"acoustic"

Rockfon acoustic ceilings are installed in a new state-of-the-art health assessment clinic, Preventicum, in Central London. This specialist healthcare provider offers bespoke, in-depth health evaluation and diagnostics which includes full-body scanning. High-tech luxury Sonnemann Toon Architects designed the clinic’s interior with a high-tech spec that has the feel of a luxury hotel. Architect Galina Borovikova explains how Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic helps create a sense of opulence, “It combines the elegance of a seamless ceiling with outstanding sound absorbing qualities which enhances the sleek interior and creates client privacy.”

Delivered at a cost of £46.5 Million the scheme comprises four 6-17 storey accommodation blocks housing 864 student units. Acoustic performance was key for the glazing in noisy roadside areas and lower levels. The solution was Senior’s energy efficient SPW600e windows fitted with acoustic energy efficient insulated glass units to achieve a sound reduction index (RW) rating of 43.   A light and welcoming space, was created in communal spaces using Senior’s thermally enhanced SF52 fully capped two-storey aluminium curtain walling, whilst perimeter capped silicone glazed SF52 was chosen for the link bridge between accommodation blocks. 

ROCKFON has successfully worked together with Global Contract Interiors, Kier Construction and Architects Seymour Harris, to establish a fully compliant range of acoustic solutions that meet the required performance specifications at the new Phoenix Academy in Telford; built as part of the council’s Building Schools for the Future programme. Around 2,000m² of ROCKFON products: Rockfon Scholar and Samson wall panels; Rockfon Contour suspended baffles; and Rockfon Alaska suspended raft islands, were installed throughout the school to improve acoustic sound absorption – particularly in areas where the school design meant that traditional suspended ceilings were unable to be installed.

The congregation at Grade II Listed St Patricks Church in Bolton, can worship without interruptions from the neighbouring bus interchange, with the installation of acoustic secondary glazing. 4 large gothic arched stained glass clerestory windows were treated with internal glazed units, stopping the ingress of the sound of stationary busses which can create 70-80dB. However the tricky window was the large chancery window overlooking the altar as 4.3m (h) x 3m (w). When now inside the church, the congregation would never know there is a bus interchange just outside; the acoustic secondary glazing treatment has worked miracles.

Location: Dubai, UAEThe Opus by Omniyat is an iconic residential, hotel and office building in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa District designed by Zaha Hadid which utilises an unusual volumetric design to stand out from its peers. The developer needed a replacement for drywall which produced less construction debris and achieved a 67dB acoustic rating with walls no thicker than 200mm.This was an extremely complex project which required bespoke elements from Specwall in order to succeed. As well as considering the curved walls, high acoustic requirements and luxury finishes, there was a specific requirement for unique, 2.7m cut panels to suit the building’s elevator space.

Delivering privacy between the design office and meeting room of leading toy and games specialist, John Adams, Style has installed a chic moveable wall system that combines three glass panels with a single solid panel and solid inset pass door. The DORMA semi-automatic sliding partition allows natural light into the divided space whilst still offering 47dB Rw acoustic rating, for excellent privacy when required. Staff at John Adams can quickly and easily slide the panels into place, whereupon substantial rubber seals automatically expand to form the optimum acoustic barrier, every time.

Complementing the exposed services and industrial design aesthetic, whilst fulfilling modern acoustic requirements was a challenge.HERADESIGN® with its acoustic credentials and raw wood wool texture ticked all the boxes. Specified in Grey, HERADESIGN® was installed throughout the main reception area, office spaces and the lift lobbies, providing a strong visual contrast to the exposed structural elements. Architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, “The conversion retained the original irregular structural gridlines of the building, so we had to create a consistent pattern across the ceiling- but HERADESIGN® is a really versatile material that worked exceptionally well in the space.”

It is interesting how design trends are quickly mirrored across the world. A few years’ ago, for example, lifestyle and interior design magazines were all about plain white walls, hard surfaces and minimal furniture. Today, heavier materials are being revitalised and darker colours are being used in more and more projects. Troldtekt has seen a steep rise in the specification of its wood wool acoustic panels in dark greys and black. From residential houses, hotels and music venues to London’s iconic Design Museum, black acoustic ceilings have been used to add to the ambience and enhance atmospheric design.

