Increasing numbers of machines, people, buildings and technology means our world is getting noisier. And this issue isn’t just limited to the outside world, with new research by Geberit finding that unwanted noise inside the home affects more than half of us – and it’s having a direct impact on our wellbeing. Here, Sophie Weston, Channel Marketing Manager for Specification and Developer at Geberit, explores the significance of unwanted noise in the home, and why, in its new White Paper (A Sound Solution), it is calling for a radical rethink of acoustic regulations in residential environments.

Is a reluctance to move away from traditional materials still holding us back when it comes to material selection for key products such as acoustically optimised drainage pipes and fittings? Sophie Weston, Channel Marketing Manager at Geberit, looks at the properties of four key materials used for drainage pipes and fittings and asks what learnings we can gain from the European market.

Airport terminals were once characterised by a cacophony of sound from gate announcements and plane noise to the myriad of conversations and footfall of the thousands of passengers that pass through each and every day. Achieving optimum levels of noise control in such a complex acoustic environment is a balancing act between ensuring the intelligibility of public address systems and controlling the noise of passengers whilst at the same time creating a constant level of sound that masks activities from cafes and retail outlets. What options do airport design teams have when it comes to controlling sound and ensuring the passenger experience is stress-free and greatly improved? Stuart Colam, Acoustics Advisor of SAS International, investigates.

Rob Lomax from Wakefield Acoustics, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of advanced industrial, commercial and environmental noise control systems, takes a closer look at how acoustic technologies are helping to reduce noise pollution in the modern commercial building market.

PsiOxus Therapeutics Ltd. (PsiOxus) is a UK and US based cancer therapeutics company recently listed 25th in the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 in 2017 for its ‘Gene Therapy for Cancer’ platform technology for the treatment of solid tumours. PsiOxus has recently expanded into 21,000 sq ft of new facilities including a state of the art research and development laboratory in The Quadrant at the Abingdon Science Park.

Eight out of 10 people have left a restaurant, pub or cafe early because of the noise according to a new survey from Action on Hearing Loss – with the charity launching a nationwide campaign for a quieter dining experience supported by acoustic solutions provider, Oscar Acoustics.

Located on the Elbe River, on the western tip of the HafenCity in Hamburg, Germany, the Elbphilharmonie is one of the largest and most acoustically advanced concert halls in the world and an outstanding example of modern architecture.

Last month, Rockfon assembled some of the top names in acoustics to discuss the prevailing audible topics influencing today’s architecture. Here, FC&A reports on the findings from the stimulating roundtable held at South Shields’ impressive state-of-the-art cultural venue, The Word. Guided through the FaulknerBrowns-designed building by Project Director Nick Heyward, it was instantaneously evident that; to recognise an acoustically-sound environment, you have to physically experience the environmental change.

A wide variety of ceiling systems from Armstrong have proved just the tonic for a ground-breaking new medical research centre.

Siniat has supported the technical development of an innovative acoustic insulation system for a lively, new music destination in the heart of Cardiff city centre, ensuring the best sound quality for audiences while respecting the needs of the local community.