In the newly opened James Mandell Building of Boston Children’s Hospital, patient rooms were designed to minimize noise and maximize comfort during longer hospital stays, according to an article on the Healthcare Construction + Operations website.
“It’s standard practice for newly constructed hospitals and medical centers to be mindful of noise and vibration issues during construction as well as upon completion as per the newer FGI guidelines on noise in hospitals,” Benjamin Davenny, senior consultant in acoustics at Acentech, said in the article.
Noise transmission from above-grade MRIs to other locations was a concern, as well as controlling the ventilation noise emission to the outdoor courtyard. Noise control was incorporated in the many ducted and airborne noise paths between mechanical equipment and occupied spaces. Recommendations included duct silencers, maximum airflow velocities and vibration isolation.
“The hospital and the architect wanted to make sure that the HVAC system wouldn’t be too loud inside or outside of the building. The above-grade MRIs required sound isolation to reduce noise transmission through the building,” Davenny said.
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