparison between different products shall be “Heavy” rain. Heavy rain, which has a rainfall rate of 40mm/h, simulates rainfall that occurs once every 50 years. “Intense” rain, which has a rainfall rate of 40mm/h and is also described in BS EN ISO 140-18:2006[1], simulates rainfall conditions that occur once ever 2 years.

Within BS EN ISO 140-18:2006[1] the measurement of rain noise radiated by a roof element is quoted in terms of the sound intensity level LI, in dB re 10–12 W/m2. This can either be measured directly using an intensity probe, or calculated from sound pressure level measurements in a test room beneath the roof element.

The problem of noise created by rainfall onto metal profiled roofing is highlighted in Building Bulletin 93[2], the document that governs acoustic performance within schools. Although BB93[2] does not set any performance targets itself, it recognises that commercial damping materials are required and that roofs that do not have this treatment are unlikely to provide sufficient resistance to the ingress of rain noise.

Other standards are a little more specific. Speaking with respect to the problem of rain noise in schools, BREEAM[3] recommends that “the reverberant sound pressure level in a space that has been calculated using laboratory test data with heavy rain noise excitation as defined in ISO 140-18[1] should not be more than 20dB above the indoor ambient noise levels in table 1.1 of BB93[2].”

Health Technical Memorandum 08-01: Acoustics[4], the document that governs acoustic conditions within hospitals, specifies similar criteria: “indoor ambient-noise levels during “heavy” rainfall, as described in BS EN ISO 140-18[1], should not exceed the intrusive noise criteria in Table 1[4, page 3] by more than 20 dB(A), or should not be more than 65 dB(A), whichever is lower.”

All of the above documents recognize that profiled metal roofing used without a damping material is unlikely to provide sufficient resistance to impact sound from rain on the roof.

The solution is SRS Raincheck.

Test Results

In independent acoustic tests it was shown that the addition of Raincheck to 60% of the area of a profiled metal ceiling yielded large reductions in the sound intensity level:

Test reference: WS219329 02/09/2004. Test subject: (3.7m2) 5no 400mm wide, 0.9mm gauge, 3.5Kg/m2, ribbed aluminium standing seam roof with Stucco emboss, installed at a pitch of 7° below the water tank.

Heavy Rainfall - Simulated conditions for rainfall that occurs every 50 years

Moderate Rainfall - Simulated conditions for rainfall that occurs every two years

Installation

Installation of Raincheck onto profiled metal roofing is very simple. To begin installation a small section of the carrier paper is removed from the back of the Raincheck and the exposed self adhesive is used to attach Raincheck to the metal profile. Once the initial contact is made moderate hand pressure or a hand roller should be used to compress the Raincheck to the profile metal roof, with the installer removing the carrier paper as they work along the profile. As Raincheck is lightweight and flexible it will easily mould to the contours of the roof.

For the best results SRS recommend that a surface area equivalent to 60% of the total roof size is treated with the Raincheck product, using an even distribution of the material across the space.

SRS Raincheck is the perfect solution to the issue of rain noise in commercial, industrial and educational environments. For a demonstration please see our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/soundreduction for a demonstration. Should you require further details, a sample of Raincheck, or to discuss your particular application in greater detail, please feel free to contact our industry leading technical team on Tel: 01204 380074 or email info@soundreduction.co.uk. All product information can be downloaded from www.soundreduction.co.uk

References

[1] International Standards Organisation. Acoustics - Measurement of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements - Part 18: Laboratory measurement of sound generated by rainfall on building elements. British Standard BS EN ISO 140-18:2006.

[2] Department for Education and Skills. Acoustic Design of Schools. DfES Building Bulletin 93. London, The Stationary Office, 2004.

[3] BRE/Carl Hopkins. Rain Noise from Glazed and Lightweight Roofing. Information Paper IP 2/06. January 2006.

[4] Department of Health. Specialist Services. Health Technical Memorandum 08-01: Acoustics. London, The Stationary Office, 2008.

