Acoustics 2011 sound off in Glasgow

“This September’s Acoustics 2011 Conference in Glasgow, with its line-up of experts in their respective fields, just has to be the ‘must-attend’ event for anyone connected with acoustics and involved with buildings,” says Kevin Macan-Lind, chief executive of the Institute of Acoustics (IOA).

The event is organised by the IOA’s Building Acoustics, Environmental Noise, Noise and Vibration Engineering and Measurement and Instrumentation Groups, Acoustics 2011, and the conference theme is ‘A new decade - a new reality: rethinking acoustic practice for the austerity decade.’

He continues: “In these times of difficult economic conditions, the conference theme is so relevant to those working in acoustics, in building design, solutions, services  facilities and engineering, or private or public sector projects, schools and hospitals or involved with environmental, healthcare, traffic and automotive, or commercial audio and broadcast considerations.

“Acoustics permeate the total building fabric – and solutions.
So it’s essential to be flexible and adapt to changing marketplace needs and the impact of ever-tighter budgetary constraints.”

“Featuring eminent speakers from universities and leading edge organisations, a packed programme covering diverse acoustics themes, workshops and a choice of tours to intriguing nearby venues offering additional acoustics perspectives, high quality facilities and accommodation at Glasgow’s Crowne Plaza, the event promises to be a major highlight in the acoustics calendar.”

Acoustics 2011 programme
See full programme details at: www.ioa.org.uk/events.

Day One (Wednesday, 14 September)
Following the welcome reception (evening, Tuesday, 13 September) in the new Arup DDS SoundLab, Day One sees subject themes ranging from the acoustic design of schools (R W B Stephens Medal Lecture), designing buildings inside out, ‘driving a wedge - through sound’ to the re-use of a redundant building (Speirs Locks Studios, Glasgow) as a dance and musical theatre rehearsal centre, to hospital noise.

Automotive related presentations include methods for characterising the contribution of airborne noise routes for vehicle sound quality, the effect of structural-acoustic coupling on the active control on noise in road vehicles, prediction of vehicle pass-by noise and automotive NVH and real world fuel economy effects of system interactions.

The workshop addresses the revision of CIBSE guides on noise and vibration, while other presentations will cover: managed services for construction site noise and vibration; MEMS microphones based measuring instruments, ETSU                      (significance of impact); the move from prescription to PAN 1-2011; recent developments in noise and health; innovative concert noise monitoring (modern instrumentation to improve efficiency); ‘what you can get away with for 90% of the time’; innovative techniques for sound measurement (Smart Noise Monitor DUO).

Day Two (Thursday, 15 September)
Day Two sees a choice of tours to nearby venues, all offering additional acoustics perspectives.
These include: the Hamilton Mausoleum, which is renowned for the longest-lasting echo of any building world-wide, and the visit includes practical measurements of reverberation time; the newly-built £74 million Riverside Museum, Museum of Transport, which reflects Glaswegian life through history; the Linn factory which has long produced high-end hi-fi products: features listening to the newest Linn systems and hearing from the senior acoustic engineer.

Following a workshop concerning the principles of RT measurement, the presentations continue with: Sky Harlequin 1 – acoustic design of natural ventilated TV studios; acoustic design of water features for the built environment; EIA and significance of impact; human response to vibration in residential environments; reverberation enhancement for music practice rooms; from Salford Docks to Media City.

The programme then sees speakers discussing: building technology innovations in housing to deliver cost-effective low carbon solutions; the revision of calculation of road traffic noise (CTRN) and the Matrix (time to reload or revolution?) and EIA (how the Matrix approach developed).