Newsletter
National Council of Acoustical Consultants
Winter 2013
Mission:
President’s Winter Message
“Enhancing the stature and
effectiveness of the acoustical
consulting profession for the
mutual benefit of the public
and the member firms”
Teaming and Cooperative Relationship Opportunities
Highlights
Project Case Study
page 4
Smart Device
Use for Acoustic
Measurements
Page 7
Scott Pfeiffer Named
ASA Fellow and Vern
Knudsen Distinguished Lecturer
Page 16
IEEE Honors Leo
Beranek
Page 18
New Staff at
Cavanaugh Tocci
Associates
Page 22
Visit us at
<www.ncac.com>
Established in 1962
Kerrie G. Standlee
Daly-Standlee & Associates, Inc.
kstandlee@acoustechgroup.com
A
s I enjoy a few days with my
family on the Oregon coast
during my daughter’s spring
break week, I think about
the fact that I am writing a President’s
Message for a Winter Newsletter with the
outside conditions being more like spring
than winter. The low, hanging clouds roll
in from the ocean to cover the mountaintops a soft and billowy shade of gray
while the temperature hovers around a
mild 55 degrees Fahrenheit. I ask myself,
‘How can I write a Winter Newsletter
article when everyone knows that it is
spring?’ Then I remember that there are
member firms in our organization located
in the Midwest and the Northeast that
probably would like to know when the
winter of 2013 will lose its grip on their
business operations.
The fact that we have member firms
in different regions of the country experiencing such varying weather conditions
makes me think about how the NCAC
may have member firms located in a
region of the country that has provided
them with the opportunity to gain more
expertise in a particular area of acoustics
than firms located in other areas; basically due to the fact that there is more
of a demand for the type of work within
the region in which they are located. For
example, it may be possible that member
firms located in an area of the country
with a large timber-based economy have
more experience in developing noise
controls for sawmills, planer mills and
plywood mills than firms located in other
areas. Firms located in an area with a
significant high-tech based economy may
have more experience in dealing with
the design of wafer fabrication facilities
or the design of clean room facilities. Or
member firms located in an area of the
country with a high number of recording
studios may have had the opportunity
to gain more experience than the typical
member firm. Given this possibility, I
want to suggest that if you find your
firm invited to work on a project which
you may not have the experience as you
would like, you may want to look at the
membership directory and find an NCAC
member firm located in an area where
that expertise may be in more demand. Contacting that firm to see if they
would consider collaborating with your
firm may be a cost effective way to get
the experience you need and allow you
to develop a working relationship with a
Continues on page 3
Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 1
The NCAC Newsletter is
published quarterly by the
National Council of
Acoustical Consultants as a
service to its membership and
all interested parties.
2012-2014 NCAC
Officers/Directors
Kerrie Standlee
President
Kenric Van Wyk
President-Elect
James Phillips
Vice President/Membership
Michael Yantis
Vice President/Finance
Stephanie Adams-Ball
Vice President/Marketing
and Communications
Directors-at-Large
Stephanie Adams-Ball
David Braslau
Richard Riedel
Eric Reuter
Richard Schrag
Joseph Soker
Joseph Bridger
Individual Member Representative
Bennett Brooks
Immediate Past President
Jackie Williams
Executive Director
Neil Thompson Shade
nts@akustx.com
Newsletter Editor
William Cavanaugh
Newsletter Associate Editor
Regional Editors
Tracie Ferguson
Northwest US, Canada,
Western Canada, and Eastern Pacific
Scott Pfeiffer
Central US, Europe, Middle East,
Central America, and South America
Jeff Fullerton
Eastern US and Eastern Canada
Tony Rosa
Newsletter Graphics & Layout
Headquarters
9100 Purdue Road, Suite 200
Indianapolis, IN 46268
(317) 328-0642 • FAX (317) 328-4629
<www.ncac.com>
E-mail info@ncac.com
Upon written request to the Executive Director of NCAC,
articles from the NCAC Newsletter may be reprinted
with proper acknowledgment to the author(s) and
newsletter issue(s) from which the original article
appeared. Such requests should include a statement on
the possible further distribution of the reprint(s).
2 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
From the Editor
Neil Thompson Shade
nts@akustx.com
I
cost of $400,000 with the objective of
incorporating the latest in marketing and
shopping technology. The goal was to
make shopping fun and not a chore. To
that end, Selfridge’s had a 5-star restau-
normally do not get sucked into too
many television shows, but I do
have a
particular
weakness for
I normally do not get sucked into too
anything Britmany television shows, but I do have a
ish on Sunday
particular weakness for anything British
nights. My
latest guilty
on Sunday nights.
pleasure, now
that ‘Downton
Abbey’ has
rant, library, women’s gun club (since
concluded its season, is ‘Mr. Selfridge’.
emancipation was in the works), rooftop
It is the story of Harry Selfridge, the
golf course, and other amenities to keep
rags-to-riches Wisconsin ex-pat who
the customer in the store for as long as
moved to Edwardian England and
possible.
established the namesake department
A true innovator, master of the
store Selfridge & Co. in 1908. What does
‘sizzle and not the steak’, he was able to
this have to do with acoustics you might
leverage the newspapers to promote his
ask? Well, nothing really, but the show
business with stunts like having French
is a great view and I have learned a few
aviator Louis Blériot’s monoplane (1909)
things about history and marketing.
on display at the store, the first public
Selfridge helped to support his
demonstration of television (1925),
mother and her children, starting first
a seismograph installed to monitor
with a paper route at the age of 10. At 12
earthquakes, public concerts, and other
obtained a job at a dry-goods merchant,
educational endeavors. The public loved
which he advanced in responsibility and
it, competitors hated it, and the cash
latter left to work at an insurance agency.
registers kept on ringing. And now I
He moved to Chicago to work at the
understand why department stores have
Marshall Field Department Store for 25
the one-half acre perfume counter front
years advancing to junior partner. While
and center at the store’s entrance: another
there he came up with the expressions
Selfridge shopping innovation.
‘___ shopping days until Christmas’ and
This issue features a case study of
‘The customer is always right.’
the Michener Museum audio/visual sys In London on a vacation (sorry,
tem by Metropolitan Acoustics, technical
‘holiday’) around 1906 he was appalled
feature on ceiling plenum sound attenuat the department stores and the formal
ation by Noral Stewart, an equipment
way in which customers were treated,
review by Herb Singleton use of smart
particularly how merchandise was not
devices for acoustic measurements,
readily accessible to touch, without a
along with firm member and NCAC
salesperson having to retrieve it.
news. As always, your comments, news
A man of eternal optimism, he
items, and concerns should be addressed
knew he could do better than the stuffy
to the editor at nts@akustx.com.
Edwardians and decided to open the
largest department store in London at a
President’s Message
Continued from page 1
firm that could lead to more work in the
future.
And speaking of the membership
directory, by now, you should have
received your membership update
packet from the NCAC business office
requesting that you update your company
location and experience information for
the next membership directory. Please
take the time to respond to that request
and know that the information you
provide can be an asset to your firm on
the NCAC website – so give it the time it
deserves. And remember, other member
firms use the directory as well as the
general public so let your co-members
know about you.
While you are in the mode of
updating your information, go the NCAC
are Sound Solutions of Tucson, AZ and
website to make sure your firm name
WAVE Engineering of Denver, CO. Two
shows up on the interactive map in the
other firms are in the works for becomcorrect state. If it doesn’t, let Emily
ing new NCAC members but I will leave
Fiock at the NCAC business office know
those unnamed until they have received
(efiock@ncac.com) and she will see to it
that the error
gets corrected.
And, while
And remember, other member firms use the
you are on
directory as well as the general public so let
the interactive map, go
your co-members know about you.
ahead and see
where your
next possible
collaborating
final approval.
member firm might be located.
Until next time, enjoy reading the
Finally, I want to recognize the
Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter.
most recent two firms that have joined
the NCAC and ask that you reach out
and extend a welcome to them. They
networked soundmasking systems by Dynasound are 100% addressable
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Uses standard PoE
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Each speaker has
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Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 3
Project Case Study
The James A. Michener Museum in
Doylestown, PA
Felicia Doggett and Saben Shawhan
felicia@metropolitanacoustics.com
T
he James A. Michener Museum in Doylestown, PA recently
completed construction of an
ambitious new addition, The
Edgar J. Putnam Pavilion. The pavilion
hosts public programs ranging from jazz
nights to lectures, plus private events like
wedding receptions and corporate gatherings. The new pavilion is a 2,500 sf
space with three 23 ft tall structural glass
walls that overlook the sculpture garden
and, perhaps more uniquely, the 23 ft
wall of the former Bucks County Prison,
dating to 1884.