SRS launch new Soundblocker brochure

Acoustic insulation innovators, Sound Reduction Systems, are proud to announce the launch of their latest SoundBlocker brochure.

The new format sees the SoundBlocker system formed into ranges for ease of problem identification and specification – Now there is a Soundblocker solution to every problem.

Modern offices and classrooms can be very busy, noisy places and as noise levels rise, so can stress levels, whilst productivity and comfort suffer. Introducing the Office and Classroom range of SoundBlocker products to the suspended ceiling will upgrade the acoustic performance of a standard suspended ceiling and significantly improve working and learning conditions.

Most Businesses and organisations have areas where higher levels of privacy are requires. Whether it is a private office or a disciplinary room in a school or business, ensuring confidentiality and privacy in certain areas is essential. The Private Office SoundBlocker range is ideal for giving a suspended ceiling a higher level of acoustic performance.

Buildings such as Government offices, hospitals, banks and police stations all have areas where speech privacy and confidentiality is paramount, such as medical consultancy rooms, interview rooms and boardrooms. The Confidentiality range of SoundBlocker offers an extremely high level of acoustic insulation for suspended ceilings installed in these types of environments.

The Entertainment range of SoundBlocker is for use where extreme breakout of sound through lightweight ceilings will cause serious environmental issues. Applications include nightclubs, cinemas and industrial buildings positioned close to residential properties.

SoundBlockers are an easy to install and cost effective way of upgrading the sound insulation of virtually any suspended ceiling. Simply laid into the back of the existing grid, onto the back of the ceiling tile, SoundBlockers can be installed easily in a retrofit application as well as new build projects. SRS Ltd also produce a full range of accessories to treat any penetrations through the ceiling so that the acoustic performance is always maintained.

Please contact us today for your free brochure, or to discuss any acoustic insulation requirements you may have. Our industry leading technical department is available on Tel: 01204 380074 email: info@soundreduction.co.uk or you can visit the website www.soundreduction.co.uk where all information is available for download.

SRS Ltd to sponsor the Edgworth Real Ale Festival (ERAF)

Sound Reduction Systems Ltd are proud to announce that they are the official glass sponsor of the Edgworth Real Ale Festival (ERAF) for the fourth year running.

The 2008 event was a huge success, and a beautiful summers weekend at the end of September saw over a thousand real ale drinkers descend upon the small village of Edgworth, Bolton to attend the festival. Over the course of the weekend, approximately 3500 pints beer and cider were consumed, helping to raise £9000 for our chosen charities: MacMillan Cancer Care and The Barlow Institute Charity. A list of ERAF 2008 sponsors can be found at www.eraf.org.uk and the committee would like to express their gratitude to all of them, without whom, the event would not be possible.

In previous years the whole village has turned out in support of this increasingly popular event, whether it is through the sponsorship of local businesses or just patrons enjoying the specialist beers on offer. The ERAF Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for its continued support and understanding, and looks forward to welcoming them at the 2009 festival. However, such has been the festivals success, it is not only the local residents that are interested – ERAF, with the help of Bolton Community Transport, operated a shuttle bus that collected drinkers from all the surrounding villages, and, last year, people travelled from as far away as Colchester, Derby, Glasgow, Nottingham and Birmingham to see what all the fuss was about.

And so to ERAF 2009 - Given the current economic climate, some concerns were raised about whether or not a festival, totally reliant on sponsorship, would be achievable in 2009. However, I am delighted to inform you that we have already secured the support from some of our larger sponsors, which will allow us to put the festival on this year.

The Theme of this year’s festival is likely to be ‘The War of The Roses’ featuring beers largely from micro breweries on either side of the Pennines. However, as usual, ERAF will also be offering the rare and exciting beers, ciders and perries from across the UK that it continues to attract.