Troldtekt 100% wood wool acoustic panels have been used to dramatic effect at London’s famous Open Air Theatre in Regents Park. A newly-constructed rehearsal building, designed by architects Reed Watt, comprises a stunning double-height dance and rehearsal studio in its centre encircled by offices, kitchen and green room. Troldtekt wood wall panelling in natural grey also complement the natural setting while helping to dampen and keep reverberated sound to a minimum. The rehearsal studio has been acoustically rated so that the maximum noise level that can happen in the studio before being audible outside is 100dB.

To meet the client’s requirements of wanting sliding doorsets rather than pivoting doors on the meeting rooms, Komfort’s Sonik Slide doors were installed. This project gave us the opportunity to use Sonik Slide as our new acoustic pocket double glazed sliding door, which can be specified as a single or double door set within its own unique frameless glass. On this project, Sonik Slide double door sets were specified and installed. Sonik Slide has been designed to focus on ease of installation and to allow light to flood through the workplace whilst ensuring high acoustic performance is maintained.

ChallengeFor the air traffic controllers at Birmingham Airport, concentration is critical to ensuring the safety of the hundreds of passenger jets that take off and land every day. Studies show office workers lose concentration when noise levels hit 55dB; however, the sound of just one medium-sized aircraft descending at 1,000ft is 70dB.SolutionWith this in mind, noise reduction was an essential factor in the specification of the insulation for the 105ft air traffic control tower. The airport’s developers consulted Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team for advice. The Technical Support Team recommended Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab, a non-combustible Rock Mineral Wool insulation designed for use in high-rise rainscreen façade systems.Mineral Wool insulation has superior acoustic performance because of its open structure, which traps sound between the individual strands and turns it into heat energy.Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is quick and easy to install and adapts to minor imperfections in the substrate. Slabs are flexible and knit together eliminating air gaps for maximum acoustic and thermal performance, making it perfect for use on the curved walls of the funnel shaped control tower. The same level of acoustic performance could not have been achieved with rigid foam boards, which have closed cell structures that offer virtually no sound absorption. Rigid foam boards are also more prone to air gaps, reducing acoustic performance further.As well as excellent acoustic and thermal performance, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is non-combustible with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification. This means it will not contribute to the spread or development of fire should it occur.Another factor in the specification of Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab was sustainability. It is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder, which contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable, and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binder, so it is more environmentally friendly. Products made with ECOSE® Technology generate low levels of dust and VOCs, and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort.Thanks to Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab the air traffic controllers at Birmingham Airport can enjoy a quieter, warmer, safer and more sustainable workplace."Acoustic protection, energy performance, fire safety and sustainability were all crucial factors taken into account during the design of the air traffic control tower and so all materials specified with the project needed to meet these multiple requirements. We are extremely pleased with the building."Will Heynes, Birmingham Airport’s Development Director

Controlling noise and acoustics is a key element in design and particularly when designing for the elderly. The need for more assisted-living and retirement accommodation continues to rise to match the ever-growing ageing population whether it’s to combat the cost of living independently, downsizing, increased care needs or just a sense of community and freedom.Care Homes and Day Centres play an important role in our society and can improve the quality of life for its users through an increased sense of security and to combat isolation. New accommodation is frequently designed to replicate the comforts of a home and to minimise transitional stress but all too frequently ambient levels of noise add to the challenges faced by the elderly. The impact of noise pollution on the elderly is far worse than in younger years. Presbycusis, (hearing loss that occurs gradually for many of us as we grow older) along with cumulative lifetime noise exposure, decline in physiological resilience and dementia all have an impact. The McManus and McClenaghan (2010) study recommended that “having a good acoustic environment can support inclusion and reduce confusion in people with dementia”. Today’s trends of designing with hard surfaces means that all too often the problem is exacerbated with residents, staff and visitors suffering from noise pollution adding to increased levels of stress and anxiety.Danish acoustic panel manufacturer Troldtekt is a world leader in designing and developing acoustic panels to create calm, healthy, comfortable environments with their long-lasting solutions for effective sound control combined with colour to create characterful design. Troldtekt acoustic panels are available in a variety of different structures and colours combining superior sound absorption with award-winning design. The Troldtekt range has a minimum expected life cycle of 50 years coupled with excellent resistance to humidity and tested to meet ball impact standards. The range is available in various sizes and structures, from extreme fine to coarse. They can be supplied as natural wood or finished in almost any RAL or NCS colour. Depending on the panel specified, reaction to fire is classed in accordance with EN 13501 as B-s1,d0 or A2-s1,d0 respectively.