The project architect, KieranTimberlake, desired a clean look throughout
the pavilion. The three glass walls are
the largest self-supporting glass units in
North America and were manufactured
in Germany. The remaining wall is the
connection point to the existing building
and a new catering kitchen. The entire
space is covered with an oak hardwood
floor. To reduce the reverberation time in
the pavilion, BASWAphon was used on
the ceiling and upper part of the connection wall to the building. The measured
reverberation time in the mid frequencies after completion was approximately
1.25 seconds unoccupied, which is favorable for the events that take place in the
space.
To maintain the clean, sleek, and
inspiring look of the space and ceiling, the architects designed a recessed
trough system that ran across the ceiling to house the sprinklers, lighting, and
the sound system loudspeakers. This required a careful approach to the audio/
video design.
Metropolitan Acoustics designed the
audio system in a manner that minimizes
sound reflecting from the glass walls and
back to the listeners. An EASE model
was built to help finalize the loudspeaker
selection and to determine the best possible locations and quantity required. Several loudspeaker manufacturers, models,
and locations were evaluated before we
decided on the JBL AC28/95 loudspeak-
4 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
Exterior of the Michener Museum
Ceiling Trough Hiding Lighting and Loudspeakers.
ers which utilize two high output 8 inch
low frequency transducers and a rotatable 90° by 50° coverage waveguide
with a 1 inch compression driver. Due
to their compact size, sixteen (16) loudspeakers were strategically placed within
the ceiling alcoves to provide the approContinues on page 6
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Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 5
Project Case Study
Continued from page 4
priate coverage over the listening area
while minimizing reflections from the
walls.
Michener Museum requested that a
full video presentation system be included within the Putnam Pavilion in order to
accommodate special events that would
take place throughout the year. Just as
glass requires special acoustic consideration, it also presents a handicap to video
presentation systems. Compounding this
challenge, only solar shades were installed, not blackout shades. In order to
combat the natural light that floods the
space during the day, a powerful 10,000
lumen Christie WX10K-M projector was
chosen and mounted in a Draper SLX-17
motorized lift that draws up into the ceil-
ing when not in use. To accommodate
the viewing angles and distances from
attendees to the projection screen, a 15
ft wide by 9 ft high, 16:10 aspect ratio
electric projection screen was specified.
The screen stays out of sight by retracting into the space between the ceiling
and glass wall when not in use. The projection system delivers an excess of 70
lumens per sf, which is about 30 lumens
more than most common design goals.
The Putnam Pavilion presented a
challenge for Metropolitan Acoustics. A
rewarding challenge, however as the success of the design has already been recognized: The Putnam Pavilion was the
recipient of the AIA Philadelphia Gold
Merit Award for 2012.
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6 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
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Smart Device Use for Acoustic Measurements
Herb Singleton, PE
Cross Spectrum Acoustics
hsingleton@csacoustics.com
Editor’s Note: A trend in the past couple
of years is software developers releasing
acoustic measurement software to work
on smart devices such as the Apple iPad
or iPhone and Android enabled telephone. A primary hardware issue is the
microphone has been optimized for telephony, not acoustic measurements. Herb
Singleton’s article should shed some
light on the issues affecting this rapidly
changing technology. [NTS]
I
n the fall of 2007 I was contracted
to work on a project that required
me to work with a Brüel & Kjær
2250 sound level meter. It was my
first time working with the meter, and
upon receiving the instruction manual
from the client, I became extremely excited. The meter had everything (on
paper at least): time history logging,
spectral logging, voice annotation, expandable memory via compact flash or
secure digital cards, and (what I considered most important at the time), a flexible touch-screen interface that provides
interactivity during measurement operations.
It was everything I could have
dreamed of.
Looking at the screenshots in the
manual, I suspected that the 2250 was
built on a Windows CE platform. A
quick look at the Microsoft license holo-
gram in the battery compartment proved
my suspicion to be correct. But I was
still excited to try out the meter. Well,
I used it for a week, and I was none too
pleased with it. I believed that we could
do better.
Something else happened in mid
2007 – Apple released its first iPhone. I
didn’t (and still don’t) own an iPhone,
but at that time I had played around with
it enough to see that the multi-touch,
stylus-free touchscreen interface was the
future of portable computing. I wanted to
use a meter that incorporated these technologies.
Around this time I was talking to
Andrew Smith, a well-respected sound
level meter developer. He developed
the Audio Toolbox Plus under the TerreSonde name. While at TerraSonde
I emailed him a number of times with
technical support questions and he demonstrated a good understanding of the
standards process and a willingness to
help customers. I was excited to see
what he could come up with in using the
iPhone (or iPod Touch) as a development platform for acoustic measurement
equipment.
Andrew Smith’s new company,
Smith Studio Six Digital < http://www.
studiosixdigital.com >, has introduced
two products that puts them well on their
way to my Utopian vision: the Audio
Tools suite of iOS apps < http://www.
studiosixdigital.com/audiotools/ > (and
it is a suite, more on that later), and the
iAudioInterface < http://www.studiosixdigital.com/iaudiointerface2/ >. The
iAudioInterface Modules with iPhones
iAudioInterface provides the iPhone/
iPod with a precision microphone analog
input. I was able to get my hands on an
iAudioInterface and a 3rd generation iPod
touch (note that the iAudioInterface will
not work with the current 4th generation
iPhone/iPod touch or the iPad) and put it
through it paces.
As an aside, care has to be taken
with comparing iPhone units, I was
speaking with someone involved in the
iPhone supply chains and they mentioned that Apple sources microphones
from several different suppliers, so there
is a good chance that an audio signal
generated from the internal microphone
of one batch of iPhones may differ from
that of another batch, at least outside of
speech frequencies. That said I’ve told
clients that an iPhone SLM app may be
useful to determine a change in noise
levels (say, measuring a generator before
and after an enclosure was built, provided that the same iPhone was used for
both measurements) but for most other
things, you probably want a real SLM
(and an experienced user to go with it).
The AudioTools app is a $20 basic audio measurement program that can
also perform more advanced measurements through additional app modules
that are available for $8 to $60 each. The AudioTools app alone gets a
recording function, a basic sound meter
(basically simulating the Radio Shack
analog SLM), a basic one-third octave
band meter, and a basic signal generator. Available modules include FFT functions, logging sound meter, SPL ‘traffic
light’ (which triggers when a
SPL threshold is met), impedance measurement tools, and
many more functions. As with
the Audio Toolbox hardware,
the meter functions are designed to meet ANSI and IEC
specifications.
The iAudioInterface consists of a breakout box with a
dock connector to mate with
the iPhone/iPod, an included
Studio Six Digital-branded
microphone, line input, headphone output (for monitoring)
and a mini-USB port for powContinues on page 8
Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 7
Smart Device
Continued from page 7
ering the iAudioInterface and iPhone/
iPod using a 5-volt power supply.
For my purposes, I want to use the
iAudioInterface/AudioTools combination for unattended noise-monitoring applications. Since these measurements
may have to meet legal scrutiny, the first
casualty of the iAudioInterface setup is
the microphone – by all accounts the microphone may be suitable for non-critical
(and perhaps even critical) acoustical
measurement work, but since it does not
meet ANSI/IEC specifications, it really
cannot use it. Instead, I substituted a precision measurement microphone (BSWA
MP201) and ICP power supply connected via the aforementioned line input.
Now that I have the iAudioInterface
mated with a Type 1 microphone, the
obvious question is: how accurate is the
data that collect with this combination?
To answer this, I decided to deploy the
iAudioInterface/AudioTools instrument
alongside a calibrated Larson-Davis 820
integrating SLM. I mounted the microphones side-by-side on a microphone
stand and let them run in my backyard
between 12 to 13 March 2011. Both instruments were calibrated using the same
acousti calibrator and were programed
to measure A-weighted sound levels and
1-second Leq values.
The verdict: data from the two instruments were the same to well within
1 dB. The figure posted above is typical;
over this 10 minute period, it’s difficult
to distinguish between the two data sets.
