Areas Of Expertise


Building and Architectural Acoustics

Sharps Redmore Partnership (SRP) offer extensive services and experience in the building and architectural acoustics, sectors. Experience extends over a very wide range of building types and projects, from large and significant developments to small specialist projects. Skills are broad from troubleshooting, to long term design development, noise surveys and testing, building audits and site inspections, witness testing, preparation of specifications and full acoustic commissioning.

Sharps Redmore Partnership has been accredited since 2006 as a laboratory for field testing of airborne and sound insulation test (UKAS No. 2809).

SRP has the expertise and experience to provide building acoustic services for the following typical building projects:

Academic institutions; from new university buildings, student residences to secondary schools and music and studio facilities, multi-disciplinary theatre spaces, community halls, nightclubs, arenas, large residential projects, hospitals, police and justice buildings.

The practice has specialist capabilities in relation to the construction of new, and renovation of existing studio/media spaces, major cinema developments and for the specific needs of the pharmaceutical industry.

SRP can also provide acoustic advice for new office developments for specific clients’ needs as well as speculative offices;

Mixed-use large scale developments (to ensure that acoustically incompatible uses can operate in close proximity). Airport terminal buildings and train stations, hotels and residential developments (including sound insulation testing and advice).


Environmental Noise and Planning

Within Sharps Redmore Partnership (SRP) there is a team of highly experienced consultants specialising in environmental noise projects.

SRP has considerable experience of noise assessment in the following business sectors:
  • Retail

    • SRP provides advice and support to the UK’s leading retailers.
    The advice includes the preparation of technical assessments in support of planning applications for:

    • New and replacement, as well as extensions to, retail stores
    • Variation of opening and delivery hours

    We have supported planning applications by:

    • Acting as expert witnesses at planning inquiries.
    • Preparing detailed environmental impact assessments including activity noise impacts from car parking, petrol filling station forecourts, servicing and fixed ventilation and refrigeration plant noise.
    • Negotiating with Local Planning Authorities.
    • Assessing the impact on residences where the development is mixed use.
    • Specifying noise mitigation schemes to reduce noise from activities associated with retail development including service yard noise management plans

    We utilise noise mapping software wherever this is appropriate including our in-house developed program which deals specifically with mechanical services noise to the neighbourhood.

    Clients include: Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Somerfield and Co-op

  • Residential

    • We have considerable expertise relating to the environmental impact of residential developments based on the requirements of PPG 24 and the preparation of environmental impact assessments.
    We have undertaken work in the following example areas:

    • Evaluation of development plans
    • PPG 24 studies and reporting
    • Providing expert witness statements at public inquiries

    Clients include: Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey PLC, Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes

  • Commercial and Leisure

    • We assist developers of commercial/leisure premises by undertaking baseline environmental noise and vibration measurements and preparing initial reports and guidance so that suitable (and where possible, alternative) environmental control measures can be costed.

    Clients include: Next Generation Clubs, Powerleague, Tussauds Group, McClaren

  • Industrial

    • We are able to assist manufacturers to develop schemes which will meet the strictly enforced planning requirements in terms of noise/vibration (often with regard to the guidance contained in British Standard 4142). This is always preferable to having to deal with Local Authority noise nuisance complaints after the factory is operational.

    We can help by:

    • Obtaining baseline noise and vibration levels early in the development phase
    • Determine site noise limits
    • Providing computerised predictions of noise from the proposed factory or new plant installations
    • Recommend strategies for noise reduction using the principle of best available noise control techniques
    • Liaise and negotiate with the Local Planning Authority and hold discussions with local residents

    Clients include: GlaxoSmithKline, Newsquest, Quinn Plastics

  • Distribution

    • Local Planning Authorities need to be satisfied that the noise impact of a distribution site can be controlled to meet stringent noise criteria, especially at night. This often requires a detailed noise assessment.

    Our involvement with this type of project includes the following:

    • Measurement of noise at similar sites so as to update and validate our extensive noise source data base
    • Preparing computer simulations of the noise generated by site vehicle movements
    • Assessing the noise of unloading and loading activities
    • Assessment of refrigeration and ventilation plant noise
    • Advice on the construction of the buildings to minimise noise breakout; the location and heights of acoustic screening and the operation of the site to minimise noise impacts
    • Liaison and negotiation with the Local Planning Authorities regarding operational matters, noise limits, other technical issues and suitable planning conditions
    • Preparation of planning reports, briefing notes for counsel and proofs of evidence
    • Advising on practical noise mitigation measures at the construction stage


    Clients include: Tesco, Palmer & Harvey McLane, ProLogis, Big Yellow, Somerfield

  • Construction

    • SRP has considerable experience in the assessment of construction activity noise and vibration.

    SRP can offer comprehensive construction noise and vibration monitoring services; including the development and implementation of monitoring strategies. SRP consultants have considerable experience in the preparation of (Control of Pollution Act, 1974) Section 61 prior consent applications for construction works for submission to local planning authorities.

