Acoustifence

As any landscape professional already knows, installing trees and vegetation on a berm between roadway traffic and residences may be aesthetically pleasing, but these elements are not effective noise control barriers. Acoustiblok Inc., a world leader in noise abatement for both inside and outside installations, has announced the release of Acoustifence, a revolutionary new defense against outdoor noise pollution.

The fact is, foliage or trees on earth berms can actually increase noise. Since sound is dispersed in much the same way as light, it will penetrate and reflect off the foliage in all directions, including that side of the berm that is meant to be peaceful and quiet. Although the higher the berm, the better the sound deflection, it is far more affordable and more practical to increase the berm height by installing  Acoustifence than it is to add fill to the berm.

Adding a six-foot high Acoustifence to the berm not only drastically increases the berm’s blocking protection, it eliminates the real problem of the sound reflecting off the foliage and into those outdoor spaces that are meant to be serene.  Limp and heavy, Acoustifence is a proprietary formula, heavy mineral filled, viscoelastic polymer which is easily cut with a utility knife.  Acoustifence produces far less noise reflection than solid barriers. While other materials attempt to “block” or “absorb” sound, Acoustiblok does neither. As the heavy, limp Acoustifence material vibrates when sound waves hit it, it actually transforms the acoustical energy into inaudible friction energy in a process sometimes referred to as “isothermal adiabatic”

The all-weather Acoustifence can be hung from any substantial structure, such as a chain link or wood fence, or from a pipe frame structure.

A simple and economical noise abatement solution for both residential and industrial usage, Acoustifence is a 1/8-inch (3mm) thick material measuring 6-feet (1.82 meters) high by 30-feet (9.14 meters) long with black anodized brass eyelets along the top and bottom edge for easy attachment to any chain link fence or other framework with the 70, 125-lb. heavy duty nylon ties included with each roll.  Easily installed or removed in less than one hour, entirely impervious to mold, mildew, and UV, Acoustifence is virtually indestructible.

Based on the same soundproofing material developed by the Acoustiblok Corporation for indoor noise abatement, Acoustifence is a proprietary formula of the Acoustiblok® Corporation, developed and refined over an eight year period for various applications. Acoustiblok is recognized and sold world-wide, earning product awards from the British House of Commons, as well as industry publications including Builder News Magazine.

Acoustifence has proven performance in highway environments, construction sites, offshore oil rigs and waste-to-energy plants.  One can accommodate any height fence or structure by simply overlapping the Acoustifence sections.

At a construction site, it can be attached to scaffolding or the building structure itself.

To store, the Acoustifence sections simply roll up like carpet into less than a 12-inch diameter.

Independent lab tests of the Acoustifence material shows a sound transmission classification (STC) of 28, which represents to the human ear an approximately 85-percent reduction in sound.  However, results will vary greatly relative to surrounding sound-reflective objects such as buildings, structures or trees and the amount of Acoustifence installed.

Acoustifence is a real boon to landscape architects, who already know they can not rely on foliage to block noise. Additionally, it is a totally paintable, 100-percent recyclable, environmentally friendly answer to the problem of outdoor noise pollution.

Acoustifence has already proven its value to Celine Chick, owner of the Park Restaurant in Dallas, Texas. Facing potential legal troubles over ambient noise affecting neighbors next to her restaurant, Chick chose to install Acoustifence to the outside perimeter of her property. The results were even better than expected.

“I had complaints from neighbors about the noise coming from our outdoor patio, and we purchased three Acoustifence panels to block out the music and the noise in general,” Chick said. “The neighbors are much happier now, and we can keep our customers happy with music outdoors.

“Acoustifence is definitely something we would recommend to residential customers as well as commercial customers.”

Easily hidden and requiring minimal disruption to plants, Acoustiblok President Lahnie Johnson believes Acoustifence has great potential for landscaping projects.