Comparison of iAudioInterface/AudioTools and Larson-Davis 820 SLM
The iAudioInterface plus iPod touch
combo sips power – after running the
instrument for a weekend, there was
barely in reduction in the charge of my
14V/9Ah Li-ion battery. At that rate, I
figure the combo could go for a couple
of weeks, although I haven’t tested this.
Coupled with a 32 GB iPod touch, the
instrument can be used for fairly longterm noise monitoring of A-weighted
sound levels (as well as WAV file recording). Unfortunately the AudioTools suite
doesn’t include a module for octave band
logging, but hopefully this will change in
the future (I imagine that enough feature
requests would convince Andrew to add
it.)
The only downside I’ve come across
is that the noise floor of the iAudioInterface line input is fairly high, such that
using a microphone with 25 mV/Pa sensitivity or lower will result in a noise
floor around 33 dBA. Applying gain or
using a more sensitive microphone helps,
at the cost of the microphone power supply using more power.
All in all, the Studio Six Digital iAudioInterface along with an iPod
touch, AudioTools software, and precision microphone makes an effective
long-term noise monitor. I expect that
we’ll see features added to the AudioTools suite over time that will make the
combination competitive with high-end
meters like the B&K 2250 but at a significantly lower cost.
BBN Computer History Book Available
A
revised edition of A Culture
of Innovation: Insider
Accounts of Computing
and Life at BBN A 60-Year
Report, is now available on-line for
8 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
downloading.
Dave Walden and Ray Nickerson
edited the book that features articles by
19 former BBN staff highlighting the
development and use of computers at
BBN including the foundations of ARPA
computer network.
To download a copy, please visit:
< http://walden-family.com/bbn/bbnprint2.pdf >.
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Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 9
AIA 2013 National Convention
Stephanie Adams-Ball, Vice President
Marketing NCAC
SAdams@dlaa.com
Kenric van Wyk, President Elect NCAC
kvanwyk@acousticsbydesign.com
O
nce again, the National
Council of Acoustical Consultants will be exhibiting
at the American Institute of
Architects (AIA) National Convention.
Exhibiting at the Convention is part of a
long term marketing strategy to strengthen the relationship between the two organizations, to educate architects about the
acoustical consulting profession, and to
gather relevant leads of ‘real projects’ to
pass on to our member firms.
The nation’s architects and design
industry meet 20-22 June 2013 in Denver, CO. The AIA has announced that
General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.),
former Secretary of State (2001 – 2005),
joins Cameron Sinclair, co-founder and
chief eternal optimist of Architects for
Humanity, and Blake Mycoskie, founder
and chief shoe giver of TOMS, as keynote speakers for the 2013 AIA National
Convention.
The AIA Convention is architecture’s largest annual gathering to keep
current with innovative design solutions and the latest products and services that architects specify for the clients
and communities they serve. The 2013
‘Building Leaders’ theme will give architects and design professionals opportunities to learn, share, and demonstrate
the essential qualities that define leaderters, the AIA advocates for public poliship today.
cies that promote economic vitality and
‘Architects are more likely leadpublic well-being. Members adhere to
ing teams of talented professionals than
a code of ethics and conduct to ensure
working in the isolated, stereotypical
the highest professional standards. The
way we see them in popular culture,’
AIA provides members with tools and
said AIA
Presidentelect, Mickey
This is the fourth year that the NCAC has
Jacob, FAIA.
‘The Building
exhibited at the AIA National Convention,
Leaders conand volunteers will be needed in our booth.
vention theme
is focused on
better preparing architects to contribute creative soluresources to assist them in their careers
tions with lasting positive impact on the
and business as well as engaging civic
health and well-being of society. General
and government leaders, and the public
Powell, Blake Mycoskie, and Cameron
to find solutions to pressing issues facing
Sinclair will inspire us through their inour communities, institutions, nation and
sights and experiences to bring more to
world.
our roles in business, architecture, and
This is the fourth year that the
civic life.’
NCAC has exhibited at the AIA Nation
In addition to the keynote presentaal Convention, and volunteers will be
tions, the AIA National Convention will
needed in our booth. If you are willing
offer hundreds of education sessions and
and able to help out for at least a twotours of Denver architecture relevant to
hour slot, please contact Stephanie Adthe way architects practice today. Nearly
ams-Ball, Vice-President of Marketing
800 companies will showcase their new
NCAC, at sadams@dlaa.com. Volunteers
tools, materials, and services that archireceive a free access pass to the exhibit
tects can use in all phases of building
hall, and are eligible for a reduced rate
projects; from concepts to commissionpass to the rest of the AIA Convention.
ing.
NCAC is always trying to find more
Founded in 1857, members of the
ways to help serve its members. American Institute of Architects con
If there are additional conferences
sistently work to create more valuable,
or conventions you feel should be conhealthy, secure, and sustainable buildsidered for future NCAC exhibits, please
ings, neighborhoods, and communities.
advise Jackie Williams (jwilliams@ncac.
Through nearly 300 state and local chapcom) at NCAC.
Charles P. Boner – University of Texas Physics
Department
T
he following web link provided
by Richard Boner contains
information on his late father,
Charles P. Boner, and the
University of Texas Physics Department.
Included in the Charles P. Boner
tribute is a link to a 1935 recording of
Dr. Boner playing ‘Organ Reveries’
on a pipe organ built by physics graduate students, in the Physics Building. 10 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
Among those graduate students were
Bob Newman and Laymon Miller. The
‘Organ Reveries’ were a weekly broadcast during the mid-1930s, direct from
the Physics Building to the local radio
station.
For additional information visit
< http://www.ph.utexas.edu/utphysicshistory/UTexas_Physics_History/
Charles_P._Boner.html >.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to Richard Boner
for providing the following web link.
There are many NCAC members who
learned directly under Dr. Boner, for
whom NCAC’s C. Paul Boner Medal is
named, or read his papers in the Journal
of the Acoustical Society of America or
the Audio Engineering Society Journal.
TUNE INTO ZERO’s
SOUND SOLUTIONS
ZERO is a world-wide leader in high-performance acoustical control for
doors, windows and walls. Nobody does sound control better — we use
advanced technology and testing to master the challenges of creating
an effective barrier and preventing gaps in that barrier for the life of the
assembly. Our systems are rated for use in sound studios and recording
facilities, music halls, etc — up to 55 STC. Let us help you close the door
on noise — contact us for a copy of our 20 page Sound Control brochure,
and our 92 page Product Catalog, or download from our website.
on
Sound Transmissi
Loss (TL)
W HA T DOES
...P RACTICA
L
I T M EA N
A PPLICA
T O
TION
Y OU ?
S
is called its sound
to reduce noise
ven under standing
valueagibasic
a With
A door's ability
veness. TL is
loss (TL) effecti
sound
of acoustical
barrier s and
transmission
by measuring
is determined
sourc eyou can
their
ratings,
in the
in decibels, which
ain frequency
at a gi ven cert
s in the
now return
to Figure 1
also factor
pressure levels
The calculation
with a
and adjusts
to begin
assessing your
recei ving rooms.
rooms,
comes in contact
and
two
the
sound
by
When
n shared
of the
as
problem
and
(known
"sound
a door , some
area of the partitio
acoustic "li veness
barrier , such as
rs to
the
room's
n
transfe
ving
ns
whatbetwee
you need
to solve
vibratio
for the recei
d dif ference
energy from the
ns in
time"). The adjuste
it. TheTL,
difthe
ference
resulting vibratio
"reverberation
. The higher the
the door . The
in
TL of the door
between the sound level you want to
then set the air
two levels is the
the door itself
the door—
.
achieve and the unwanted noise you need to block
other side of
better the result
motion on the
ns.
simple
a
vibratio
is
the
required
STC
rating of your door opening. For
using
sound
illustrate
creating more
at need to block 90 dB-level sound from
adjustments to
example,
if you
is 100 dB
Leaving out the
measurement
of
source room
dB at factory in order to maintain normal
a noisisy,60
adjacent
g and stif fness
example, if the
measurement
The mass, dampin
ce to
recei ving room
office
Hz.sound levels of around 50 dB, you will need a
ine its resistan
300 Hz and the
is 40 dB at 300
the barrier determ
waves. The
sound door assembly with a 40 STC rating. Increasing
the TL of the barrier
Hz,
sound
of
300
e
the passag
is
to ASTM
that
to 50E90
STC will pro vide sound levels suitable
ngrating
, the less sound
accordi
greater the mass
of
in test laboratories
ement
the barrier . Mass
for a pri
vate office.
