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Sound Solutions
Acoustical Consulting

 
P.O. Box 65962

Tucson, Arizona 85728

Phone: (520) 979-2213
info@ssacoustical.com


2850 E. Laurel St.
Mesa, Arizona 85213
 



Sound Solutions
Acoustical Consulting

P.O. Box 65962

Tucson, Arizona 85728

2850 E. Laurel St.
Mesa, Arizona 85213

Phone: (520) 979-2213

info@ssa
coustical.com






















Environmental Noise Regulations

A Guideline for Arizona Noise Regulations

Volume 1, Issue 3     Sound Solutions LLC


Environmental Noise Criteria
Arizona does not have a state noise regulation.  It is left to the Towns and Cities of Arizona to form their own noise regulation, however most communities in Arizona do not have well defined noise criteria.

The following presents a discussion of noise standards in other cities and states that can be used as a guideline for what is reasonable to accept.  A summary of the noise regulations is shown in Table 1.

Town of Gilbert, Arizona
The Town of Gilbert Noise Ordinance (Section 42-61) limits noise radiating to residential receivers to 55 dBA during daytime hours (5 AM to 10 PM) and 45 dBA during nighttime hours (10 PM to 5 AM).

City of Mesa, Arizona
The Mesa City Code (Section 6-12-5) limits noise to residences to a 24 hour Leq of 60 dBA.

City of Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Albuquerque General Noise regulation (9-9-12) states that it shall be unlawful to cause noise in excess of 50 dB(A), or 10 dB(A) above the ambient noise level, whichever is higher at any residential property line.

City of Salt Lake City, Utah
The Salt Lake City Health Regulations (#21 Section 9.1) limits noise radiating to residential property to 55 dBA during daytime hours (7 AM to 10 PM) and 50 dBA during nighttime hours (10 PM to 7 AM).

State of Colorado
The State of Colorado Statutes (Chapter 25, Article 12, Section 103 (1) and (2)) limit the noise radiating to a residential property to 55 dBA during daytime hours (7 AM to 7 PM) and 50 dBA during nighttime hours (7 PM to 7 AM).

State of Oregon
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) noise regulations (OAR 340-35-035) limit noise radiating to residences to an L50 (about the same as an Leq) of 55 dBA during daytime hours (7 AM to 10 PM) and 50 dBA during nighttime hours (10 PM to 7 AM).  In addition, new industrial and commercial operation cannot increase the existing ambient noise level by more than 10 dBA.  The Oregon DEQ (OAR 340-35-040) defines “Sports Facility Noise Impact Boundaries” as the DNL 55 dBA noise contour on the day of maximum projected use.

State of Massachusetts
The state of Massachusetts Air Pollution Control Regulation (310 CMR 7.10) states that a source of sound will be considered to be violating the Department's noise regulation if the source increases the sound level by more than 10 dBA above the existing ambient noise level.

State of Minnesota
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Noise Pollution Control Regulation (7030.0040) states that noise radiating to residential property is limited to an L50 (about the same as an Leq) of 60 dBA during daytime hours (7 AM to 10 PM) and 50 dBA during nighttime hours (10 PM to 7 AM)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD uses the day-night average sound level, abbreviated DNL, to evaluate external noise environments at a site.  A DNL of 65 dBA or less is considered acceptable.

Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) design guideline is used to determine when noise mitigation measures (such as noise walls) are appropriate to reduce the noise radiating from a highway to residences.  The ADOT policy defines an impact as peak hour traffic Leq noise level of 64 dBA or more and/or a 15 dBA increase.  Where noise impacts occur, mitigation must be considered.