Architectural glazing systems by Kawneer were specified for a primarily residential building at the heart of the redevelopment of London’s Greenwich Square for their aesthetic, acoustic, thermal, fire-resistant and sustainability credentials.

Design & Build construction of a purpose build student accommodation development to provide 1,025 bedrooms and once completed it will provide a dramatic new addition to the Birmingham skyline.The buildings comprise of two bold, angular towers with sharply defined ‘razor’ edges and a smooth, highly detailed, gloss black finish, rising 13 and 24 storeys respectively. The towers are anchored by a middle section rising to 10 storeys and finished with a traditional, matt brick with defined window reveals and texture.The building is designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and the student beds arranged principally in cluster units.Noise absorbing window ventsDucoMax SR is a self-regulating, acoustic vent (sound attenuating ventilator), specifically engineered for situations exposed to high levels of noise disturbance. The various types are attractively designed and offer excellent acoustic and airflow performance. Suited to high-rise applications, the SkyMax variant was also placed in this project. The SkyMax SR is an upgraded version of the DucoMax SR making it applicable to heights up to 70 meter. The acoustic vents ensure that the students have a carefree night's sleep in a bustling city. 

Several disciplines are going to be joining forces under one roof in the future university centre for dentistry (UZB) in Basel. A centre of dentistry competence ranging from basic care to research and teaching is being built. Every year, dentists, dental and preventive care assistants and dental hygienists will be administering more than 80,000 treatments in the 5-storey building.The staircases were a key area of focus on this project, both for architectural reasons and in light of the strict sound insulation requirements. All staircases and landings have a bare architectural concrete finish. Compliance with the requirement of an impact sound level delta ΔLn,w* of 28 dB was mandatory in order to protect the quiet areas (e.g. treatment rooms, lecture halls, library, etc.) from distracting noise.Products from the Schöck Tronsole® range have been implemented for acoustic insulation. These impact sound insulation products enable a structural connection of the staircases and landings with no acoustic bridges whatsoever. Correct planning and installation of Schöck Tronsole® in a system results in a blue line visible at the treated areas. It is the mark of quality for reliable impact sound insulation and acoustic bridge-free installation.

University of the West of Scotland, Lanarkshire CampusArchitect: Graven Architects, Glasgow
Installer: Elmwood Ltd
Product: Gustafs Acoustic Panel and Linear Rib SystemsBoth Gustafs Linear Ribs and a bespoke Gustafs Acoustic Panel system solution were installed to the new £110m Lanarkshire campus of the University of the West of Scotland.The ultra-modern eco-campus is powered using 100% sustainable energy houses facilities for students including the Students Union, library, computer facilities, and exhibition, lecture and meeting spaces which are available for use by local businesses as well as students.
Gustafs Linear Ribs in natural Birch veneer clad 2 facing 12m high feature walls; the co-ordinating seating areas and integrated TV screens help to integrate the acoustic solution with the collaborative social and study space.The main feature wall in the Welcome Hub is a 3 storey high bespoke concertina wall of RAL 6021 painted and PH10 perforated panels; Gustafs, LSA, and the installer worked to create an elegant installation solution using custom panel edges and solid wood elements to create the zig-zag wall. 

