What is noise control?

What is noise control?

Wakefield Acoustics

Author: Wakefield Acoustics – Noise Control Specialists | Last Updated: April 2023

A question we are often asked at Wakefield Acoustics is ‘what is noise control?’.

Naturally, when people think of the subject of sound or acoustics, visions of guitars, sound desks, and recording studios automatically come to mind. However, when the team at Wakefield Acoustics considers acoustics, we don’t think of noise or sound generation, but we naturally think about noise control, given that is our prime area of interest.

Noise control to us considers all aspects of the reduction of unwanted sound or noise. Unwanted noise is that which affects our lives on a daily basis often in a negative way. This can include noise from local transport (vehicles, trains, aircraft, etc), or from industrial premises located close to residential areas. Unless this type of noise is adequately ‘controlled’ or reduced, people have to endure daily disturbance which can be at best a frustration, and at worst, detrimental to health. An additional area for noise control is within the workplace, especially for those working within industrial facilities where long-term exposure to noise can lead to hearing loss if appropriate measures are not employed.

How Do We Control Noise?

Noise is a complex subject and controlling noise emissions usually requires specialist advice to assess the frequency content, the amplitude of the problem and compare it to current guidelines on environmental and industrial noise. Noise control methods can come in a variety of forms including acoustic barriers, acoustic enclosures, specialist ‘attenuation’ systems for fans and air movement, acoustic lagging, and cladding, anti-vibration measures, louvres, acoustic cowls…..the list goes on.

What makes the subject of noise control interesting for the team at Wakefield Acoustics is that rarely are two jobs the same. Whilst the principles of noise control remain the same, the problem solving, diagnosis of industrial noise issues, and implementation of noise control solutions is what we are about.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please get in touch: noise@wakefieldacoustics.co.uk

Wakefield Acoustics have extensive experience of providing bespoke solutions for general industrial applications:

• Acoustic Enclosures
• Noise Havens
• Acoustic Louvres
• Acoustic Containers