Table 1:  Summary of Noise Criteria
Town of Gilbert, Arizona - Daytime 55 dBA, Nighttime 45 dBA
City of Mesa, Arizona - 24 hour Leq 60 dBA
City of Albuquerque, New Mexico - 50 dBA or increase of 10 dBA
City of Salt Lake City, Utah - Daytime 55 dBA, Nighttime 50 dBA
State of Colorado - Daytime 55 dBA, Nighttime 50 dBA
State of Oregon - Daytime 55 dBA, Nighttime 50 dBA
State of Massachusetts - Increase of 10 dBA
State of Minnesota - Daytime 60 dBA, Nighttime 50 dBA

Many of the regulations use different noise descriptors and different periods of time; however, some generalizations can be made.  For most of the noise regulations evaluated, daytime hours are between 7 AM and 10 PM and the noise level at residential receivers is limited to 55 dBA.  Nighttime hours are between 10 PM and 7 AM and the noise limit is 50 dBA.  In addition, an increase of no more than 10 dBA is generally considered reasonable.



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Home || Services || Types of Projects || Architectural Projects || Environmental Projects
Staff || Newsletter || Links || Acoustics Books || Contact Us || Site Map

Home || Services || Types of Projects || Architectural Projects || Environmental Projects
Staff || Newsletter || Links || Acoustics Books || Contact Us || Site Map

Sound Solutions – Acoustical Consulting

The professional staff of Sound Solutions LLC has extensive experience providing acoustical consulting services for environmental and industrial noise, room acoustics, sound and impact isolation, and mechanical system noise and vibration.

We would be happy to provide a proposal for any project that could use our services.  We can work on a lump sum or hourly basis.

The staff of Sound Solutions - Acoustical Consulting are capable of predicting, modeling, evaluating and measures reverberation time, sound transmission class, RC, NC (for mechanical noise), focusing, useful reflections, back wall reflections, echoes, environmental noise sources, statistical noise levels, impact insulation class, OSHA compliance, HUD criteria.

Sound Solutions - Acoustical Consulting is located in Tucson, Arizona but we work on projects throughout the southwest United States and northern Mexico including: Arizona, AZ, New Mexico, NM, Utah, UT, Las Vegas, Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Oro Valley, Yuma, Glendale, Mesa, Payson, Nogales, Douglas, Bisbee, El Paso, Las Cruces, Northern Mexico, Chihuahua, Hermosillo, Sonora, Agua Prieta, Mexico City, Mexico DF, Los Cabos, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Tijuana, Monterrey.

Key words: sound solutions acoustics acoustical consulting noise sound control measure measurement design decibel dB dBA dBC impulse noise impact noise architectural acoustics environmental acoustics vibration FSTC STC FIIC IIC RC NC Ldn Leq DNL acoustics sound acoustical consulting noise control sound control environmental acoustics architectural acoustics sound solutions acoustic design audio consulting acoustical engineering

Hablamos español
Ofresemos consejo acustica a arquitectos, ingenieros y goberno.
Ruido, retumbo

Services

Room Acoustics
•    Reverberation time
•    Speech intelligibility
•    Sound quality
•    Control of echoes, reflections, and focusing
•    Help select acoustical finishes
Typical projects include: religious facilities, classrooms/lecture halls, office spaces/conference rooms, theaters, broadcast studios, sports arenas

Sound and Impact Isolation
•    Evaluate sound and/or impact isolation based on construction designs
•    Measure sound and/or impact isolation
•    Make recommendations to provide acoustical privacy between occupied spaces or to control unwanted noise, such as from mechanical equipment or exterior sources
Typical projects include: multi-family housing, education facilities (K-12, colleges, universities), office spaces, hotels/resorts, hospitals, museums
 
Mechanical System Noise and Vibration Control
•    Evaluate and design for control of noise and vibration from mechanical equipment
•    Noise and vibration from fans, boilers, chillers, pumps, cooling towers, and piping are typically analyzed in order to meet noise guidelines
Unwanted noise and vibration from mechanical and plumbing systems can cause a problem in any noise sensitive space if not properly addressed