In this case study we’ll see how Yorkshire Soundproofing helped this homeowner by soundproofing their walls against noisy neighbours using the iKoustic MuteClip double system.After living next to an inconsiderate neighbour for years this customer decided it was time to take on their noisy neighbour’s situation by soundproofing their bedroom and living room walls.In this case study we’re just going to focus on the bedroom wall. The noisy neighbour in question was playing loud music and TV late into the night. The estimated cost of this job is £600 for materials and £600 for professional installation.If you’re looking for a soundproofing specialist to install an iKoustic soundproof wall system for you visit our installers pageSoundproofing walls against noisy neighboursTotal Time: 2 daysInstall MuteClipsMuteClip isolation clips should be installed in the diamond formation ( You can find more detail in our MuteClip installation guide) You can then clip the MuteClip Channel into the clips to create an isolated frame. This channel can be cut to size using tin stips and reconnected with self-tapping screws.Install Acoustic Mineral WoolThis is 50mm RW3 mineral wool specifically designed for soundproofing. You can pressure-fit it between the channels but using a small amount of spray adhesive makes this step easier. Wear a mask, goggles, gloves and a long-sleeved shirt when handling mineral wool.Install acoustic plasterboardWith a minimum of six fixings per 1.2 x 1.2 board secure the acoustic plasterboard to the MuteClip Channels. I like to place some masking tape on the opposing walls where the channels meet the wall. This makes it easier to snap a chalk line and install the next layer of plasterboard. Be sure to leave a couple of mm gap between the adjacent walls, floor and ceiling. Once all the plasterboard is up, fill all the joins and around the perimeter with acoustic sealant.Install Tecsound wall soundproofing membraneHere we have used Tecsound SY70 as a vibration-dampening layer. This is a self-adhesive viscoelastic membrane. It’s quite heavy to lift so I always get someone to help me at this point. Once the whole wall has been covered you can now fix the final layer of plasterboard.SealingLastly, seal in the perimeter with acoustic sealant and apply scrim tape (seen in pink) to the joints ready for plastering!Estimated Cost: 600 GBPTools:Hammer DrillImpact DriverTape MeasureLevelTin SnipsUtility KnifePPEMaterials: RW3 acoustic mineral wool, Tecsound SY70, Fixings, Acoustic Plasterboard, MuteClip Channel, MuteClip Isolation ClipsThis customer was very happy with the results and their noisy neighbours are a thing of the past!Customer Feedback“I suffered from noisy neighbours since buying the property 18mths ago, shouting, doors banging and loud music. Can now enjoy a peaceful and relaxing home. Anyone thinking of having this work done I can definitely recommend the benefits of doing so”

A state-of-the-art sports and learning centre in Cambridge features a dramatic space-defining acoustic based on the use of MEDITE PREMIER FR fire rated panels from MEDITE SMARTPLY.

The school has 69 pupils who have special educational needs, of which around 28 would board on the first floor of the new school.Soundis were contracted to supply an acoustic fabric wall mounted panelling system to the newly constructed teaching areas within the school. The requirement for sound absorption on this project was elevated due to the sensitivity of sensory processing within the children. The panels help to control & reduce reverberation times (echos) providing a calmer environment for the children to work in.The system chosen on this project were the Soundis 40mm Absorb-R SofTone Panels, due to the panels being 40mm thick, they provide Class A acoustic performance.

West Cliff Hotel is a two six story Premier Inn which hosts 105 guest rooms and a third block with 88 residential units. The project included the demolition of a previous building then the construction of the hotel, with underground car parking. The hotel is only a 15-minute walk away (0.5 miles) from Bournemouth Pier and the Oceanarium.Cellecta ScreedBoard 28 was specified by HGP Architects in this luxury refurbishment to improve upon its existing acoustic properties. It's high density, and unique resilient layer provides unrivalled acoustic performance, typically 5dB better than legislative requirements.Inland Homes was awarded this 3,000m² contract to construct this development in Bournemouth.

Architecture and design practice KSS Associate, Trevor Gidlow commented, “We were commissioned by interior fit-out specialists, Portview, to review various ceiling systems for application within Coal Drops Yard. Five were reviewed including monolithic and stretched fabric systems. Our assessment criteria included - appearance, sustainability, acoustic class, fire resistance, combustibility, weight, installation angle and curved edge profiles. Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic was our final recommendation and main contractor selection based on the ability to install as a multi-gang operation, thereby gaining significant programme benefits. The appearance of the installation fully achieved the original design vision”.

