2.12 Solar Shading and Acoustic Screening to Open Windows

‘Acoustic Scaled Models of Vented Facades’ is a technology which has been developed by MACH Acoustics. This technology enables the effects of acoustic screens attached directly to the facade of a building to be assessed. Scaled models are typically used to assess the acoustics of auditoriums during the design stages. For major concert halls, a scaled model of the auditorium is built such to assess its acoustic performance and characteristics. Scaled models are used due to their practical, accurate and cost effective nature. The same principles apply to the design of screened acoustic facades. MACH Acoustics has developed a method of assessing the acoustic resistance of screens attached directly to the facade of a building by means of scaled models.

The illustration below shows two design options where screened facades were proposed in order to add acoustic attenuation to a vented facade within an inner city office block. This method of noise control is simple, cost effective and provides the additional acoustic resistance such to prevent inner city noise being a nuisance within the office accommodation. Screened facades are also a good method of meeting the requirements set out by BREEAM. The drawback of this system is that these screens can only enhance the performance of an open-able window by around 5 to 7 dB, meaning that these facades can only be used when external noise levels are moderately high.