Arline Bronzaft is a leading expert on noise. Her research on noise and its impact on the reading scores of New York City school students led to positive changes in the city. From acoustical modifications in the classroom to improvements
Good acoustics, great design We’ve all endured noise in an office, restaurant, or public space that gets amplified by “booming” room acoustics. Putting some sound-absorbing panels on the walls or ceiling can lower the reverb a notch or two. And
Got a noise issue? This toolkit can help. What noise problem are you trying to solve? Maybe you want to persuade a neighbor, influence a restaurant owner, advocate for policy change, or hire a mediator. This starter toolkit can help you
Ringing in your ears? In the US alone, about 50 million people have tinnitus, according to the American Tinnitus Association. Worldwide, about 360 million people have tinnitus, according to the Hearing Health Foundation. Some cases may be preventable if you
It’s never too late to start protecting your hearing. Have you ever been to a loud event and wished that you had ear protection? Now you have some convenient options. Today’s consumer earplugs — for example, Eargasm earplugs — offer
A noisy room: which solution do you need? It’s easy to get confused when you’re bothered by noise. Which solution do you need — sound absorption or soundproofing? You can often add sound absorption without any major construction. But it
Just say “no” to hollow walls Do you live in a home with hollow walls? A lot of homes built before the 1990s have no insulation in them at all. Most newer construction does include basic insulation. Contractors often use
Use the SoundPrint app for crowdsourcing quiet restaurants Greg Scott, founder of the SoundPrint app, lives in New York City. He created SoundPrint to keep track of quieter restaurant venues. Until he got the idea to create a crowdsourcing app
If you share walls, you probably share noise. If you get a lot of unwanted noise from your neighbors, they’re probably getting some of your noise, too. Ask if they’re bothered by anything and let them know what you hear,
What is STC? STC is the acronym for Sound Transmission Class. It measures how a material attenuates airborne noise. The STC is roughly equivalent to the decibels that get reduced by a barrier like a wall or a window. So,