ERAF is a not for profit organisation devised to promote real ale and raise money for worthy causes. The committee is made up of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who give their time willingly. However, the festival can not run on goodwill alone, and, as such, relies solely on the generosity of sponsors. If you would like to help make ERAF 2009 a success, please go to www.eraf.org.uk to see a list of sponsorship opportunities ranging from barrel sponsorship, ideal for the individual or small businesses, to main event sponsors, perfect for larger businesses looking for an alternative form of corporate entertainment.

Put the dates in you diary for the 2009 event – 25th/26th/ 27th September in the Barlow Institute.

Click here to download the flyer: Edgworth Real Ale Festival 2009

If you would be interested in sponsoring a barrel at the festival (£60), or for further sponsorship opportunities, please contact committee member Alex Docherty on 01204 380074 or alex@soundreduction.co.uk, or visit www.eraf.org.uk

Understandable Confusion in the Acoustic Marketplace?

Understandable Confusion in the Acoustic Marketplace? (written 2007)

A comment on the state of the acoustic supply market by Dr Roger Manifold, MIOA – Technical Sales Director (retired)

End-users, construction companies, developers, architects and acoustic consultants are increasingly bombarded with information from companies who either manufacture and sell or simply sell products for sound insulation and sound absorption. Yet the information coming out of these companies and the technical advice and support provided by them can be highly variable.

Why should it be like this? What do user groups require of the supplier companies? This shouldn’t be a difficult question to answer. Despite there being specific differences in their needs there are a number of common elements. All are looking for quality products, proven solutions and correct technical advice. Yet, what are the messages coming back from the recipients of this information?

The main complaint from end-users is of that of receiving technical information that creates confusion, leading to decision making being a real problem. There are many different methods and ways of expressing sound insulation performance and it is all too easy to confuse the layman, who may not have appreciated the difference between airborne and impact sound, yet alone, the difference between laboratory and site test results. Increasingly one hears of “fairy-dust” solutions being offered with guarantees of peace and quiet that simply cannot be achieved.

One recent caller to our offices, Paul Hanrahan, Site Manager for CK Properties, complained of just this problem. Paul commented that “I’ve recently been talking to another well-advertised sound insulation material supplier, who provided me with a solution to a particular acoustic problem we faced on a current project. They advised that their particular product would guarantee compliance with Part “E” of the Building Regulations and provided trade literature purporting to support this, as well as providing a sample. Believing this, we purchased and installed the product only to get a significant failure when tested. Subsequently, on taking our now larger problem to Floorscan Acoustics, a distributor of SRS products, we were given much more information and made aware that the performance of these materials will differ from site to site, since they form only a part of the total floor or wall construction. Not only that, we were advised by Floorscan that the SRS product, of which the other product was a clone, would not meet Part “E” in this particular situation. An alternative SRS product was offered, and shown to provide compliance on site prior to purchasing the total meterage required. It’s been a costly exercise, but we certainly know who to go to next time, and why.”

At the other end of the spectrum, of necessity, acoustic consultants are required to keep up to date with the latest developments in acoustic systems and products. The number of providers is now large with many new manufacturers and/or suppliers having appeared in the marketplace over the last few years. Not all employ experienced, qualified personnel with a knowledge of building acoustics and/or site experience. As a consequence, on many occasions, these consultants find that they are faced with difficulties in ensuring proven products are used on site. Erosion of specifications becomes all too common.

Duncan Templeton, of leading practice, BDP Acoustics, commented that “we rely on the architect and engineer incorporating in design drawings and contract documents, acoustic requirements which we define carefully and scientifically, based on laboratory and field test data. Too often this advice becomes generic rather than specific, when it comes to product selection. The architect has to balance acoustic performance with other parameters – appearance, buildability, durability, fire rating, and fixing. The contractor is swayed by cost, availability via supply chain partners, and ease of site assembly. The result is compromised product selection and installation”.