Very high ratings are typically
TL is measured
tory Measur
transmit ted through
Method for Labora
itions."soundproof rooms for recording
needed Part
to create
tant for bloc king
"Standard Test
Loss of Building
without sound core
is especially impor
Transmission
studios—and to isolate performance halls from
frequencies.
Airborne Sound
sound at lower
exterior noise. Relati vely lower ratings will usually
g materials ,
d using dampin
reduce
)
be
l
suff(STC
ice for less demanding applications, such as
ns can
Damping materia
Sound vibratio
mission Classsolving aa range
ss materials.
Trans
of
noise problem
in an apartment building
limp-ma
d
y
Soun
typicall
which are
taken across
material in
for a door are
or a doctor's office.
used as core
TL measurements
to compare the
is sometimes
the highes t
mak es it dif ficult
sion class
d to pro vide
frequencies, which
door s designe
s. Sound tr ansmis
In addition to value
sound ratings, it may be necessary
of dif ferent door
control.
effecti veness
by gi ving a single
levels of sound
by
that problem
to consider
other
criteria for the door
inedperformance
determ
ratings solve
is
STC
(STC)
.
for a door assembly . Durability
is also
performance
frequencies ,is a special concern for door s
of the barrier
to acoustical
The stif fness
taken over 16
e of TL values
installed inby
schools
and other high-traf fic, high-abus e
transmission.
the ASTM
a weighted averag
a factor in sound
method defined
s transmit
on.ratings are required for door s in
to a curve in a
locations. Insulati
And fire
flexible barrier
which are fitt ed
Although more
Rating Sound
s
Standard for
the stairwells and other codefire-rated
partitions,
practical reason
the rating—and
E413 Classification
less sound, for
made
better
lly
the
STC value,
designated locations.
door s are genera
The higher the
in Figure 2.
sound-control
Unles s
ance, as shown
stif f materials.
better the perform
from very dense,
g
layer s of dampin
SS
they contain inner
ly
MISSION CLA
sound will inevitab
SOUND TRANS
material, some
. On the
(STC) TA BLE
through the door
ls
be transmit ted
DESCRIPTION
dense, stif f materia
RMANEC
those
PERFO
hand,
STC
other
heard
back
Loud sounds
at reflecting sound
Excellent
not at all.
or
also work well
s
-60
faintly
50
door
with sound core
Most acoustical
faintly
to its source.
with
Loud speech heard
of w ood or steel
Very Good
40 - 50
are constructed
to any
but not unde rstood.
but
barrier batts added
stif fness and
Loud speech heard
.
Good
le .
inside the door
hardly intelligib
35 - 40
hollow cavity
rstood
door s varies
Loud speech unde
of sound-control
Fair
vari y
well.
35
effecti veness
man
fairly
30
the
so
,
ly
Natural
of materials. With
unde rstood
will
combinations
Normal speech
a particular door
with dif ferent
well
.
Poor
how
distinctly
of
easily and
25 - 30
we determine
effecti veness
ables, how can
.
we compare the
And how can
Low speech audible
block sound?
Very Poor
20 - 25
s?
Figur e 2
dif ferent door
T HE M
S OUND
OF
ECHANICS
T R ANSMISSION
Figur e 3
STC 45
Door
Source Room
db
SPL Level=100
Receiving Room
db
SPL Level=55
performance
the#770
used to define
n in sound
STC values are
a specified reductio
for achieving
ving room.
requirements
room to a recei
from a source
ines how
transmission
door also determ
of an installed
sourc e
The STC rating
between a gi ven
n is possible
reductio
noise
3)
much
Figure
ving room. (See
room and recei
Sound Trap
fo r Double
Door s
E XPER T H EL P F ROM
...W IT H A P ROMISE
Z ERO
SOUND TRAP-52
SEALING
SY STEM
PRODUCT CODE STC 2
Once you have completed a preliminary assessment, specialists
in ZERO’s Engineering Department can help clarify your needs—
and then identify your options for achieving the desired level of
sound control for your door opening. ZERO offers dozens of
specializ ed acoustical seals configured in various SOUND TRAP
gasketing systems designed to achieve optimum ratings for
specific door s and assemblies.
All SOUND TRAP systems are tested and rated with operable
door s. Installed with hinges and seals in a test assembly , the
door is opened and closed a number of times before
measurements are taken. The results therefore represent the
STC rating for the opening–not the wa ll partition in whic h the
door wa s tested .
Trapped Air
Solid Neoprene
#119W
.914"
(23.2)
.500"
(12.7)
1.250"
950 Cam Hinge
(38.1)
SMS
#770
Head &
Jamb
Seal
Stainless Steel
Adjusting Screw
12.00" O.C.
Range: .310"(7.9)
SLIMPORT
sound rated window
(optional)
Headand Jamb
Seal
Meeting Stile
Astragal
Sadde
l
AutomaticDoor
Hinge
Bottom
SOUND TRA
P
Product Cod
e JD6S
#367
#950
#564
.916" (23.3)
magnet
1.90"
(48.3)
950 Cam Hinge
steel plate
#367
Automatic
Door Bottom
Surface
Mounted
Double
Neoprene
Seal
.500" (12.7)
—6—
#119W
#564
#910DB
#770
SLIMPO
sound rated RT
window
(optional)
SOUNDTRAP
Model 770
-P
AIRS
#362
#362
362
#564
For a simila
r configuratio
you need
Model #383 n with suitable wood
astrag als
#383 pr ov
door s,
for
ides three
sets of seals the meeting stile .
neoprene
bulb
to bloc k soun
primary seal with extra “lip” of
d: the
neoprene
at the meet
in
neoprene
“finger” for ing edge, plus anoth the
er
added soun
against the
d cushioning
acti ve door
.
- PA I RS
SY STEM
#8 x .750"
#383
.387"
(19.1)
FHSM
Solid Neopre
ne
(9.8)
.307"
1.625" (41.2)
1.271 " (32.3)
.531"
Magnet
Vinyl
52 STC Rated
(13.5)
(7.8)
.062" (1.6)
#40
Magnetic
Astragal
Door
Solid
Neoprene
#362
Automatic
Door Bottom
#770
Head & Jam
b Seal
Neoprene
Trapped Air
#770
#770
40
910DB
STCRating
#40
#910DB
564
#910DB
Hinge
55 STC Rated Door
However , that model only works with frames that have
no stop. In addition, if your door has a low sound rating—or
is not rated at all—it will not be possible to achieve the full
benefit of the #770. In those circumstances, we recommend
other models .
Pair s of door
s pose addit
ional ch alleng
control beca
use there
es for soun
are more
d
need for addit
openings
ional corne
to seal. The
r s and a meet
there will
alw ays be
ing stile mean
relati vely
through pair
s
more soun
assemblies
d leakage
than with
SOUND TRAP
single door
-PAIRS syste
s. ZERO’s
an STC rating
m for meta
l door s achie
of 42—suffici
ves
office conv
ent to pr ov
er sations—w
ide pri vacy
ith an optim
for
that balan
ces those
al configuratio
limitations
n
effecti ve techn
with
appro
ology .
priate, cost
-
41
System tested
with STC
52 acoustical
The Product
door (rated
Code for orderi
as a panel
ng the SOUN
).
D TRAP-Pairs
system is JD6S.
#950
#770
#119W
The component that primarily distinguishes between
the two systems is the gasket that seals the head and jamb
of the door . Our Model #770 adjustable jamb-applied gasket ,
whic h has achieved an excellent track record in a wide range
of applications, is recommended for ensuring the highest
possible rating for most purposes. The adjustable design of the
#770 allows you to maintain that high level of sound
control for the long term. When clearances increas e from the
inevitable shif ting and settling of buildings and door s over
time, all it takes to restore a sound-tight seal is a few turns of a
Phillips screwdri ver.
The year s of experience and advanced technology
reflected in our SOUND TRAP systems allow ZERO to set
the standard for acoustical gasketing. In practical terms,
that means we are able to guarantee performance within
two STC points of the published rating of your door using
our integrated gasketing systems.
(31.8)
#8 x 1.50"
To simplify our discussion, we will focus on two SOUND TRAP
systems that together can satisfy a wide range of common
commercial and industrial sound-control needs for single
door s. The STC ratings of our SOUND TRAP -52 and
SOUND TRAP -4 9 systems are built into their names.