Over the last 12 months, partitioning experts Style, sole UK distributor for Dorma Hüppe, has seen a noticeable increase in demand for glass partitions from within the education sector. Combining transparency with exceptional acoustic privacy, glass systems create bright, open spaces which can be quickly reconfigured to meet the teaching requirements. Another trend in the education sector Style has witnessed is a shift towards fully automatic moveable walls, allowing teachers to change the space available at the push of a button. Automatic movable walls avoid any manual handling and ensure the most effective acoustic seal is formed every time.

Murchison House, received a significant refurbishment, giving the University of Edinburgh a new purpose-designed venue.Reconfigured to provide light-filled, comfortable spaces for students and staff, architects Reiach & Hall specified Knauf Ceiling Solutions' HERADESIGN® for a first-class acoustic solution aligning with the university’s contemporary design brief.A suspended raft system in the café and breakout area was created using HERADESIGN®.Cut to create triangular canopies, the floating ceiling solution offered the illusion of height and provides excellent acoustic performance. In the study areas, 100sqm of HERADESIGN® wall absorbers were installed throughout the study zones continuing the geometric theme.

The £41m Health Innovation Campus will act as a focal point, allowing researchers, healthcare professionals, businesses, local authorities and policy-makers, to focus on a systems approach to improving health, in line with the aims of the UK’s Industrial Strategy and the NHS long-term plan. Soundis was approached by BAM Construction to supply the Absorb-R WoodTec Walls Slats. These where installed by our installation partner UK Acoustic Systems The WoodTec Wall Slats are based on a fibre gypsum board which has excellent properties regarding both fire safety and acoustics. The slats are less sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity which results in 100% straight aligned slats over their full lifetime.

A high specification sound absorption solution...GRAHAM Construction were appointed to lead the refurbishment of Senate House, part of the University of London which is to house the School of Oriental & African Studies. SOAS is the world’s leading institution for languages, cultures and societies of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.The plan is to improve the student experience significantly by offering state-of-the-art facilities, with a high specification sound absorption solution for reverberation control in the Teaching Rooms, Seminar Rooms, Meeting Halls, Study Units and Lecture Theatres.Increased sound absorption helps to improve speech transmission quality, sometimes as much as 35%, control echo as well as background noise and reduce reverberation times in teaching areas.The SOAS project will accommodate a 25% planned increase of the cosmopolitan student numbers, with staff and students together on one centrally located campus, so reverberation control is paramount in this instance.We have undertaken the supply & installation of 2,650 sq metres of the Absorb-R GypLine αw Acoustic Plaster along site our installation partner UK Acoustics. The Absorb-R GypLine αw system includes 25mm and 39mm Acoustical Absorption Boards which can be fitted direct to soffit, to a shallow narrow void track-line carrier ceiling or a deep void MF Ceiling Grid. The boards are then sanded and treated with a 3mm acoustic spray plaster with a choice of finishes. The Absorb-R GypLine αw System finishes can then be colour coated to any RAL top coat colour and provides a virtually seamless monolithic ceiling with high and exceptional sound absorption levels that meet or exceed typical reverberation criteria.