    SRP has extensive experience (monitoring, preparation of section 61 applications and expert witness services) of the assessment of construction noise from local retail developments to large regional infrastructure projects.

    Clients include: BARR Construction, Pearce Group, John Sisk & Son, Kier Group

  • Transportation

    • SRP has developed considerable expertise in the transportation noise field including aircraft, road and railways.

    In particular our involvement with aircraft noise mapping using the Integrated Noise Model software commenced in 1992 and we have prepared many environmental noise impact assessments for regional and international airports in recent years. We are highly experienced in dealing with the following aspects of aircraft noise impact:

    • Computer modelling to prepare noise contours around airports
    • Assessment of the noise impact on the neighbouring community
    • Noise measurement and monitoring of aircraft activities at airports
    • Assessing the impact of and evaluating noise mitigation measures for aircraft maintenance operations
    • Preparation of environmental noise impact assessments, detailed reports and proofs of evidence for planning inquiries

    We have also been involved with many rail and road traffic projects and we have undertaken the following:

    • Modelling of noise contours and levels alongside roads and railways using SoundPlanTM in accordance with the Calculation of Road Traffic Noise
    • Measurements of road traffic noise
    • Assessments in terms of the Noise Insulation Regulations and PPG24
    • Development of noise reduction measures, together with options, in the design of new and altered highways
    • Vibration assessments of proposed buildings adjacent to railways
    • Preparation of proofs of evidence and reports dealing with road traffic noise

    Clients include: Dublin Airport, Farnborough Airport (TAG Aviation), A14 Haughley Bends (Highways Agency)

  • Expert Witness

    • SRP have provided a range of expert witness advice from Court of Appeal and High Court cases to Magistrate Court cases, local level public inquiries, informal hearings and written representation type appeals.

    Our expert witness services include attendance at conferences with Counsel and the preparation and production of Proofs of Evidence.

    Clients include: Tussauds Group, Tesco, Somerfield
In all projects the aim is to provide objective written or verbal advice that is straightforward to understand by the non technical persons.


Industrial Noise at Work

Sharps Redmore Partnerships's services include: full monitoring and assessment of factory, employee, noise exposures, in accordance with Noise at Work Regulations, machine noise output analysis and re-design, and individual claims of hearing loss from over-exposure to noise.

With increasing legislation from Europe in the area of machinery noise rating and workplace noise reduction, employers are under pressure to remain abreast of developments and to ensure employees are protected from foreseeable risks of harm.

Sharps Redmore Partnership is able to undertake the necessary work to relieve employers of much of the concern and administration of industrial and workplace noise surveys and to provide practical solutions and advice service. SRP's consultants have a background in the manufacturing industry and appreciate the view of both employers and employees, on safety and protection issues.


Mechanical Services

An important part of SRP's involvement in the building services sector is ensuring that the noise "climate" inside air conditioned buildings conforms to acceptable standards. Sharps Redmore Partnership's consultants have considerable experience in this area with particular expertise on the subject of ventilation noise covering fan and air regenerated noise sources. Most importantly this experience means that the SRP consultancy team can offer good, practical advice to the manufacturer or mechanical services contractor which it is believed is second to none. Most of this advice is based on previously successful problem-solving rather than the theoretical approach common elsewhere.

To assist with the prediction of ventilation noise control requirements, SRP has a large suite of noise control programs specifically designed to assess noise from all aspects of ventilation services. This software also has a built in data-base of attenuator insertion losses enabling SRP consultants to provide factual dimensions for the attenuators based on space and pressure drop constraints. SRP's advice usually takes the final form of insertion loss schedules which the mechanical services contractor can use as part of his tender documents, in order to obtain quotations for the supply of the attenuation equipment.

Our consultancy specialises in the provision of practical advice that will allow even the most difficult and complex of schemes to "work". In this respect, our expertise covers the selection of centrifugal and axial flow fans where SRP consultants are able to employ specialist knowledge to select quieter fans if all other measures fail to provide solutions. Our consultants are, also, knowledgeable about the noise aspects of constant and variable volume terminal boxes, the selection of grilles and diffusers, variable control dampers and duct design.

Our expertise has been used to assess and specify noise control requirements for a large number of retail and office developments as well as cinemas, live theatre auditoriums, hotels and production plants.


Vibration

The Sharps Redmore Partnership consultancy team has advised on the following vibration matters:
  • the assessment of ground-borne vibration from road and rail traffic, from blasting operations, and from construction and demolition
  • the determination of human response, and building damage, from ground-borne vibration
  • the design of buildings, and the isolation of equipment, within wafer (microchip) fabrication plants, and other high-tech industries;
  • the design of isolation systems for equipment within mechanical services plantrooms
  • analysis of vibration-white-finger
  • the design of accommodation modules on off-shore oil and gas rigs
  • the analysis of structure-borne noise and vibration problems within buildings
  • the design of systems for the isolation of dwellings and other premises near to rail lines




Sharps Redmore Partnership - Acoustic Consultants
 Address: The White House, London Road, Copdock, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3JH      Tel: 01473 730073     Fax: 01473 730030