—3—
Level
SPL-Sound Pressure
STC
Neoprene
1.250"
(31.8)
.914"
— 10 —
Stainless Steel (23.2)
Adjusting Screw
—8—
T HE N
OISE
P ROBLE
De f ining Your Noise Pr oblem:
The Fir st Step to Solving It
M
To define your specific problem, you need a basic
unde rstanding of how to quantify both your
unw anted noise and the sound level that will be
acceptable. The difference between those two
values is the degree of sound control you need to
achieve with your door opening. That unde rstandin g
requires a brief overview of the science of sound and
its measurement .
for
lly bad
it's especia
and
e—and
s hearing
everyon
rs
e hur ts
re impair
g employe
Loud nois
d exposu
exposin
l-being,
s. Continue
levels,
busines
tional wel
ti vely low
ines emo
loyee
n at rela
underm
on emp
n
lities. Eve
drai
liabi
a costly
to potential
can be
d noise
ante
y.
unw
ucti vit
from
and prod
isolation
morale
demand
cer t halls
nature
ld. Con
by their
iences
ide wor
inesses
the outs
nt for aud
Some bus
nds of
enchantme world of
si ve sou
it their
the intru
ld forfe
external
with
ter s wou
r s of the
function
and thea
y reminde studios cannot
nois
to
ide.
d
ng
the outs
subjecte
Recordi
street.
sions from
and
y
intru
lobb
nd
iscule sou
kspaces
even min
mon wor
shield com
ns of
need to
distractio
ities
the
t
facil
Other
es from
HVAC plan
e employe
from the
and offic
nating
rooms.
noise ema
resident
equipment
r heavy
mercial
and othe
s of com
d
all type
es equippe
Virt ually
need offic n. And the
buildings
ver satio
con
tiality is
for pri vate olute confiden
abs
anding
need for
ct of exp
byprodu
ns .
a modern
operatio
security
national
We begin with a few impo rtant definitions :
Soun d is vibrations in air moving in waves.
The rate of sound pulsations measured in cycles
per second is called frequenc y —also known as
hertz (Hz). The range of human hearing is
considered to be 20 to 20,000 Hz.
FREQUEN CY DI STRUBUTION CHART
re
ities whe
for all facil
s to
hospital
problem
es and
inherent
don ’t
rs' offic
n is an
ings we
m docto
s
con ver satio
tant–fro
me in sett
audible
disruption
is impor
unw elco
In fact,
e,
of noisy
ication
be equally
impact
er to hom
commun
s. Clos
Noise can
pri vate
sider the
routine
center s.
s. ” Con
at churche
n
ines
ling
eve
,
tions
counse
with “bus
popular
on the
other func
oming
associate
n you're
ices and
are bec
usually
ty of serv
. And whe
d with
systems
tranquili
equippe
pleasure
e theater
on the
listening
s are not
rated hom
with
room
if
integ
interfere
where
of irritation
noise can
door s.
ses a lot
household
icating
often cau
s and
l noise
or commun
problem
road, hote entrance and/
of noise
nce of
less list
ated
The scie
the end
sound-r
gories.
sound
tions to
basic cate
onding
The solu
into two
ed
corresp
es fall
yielded
is determin
challeng
s—has
lication
ustic
aco
Their app
:
sound—
niques.
e problem
ment tech particular nois
age
d
man
re of the
ov ing soun
by the natu
ess of rem
, that is
is the proc
Typically
osed
Abso rp tion within a room.
erials exp
mat
us
from
poro
energ y
g soft ,
ished usin
accompl
through
up sound.
of sound
to soak
through
vement
the mo
of sound
sion i s
transfer
es and
Tr ansmis Preventing the
clearanc
r tise
.
through
ed expe
ifically
a medium
specializ
s—spec
ning
ires the
ope
pages.
door
r s—requ
following
nd doo
d in the
usse
gaps arou
disc
niques
and tech
—1—
Figure 1
Soun d pressure levels are measured in decibel s—
or dB.The scale of measurement used to simulate
sound across the audible frequency range is
denoted as dBA . Figure 1 illustrates the impact of
dramatic changes in dB levels. It is also impo rtant
to note that the human ear perceives changes in
loudness caused by even small changes in those
levels. Each 10 dB increase doubles the sound
reception—and the annoyance or discomfo rt that
goes with it.
Federal (OSHA) cod e
prohibits exposur e
to noise lev el s
whi ch excee d
these limits :
Duration Hour s
Per Day
8
6
4
3
2
1-1/ 2
1
1/ 2
1/4 or less
Sound Level
in dBA
90
92
95
97
100
102
105
110
115
To go from definitions to practical applications, we first
need to unde rstand how sound is transmi tted from its
source through a barrier. Next we will explain how a
barrier is rated for its ability to inhibit or blo ck sound .
That gives us the ability to compare different barriers.
With that information, we can examine the role of
gasketing systems in optimizing the performance of
doo rs that function as sound barriers.
—2—
Phone: 1-800-635-5335 / 718-585-3230 • Fax: 718-292-2243
Email: zero@zerointernational.com • Web Site: www.zerointernational.com
Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 11
Arup Integrates Artec Consultants, Inc.
Into its Global Practice
13 Acoustics, Audiovisual and Theatre Consultants Join Arup
A
rup and Artec Consultants,
Inc. have announced the integration of their acoustics,
audio/visual, and theater consulting practices.
The merger of two of the world’s
premier practices specializing in the
planning, design, and engineering, of
venues for performing arts, contemporary entertainment, education, conference, convention, sports, and worship
was announced at the end of March,
2013.
‘Our expanded team offers clients
around the world unrivaled knowledge,
experience, skills, and cutting-edge tools
to plan and design innovative venues for
the 21st century,’ said Principal Raj Pa-
tel, Americas Arts and Culture Business
Leader for Arup.
‘Joining forces with Arup enhances
our collective ability to provide highly
specialist skills anywhere in the world,
through the resources of a large, global
organization, serving projects of any
scale, with the best international design
thinking, delivered to clients locally from
start to finish,’ said Tateo Nakajima, former Partner at Artec and now a Principal
at Arup.
Arup has integrated former Artec
staff, comprising 13 acoustics audio/
visual, and theater consultants, into the
New York Acoustics, Audio Visual and
Theatre Consulting team led by Arup’s
Raj Patel. Tateo Nakajima, Ed Arenius,
Todd Brooks, Christopher Darland,
and Tom Clark join the leadership team
at Arup in this move. They will work
closely with Arup’s regional leaders, Andrew Nicol (Australasia), Sam Tsoi (East
Asia), Rachid Abu-Hassan (Europe), and
Rob Harris (UK, Middle East, and Africa).
This enhanced team strengthens
Arup’s ability to provide clients and their
projects whole life relationships. From
cultural master planning, project inception and concept development, through
design, construction, and post-opening.
The holistic service supports owners,
operators, and users in delivering performances to their audiences.
Augment sound reflections and diffusion in music and listening
spaces with suspended bent-wood acoustic reflectors. Custom,
beautifully-crafted reflectors in spherical or cylindrical shapes, with
sizes, radii, and finishes per your specifications.
www.nwwr.com • tbooth@pacinfo.com • 541.228.0196
12 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
ENHANCE THE ACOUSTICS AND AESTHETICS OF ANY VENUE
DIVA® ACOUSTICAL SHELL
Wenger offers a full line of acoustical shells to fit every performance space.
Whether you have a small auditorium, gymnasium or performing arts center, Wenger has the acoustical treatment
for you. The Diva Acoustical Shell is, without a doubt, the most advanced full stage acoustical shell of its kind...
visually stunning and audibly superior for your full auditorium needs. Wenger's newest acoustical solution is the
Forte Acoustical Shell, which enhances acoustics for both the ensemble and audience in small-to-medium sized
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in a variety of venues. Contact your Wenger representative today to design the right shell set for your space.
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Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 13
Technical Feature
Sound Transmission Between Rooms
with Common Plenum: Better Prediction of Field Results from Laboratory
Data
Noral D. Stewart, Ph.D.
Stewart Acoustical Consultants
noral@sacnc.com
W
hen faced with predicting the noise reduction
(NR) between two
rooms where sound is
traveling primarily through a partition,
calculations can performed – assuming no sound flanking – if we have the
partition transmission loss (TL), the size
of the partition, and the receiving space
absorption. The derivable theoretical
relationship between the TL and NR
and these two other factors is amazingly
simple. However, the situation becomes
much more complex if sound is traveling
through a common ceiling plenum over a
partition separating the two rooms.