BackgroundThackley Primary School in Bradford is a well-established suburban school providing education for children aged 3-11. The school’s positive ethos seeks to provide a happy and active environment for learning, with teachers and staff dedicated to working hard to secure the highest educational standards for their pupils. With more than 450 pupils, the building can become extremely busy during school hours, both in classrooms and communal areas. That was presenting some challenges in terms of acoustics in certain areas of the school, particularly in its multi-use hall which is used for performances, PE lessons and dining.ProblemThackley Primary School’s multi-use hall is a large, open plan room which, like many internal environments of this type, features extensive areas of hard, reflective surfaces. When the room was in use, particularly when occupied by a large number of pupils and staff, excessive reverberation and echo was making it an unpleasant acoustic environment.Head of the School, Annette Patterson, sought to find a solution to these issues and approached Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) given the company’s experience in resolving these types of acoustic problems in schools. At the initial enquiry stage, Annette provided details about the school hall, including dimensions and photographs, from which the SRS technical department was able to model the space using their acoustic software. This enabled the team to propose a provisional solution with a specification and provide a quote. Once the proposed solution was agreed in principle, an acoustics specialist from SRS visited the school to take detailed measurements and discuss the various options available to arrive at a detailed specification.SolutionImmediately on receipt of Annette’s request for help addressing this acoustic issue, the SRS team confirmed reverberation was indeed excessive and reducing it would make a huge difference. SRS Director, Alex Docherty, commented:“As soon as I was shown into the hall, it was clear that the acoustic environment was not ideal – the long reverberation time made it difficult to hold a simple conversation between a few people comfortably, let alone when the hall was full of children. It was clear that a treatment using one of our Class A rated Sonata products was required to solve the issue.”Prior to any improvements, the estimated mid-frequency reverberation time was recorded at (Tmf) 3.57s. This level is considered excessive for a room of this nature. SRS calculated that 75sqm of their decorative Sonata panel absorbers would be required to solve the problem, bringing the reverberation time down to (Tmf) 1.13s.SRS provided the school with a layout design detailing where the panels would be installed within the hall. The school chose a combination of Suspended Sonata Vario panels and bonded Sonata Aurio panels and SRS were able to despatch their installation team within 2 weeks to fit the absorbers.Client feedback“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for the acoustic panels we had fitted. The whole process was great - from making initial contact with you, site survey, and fitting. You were always so helpful and knowledgeable when I contacted you. The wonderful man who came to fit the panels was just lovely! Really professional, friendly and had a high standard and a high quality of fitting.“The impact of the panels has been simply fantastic! What a difference!!! Lunchtimes are now completely different, assemblies are better and PE lessons are calmer. I have been recommending your company to everyone and playing them my ‘before and after’ videos that I made! Thank you again.”Head of Thackley Primary School, Annette Patterson.Products usedSuspended Sonata Vario panels Sonata Aurio panels

The StoSilent Distance system and StoDecosit interior plaster now provide a practical and comfortable acoustic environment for the new 25-metre, 8-lane pool at the University of Portsmouth’s £57M Ravelin Sports Centre.

Studley Castle is an exquisite hotel with over 180 years of history in the heart of rural Warwickshire. Built in 1834 in the Gothic Revival style, this project aimed to maintain a modern outlook. A renovation of the castle was carried out, costing £50 million; this 4,200m² restoration development is now a luxurious 200-room hotel castle blending the modern with the original ancient facades.Cellecta ScreedBoard 28 was specified by PWP Architects in this luxury refurbishment to improve upon its existing acoustic properties. It's high density, and unique resilient layer provides unrivalled acoustic performance, typically 5dB better than legislative requirements.Rob Gould was awarded the contract to maintain and convert the iconic castle in Studley.

Kings Road is a combination of luxury residential apartments and commercial facilities situated in central Brentwood. With a combined size of 990m², these 15, one and two bed apartments have good transport links, with proximity to Brentwood’s Mainline Railway Station to London Liverpool Street. The arrangement of windows on the building partners with the adjacent buildings, creating a strong presence in the street scene.Cellecta ScreedBoard 28 was specified by Arcady Architects Ltd in this project for all the apartments. ScreedBoard 28 is an award-winning composite acoustic overlay treatment; it’s high density and unique resilient layer provide unrivalled acoustic performance, typically 5dB better than legislative requirements.Horizon Construction was awarded the contract to construct these modern apartments.

The ModernGlide MG100 Top Hung Double Point Movable Acoustic Wall provides seamless room dividing options and is ideal for separating meeting room space.Movable Walls Key Facts & Specifications:Acoustic reduction from 37dB to 58dBTop-hung with no floor trackFixing to beam on concrete soffitPanel widths of 650mm to 1250mmHeight up to 12000mmFull height or inset pass door optionsSemi-electric top and bottom seal optionsVersatile stacking via double point suspensionFinishes include melamine, laminate, veneer and magnetic wipe boardIntegral glazing options30 minute and 1 hour fire rating options

