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
Is noise the most neglected green issue of our age? That’s the question John Stewart asks in “Why Noise Matters,” a book he co-authored with Arline L Bronzaft, Francis McManus, Nigel Rodgers, and Val Weedon. Episode 8 of Soundproofist is
Why a noise might seem louder than its decibel reading If you try to measure the decibel level of a noise and get unexpected results, you’re not alone. Your results might depend on your tools and settings. What do decibel
What’s Internoise? Internoise is an annual conference and exhibition of noise control engineering and (increasingly) the social and health aspects of noise. This year, the conference was held in Madrid, Spain. It also was the 50th anniversary of the Spanish
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
Noise issues generated a lot of buzz in in 2018 In chronological order, here’s a list of some notable articles on noise-related issues, in case you missed them. January 2018 Planetizen made a case with “Why We Need to Reduce
Neighborhoods have acoustical patterns When planners approve a new structure, it has to fit the zoning requirements for that neighborhood. Those requirements could include building height, lot depth, square footage, number of units, open space, parking, and trees. But rarely