Richard Hamme pioneered the measurement method that evolved into ASTM
E1414, Standard Test Method for Airborne Sound Attenuation Between Rooms
Sharing a Common Ceiling Plenum, and
published the first results in the January
1959 issue of the Acoustical Society of
America publication, Noise Control.
Thomas Mariner of Armstrong identified the many variables that influence
the noise reduction between spaces,
developed a theoretical relationship and
published his findings in the November
1959 issue of the same journal. These
papers are available through the ASA
website. The variables identified by
Mariner are illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Variables for Calculating
Ceiling Plenum Noise Reduction
The ASTM E1414 test is specifically for
25 ft, B
rooms where L + M
15.25 ft, h
2.5 ft, γ > 0.65 at
125 Hz and > 0.8 at higher frequencies, δ
< 0.10, and the absorption in the source
and receiving room is very small except
for that due to the ceiling. The variables
β, τ, and A are determined by the properties of the ceiling under the test. Steps
are taken to assure no significant sound
transmission except through the ceiling
14 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
Figure 1.
plenum path. The ASTM test is performed either with the ceiling continuous
over the top of the separating partition,
or with that partition extending through
the ceiling not more than 2 inches above
the bottom edge of the ceiling. There is
nothing in the standard concerning sealing the partition and ceiling and this may
be different than in the field. Otherwise
except for the effective transmissivity
of the ceiling (including grid leakage)
and absorption of the top surface of the
ceiling, the standard fixes the variables,
or in the case of the absorption of the
bottom surface of the ceiling, normalizes
it from the result. However, in the field,
many of the variables that are fixed in
the laboratory will vary, the absorption
of the ceiling panel top may be modified,
and the absorption of the ceiling will add
to the total absorption in the receiving
room, all influencing the results.
Mariner assumed no transmission
through the partition between rooms
and no leakage between the ceiling and
partition. He realized absorption and
transmissivity varied with angle and that
grazing values were appropriate in some
cases, but assumed use of random incidence values. He did not examine any
difference between a continuous ceiling
and one interrupted by a penetration by
the partition. He did examine the effect
of all the other variables, but unfortunately his results were too complex for
easy use in those pre-computer days and
were not carried through to a form easily
relatable to the data available from the
modern ASTM test.
In a paper I presented at the ASA
meeting in Cancun, Mexico in 2010, I
started from the work of Mariner and
the conditions defined in the ASTM
standard, found a simplified approximation for the effect of absorption of the
top of the ceiling panel on the laboratory
reported result, and came up with a
relationship that can be programmed in
a spreadsheet that relates the noise reduction in the field to the result reported
by ASTM E1414 and the variables
illustrated in Figure 1. The slides from
that presentation with the equations are
available on the ASA website at the
following link: < http://scitation.aip.org/
confst/ASA/data/13/4pAAa3.pdf >.
The calculations do require estimating or having data for the absorption
of the surfaces in the plenum including
the top of the ceiling panels, the plenum
walls, and the upper surface of the
plenum. The results include the effect
of the absorption added to the receiving
Continues on page 15
Technical Feature
Continued from page 14
room by the ceiling that is factored out in
the result reported by the ASTM standard
test. The overall equation presented in
the slides can be simplified under certain
conditions, if for instance the plenum
is very large laterally compared to the
rooms of concern, or if the plenum is not
more than 2.5 ft high and highly absorptive.
Using the derived relationship, I
examined the effect of some of the variables involved on the noise reduction. In
theory making either the top surface of
the ceiling or the upper plenum surface
highly absorptive improves the noise
reduction by about 5 dB for a 2.5 ft plenum depth. Making both highly absorptive in theory gives a 10 dB improvement. The noise reduction increases as
the depth of the plenum (between ceiling
and deck above) is increased, except that
if the plenum space is highly absorptive
(already giving better noise reduction)
the improvement for depths greater than
2.5 ft is very small.
In the ASTM test, the wall surfaces
of the plenum are highly absorptive,
simulating an infinite plenum. If the
adjacent rooms are somewhat similar
in size to the rooms used for the laboratory tests, and the plenum is the same
size with non-absorptive plenum walls,
the noise reduction in theory is about
6 dB less than would be achieved with
absorptive plenum wall surfaces or with
a laterally
infinite
e maintains
its shape
atplenum.
all 90º
Consider that everything in this
llation ofstudy
extra
reinforcement.
is theoretical,
based on diffuse
ct increases
efficiency,
roomsystem
theory and
assumed average levels
rooms.All
Results
may be different
reasing over
profits.
products
very
close
to
the
dividing
partition
the best in our industry.
between rooms. A good collection of
field data with known conditions, or
possibly laboratory tests with the plenum
conditions modified, would be helpful to
verify the theory.
A few conclusions and cautions are
in order:
Available E1414 laboratory data on
ceiling attenuation between rooms is
good for the conditions under which it
is measured and the assumptions in the
definition of the reported result which
include normalization to a fixed room
absorption eliminating effects due to
variation of absorption among ceiling
panels. However, in the field the absorption added to a space by the ceiling
and the varying geometry and plenum
conditions will influence the observed
noise reduction between spaces.
It is possible in theory to estimate
the noise reduction between two adjacent
rooms via the ceiling path with reasonable accuracy. However, this path is
considerably more complex than the
6M R6
8" Diameter
simple case where the primary path is
through the common partition between
rooms without significant flanking
paths. Experimental data would be
desirable to verify the theory.
The theory is based on diffuse room
theory and average transmitted levels
over the receiver room. Results may be
poorer in some circumstances near the
partition between the adjacent rooms.
Experiments should investigate such
variations.
dB A
2
3
4
B ands
5
34.0
20.3
28.6
32.7
34.8
6
7
8
35.4
33.3
29.4
Six (6) Fo o t Sample 500 FP M with a 90°bend
FLEXMASTER U.S.A. MECHANICAL LOCK FLEX
Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 15
Scott Pfeiffer Named ASA Fellow and Vern
Knudsen Distinguished Lecturer
Lily Wang, Ph.D.
lwang@central-acoustics.com
Associate Professor, Architectural
Engineering Program Coordinator,
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
S
cott Pfeiffer was recently named
a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) at the
Society’s last conference in
Kansas City in October 2012, ‘for excellence in the acoustical design of performing arts facilities’. Scott has established a
successful career in the field of architectural acoustics. He received a Bachelor’s
of Science degree in Physics with honors in Music from Moravian College in
Bethlehem, PA. He subsequently studied
at the Technical University of Denmark
in the Acoustic Technology group. Upon
returning to the US, he joined Kirkegaard Associates where he worked for
13 years, becoming a Senior Consultant
and Director of Personnel. In 2006, he
founded Threshold Acoustics with partner Carl Giegold. Dawn Schuette joined
as Partner a year later and in addition
to the three partners, has 13 employees.
Over his 20+ year career, Scott has had
a hand in over 100+ major building projects, including many performing arts facilities around the world. These include
the Silva Concert Hall (Eugene, OR);
the Holland Performing Arts Center
(Omaha, NE); the Alaska Center for the
Performing Arts (Anchorage, AL); and
many others.
Scott has been an active member of
the ASA. He is involved with the Technical Committee on Architectural Acoustics (TCAA), having been a session chair
and presenter of 11 papers in TCAA sessions at ASA conferences. He has furthermore served as General Chair of the
Fall 2001 ASA conference in Chicago,
and as president of the Chicago regional
chapter of the ASA. He also brings architectural acoustics into related professional societies, by participating and
presenting at conferences of the Audio
Engineering Society, the League of Historic American Theaters, and the United
States Institute of Theater Technology.
What particularly distinguishes
Scott in my mind from other acoustical
consultants, though, is his willingness to
take risks in design, risks that can push
the boundaries of our field – not by advising the design team to do what has
worked many times before, but working with them to try something different, based on measurements and scientific study as allowable in the consulting
world. In his position at Kirkegaard, he
was responsible for their scale modeling test facility and for a large number of
measurements made at assorted performing arts facilities around the world. He is
an artist grounded in science.
At the Fall 2012 meeting of the
ASA in Kansas City, Scott was invited to
present the prestigious Vern O. Knudsen
Lecture in Architectural Acoustics, entitled: ‘The consultant’s risk is an invitation to academia – An exploration of the
greatest successes in a design career thus
far, and the research-based foundations
that made them possible.’ He presented
his philosophy on engaging science in
design, challenging the acoustical consulting industry to engage with academia
more to push the bounds of science in architectural acoustics. In this, as in many
other areas, Scott Pfeiffer is a strong role
model for architectural acousticians to
follow.