High performing acoustic underlay was selectedfor use below a 20mm engineered wood flooras part of a flooring refurbishment project in aprivate home. The SS400 was loose laid to the subfloor with the 20mmengineered wood flooring floated above. The tongue andgroove joints were bonded with PVA adhesive.Other points to include:• SS400 manufactured using recycled rubber crumb, so extremely environmentally friendly.• Durable - provides long lasting performance and will not deteriorate or collapse over time.• SS400 is a high performing acoustic underlay, ideally suited for use with wood flooring and laminates, providing excellent impact performance in excess of the UK buildingregulations.• Hygienic – naturally antimicrobial, anti-allergy and resistant to decay with low VOCs.Benefits of Soundsure 400• Exceeds the performance standards required in the UK Building Regulations for sound insulation• Suitable for use with underfloor heating systems• Manufactured using recycled materials and fully recyclable• Recycled rubber crumb ensures long-lasting acoustic performance• Cushioned underlay to provide underfoot comfort• Rubber crumb provides superb stability, performance and durability• Will not deteriorate or collapse over time.• Reduces subfloor preparation times as screed or smoothing compounds are not required• Green Label Plus accredited

Nearly forty years after the lights were switched off at Battersea Power Station, a decommissioned Grade II listed coal-fired power station, located on the south bank of the River Thames, this much loved London landmark recently re-opened to the public following a transformational eight-year restorationApple Inc. will be leasing approximately 500,000 sq ft. across 6 floors of the central Boiler House and plans to move all of its 1,400 London employees to the new venue. This will make Apple by far the largest tenant at Battersea Power Station.221m² of Stravifloor Channel, a resilient high-performance floating floor based on floor channels containing steel springs as resilient supports was installed to decouple the acoustically critical listening, screening and control room spaces at Battersea Power Station.The added insulation material between the channels contributes to the acoustic optimization of the spaces by preventing the so-called standing wave effect to take place within the air void.During the installation of the acoustic floating floor, careful attention was paid to the many service penetrations as improper installation would most certainly lead to rigid connection which in turn affect the system’s performance.

The large sports hall in the new £22.5million Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre offers considerable functionality thanks to a Dorma Hüppe Variflex moveable wall installed by partitioning experts, Style. Featuring semi-automatic operation with an impressive 59dB acoustic barrier between divided areas, the wall allows the hall to be quickly separated into two dance and fitness studios or opened-up to accommodate activities requiring the entire area.Ensuring a long-term return on investment, the Variflex panels are manufactured separately from the frame, allowing individual ones to be easily changed if they become damaged. This represents a highly cost-effective solution, compared to having the entire moveable wall replaced, and is an essential feature for a busy facility like this where a wide variety of sports are being enjoyed.A partnership between North-West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) and Everyone Active, the new leisure centre boasts a competition-sized swimming pool, learner pool, gym, spin and dance studios, squash courts, a climbing wall, café and spa facilities as well as the eight-court sports hall. Working with architect, GT3 and contractor, Metnor Construction, Style advised installing the Dorma Variflex moveable wall, effectively increasing the useability of the sports hall, allowing the space to be rapidly adapted to meet the varied demands of exercise classes and different sporting groups.Finished in a contemporary pearly grey laminate, the Variflex benefits from semi-automatic operation which means, once the wall has been moved into position, the acoustic seals are applied to the perfect pressure every time without the need for manual intervention.“For dance and fitness studios, it’s critical to have a high quality moveable wall with a top-end acoustic rating,” said Steve Williams, sales director for Style Midlands.“Without this, you suffer competing music and instruction from the classes taking place either side which becomes a real interference and spoils the quality of teaching.“With the 59dB acoustic wall, you are very close to a sound-proofed solution. If music is playing on one side as the wall closes, it’s incredible to witness the noise disappearing as the semi-automatic acoustic seals move into position.

