Acoustic Design
We are the acoustic consultancy to the world’s most iconic buildings, working with architects and developers to design their signature sound.
Our acoustic engineers design, analyze and control sound to give voice to buildings and spaces. We consult with developers and architects on skyscrapers, hospitals, museums, restaurants, hotels, retail and residential buildings and every space that wants a signature sound, or no sound at all. We employ fundamental acoustic engineering principals to optimize the space for its intended purpose. Cerami helps the most iconic buildings in the world tell their stories. Often, our acoustic design group works side by side with our technology team to connect the invisible with the visible and to improve overall communications.
Cerami’s goal is to achieve a balance between the different factors of acoustical design. What varies, depending on the type of project, is which of these factors is most important to the design. By working with our clients to understand the intended use of the space, we are able to determine the driving factor. We can then provide an acoustical design that is consistent with the proposed use.
The most effective time to address the acoustical design for a project is in the initial design phases. During the schematic design, mechanical equipment rooms can be relocated, or the architectural shape of a room can be slightly readjusted, with minimal impact to the overall project cost. When acoustic consultants work as part of the project team from the initial design phase, solutions are easier and less costly to implement.
In a corporate environment, successful design means that an employee cannot understand the conversation in the office next door. Good acoustical design ensures speech privacy.
In a hospital, it means that the integrity of an MRI scan is not compromised because the floor trembles when a doctor walks through the halls. Good acoustical design reduces noise and vibration.
In a lecture hall, it means that the professor’s voice can be heard as clearly by the students in the first row of seats, as the last row of seats. Good acoustical design promotes speech intelligibility.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
US Green Building Council: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Cerami works with the design team to make sure that the acoustical concerns such as adequate speech privacy and low noise levels are addressed while simultaneously being able to meet the high-performance demands of sustainability. Together, these two actions will lead to greater comfort for future occupants.
Cerami has had the honor to work on a number of projects that have achieved ‘firsts’ in LEED design including The Lion House at the Bronx Zoo, the first LEED designated landmark building in NYC, The Palazzo Las Vegas, the largest LEED certified building in the world, and 4 Times Square, one of the first commercial buildings designed with specific sustainability goals, which helped set the standard for Green building design.
International WELL Building Institute
The Acoustic Comfort Features in the WELL Building Standard aim to prevent unnecessary stress, facilitate comfort, productivity, and overall well-being. These Features are in response to research studies indicating that the acoustic environment is a common complaint from occupants and that there is correlation to internal effects on human body systems including the Cardiovascular and Nervous systems. To mitigate this, an appropriate level of acoustic comfort can be achieved by implementing strategic acoustic design approaches within the architectural vision.
In addition to providing expertise in writing the WELL Building Standard with DELOS, Cerami has worked on several projects pursuing various levels of Certification. One of the most notable project being the American Society of Interior Designers Headquarters in Washington, DC, which is now an occupied living laboratory for their staff.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):
Acoustics and Vibration: The generation, propagation, detection, and perception of all aspects of sound and vibration both audible and inaudible. Acoustics is the study of how sound and vibration waves propagate and interact with humans and the built environment.
Architectural, Building Services & Interior Acoustics: Analyzing project architectural design elements including partitions, acoustic finishes, room geometry, and façade constructions, to control sound transmission, background noise levels, reverberation time, speech privacy and exterior noise intrusion.
Mechanical Noise & Vibration Control: Analyzing project mechanical system designs to mitigate potential airborne and structural noise as well as vibration transfer from one area to another. Developing recommendations to provide clients with comfortable background noise levels based on industry standards, best practices, and many years of experience as a company in these fields.
Sound Masking and Acoustic Privacy: Sound Masking systems refer to loudspeaker systems implemented to provide an even, unobtrusive background noise level to help provide a greater degree of privacy. Implementing sound masking and enhanced wall constructions creates appropriate working environments for any space ranging from a dynamic and interactive space to private and confidential offices.
Structural Dynamics: Understanding the acoustic parameters unique to each structure such as natural frequencies and vibration transfer to create recommendations for optimal space programming. Solutions range from localized vibration control to isolation of entire structures.
Vibration Analysis and Control: Got Vibration? Good vibes only here at Cerami. Measuring the vibrational impact of external sources on areas with sensitive equipment such as recording studios, healthcare spaces (MRI imaging suites), and research labs. We provide the necessary solutions to minimize vibration transfer and maximize experience.
Environmental Assessments: Identifying noise sources and how they impact our greater surrounding environments and recommending solutions to control acoustical issues that arise from these analyses. We work with governing institutions all over the country to provide assessments of large-scale highway, transit, and rezoning projects, and their potential long and short-term environmental impact with respect to acoustics.
Community & Industrial Noise Control: Assessing the impact on local communities from various noise sources ranging between rooftop mechanical equipment to your local music festivals. We also develop recommendations to maintain safe working conditions in industrial areas and mechanical spaces to prevent hearing loss according to established industry safety standards.
Monitoring for Transportation and Construction: Monitoring and assessing noise and vibration levels of both transportation systems and construction equipment, as well as their impact on new and existing sensitive receivers.
Acoustic Simulations: Creating an immersive environment in which clients can audibly and visually interact with 3-D and virtual reality (VR) models of their developing project spaces. Clients can gain an understanding of how different design considerations will affect their project.
Code Analysis and Compliance: Assuring that project design and specifications meet criteria established by national and international building standards and local noise ordinances. Some of the codes that we follow and review for many of our projects include ANSI, ASHRAE, LEED, WELL and many more!
Impact Analysis: We provide benchmark testing and solutions to determine the feasibility of including high-impact activities (weightlifting), footfall noise, and specialty constructions (bowling, anyone?) adjacent to or near acoustically sensitive areas.
Troubleshooting: Helping clients determine the root cause of troublesome acoustic characteristics of their existing project, such as noise and vibration sources, noise transmission deficiencies, and room acoustics.