Editor’s Note: The membership of
NCAC congratulates Scott on his wellearned ASA Fellowship. [NTS]
Bob Coffeen Elected to SCN Hall of Fame
B
ob Coffeen was elected to the
Sound and Communications
News magazine 2nd annual
2013 Hall of Fame ‘Honoring Those Who Define the A/V Industry.’ The announcement was made in
the January 2012 issue. The article highlighted Bob’s contributions to acoustics
education in both professional trade associations and at Kansas University. Six
individuals ranging from software developers, consultants, manufacturer’s representatives, and contractors were the 2013
recipients.
16 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
Chuck Wilson of the National Systems Contractor’s Association (NSCA)
stated that Bob ‘is an educator throughand-through’. Currently, Bob is Professor at the Kansas University School of
Architecture and Design and a former
coordinator for Acoustical Society of
America’s Student Design Competitions.
Known for his work in large spaces
such as stadia, convention centers, and
airports, he was cited for early work at
Burns and McDonnell Engineering Company and forming his consulting company that eventually became Coffeen
Fricke and Associates.
Bob was awarded the National Systems Contractor Association Educator
of the Year three times and in 2011 received the Acoustical Society of America Rossing Prize in Acoustics Education.
The full article in Sound and Communications News can be viewed at:
< http://www.avnetwork.com/people/0008/
scns-hall-of-fame-bob-coffeen/90186 >.
Editor’s Note: NCAC congratulates
Bob for his recognition and contributions
to acoustical consulting and education.
[NTS]
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Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 17
IEEE Honors Leo Beranek, Irwin Jacobs and
Barry Schoop
I
nternational Electronic and
Electrical Engineers (IEEE)
has announced its 2013 IEEE
Medal recipients, the highest
awards bestowed by IEEE. The
IEEE Foundation is proud to sponsor
and present two of the medals and one
service award.
IEEE Life Fellow Leo Beranek,
Founder (Retired), Bolt, Beranek, and
Newman, Boston, MA, will receive the
IEEE Founders Medal, for outstanding
contributions in the leadership, planning,
and administration of affairs of great
value to the electrical and electronics
engineering profession, sponsored by the
IEEE Foundation, “For leadership as a
co-founder of a premier consulting firm
that shaped modern acoustical practice
and laid the groundwork for the Internet,
and for public service.”
IEEE Life Fellow Irwin M. Jacobs,
co-founder of Qualcomm, Inc., Inc.,
La Jolla, CA, will receive the 2013
IEEE Medal of Honor, IEEE’s highest
award, which is sponsored by IEEE
Foundation. Jacobs is being honored for
leadership and fundamental contributions
to digital communications and wireless
technology. He oversaw Qualcomm’s
revolutionary innovations in Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA), a
technology fundamental to today’s 3G
mobile wireless standards.
IEEE Fellow Barry L. Shoop,
Professor and Department Head,
Electrical Engineering & Computer
Science, United States Military
Academy, West Point, NY, will receive
the IEEE Haraden Pratt Award, for
outstanding service to IEEE, sponsored
by the IEEE Foundation, “For vision and
leadership in improving IEEE operations
and governance, and for building a
Custom Designed Special Purpose
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18 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
stronger foundation for IEEE’s strategic
future.”
Since 1917, the IEEE Awards
Program has paid tribute to technical
professionals whose exceptional
achievements and outstanding
contributions have made a lasting impact
on technology, society, the engineering
profession, and humanity. Recipients
of IEEE-level awards are recognized
as the most influential members in
their chosen field. They are revered
for their resolve to discover, extend, or
complement technological advancements
in education, industry, research, and
service. Each year, new recipients join
the prestigious IEEE Award honoree list
through a selective peer nomination and
approval process.
For additional information please
see: < https://www.ieee.org/organizations/
foundation/2012news.html >.
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Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 19
Save The Date For The 2013 NCAC Annual Meeting
23-25 August 2013 Denver, Colorado
Preliminary Schedule
Accommodations
Brown Palace Hotel
Rate: $189/night plus tax
Deadline: July 24, 2013
Reservations: 800-321-2599
Friday, August 23
3:00 – 3:45 p.m.
Registration
4:00 p.m.
Courthouse Tour & Reception to
Follow
The Brown Palace Hotel has long
stood as the pride of luxury hotels in Denver, CO – embraced by
the city as its own and regarded
as a national treasure. For more
than a century the hotel has
stood as an anchor to the bustling financial and cultural district, playing host to presidents,
prime ministers, and celebrities.
Saturday, August 24
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Exhibits
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Seminar
5:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Reception & Dinner
Manufacturer Exhibits
NCAC Exhibitor Registration is
open – for more information visit
Sunday, August 25
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Seminar
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Lunch & NCAC Annual Membership Meeting
< http://www.ncac.com/ncaceventspage.php >
or email info@ncac.com
Registration will open in late
Spring.
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Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 21
New Staff at Cavanaugh Tocci Associates
C
avanaugh Tocci Associates
(CTA) is pleased to announce
two new staff members: Chris
Bajdek and Liz Lamour. Chris
will work primarily in environmental
noise and Liz will spend most of her time
on audio/visual systems design.
(BSME), and has worked at ESS Group
in Waltham, MA and Harris Miller
Miller & Hanson in Burlington, MA.
Outside the office, he enjoys playing
soccer and serves on the Conservation Commission and the Community
Preservation Committee in the Town of
Holliston, where he resides with his wife
and three children.
CTA President, Greg Tocci, said
‘Chris will help us serve clients better
with more efficient computer modeling
of noise sources, and develop new business in the growing area of wind turbine
construction. We have seen an increasing
demand for environmental noise analysis
due to the population density in the
Northeast and increased public awareness of noise issues.’
Chris Bajdek
Chris Bajdek brings 20 years of
experience in environmental noise
analysis to enhance CTA’s capabilities in
this growing area. As a senior consultant,
he will use his extensive experience with
prediction and analysis of noise from
wind turbines, traffic, rail, and aircraft
to provide clients with accurate analysis
and recommendations.
Chris is currently working on noise
studies for the permitting of transfer
facilities for FedEx Ground and supporting CTA’s efforts on two proposed
wind energy facilities in northern New
England. Chris graduated magna cum
laude from Northeastern University
ate studies, Liz attended Berklee College
of Music in Boston and graduated magna
cum laude with a dual-major Bachelor
of Music degree in Music Production
& Engineering and Professional Music.
Her studies encompassed a wide range of
topics, including: architectural acoustics,
mechanical noise, electro-acoustics,
audio engineering, and signal processing.
Liz was an intern at CTA in the
summer of 2011 and now joins us full
time in the Audiovisual Systems Group.
She is currently working on designs for
Middlebury College Fieldhouse and
Amherst College Science Center. In
her spare time Liz likes spending time
outdoors hiking and exploring New
England, and playing music with friends.
Matt Moore, Principal of the Audio/
Visual Systems Group stated, ‘Liz will
provide much-needed assistance with
the demand for high-performance audio/
visual systems in all of our projects. This
is true especially with our university
and corporate projects that have shown
strong growth in the past two years. She
also provides valuable 3-D modeling
experience to our group.’
Liz Lamour Liz Lamour is a recent graduate of
the architectural acoustics program at the
University of Kansas with a Master of
Arts in Architecture. For her undergradu-
NCAC Thanks Our Sponsors
Platinum Level Sponsor
Gold Level Sponsor
Silver Level Sponsors
Evonik Foams, Inc.
