Acoustic Consultant Services

Assesses how external noise sources affect internal spaces, informing façade design, glazing, and ventilation strategy so that acceptable internal noise levels are achieved in use. This work is typically undertaken in accordance with BS 8233, with reference to WHO guidance where appropriate.

Controls noise and vibration from building services and plant, including fans, air source heat pumps, chillers, pumps, and associated mechanical systems, to prevent internal disturbance and off-site impact once systems are operational. Where plant noise may affect nearby receptors, assessments and design advice are typically aligned with BS 4142.

Assesses vibration levels and specifies isolation measures where vibration may affect buildings or occupants, such as sites near railways, heavy plant, or industrial activity. Surveys and assessment are typically undertaken in accordance with BS 6472, with reference to other relevant vibration guidance where required.

Designs and verifies separating floors and walls to control airborne and impact sound between residential units and support regulatory compliance. Design advice and testing are aligned with Approved Document E of the Building Regulations.

Assesses and manages noise and vibration arising from construction activities to support planning compliance and protect neighbouring receptors during works. Methodology and assessment are typically aligned with BS 5228.

Provides assessment, design input, and verification to support achievement of acoustic credits under BREEAM schemes. Scope and evidence are aligned with the relevant BREEAM technical manuals, including HEA05 and POL05 where applicable.

Works with architects and design teams to review layouts, advise on adjacencies, and identify acoustic risk early in the design process, supporting coordinated decision-making across disciplines.

Advises on stacking layouts, service zone placement, and adjacency management, for example avoiding kitchens above bedrooms, helping optimise layouts to reduce unnecessary acoustic risk.

Provides calculations and material specifications to achieve comfortable reverberation times in communal areas, lobbies, stairwells, shared lounges, and corridors.

Advises on wall and door performance, junction detailing, and mitigation of flanking sound paths where speech privacy is important, such as consulting rooms, bedrooms, or WCs.

Designs higher-performance partitions for co-living, shared accommodation, or student housing to ensure acoustic privacy between units with independent occupancy.

Recommends floor build-ups, including concrete, steel, or timber systems, and surface treatments that control both airborne and footfall sound, including floating floor or resilient underlay solutions.

Designs compliant and practical party walls with appropriate mass, cavity construction, and decoupling, with detailing focused on maintaining acoustic integrity and limiting structure-borne transmission.

Designs floor build-ups within the same dwelling to control footfall and airborne noise where appropriate, for example bedrooms located above living spaces.

Provides advice on stud or masonry partitions between internal rooms to support acoustic comfort and speech privacy, with consideration of budget and buildability.

Identifies high-risk flanking paths and provides junction details to maintain acoustic performance, with common focus areas including floor-to-wall junctions, service penetrations, and ceiling voids.

Specifies acoustic-rated entrance and internal doorsets to achieve required sound reduction, including guidance on seals, drop-down thresholds, and installation requirements.

Designs solutions for natural and mechanical ventilation systems that control noise ingress, breakout, and cross-talk, including duct attenuation, acoustic air bricks, and cross-talk silencers.

Advises on service enclosure design to minimise noise from refuse chutes, lifts, and mechanical risers, with solutions including lagging, boxing-out, and isolation.

Specifies acoustic collars, grommets, and resilient sealants to maintain sound insulation integrity at all service penetration points.

Produces clear acoustic design documentation to support Building Control approval and planning condition discharge, setting out agreed performance requirements and compliance strategy.