“This very simple, economical sound abatement product will be extremely popular in new and existing landscape settings thanks to its uncomplicated ability to reduce unpleasant exterior noise. It allows a better quality of life for those living on the side of a highway or other invasive noise source,” he said. “After all, our mission is quieting the world.”TRUCK DRAWING (2)

(For those seeking the ultimate in outdoor noise reduction, Acoustiblok also manufactures the “All Weather Outdoor Sound Panels®”.)

Welcome to Acoustiblok’s Blog

Welcome to Acoustiblok’s blog. We’re here to share information on sound abatement, sound proofing and noise pollution issues both indoors and outdoors. We have solutions for noise in any setting: residential, business and industrial. We also have noise solutions for construction sites, landscaping sites and a myriad of other sources of outdoor noise. We want to hear from you. Please, ask us questions or tell us about your experiences with noise intrusion. We’re looking forward to helping you quiet your world.

Environmentally Friendly Acoustiblok

Acoustiblok® is a proprietary viscoelastic polymer material with a high density mineral content, heavy and yet extremely flexible. As sound waves cause the Acoustiblok material to flex, internal friction occurs and the acoustical energy is dissipated into undetectable trace amounts of heat. Just one, 1/8-inchh layer of Acoustiblok in a standard wall will result in more sound reduction than 12 inches of poured concrete. (Certified lab results are available.) Environmentally friendly, Acoustiblok contains no lead or asbestos, is UV resistant and impervious to water and mold; it is UL rated and classified for virtually all wall, floor and ceiling installations. Easily cut with a utility knife, Acoustiblok requires no special tools or preparation, and can be installed anytime before drywall or floorcovering. Available internationally, Acoustiblok was awarded 1st Place in England’s Sound Abatement Competition, presented at the British House of Commons.

For more information about AcousticBlok® products, call (813) 980-1400 or e-mail sales@acoustiblok.com.

Mass Transit Light rail Noise

With cities growing exponentially and energy costs rising, the need for mass transit light rail has become more than apparent. Unfortunately, where it’s needed most is in congested communities and suburbs. Needless to say, the noise of light rail has become a serious issue. In virtually all cases the rail noise exceeds local noise ordinances and as such has pitted the need to move masses of people against the rights of residences and businesses close to the rails.

The public has become increasingly aware of the health effects of consistent noise pollution. The links between noise and stress are now very apparent to the medical field. Based on his own studies of health-related claims, Lewis Hagler, M.D. of San Francisco has determined that 4,000 people in California alone die prematurely each year due to noise pollution.

In many cases, noise has become a significant issue in expanding the desperately needed mass transit systems.

Fortunately there now seems to be a solution to much of the rail noise problems. The Acoustiblok Corporation in Tampa, Florida has been adapting their “All Weather Sound Panel,” originally developed for noise control on offshore oil rig platforms, to be used in not only blocking the rail noise, but also absorbing it.

The panels are unique in many respects. Unlike a wall that might be erected next to the rail which reflects the sound back to the side of the car, which in turn reflects on the side of the car over the wall and back into the community, the “All Weather Sound Panels” not only block the sound but absorb virtually all sound, allowing no reflections. If noise is not absorbed into material, it will continue to reflect off of all hard surfaces. The Acoustiblok Corporation claims the patent pending “All Weather Sound Panel” has the highest noise absorption classification possible (NRC 1.00) and is entirely environmentally sustainable even in load tests results withstanding 270-mile-per-hour winds.

The panels come in various sizes, from 4-foot x 8-foot x 12-foot and larger, and are approximately 2½ -inch thick all-welded aluminum. One of the other unique factors of the panel is the layer of a unique material known as Acoustiblok on the inside of the panel. This unique material does not block or stop sound but actually transforms the sound wave into inaudible friction energy as it vibrates from the sound. As such, the Acoustiblok material has, pound-for-pound, the identical sound reduction of lead, long used as the best sound-stopping material before an environmental impact was realized.