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22 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
2012 Index of Newsletter Articles
Winter 2012
President’s Winter Message.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 1
From the Editor..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 2
Acoustic Tidbits..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 3
Hospital Alarm Fatigue Statement of Interest........................................................................................................................................................................... Page 4
Clinical Alarms & Fatalities Resulting From ‘Alarm Fatigue’ In Hospitals........................................................................................................................... Page 8
Greater Boston Chapter ASA Meeting.......................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 12
Tributes to Colleagues: Kenneth Mckechnie Eldred 1929 – 2012, Robert A. Schmidt 1952 – 2012, Jason ‘Tic’ Weissenburger,
D.Sc., P.E. 1932 – 2011......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 14
Lucky Tsaih Rejoins Acoustical Design Collaborative, Ltd..................................................................................................................................................... Page 14
New OSHA Guide Available.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 15
New Member Profile Soundscape Engineering........................................................................................................................................................................ Page 18
What Do You Get When You Say ‘Regupol’?................................................................................................................................................................................ Page 18
Manufacturer’s Corner Olive Tree Lab........................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 20
Safe Sounds Conference.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 29
Spring 2012
President’s Summer Message.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 1
From the Editor..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 2
NCAC 50th Anniversary Meeting.................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 4
Book Review, Journey to Greatness – The Story of Brüel & Kjær......................................................................................................................................... Page 11
Lang and Maling Elected NCAC Honorary Members.............................................................................................................................................................. Page 13
Individual Members: What We Get for the Price of One Grande Latte a Month!........................................................................................................... Page 16
Manufacturer’s Corner Eggers Ecoustic Plywood Panels....................................................................................................................................................... Page 18
Lowest Sung Note................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Page 18
New On/Off Broadband Absorption Product............................................................................................................................................................................ Page 19
NCAC New Website.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 21
U.S. GSA Issues Sound Matters Publication................................................................................................................................................................................ Page 21
Leo L. Beranek Receives Honorary Membership in the Acoustical Society of China................................................................................................... Page 22
Paoletti’s Back........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Page 24
Acoustic Tidbits..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 26
Web Sitings............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 27
Summer 2012
President’s Summer Message.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 1
From the Editor..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 2
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts........................................................................................................................................................................... Page 6
NCAC Announces 2012 – 2014 Officers And Directors........................................................................................................................................................... Page 8
Book Review Site and Sound Victoria Newhouse..................................................................................................................................................................... Page 8
Architectural Testing Acoustical Testing Expansion................................................................................................................................................................ Page 10
NCAC Board of Directors Profile Richard Riedel, Director-at-Large.................................................................................................................................... Page 11
Thanks and Congratulations to . . . . . GenRad, Leo Beranek, Arnold Peterson, Jack Mowry, S&V, B&K, Neil Shade, and NCAC............... Page 12
NCAC Board of Directors Profile Richard Schrag, Director-at-Large.................................................................................................................................. Page 13
Technical Feature Article Collaboration Composes Success: Music Practice Room Installations........................................................................... Page 16
Economic Downturn Cut Architecture Firm Revenue by 40 Percent, Employment by Almost a Third................................................................. Page 22
Manufacturer’s Corner Scantek, Inc............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 24
Construction Economy Outlook: Recovery Has Begun and Will Extend into 2014...................................................................................................... Page 26
Web Sitings............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 27
Fall 2012
President’s Fall Message..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 1
From the Editor..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 2
Mentoring...Guidelines for a professional Life........................................................................................................................................................................... Page 4
Acoustic Tid-Bits.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 7
NCAC Firm Profile Sonic-Space....................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 8
Architecture and Acoustics Audio Document........................................................................................................................................................................... Page 8
Dick Campbell 1937-2012...Tribute to a Renaissance Man.................................................................................................................................................... Page 10
Warren Blazier Memorial................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 12
Linc Berry Consults on the Historic Old South Meeting House on Boston’s Freedom Trail....................................................................................... Page 13
Book Review, Acoustics and Audio................................................................................................................................................................................................ Page 16
Book Review, Acoustics: Sound Field............................................................................................................................................................................................ Page 16
Manufacturer’s Corner Scantek....................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 18
NCAC Student Travel Award Recipients....................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 20
Guest Editorial: Wonder Without Googling................................................................................................................................................................................ Page 22
Upcoming Meetings........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 27
Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 23
Now
Available
ANSI/ASA S12.55-2012 / ISO 3745:2012
AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD
Acoustics – Determination of sound power levels
and sound energy levels of noise sources using
sound pressure – Precision methods for anechoic
rooms and hemi-anechoic rooms (a nationally adopted
international standard)
This American National Standard specifies methods for measuring the sound pressure
levels on a measurement surface enveloping a noise source (machinery or equipment) in
an anechoic room or a hemi-anechoic room. The sound power level (or, in the case of
impulsive or transient noise emission, the sound energy level) produced by the noise
source, in frequency bands of width one-third octave or with frequency weighting A
applied, is calculated using those measurements, including corrections to allow for any
differences between the meteorological conditions at the time and place of the test and
those corresponding to a reference characteristic acoustic impedance.
To purchase an electronic copy of this ANSI Standard or other National or International
Standards on Acoustics, Mechanical Vibration and Shock, Bioacoustics, or Noise
please visit the Acoustical Society of America's Home Page at:
http://acousticalsociety.org
and click the "Store" button.
You can purchase hard copies of Standards by contacting our office at:
Acoustical Society of America
Standards Secretariat
35 Pinelawn Road, Suite 114E
Melville, NY 11747-3177
Phone (631) 390-0215 / Fax (631) 390-0217
ANSI/ASA S12.55-2012 / ISO 3745:2012
Price: $199.00 per copy
24 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter
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Manufacturer’s Corner
Sound Design Acoustics Program
C
M
Y
CM
MY
Keep track of assumptions made
during the assessment, and keep all
previous versions of your assessments and data objects.
In addition to this, as acoustics
assessments tend to form chains of noise
sources to receivers, Sound Design
allows you to draw your acoustic calculations on a ‘canvas’ in two dimensions,
with each part of the assessment being a
link in the chain.
A huge amount of interoperability
with spreadsheet programs is provided,
with the ability to export and import data
between Sound Design and spreadsheet
programs.
At its heart Sound Design is a program written by acoustics consultants for
acoustics consultants. Plans are intend
to continually improve and add new
features to the program, and we welcome
any feedback from the acoustics community.
For additional information please
visit: < www.acousticscentral.com/
software/sounddesign > where you can
view instructional videos and developers’ blog among other items. You can
install Sound Design from the website,
which can be used for 30 days with full
functionality with the exception of saving database files.
SOLCOUSTIC is a registered trademark of Evonik Foams
Sound Design is a new program
from Acoustics Central intended to
handle general acoustics assessments
carried out by acoustic consultants.
Sound Design allows you to:
• Store your data (e.g., noise levels,
transmission loss, absorption coefficients, lookup tables, et cetera)
in one file to be available when
creating new assessments.
• Carry out your assessments within
one file and assessment environment
(e.g., room acoustics, noise transfer,
noise break-in/out) to save on
entering the same data in multiple
locations.
• Produce all schedules of data and
calculation sheets with a couple of
mouse clicks.
• Have standard corrections available
and usable at all times, along with
the ability to create and save any
corrections of your own.
•
SOLCOUSTIC is a registered trademark of Evonik Foams
Editor’s Note: Information is provided to
the Editor for review and editing prior to
inclusion in the Newsletter. NCAC does
not endorse products that are featured
in this column. Information is provided
to keep readers abreast of the latest
products industry has to offer. [NTS]
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Evonik Foams...................27
FlexAcoustics...................20
FlexMaster USA...............15
KINETICS Noise........ 9 & 25
Krieger ...............................18
National Gypsum............21
Northwest Wood.............12
Plywall................................17
Scantek...............................19
Sound Fighter Systems.26
Wenger...............................13
Zero International..........11
NCAC encourages
advertising of acoustical
products, services,
and systems in the
NCAC Newsletter as a
means of improving
communication with the
acoustical consulting
profession. Acceptance of
advertising does not imply
endorsement of products
or services by the National
Council of Acoustical
Consultants or any of
its individual members.
Newsletter readers are
invited to contact the
advertisers directly for
additional product technical
and cost information
or to advise of possible
misleading information in
their advertisements.
CY
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transmitted
handling
systems.
Fora a
low
VOC,
fiber-free
duct
liner
solution.
For
a
quieter,
healthier
environment,
quieter, healthier work environment, specify GREENGUARD® certified
specify
GREENGUARD®
Children
and
Schools
certified
SOLCOUSTIC
Duct
SOLCOUSTIC Duct Liner. For more information visit www.solcoustic.com
Liner. For more information visit www.solcoustic.com
Evonik Foams, Inc.
Evonik
Foams,
Inc.Suite 

N. Watters
Road,

N.TX
Watters
Allen,
 Road, Suite 
Allen, TX 
 +  -

+ 
-
 + 
-
 +  -
Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter 27
Commerical Wall and Ceiling Acoustical Wood Solutions
Available in a variety of materials, finishes, colors, and perforation patterns.
www.ideatecusa.com
28 Winter 2013 NCAC Newsletter