A staggering 450,000 noise complaints were made to councils across the UK in 2022 due to noise-related disturbances in residential settings and beyond – a rate which is increasing as clients become more environmentally aware. Our hearing covers a broad spectrum, making us vulnerable to unwanted noise. With our brain’s auditory responses effectively never switching off, the hum from fans, pumps, pipes, and ducts can become almost impossible for us to adapt to.
Yet, despite the glaring impacts of neglecting acoustic considerations in building design, noise and vibration control within the built environment is still all-to-commonly an afterthought, leading to complaints and detriment to health and concentration, often leading to legal action.
The CIBSE B4 Guide addresses best practice solutions for noise and vibration control, offering comprehensive information to help prevent unwanted noise from building services and plant. With the widely adopted preceding Guides B0 to B3 offering insight on heating, ventilation and ductwork, air conditioning and refrigeration, the B4 Guide acts as the final piece of the puzzle; all must be considered together for a design to be considered complete.
The B4 Guide protects building service engineers from challenge over poor acoustic design, which can lead to spaces being unusable, risking complaint and cost. Retrospective fixes can be expensive and consume resources.
Download the guide and reach out to knowledgeable patron organisations such as Mason UK, who will be exhibiting at this year’s Symposium.
Written by Adam Fox, Director, Masons UK