Blue Acoustics were recently instructed to advise on squash court acoustics treatment options at The Priory Club in Edgbaston.
The Priory Club has a rich history dating back to the birth of lawn tennis, and is home of the WTA Aegon Classic. The club provides a multitude of high quality facilities, including their squash court complex, which plays host to a number of high profile tournaments throughout the year.
It came to light that excessive reverberation was hampering communication between tournament officials situated in the gallery, and the players, and so we were instructed to carry out acoustic testing and provide a solution.
Reverb time measurements were taken in the courts themselves and it quickly became apparent that the cause of the excessive reverberation (over 4 seconds) was the volume of the space. The court walls were built as high as the ‘out line’ and above this, netting extending up to the roof. This open design allowed sound to reverberate freely around all 4 court spaces with little attenuation.
We advised that the side walls be extended to the ceiling to reduce reverberation and reduce the apparent source point of the players voices. However, appreciating that this would require major construction works and cost, we also provided a recommended treatment plan for the space as it was. For the treatment plan we adopted a realistic reverb target of 2 seconds and carried out the necessary calculations to estimate the ceiling coverage.
Sound absorption can be a costly game and as such, our approach is to provide the client with a range of mitigation measures, and their subsequent effect on the acoustic environment. This is all presented in tabular form which empowers the client with choice, with respect to overall improvement, budget, aesthetics and the law of diminishing returns.
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The team at Blue Acoustics has extensive experience across the full spectrum of noise related consultancy. All staff are trained to MSc level in Applied Acoustics and are members of the Institute of Acoustics, which is considered the industry gold standard for acoustics professionals.
We regularly service clients throughout the UK, in particular Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Devon and Somerset. We cover a range of disciplines such as Noise Surveys, Noise at Work Assessments, Industrial Noise Surveys, Residential Noise Surveys, Sound Insulation Testing, Hospital Acoustics, School Acoustics and Office Acoustics.
To book your initial consultation please call us on 0333 444 3403 or drop us an email at info@blueacoustics.co.uk.