Acoustic, Noise & Vibration Consultancy

Aval Consulting Group Ltd specialise in carrying out assessments, surveys, and providing reports within Environmental Noise and Building Insulation Testing. Our team keep you informed step-by-step from the very beginning, ensuring every aspect of the assessment complies with all existing legislative requirements and policies.

Support for Planning applications
Residential, commercial, and industrial development
Change of use of an existing development
Mitigation Statement for Discharge of Planning Conditions
Workplace Exposure Assessment to protect your employees’ health and wellbeing
Noise Management Plan
2D and 3D noise modelling

Our Consultancy Services

Our dedicated noise consultants bring extensive expertise in planning, environmental permitting, and occupational health-related noise impact assessment. We work across a variety of sectors including residential buildings, educational institutions, offices, kitchens, industrial developments, workshops and plants, and road transport. Working efficiently and quickly, our consultants are highly experienced in working to meet your requirements and deadlines, as well as specified planning conditions for a range of sites from small scale projects, to major, multi-purpose developments.

commercial kitchen extract noise survey

Our Approach

In order to set noise emissions criteria relative to the requirements of the Local Authority, it is first necessary to establish the prevailing background noise levels of the site and the surrounding area in accordance with the appropriate BS standards.
According to specific needs, a 24-hour, 1 hour or 15 min representative environmental noise survey is undertaken.
Noise Impact Predictions, Calculations and Assessments are made in consideration of the relevant BS standards.
Where required, Insulation and Noise Attenuating measures are implemented both inside and outside (accordingly). This ensures that all proposed developments abide to regulations within BS 8233:2014: “Guidance on sound insulation and noise reduction for buildings”.
Where required, we make an in-depth analysis of Building Acoustics Design. This includes airborne tests and noise impact testing. We ascertain that all your separating walls, floors, external walls, roofs etc. complies with Legislative Noise Requirements.
We ensure that all noise-generating mechanical plants and equipment are compliant with the permissible Noise levels.
During the construction or operational phase, a noise management plan may also be required. We provide all necessary guidance required to contain noise levels to a tolerable level and produce management plans to be formally agreed with the local authority.
Appropriate Mitigation Measures and Advisory Material are provided in all circumstances and we make sure that your proposed development abides to all legislative requirements.

We also provide Building Acoustics & Sound Insulation Testing. Please CLICK HERE for our Building Acoustics & Sound Insulation Testing Services for Planning and Development Sector.

Our Services are ISO certified and accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS):

Computer-based Environmental and Building Insulation Noise Modelling

We can simulate and predict the acoustic performance of your floors, external/separating walls, roof (rain noise) etc. Using the industry-standard INSUL Software Package, our consultants can evaluate new materials and systems or investigate the effects of changes to existing designs. Bespoke data can be entered for comparison and allow us to confidently advise on construction details in order to achieve the desired airborne and impact sound insulation.

Image Reference: INSUL Software Developed by INSUL, New Zealand

We also specialise in SoundPLAN noise simulation software – one of the leading tools for calculation, presentation, assessment and prediction of environmental noise. We can model the noise impact of an industrial plant, transportation, new and existing developments, background noise from urban activities etc.

Noise Simulation Map

Some of the noise modelling services we can assist you with are:

Evaluation and prediction of new constructions or existing constructions
Noise impact from existing urban activities
Environmental noise impact on new or existing development
Comparing measurements with predictions
Calculation from Outdoor to Indoor Transmission
Prediction of Impact Sound for lightweight floors
Wall & Ceiling Construction
Prediction of Rain Noise
Design cost-effective alternatives
Sound Insulation of Sandwich Panels
Trapezoidal Profiled Metal Panels
Porous Blankets and Facings

A Selection of our Noise Simulation Work for Planning Projects

Traffic-Related Noise Impact

Aval consulting Group Acoustic and Noise Assessment Services

Building Acoustic

Industrial/ Commercial Noise

Our Expertise

We specialise in noise measurements and management solutions that can be tailored to your specifications. The noise assessment process isn’t intrusive, lengthy or costly. Normally we would leave a noise meter over a specified period (typically a day) and a portable weather station, which would gather the necessary data automatically. We take into account other factors such as construction, setting and external variables. We could then provide a detailed report and advise how best to proceed.

Residential Scheme

Our team has considerable experience in assessing the suitability of residential schemes.

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Planning permissions require that noise needs to be considered for new residential developments to assess if they would be sensitive to the prevailing acoustic environment, typically from the road, rail, industrial or aeroplane noise. To ensure that the new residential development is suitable for habitation, the prevailing acoustic environment may need to be considered during the planning application.

Health and Safety (Workplace Noise Survey)

We carry out workplace noise exposure survey with Class 1 noise monitors to assess the noise exposure level within a workplace.