Several cities are already successfully using the All Weather Sound Panels, including Washington, DC which has had them in certain areas for more than four years. In Atlanta, Georgia MARTA – their light rail mass transit system – has recently approved the installation of the All Weather Sound Panel in their continuing effort to reduce their noise impact on the community and reduce the stress causing noise in their stations.

Lahnie Johnson, president of Acoustiblok states that “Noise is a serious detriment to stress in our life, not only in business productivity but also in our personal relationships with others. We should all take notice of how much noise we subject ourselves to. The “All Weather Sound Panel” we have developed is adaptable to literally thousands of noise issues.”

Health risks of noise

Any sudden loud noise triggers our natural fight-or-flight response; the heart pumps harder, blood pressure rises, and the body releases cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones.) It is the inability to predict the sound that will bring on this response, which is why your body does not react similarly when you perform actions that cause loud noise, such as running the vacuum cleaner or revving your car engine. This unexpected and repeated triggering of the fight-or-flight reflex can take a toll on your health and well-being.

Our ancestors used the fight-or-flight instinct to survive; today, it actually has the opposite effect, causing higher rates of anxiety and cardiovascular stress. Researchers have made a direct connection between unwanted ambient noise and increased blood pressure. The higher the noise level, in fact, the higher the risk of hypertension, which is a major cause of heart disease. Studies of the effects of noise on health has researchers estimating that three percent of all fatal heart attacks can be attributed to stress induced by excessive environmental noise.

There are options for reducing the levels of ambient noise from your daily life. Whenever possible, installing sound proofing material like Acoustiblok (http://www.acoustiblok.com) in new construction and retrofits reduces the effects of ambient noise by up to 70-percent or more. UL-approved Acoustiblok can reduce more sound than 12-inches of concrete.

Noise reducing headphones or ear plugs are quick fixes for blocking unwelcome sound. It is important to take steps toward correcting noise problems in our own environments, whether it means closing windows, replacing noisy appliances or even moving away from noisy train or airport vicinities. As scientists reveal more findings regarding the effects of noise on health, more people are becoming proactive in their own personal zen levels by taking steps to quiet their world.

Unwanted sound…

Noise is defined simply as unwanted sound. Noise is perceived differently by every individual. A noise that is irritating to one person may be tolerable to another.

The smallest change in noise level that can be detected by the human ear is
about 3 decibel.

A 10 decibel increase will cause the noise to be perceived as sounding
twice as loud to the average listener.

Controlling Noise Pollution

(Excerpted from an article by By Neil Valentine D’Silva)

Sound that is undesirable for human hearing is called as noise. When there is a lot of noise in the environment, it constitutes what is known as noise pollution. Noise pollution can be caused due to various sources – there is street noise, traffic noise, noise in public transport places, noise in playgrounds and parks, noise in the shopping malls, noise in workplaces… the list is endless. One of the greatest sources of noise pollution is the airports, and anyone staying close to an airport will attest to that.

Sources of Noise Pollution

Sound is measured in a unit known as decibel. Though there is no fixed particular decibel limit to decide when sound becomes noise, it is understood that a continuously high decibel limit will constitute noise pollution. Some areas do designate their own sound limits, which of course vary from one legislation to another. In the United States, most states have a sound limit of 65 dB in the daytime and 55 dB in the nighttime, applicable to the streets. Anyone crossing this limit would be causing noise pollution.

However, all these designated sound limits are too ambiguous, because most appliances we use in factories as well in the household go much beyond the prescribed limits. The following are some of the sources of noise pollution that we are quite familiar with, but generally ignore:-

* Appliances in the home such as mixer grinders, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, etc. together cause a cumulative sound of about 87 dB. This itself is above the sound limits in most areas. On top of that, if loudspeakers, television sets and music systems are used with high volumes, then we can well imagine how much noise pollution is being created.
* Small factories using single unit machines would cause a sound of about 98 dB and above. The sound will definitely go higher as the number of machines increase.
* Airplanes cause the highest sound among all – 150 dB. But road vehicles are also great contributors of noise pollution. These vehicles include the trucks, buses, tractors, SUVs and even motorcycles and most cars.
* Then there are lots of environmental sources of noise pollution that cannot be ignored. Continuous noises are the most distressing. Noise coming from sources such as dripping taps and ticking of clocks can contribute to environmental noise pollution.

