Accoustic Attenuation
introduction
Ercol is a privately owned furniture manufacturer employing about 350 people. Its new manufacturing facility in High Wycombe includes manufacturing and office space as well as a customer showroom. The site sits in a non-industrial estate location and has residential properties on three sides. Construction was completed in 2002.
description
As furniture manufacturing is a notoriously noisy process, a noise model of the building was developed. A reduction in noise was achieved following the advice of acoustic consultants:
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the entire roof and walls were constructed as noise absorbent panels
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the normally conspicuous, noisy, dust extraction plant is enclosed within the building fabric
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acoustic louvres were fixed over the space containing filter units
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a 160mm mineral wool insulation layer was used for external walls
Noise emissions from the factory were reduced to only 2.5% of a typical factory building.
project team
Ercol Holdings Ltd
Horden Cherry Lee Architects
High Wycombe District Council
further information
CABE case study: cabe.org.uk
SEEDA Sustainable Building Awards for the South East 2003