Design to acoustic test: from acoustic report to resolved design
Many projects arrive with the acoustic numbers already set. There may be a planning-stage acoustic report, a set of client or operator criteria, or the requirements of Approved Document E, BB93 or BS 8233. What is often missing is the design: the finishes, constructions and details that will actually meet those targets, and look right doing it.
Design to acoustic test is how we close that gap. We take an existing acoustic report or set of performance criteria and translate it into a resolved spatial and material design, buildable and design-led, so the finished space is ready to be tested.
When you need design to acoustic test
- A report exists, but no design. An acoustic report has been written for planning or by another consultant, and the design team now needs it turned into drawings and specifications.
- Criteria are set by others. A client, operator or brand standard sets acoustic targets for each space.
- Regulations set the target. Sound insulation under Building Regulations Part E, classroom acoustics under BB93, or internal noise levels under BS 8233.
- The design has moved on. The plan, finishes or construction have changed since the report was written, and the targets need to be met in a new way.
What we do
- Review of the source report or criteria. We check what the targets are, where they apply and whether anything is missing or in conflict with the design intent.
- Finishes, constructions and details. We develop the room finishes, wall, floor and ceiling build-ups, junctions and details that meet the targets.
- Coordination. We work with the architect and interior designer so that the acoustic solution sits within the material palette rather than on top of it.
- Optional verification. Where it helps, we confirm the design with acoustic modelling and simulation or with on-site testing.
Designed with the test in mind
A target written in a report is only met when the finished building is measured. Sound insulation results depend on junctions, flanking paths and workmanship as much as on the main wall or floor build-up. Room acoustic results depend on the amount and position of absorptive finishes. We design those details with the measurement in mind, and our measurement and testing service can confirm the result, so the details drawn are the details measured.
How we work
- Review. You send us the acoustic report or criteria and the current drawings.
- Gap check. We confirm the targets and flag any gaps, conflicts or out-of-date assumptions.
- Design. We develop finishes, constructions and details that meet the targets, in coordination with the design team.
- Verify. Where required, we verify the design by modelling or testing.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a new acoustic report? Not necessarily. Where the existing report or criteria are sound, we work from them. If we find gaps or assumptions that no longer match the design, we explain what needs updating and why.
Can you work from another consultant's acoustic report? Yes. Translating an existing report into a resolved design is the core of this service, whoever wrote the report.
Can you test the finished space? Verification by modelling or testing is available as part of the service. On-site measurement is carried out through our measurement and testing service. Where Building Regulations require pre-completion sound insulation testing, the testing programme should be agreed with the building control body.
Will meeting the targets change how the interior looks? Our aim is the opposite. We look for constructions and finishes that meet the targets within the design intent, so acoustic performance does not come at the cost of the interior.
Related services
- Architectural acoustics
- Measurement and testing
- Acoustic modelling and simulation
- Acoustic consultancy for architects and interior designers
Send us your acoustic report
Share the report or criteria, the current drawings and your programme, and we will tell you how we can help. Get in touch, call 020 3949 1597 or email hello@auris-consultancy.com.