Environmental Noise Mitigation
Methods to mitigate and control noise in the environment depend on the type of noise source and the severity of the noise levels. For
industrial noise sources, engineering and administrative controls are effective ways to reduce the sound. With the use of
noise modeling, noise consultants can specify maximum noise levels for individual pieces of equipment or design barriers and enclosures to block noise transmission paths.
The reduction of
transportation noise can be problematic due to the inability to mitigate noise at the source. For road traffic noise, barriers can be placed alongside the roadway to control noise at external areas. As a general rule of thumb, a roadway barrier will reduce traffic noise by approximately 1 decibel for every foot of height. For situations where the noise must be controlled at indoor locations, buildings can be designed to incorporate acoustically upgraded walls, windows and ventilation systems to reduce transmission into the building.
Music from bars and clubs can be particularly annoying to nearby residents due to its repetitive 'beating' nature; however, this is not the only noise source associated with these facilities. The noise made by patrons walking to and from bars is a common complaint of people living nearby. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the noise is typically made when during the evening and nighttime hours. Control of environmental noise produced by bars and clubs is often difficult when the building has not been designed to incorporate noise control measures from the start. Administrative controls such as placing limits on the hours of operation can be effective. Some clubs also place limiters on the audio feed to the speaker system so as to prevent the sound exceeding a pre-defined level. The best way to prevent noise problems caused by bars and clubs through an effective zoning policy whereby clubs are not permitted within a buffer zone around the residences.
Residential noise is usually controlled through enforcement of local noise ordinances in one of two ways:
The ordinance may prevent certain types of equipment from being used in residential areas or place limits on the hours of operation of the equipment
The ordinance may define noise limits that may not be exceeded at the residential property boundary.