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The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 came into force throughout the UK in 2006. We would be pleased to assist you with your workplace survey requirement. Please get in touch with us using the contact details below and one of our project specialists will be very happy to discuss your project requirement.

Industrial Scheme

For industrial sites, we provide noise assessment for environmental permitting applications.

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We always use Class 1 noise monitor and state of the art noise modelling software for our detailed noise impact assessment. We understand a reliable noise survey and prediction methodology is fundamental to appropriately assess potential noise impact. We, therefore, work closely with our clients and regulators to agree on a site-specific methodology.

Commercial Schemes

Noise needs to be considered when new developments may create additional noise to the prevailing acoustic environment.

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Examples of commercial schemes include installation of refrigeration units, air conditioning units, air extraction units or the use of any machinery which generates noise. Typically, for commercial developments, the prevailing acoustic environment needs to be considered during the planning application, to ensure that the proposed development does not impact on the existing nearest noise-sensitive receptors.

Types of Project

We have successfully conducted noise monitoring and impact assessment for a range of planning applications. We follow the recommendations of the National Planning Policy Framework, WHO Guidelines for Community Noise, and appropriate British Standards and local authority planning guidance and strategy in conducting noise impact assessment. For impact on residential receptors, British Standard 8223: ‘Sound Insulation and Noise Reduction for Buildings/Code of Practice’ is applied. If the noise source is from industrial or commercial operations British Standard 4142: 2014 + A1:2019, ‘Methods for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound’ is applied. Typical examples of the type of assessment we can assist you with are provided below.

Kitchen extraction units and their impact on nearest sensitive receptors

For example, a new takeaway/restaurant/hotel installation of a new kitchen extractor, and a new chilling unit. Our noise impact assessment will assess the noise impact at the nearest noise sensitive receptors and recommend any necessary mitigation measures.

Educational Institution (Nursery to Secondary schools, college and university technical colleges (UTC)

An air quality assessment for a proposed development on a constrained and complex city-centre site in South Yorkshire. We also have experience of similar projects within London, Scunthorpe, Birmingham and Exeter.

Warehouse operations

Impact of the expansion of an existing warehouse and its impact on the noise levels at nearest sensitive receptors following BS:4142.

New residential housing development near a railway line

The noise assessment included noise monitoring to show the acoustic background noise and also the noise generated by passing train engines. Suitable noise mitigation measures recommended so that the noise levels in the bedrooms, living rooms and in the gardens are within the British Standards and WHO Guidance limits.

Some of the Relevant Assessment Standards

Pubs & Clubs: (Good Practice Guide for Control of Noise from Pubs & Clubs as published by the Institute of Acoustics (IOA)).
Health Sector Buildings: (HTM-08-01)
Occupational Noise Surveys: (L108 Controlling Noise at Work guidelines set down by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE))
Residential and mixed-use developments: (BS8223) (BS4142) (BS7445)
Construction and demolition projects: (BS5228), (Building Regulations (England and Wales), 2010)
Mineral extraction (BS Standards)
Road schemes (Transport) CRTN and (BS Standard)
Railway schemes (BS Standards)
Airports (BS Standards)
Industrial and commercial buildings: (BS 4142)
Wind turbines: (IOA Good Practice Guide on Turbines and BS Standards)
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems: (EMAQ, 2018)

Mineral Production Site

We have carried out a noise survey along with other environmental surveys for a mineral production site as part of clients’ requirement for planning, environmental permitting and environmental management plan.

Noise and vibration Impact Assessment for a new Launderette Planning Application

We carried out pre and post planning application noise monitoring survey and assessment to satisfy local authority with the planning requirement, and thus discharge the planning condition.

Development of residential housing units near traffic sources

The noise assessment included noise monitoring to show the acoustic background noise. Suitable noise mitigation measures recommended so that the noise levels in the bedrooms, living rooms and in the gardens are within the British Standards (BS:8223) and WHO Guidance limits.

Metal Industry Workplace Noise Impact Assessment

We carried out workplace noise survey for a large multinational metal processing industry, where, we advised on the noise mitigation measures required within a large workshop to comply with HSE requirement.

Complaint Investigation

We have carried out numerous survey for noise compliant investigation from sites such as pubs and other restaurants, construction and industrial sites.

New Care Home Development near a busy ‘A’ Road

We carried out appropriate background noise monitoring and impact assessment to identify the necessary mitigation measures required for residential uses. Our mitigation measures also included internal acoustic insulations to assist with the building design.

Waste recycling and processing units

Noise impact assessment of expansion or the development of new waste recycling and processing facilities. Noise monitoring was conduct to generate existing acoustic environment and facilitate prediction of noise levels at nearest sensitive receptors using appropriate noise modelling tools, application of suitable noise attenuation due to propagation over the ground, and distance attenuation. Noise impact assessment is conducted following British Standards BS:4142 and BS:8223.