Noisy neighbours: how building sites are keeping quiet

One company with a strong focus on noise control in construction through research and technological innovation is Arup. Those sobering numbers on death and ill health are reported in the opening paragraph of its Noise and annoyance report about construction noise and its impact on people’s health. “Unwanted sounds from infrastructure, transport and building projects can … provoke stress, poor sleep, and health problems,” it states.

In the UK, government guidance does not identify specific limits for noise levels. “Instead, it encourages developers to control and reduce noise above a determined Significant Observed Adverse Effect Level (SOAEL) – above which negative health consequences are likely,” says the report.

Noise pollution is something the construction industry has been researching and developing new ways of trying to combat, through invention, technological advances, and face-to-face meetings with those that will be affected. But what defines ‘noise pollution’? One of the authors of the Arup report, Adam Thomas, senior consultant, acoustics, says it is termed as “unwanted sound, although there is a subjective element to noise itself. However, noise from construction sites, is probably going to be classified as noise to most people – an unwanted element in their lives.”

Arup’s research with the University of Salford in Manchester, outlined in the report, moves away from a blanket approach of noise assessment to investigating, what it calls ‘soundscape’, a term used to describe human perception of sound. It found a correlation between self-reported annoyance and an increased heart rate, that younger people appear more sensitive to noise, and that changes in skin conductivity occur with different soundscapes.

David Owen, associate director at Arup, says there is a requirement under the Control of Pollution Act to minimise noise and vibration by demonstrating best practical means. “Anybody making noise on a construction site, if they want to avoid nuisance claims or anything of that nature, they must always be minimising it as far as reasonably practical. This should start even before a company is on site,” says Owen.

He adds: “When you’re working on site, you ask what controls do you have, what are the processes, how do you do your piling, and what kind of methods do you use? Can you demolish using non-percussive methods? Can you cut sections of the building apart, then put it on to vehicles, take it off site, and demolish it elsewhere? These need to be considered, and form part of that best practical means justification.”

When the central London-based Rothschild Bank, was being constructed in its fourth iteration (completed in 2011), it had an acoustic barrier thrown around it using a scaffolding system called Layher, with a cladding system called Protect.

It works by using a lightweight aluminium frame in-filled with sheet steel or plastic webbing to create a complete ‘skin’ around a structure. The Layher website adds that “both internal and external protection is achieved, and additionally, sound absorbent matting can be fitted to minimise noise pollution.”

Encasing the whole development is being done for the Thames Tideway Tunnel East construction site; the 25km super sewer from east to west London is being built to transfer waste away from London’s River Thames and is set to be completed in 2025.

At one site where work is being carried out, Chambers Wharf in Bermondsey, a warehouse-type unit has been built over the entire construction site to minimise noise to residents. Plants, particularly ivy, were also grown on hoarding on one end, to minimise the impact of noise. “These are all things’ people are doing on site to try and improve these situations,” says Owen.

That also includes the increased use of prefabrication. “There is a lot more happening off-site,” says Owen. “Units are built somewhere, in a factory, put on a lorry, brought in large sections and the final assembly is done on site.” This means most of the construction noise is happening elsewhere.

But sometimes, it is the simple things that work, like communicating with those the noise affects. “It’s been shown time and again if you meet with someone, and explain what’s going on, tell them about the noise that will happen, then they are more reassured and they understand the process,” says Thomas.

“People have become accustomed to the quieter periods of lockdown,” says Ric Hampton, divisional director for acoustics and air quality at engineering consultancy Hydrock. “There are going to be more changes in the future as we move to electric vehicles that will redefine the background sound levels of urban environments. The lower the background sound, the more annoying other noise becomes.

It is also worth thinking beyond engineering solutions and considering human behaviour, says Hampton. “Noise pollution is the second-largest environmental cause of health problems according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and human beings are conditioned to respond to loud noises by releasing cortisol, the stress hormone.

“If we consider these factors as well, we can take a more holistic approach to the management of noise.”

And with construction companies around the world continually improving their noise control, whether that be through new technology, different ways of working or doing more of the noisy work off-site, the hope will be for a quieter, healthier future.

Don’t miss a single Modus article – sign up for the newsletter.