Why use an Acoustic Consultant for Sound Insulation Testing?
The Acoustic Consultant you employ to carry out your sound insulation testing should be a qualified member of The Institute of Acoustics, preferably MIOA status. This will ensure that you are engaging an individual or company, who have satisfied strict guidelines and knowledge requirements in acoustics. ACASITI (Acoustic Consultants Association of Sound Insulation Testers Ireland) require this level of professional qualification before membership is considered or accepted.
Note: The Institute of Acoustics does provide lesser grades of membership for persons with lesser acoustic knowledge and experience such as technician level. BUT that would not suggest they are qualified as Acoustic Consultants.
An Acoustic Consultant (specialised in Architectural & Building Acoustics) has not been trained on a limited crash course on how to carry out a sound insulation test. BUT has the experience and knowledge of acoustical matters to be able to, (through their substantial knowledge of relevant acoustics)
- assist with the design process,
- carry out prediction of sound reduction,
- assess the surrounding structure which may affect the sound test results,
- carry out the sound testing and diagnose any arising issues.
This level of service simply cannot be supplied by individuals calling themselves Engineers having carried out a short course in sound insulation testing of walls and floors.
Before you employ an individual or company to carry out your sound insulation testing requirements you should satisfy yourself of the following;
TGD Section E 2014 suggests-
A1 Extract “Sound insulation testing should be carried out by a competent person, possessing sufficient training, experience and knowledge in the measurement of sound insulation in buildings 5”
“5 Sound insulation tests carried out by a person certified by an independent third party to carry out this work offers a way of ensuring that such certification can be relied upon”
- Is my Sound Tester Competent & how Competent? Acoustic Consultant or Short course??
- How much training and experience have they got? Short Course or many years of experience with professional qualifications in the field?
- How much knowledge does my Sound Insulation Testing person actually have? will their professional qualifications stand up under scrutiny?
- Is cheaper better? for many years the building industry has suffered the mistakes for cheaper? Quality requires investment!
- Is my Sound Insulation Testing Person or Company suitably insured to offer advice? Do they have suitable Professional Indemnity Insurance?
Certifiers must particularly pay detailed attention to the above! The insurances of the Final Certifier are legally exposed and therefore, the Final Certifier should make every effort to ensure they are obtaining the highest possible standards of competency and professionalism which can only be achieved, by using a suitably qualified acoustic consultant to carry out your sound insulation testing requirements, as per Building Regulations TGD Section E 2014.
For more information on Sound Insulation Testing Services and General Acoustic Consultancy see also Dalton Acoustics Ltd.