Environmental Noise
•    Ambient sound level surveys
•    Noise measurement, modeling and analysis for traffic, aircraft, commercial, industrial, construction, light and heavy rail, power plant, aggregate mining, and housing projects
•    Determine federal/state/local noise code compliance and community noise exposure
•    Recommend methods for reduction of noise impact
•    Detailed noise barrier or other noise mitigation design
•    Preparation of noise analysis reports for use in preparing environmental assessments
•    Public outreach programs for successful project implementation

Industrial Noise
•    In-plant occupational noise surveys (OSHA compliance)
•    Design hearing conservation programs
•    Recommend mitigation methods to reduce the noise and vibration from industrial equipment


Sound Solutions – Acoustical Consulting

The professional staff of Sound Solutions LLC has extensive experience providing acoustical consulting services for environmental and industrial noise, room acoustics, sound and impact isolation, and mechanical system noise and vibration.

We would be happy to provide a proposal for any project that could use our services.  We can work on a lump sum or hourly basis.

The staff of Sound Solutions - Acoustical Consulting are capable of predicting, modeling, evaluating and measures reverberation time, sound transmission class, RC, NC (for mechanical noise), focusing, useful reflections, back wall reflections, echoes, environmental noise sources, statistical noise levels, impact insulation class, OSHA compliance, HUD criteria.

Sound Solutions - Acoustical Consulting is located in Tucson, Arizona but we work on projects throughout the southwest United States and northern Mexico including: Arizona, AZ, New Mexico, NM, Utah, UT, Las Vegas, Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Oro Valley, Yuma, Glendale, Mesa, Payson, Nogales, Douglas, Bisbee, El Paso, Las Cruces, Northern Mexico, Chihuahua, Hermosillo, Sonora, Agua Prieta, Mexico City, Mexico DF, Los Cabos, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Tijuana, Monterrey.

Key words: sound solutions acoustics acoustical consulting noise sound control measure measurement design decibel dB dBA dBC impulse noise impact noise architectural acoustics environmental acoustics vibration FSTC STC FIIC IIC RC NC Ldn Leq DNL acoustics sound acoustical consulting noise control sound control environmental acoustics architectural acoustics sound solutions acoustic design audio consulting acoustical engineering

Hablamos español
Ofresemos consejo acustica a arquitectos, ingenieros y goberno.
Ruido, retumbo

Services

Room Acoustics
•    Reverberation time
•    Speech intelligibility
•    Sound quality
•    Control of echoes, reflections, and focusing
•    Help select acoustical finishes
Typical projects include: religious facilities, classrooms/lecture halls, office spaces/conference rooms, theaters, broadcast studios, sports arenas

Sound and Impact Isolation
•    Evaluate sound and/or impact isolation based on construction designs
•    Measure sound and/or impact isolation
•    Make recommendations to provide acoustical privacy between occupied spaces or to control unwanted noise, such as from mechanical equipment or exterior sources
Typical projects include: multi-family housing, education facilities (K-12, colleges, universities), office spaces, hotels/resorts, hospitals, museums
 
Mechanical System Noise and Vibration Control
•    Evaluate and design for control of noise and vibration from mechanical equipment
•    Noise and vibration from fans, boilers, chillers, pumps, cooling towers, and piping are typically analyzed in order to meet noise guidelines
Unwanted noise and vibration from mechanical and plumbing systems can cause a problem in any noise sensitive space if not properly addressed

Environmental Noise
•    Ambient sound level surveys
•    Noise measurement, modeling and analysis for traffic, aircraft, commercial, industrial, construction, light and heavy rail, power plant, aggregate mining, and housing projects
•    Determine federal/state/local noise code compliance and community noise exposure
•    Recommend methods for reduction of noise impact
•    Detailed noise barrier or other noise mitigation design
•    Preparation of noise analysis reports for use in preparing environmental assessments
•    Public outreach programs for successful project implementation

Industrial Noise
•    In-plant occupational noise surveys (OSHA compliance)
•    Design hearing conservation programs
•    Recommend mitigation methods to reduce the noise and vibration from industrial equipment