A further example has come to our attention only this week that reinforces the problems outlined above. SRS’s Acoustilay had been used successfully on a flat conversion in one street in Lancashire. The product had been specified following a diagnostic site survey. The good news spread and a near neighbour wanted to follow suit. This time the site survey revealed that a more rigorous solution was required and a ceiling treatment was recommended in addition to the application of Acoustilay. Yet, what did the client and contractor do? Seeing that Acoustilay had worked further up the street they decided to omit the ceiling treatment and just go for the acoustic underlay; not Acoustilay, but a cheaper clone. The result was a failure with the end result being increased costs for the necessary remedial action.

What can the specifier and end-user of the information do to remedy this situation? One thing is certain; there is no one correct route to success. As illustrated above, just as every construction site is different, and that difference may result in a different acoustic performance from the identical product/system when used in it, there is no simple panacea. However, there are some simple guidelines that should be adhered to; so that the recipient of the information can be assured that they are receiving the appropriate recommendations and the appropriate product(s) for their particular noise problem.

What we are all seeking is confidence in the choice of the “right” material/system for use in the “right” place and key to gaining that confidence is that the advice, recommendations and ongoing support is coming from the “right” people and is followed without specification erosion. The following points are likely to help.

Use proven products and/or solutions.

Longevity of product indicates that it has a proven success rate. Look a likes and clones may not have been subject to the same level of testing and will not have the same track record. Testing can be costly and some companies may not wish to incur these costs, gambling on similarities to proven well established products and a lower price securing them the business. The holding of a patent for the product or seeing a registered trademark on the product can act as a good indicator.

Longevity of a supply company indicates that they are likely to have a proven
track record.

Ensure that a supply company has appropriately qualified technical personnel e.g. members of the Institute of Acoustics. New companies on the block are not precluded from this and may meet these criteria, but you should check this out, as graduate level qualification alongside practical experience and the support of appropriate IOA member referees are required for consideration for full IOA membership.

When looking at companies claims for products/systems, ensure that you compare “apples” with “apples” e.g. DnTw with DnTw (site recorded data under real conditions) and not Rw (laboratory recorded data under perfect conditions). Rw figures will look significantly better than the DnTw figures measured on site.

If in doubt, ask for an acoustic condition survey to be carried out. Knowing the starting point makes recommendation of the appropriate solution simpler, with much greater guarantees of success.

In the current age of increased sustainability and protection of the environment, a traceable audit trail is important. Ensure that your supplier can provide this for their product range.

If still in doubt, simply ask!!! Reputable companies will certainly be willing to provide you with relevant information regarding the company, their personnel, as well as copies of laboratory and site test data.

Following this prescription should ensure that most of the pitfalls are avoided. For further information on Sound Reduction Systems Ltd, its technical team, its testing policy, and its products please contact Richard Sherwood, MIOA, on T: 01204 380074, F: 01204 380957 or at richard@soundreduction.co.uk.

SRS LAUNCH NEW ACOUSTILAY

Acoustic insulation innovators, Sound Reduction Systems, are proud to announce revolutionary new changes to their market leading acoustic underlay product, Acoustilay. Years of research and development has resulted in the creation of a product that is both 100% recyclable and manufactured entirely in the UK, yet maintains all of the acoustic and characteristic properties of the previous product, at the same cost to the customer.

The issue of sustainability in buildings has long been a major factor for specifiers when considering products for their projects. However, houses can also be awarded ‘points’ for their acoustic and thermal insulation properties. Sound Reduction Systems have now combined both acoustic and environmental properties within their Acoustilay range, ensuring peace of mind in terms of acoustic performance and environmental impact both with specifier and end user.

Acoustilay is manufactured entirely in the UK, therefore reducing the carbon footprint associated with imported goods. The barrier mat material, used to give Acoustilay mass, can be manufactured from pre, mixed and post industrial waste sources and is 100% recyclable at the end of its life. The unique PVC free material, which is exclusively available to SRS Ltd, has a proprietary polymer structure which ensures it is one of the least polluting plastics, and does not emit any toxic compounds when it burns. New Acoustilay is green in colour so specifers, contractors and clients can be sure that the material on site is genuine Acoustilay.