Like a lot of homeowners, William Oakley had an under-utilised part of his house. In his case an old outbuilding that had been used for storing the accumulation of life’s odds and ends. Lockdown saw high growth in repurposing previously neglected parts of people’s homes to better suit their lifestyle and leisure choices. William decided a new soundproof cinema room would be a far better use of this space, giving his family a much-needed entertainment area.This is the space William Started withWilliam engaged Cinema Rooms Ltd, a specialist AV equipment supplier and One Off Studio Ltd who specialise in the build and installation of Home Cinemas and Studios.Due to the proximity of the proposed soundproof cinema room to neighbouring properties, it was decided to investigate what acoustic treatments were available. Without adequate acoustic insulation, William’s neighbours may have been subjected to significant noise pollution resulting in potential neighbourhood disputes.Following a quick online search, William found iKoustic, a leading UK supplier of acoustic solutions. Discussing the available options with William and his installation team, iKoustic’s experts were able to advise on the most appropriate system to meet his needs. This included MuteClip, MuteCradle and Tecsound SY70, the quick and easily installed acoustic system providing market-leading acoustic benefits.iKoustic acoustic expert Richard Woodhouse explained, ‘Finding the right solution was imperative for all parties. The system we proposed using MuteClip, MuteCradle and Tecsound SY70 was a cost-effective solution to a complex but often seen problem. The impact of unwanted noise is such an emotive issue in noisy neighbours’ scenarios often resulting in easily avoided disputes if the right materials are included in the project from the outset. iKoustic take pride in sharing our knowledge with installers and end users to ensure the job is right the first time, saving expensive and intrusive remedial work.’Maciek Helfer of One-Off Studio commented, ‘This is the first time I’ve worked with the MuteClip and MuteChannel acoustic system. It was so quick and easy to install. I also found it very useful I could FaceTime Richard at iKoustic with any installation queries when building the soundproof cinema room’. Simon Gregory of Cinema Rooms enthusiastically added, ‘We only work with the highest specification brands and products to bring customers the best Home Cinema experience. The iKoustic team’s expertise and products fall into this category and we’ll definitely be using them again.’William’s soundproof cinema room is now fully operational and thanks to iKoustic his family can enjoy the latest blockbusters in glorious surround sound late into the evening, while his neighbours enjoy a peaceful night safe in the knowledge the biggest Hollywood stars will only be joining William. William commented, ‘We finally got to test out the soundproofing for the first time today with some serious SPL! The system has worked beautifully, barely a whisper outside. Fantastic job iKoustic!’https://www.ikoustic.co.uk/systems/floating-floors-and-under-screed/mutecradle-1630mm-concreteMuteCradle 16/30 was used to create a raised floor with the added benefit that the cradle and packers also allow accommodation of unevenness within the subfloor.The raised floor not only improves acoustic performance but allows servicing to be run through the floor void. Ideal for a soundproof cinema room.Wallshttps://www.ikoustic.co.uk/systems/masonry-wall/muteclip-stud-doubleMuteClip® Stud Double consists of an independent stud frame treated around the perimeter with Isolation Strip F5, MuteClip and MuteChannel are installed to the face of the stud. A double layer of 15mm acoustic board with Tecsound SY70 sandwiched between the two boards is then installed to MuteClip Channels.The system not only adds significant mass to the partition, but the layers of mass are decoupled from the structure by MuteClip. MuteClip is, in effect, a shock absorber – creating a ‘buffer’ between layers of mass and the core construction.The depth of the wall system also allows for servicing to run through the wall cavity of the soundproof cinema room.Ceilinghttps://www.ikoustic.co.uk/systems/timber-ceiling/muteclip-lp-doubleAs the ceiling height was restricted initially and further reduced by specifying a floating floor, MuteClip® LP (Low Profile) was used to minimise further loss in height.MuteClip LP again is a mini-shock absorber that decouples layers of mass from the core construction.With MuteClip LP you recess the clip and most of the channel into the joist cavity with channels running parallel to joists, this leaves just a few mm of channel sitting proud of the bottom of the joists – an acoustic benefit of MuteClip but with little encroachment on head height. This works great in a soundproof cinema room.If you are looking to build a soundproof cinema room you can contact ikoustic and our friendly team will guide you with everything you need to know to get started. Contact us today.

For this new build extension of the existing school, DYNAMIK worked alongside Bowmer & Kirkland and the architects Bond Bryan to install an area elastic sprung floor system along with acoustic walling in their new Sports Hall.

Col.legi Montserrat in Barcelona is one of the most innovative schools in Spain. The school has departed from the traditional system of silence and listening to explanations and encouraging discussions. The means? Acoustic quality and low frequency absorption.