Texlon, an Alternative Cladding System
December 1, 2005
One of the most underestimated criteria in people’s perception of their environment is the acoustic ambience. This is true whether the building is a large atrium, a foyer, a hospital, or a restaurant. The internal acoustics of the space has
Conference Highlights: AIA Virginia, Design-Build, IAAPA
December 1, 2005
AIA Virginia: As part of our continuing commitment to support the architectural industry, Thorburn Associates presented a 2-hour session “Understanding Acoustics: What to Look for During a Design and Construction Site Visit” at the 17th annual Architecture Exchange East, held
Assessing Environmental Impacts – Noise Quality
July 1, 2005
So, your local newspaper just announced that a major developer wants to put in a new mixed-use project. They want to tear down existing buildings, create new roads, add public areas, and put in several new buildings with underground parking,
Demolition Noise and Vibration Monitoring
May 1, 2005
Last month one of our High Tech clients came to us with a neat problem. They will be tearing down a warehouse building built in the early 70’s. The problem is that the building shares a party wall and interlocked
Environmental Acoustics
May 1, 2005
Determining if what one hears is “sound” or “noise” can be a difficult task. What is music to one person is a loud racket to another – just ask any parents with teenage children! It also depends on the time
Soundproof Windows?
January 1, 2005
It’s late at night and you’ve just settled down to sleep, when the neighborhood dog starts barking – loudly. At first you try ignoring it, then as it continues, you try covering your head with your pillow. Just as you
Sleigh AeroNautical Test Area Laboratories Project Update
November 1, 2004
Thorburn Associates has been commissioned to assist Kris Kringle with a very unique project this holiday season. Due to the ever-increasing population of children worldwide, Santa has outfitted his sleigh with jet engines to enable him to reach more children
Laminated Glass on Steroids
June 1, 2004
Sekisui, a Japanese firm, has come up with a new way to improve the acoustical performance of laminated glass which is often used to reduce noise transfer from space to space when vision is desired. The inner layer of the
Speech Privacy Within Hospitals Meeting the New HIPAA Standards
January 1, 2004
Confidentiality between a patient and the health provider is one of the basic principles of modern health care. Without confidentiality, the effectiveness of the health care system decreases, due to patient fear of having their medical records revealed and possibly
Classroom Acoustics
December 1, 2003
More than three-quarters of the teachers in a recent poll gave the acoustics in their classrooms a failing grade. The problem is most commonly a “signal to noise” ratio issue, which results in poor speech intelligibility. In general terms –