Acoustilay has long been a firm favorite with specifiers and end users due to its high acoustic performance, and ease of installation, and is often used to meet the requirements of Building Regulations Part E in flat conversions. However, Acoustilay is also widely used by people to simply upgrade the sound insulation of floors in their own properties for personal comfort.

Sound Reductions Systems have long maintained a commitment to provide free, professional advice on any acoustic problems to specifiers and end users alike, along with unique, high performance acoustic insulation materials for buildings. Their latest commitment is ensure that all their products and activities are as environmental friendly and sustainable as possible.

For further information on the new, improved Acoustilay, or any other of our products please contact SRS Ltd on Tel: 01204 380074, email: info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit the website where all information is available to download: www.soundreduction.co.uk

SRS Ltd, Sound Insulation for the Stars!

Acoustic insulation innovators, Sound Reduction Systems, have had their acoustic building board, Maxiboard, installed extensively within Wendyhouse Productions’ new recording Studio.

Wendyhouse Productions, whose impressive client list includes Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue and Jeff Beck, to name a few, have had their new studios designed and built by Music Box db. Professional recording artistes can write and produce their material in stylish surroundings with state of the art equipment. Essential to the overall performance of the studio was the sound insulation of the walls and ceilings – Director Jerry Meehan said: “It was very important for us to get the sound insulation of the studio right because with the variety of different music and media projects going on at the same time we need maximum sound separation. With Music Box db we decided to use Maxiboard products to ensure best sound separation and economy of space. We are very pleased with the results and would highly recommend SRS products to anyone else.”

To ensure peace of mind on the project, Maxiboard, supplied by SRS Ltd’s approved distributor Trim Acoustics, was specified. Maxiboard is an acoustic building board that can be used as a plasterboard substitute on walls and ceilings to dramatically reduce the breakout of sound. At only 17mm thick and very easily installed, Maxiboard offers extremely high acoustic performance with minimum fuss.

Jerry said: “Maxiboard was the perfect solution for the sound insulation of the walls and ceilings in the new Wendyhouse Studio, and has provided exactly the acoustic performance we required.”

To see a demonstration of the acoustic performance of Maxiboard please see our channel on YouTube.com.

SRS Ltd are the leading UK manufacturer of acoustic insulation materials and their industry leading technical department is available to offer free acoustic advice on any project, no matter the size. SRS specialise in conformity to Building Regs Part E and all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial sound insulation.

Should you require any further details please Tel: 01204 380074 or visit www.soundreduction.co.uk - You can find further details on Wendyhouse Productions at www.wendyhouseproductions.com

SRS Maxideck - High Performance Acoustic Floor

Acoustic insulation innovators, Sound Reduction Systems Ltd (SRS), are proud to announce the launch of their latest product, Maxideck.

Maxideck is a high performance acoustic flooring solution, designed to comply with Building Regulations Part E. Ideal for conversion or newbuild projects, Maxideck is a cost effective and time efficient method of meeting both the airborne and impact noise standards.

Maxideck is a composite of four materials, each chosen for their own unique acoustic properties. The result is an extremely high performance product having minimal floor build-up. At only 28mm thick, Maxideck has demonstrated compliance with the Building Regulations in many different constructions, even installed on a standard chipboard floor above a directly fixed plasterboard ceiling.

Maxideck is an extremely versatile product, and can be used in all areas. The use of a moisture resistant material on the upper face ensures the product is suitable for wet surface area such as kitchens and bathrooms.

SRS have created a product that satisfies the needs of everybody involved in construction, from specifier to installer to end user. Easy to specify, simple to install and a great acoustic performance means Maxideck is the future of timber based acoustic flooring.

SRS have a wide range of acoustic insulation materials and their IOA registered and qualified technical team are happy to talk to anybody about their acoustic insulation problems, no matter how large or small.

For further information, please contact our industry leading technical department on Tel: 01204 380074, email: info@soundreduction.co.uk or visit our website at www.soundreduction.co.uk.