Month: March 2015

Wind Turbine Noise Pollution Study

Metropolitan Insulation are only too aware of the problems facing people living next to wind turbine farms in the UK at the moment. These farms seem to be popping up everywhere and more and more of them are coming inland and impacting on our countryside.

Whilst there are many environmental advantages for Wind Farms and there are plentiful arguments for and against their continued development, it cannot be denied that there are concerns when it comes to the noise pollution that comes from these wind turbines.

This is why the recent news that the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is commissioning a study to look into the acoustics of wind turbines known as Amplitude Modulation (AM) is very welcome indeed. It is hoping to define a threshold for an appropriate noise level produced by the turbines. The review is set to finish this Spring and will add to the current Good Practice Guidance and the AM working group available here.

The Institute of Acoustics (IOA) issued a statement from William Egan, Institute President in regards to the assessment of wind farm noise;

“In doing so, our aim is to enable members of the public to have a full understanding of our work in this field during the past few years, what we are currently engaged in doing and the area of our responsibilities. We draw particular attention within the statement to the fact that we as an Institute are not involved in the setting of noise limits, which we strongly believe is a matter for the Government to decide.”

The full statement can be read here.

If wind farm noise is affecting your living conditions or you have a concern about noise pollution caused by wind turbines in your area, Metropolitan insulation can provide guidance and solutions relevant to your situation. Please call us on 0800 028 4042 to talk to one of our friendly advisors.

Posted by admin in Building Trade, Soundproofing

Noise Management in the Planning System

Local Planning Authorities and professional advisors in the field of new planning and acoustic design, have asked for additional guidance on new changes in the planning system.

The Professional Guidance on Planning and Noise (ProPG: Planning & Noise) will aim to give good practice advise to the likes of Metropolitan Insulation so that we can ensure that we are up to date with the most recent changes in the law and on the ‘application of the land-use planning process to encourage good acoustic design.

This initiative is ran by a steering group of members made up from the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC), Institute of Acoustics (IOA) and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

You can read the full press release from the ProPG: Planning and Noise initiative here.

It is expected that the guidance will be published in early 2015. The concern amongst noise reduction practitioners is that the new policy objectives do not provide technical guidance. This has created confusion for developers and the concern that development may be refused planning consent and that the whole system will be slowed further at a time when new housing is such a high profile concern for the UK economy.

Posted by admin in Soundproofing