Acoustic solution to mezzanine floor impact noise at Aviation Academy

Hush Acoustics provided an acoustic solution for the Aviation Academy in Norwich as part of its project to transform the building through the creation of an innovative learning environment.

Based within a World War 2 aircraft hangar, home to a museum, cafe and now classrooms, catering for pupils and youth organisations as well as holding events and conferences, this academy accommodates a wide variety of uses and needs. Hanson Barron and Smith Architects worked on the design of the custom facility, with the aim to create a mezzanine floor within the atrium on which classrooms would be created.

The atrium itself holds conferences that can accommodate over 300 people, so in order to ensure the acoustics within the building were fit for purpose, a site visit was conducted to assess how the required acoustic standards could be achieved.

On visiting the site, an acoustic concern within the building was the footfall noise being created from the mezzanine floor.

The solution proposed after calculating the requirements of the areas was 1500m2 of Hush Panel 17, which would be fitted over the structural plywood deck.

Hush Panel 17 is a thin overlay board which minimises floor build-up without compromising performance. By reducing impact sound transmission through the separating floors, it achieves excellent results, with the upper layer of moisture resistant MDF providing a consistently smooth surface for application of floor finishes.

Working with Robert Goss from Hanson Barron and Smith and RG Carter who were the main contractors on site, over 2000 sheets of Hush Panel 17 were supplied and fitted to the area.