Effects of Noise Pollution on Health

Noise pollution can take a severe toll on human health in the long run. These effects will not become apparent immediately, but there could be repercussions later on. The following is a list of the kinds of effects noise pollution will have on human health after continuous exposure for months, and even years:-

* The most immediate effect is a deterioration of mental health. As an example, people who are living too close to airports will probably be quite jumpy. Continuous noise can create panic episodes in a person and can even increase frustration levels. Also, noise pollution is a big deterrent in focusing the mind to a particular task. Over time, the mind may just lose its capacity to concentrate on things.
* Another immediate effect of noise pollution is a deterioration of the ability to hear things clearly. Even on a short-term basis, noise pollution can cause temporary deafness. But if the noise pollution continues for a long period of time, there’s a danger that the person might go stone deaf.
* Noise pollution also takes a toll on the heart. It is observed that the rate at which heart pumps blood increases when there is a constant stimulus of noise pollution. This could lead to side-effects like elevated heartbeat frequencies, palpitations, breathlessness and the like, which may even culminate into seizures.
* Noise pollution can cause dilation in the pupils of the eye, which could interfere in ocular health in the later stages of life.
* Noise pollution is known to increase digestive spasms. This could be the precursor of chronic gastrointestinal problems.

Controlling Noise Pollution

Governments are making their efforts for controlling noise pollution, but we must appreciate the difficulty of the task. Unless and until we take care of ourselves, the problems of noise pollution will always loom large. Here are some ways in which we can make individual efforts at reducing noise pollution for ourselves and for others:-

* We must constantly check up on the appliances we use at home. Most of them have rubber insulation that act for sound proofing. But over time, this insulation may wear out, and that is when the noise pollution will begin. Keep track of which appliances need maintenance, and replace insulation if needed.
* Growing trees is a very significant way in which roadside noise can be curtailed. Trees act as buffers for absorbing the sound that is produced on the streets and hence reduce noise pollution. That is the reason why roads with trees on both sides seem to be more silent and peaceful. Grow trees around your house if you can. It will protect you from the noise on the streets. This will also help if you stay close to an airport.
* Do not honk horns in your vehicles unless it is absolutely necessary. We all know how easily traffic sound limits are trespassed when there is a traffic jam. We might be desperate to get through, but honking horns will not solve any issues. It will only add to the noise pollution.
* If you are working in a factory that has a lot of noise issues, make it a point to wear earplugs and muffs. If you are the owner of the factory, provide these things to your workers.

21st Century Noise Pollution

Did you know:

Twenty-first century noise pollution has evolved significantly from the clamor our forebears contended with in past centuries. Before there was vehicular traffic, jack-hammers, aircraft, and teenagers with radios, human hearing concerned itself with those sounds in nature that defined survival: the peal of thunderstorms, the vocalized threats of carnivorous beasts, and other naturally occurring environmental hubbub. Thus evolved the “fight or flight” response to noise, which today translates to noise-related stress.

Noise pollution is inescapable to all but those living in the most remote places on earth. From the moment you wake up in the morning to the moment you drift off to sleep at night, you are bombarded with ambient noise; alarm clocks, construction equipment, automobile horns, cell phones – the list is endless, as is the list of mental and physical challenges human-created noise can cause, including:

• elevated blood pressure
• hearing loss
• increased stress
• fatigue
• stomach ulcers
• vertigo
• headaches.
• sleep disturbance
• frustration
• speech problems
• muscle-motor movement disorders
• aggression
• anxiety
• withdrawal
• lost productivity