Brandon Cudequest

Predictions of building systems noise are a daily task for acoustic consultants. Though each consultant may rely on a different set of tools, these calculations generally trace back to guidelines established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Though the ASHRAE Handbook means to reflect the latest in research and best practice, revisions to the Handbook have come at the expense of valuable information and a clear link to primary… Show more

Predictions of building systems noise are a daily task for acoustic consultants. Though each consultant may rely on a different set of tools, these calculations generally trace back to guidelines established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Though the ASHRAE Handbook means to reflect the latest in research and best practice, revisions to the Handbook have come at the expense of valuable information and a clear link to primary sources.


This paper explores how the acoustically salient chapters in the ASHRAE Handbook have evolved over time to form our current understanding of noise and vibration control. This paper will also compare commercially available software related to heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) noise calculations. These programs will be evaluated based on their use of contemporary algorithms, as well as overall functionality. Show less

Lobbies and atria are a facility’s initial destination, the point of departure, the information center, and the security checkpoint. They define a building’s aesthetic, connect to the rest of the facility, require high speech intelligibility at key locations, and demand durability. The requirements can fluidly fluctuate throughout design, and the acoustics need to keep pace.

This paper will discuss different projects where the lobby was central to a successful design. Highlights include… Show more

Lobbies and atria are a facility’s initial destination, the point of departure, the information center, and the security checkpoint. They define a building’s aesthetic, connect to the rest of the facility, require high speech intelligibility at key locations, and demand durability. The requirements can fluidly fluctuate throughout design, and the acoustics need to keep pace.

This paper will discuss different projects where the lobby was central to a successful design. Highlights include a hospital atrium, wherein a balance was struck between speech intelligibility and speech privacy; an airport concourse where the prospect of tile grout lines was carefully considered; and a giant courthouse lobby with design goals at odds with design standards, and with bridges providing acoustical “shade” for security guards. Show less

The Sacramento War Memorial Auditorium opened in 1927 with a screening of the silent film, “Old Ironsides.” Over its ninety-year career, the 3500-seat auditorium has hosted everything from Shriners conventions to Shinedown concerts, Ringling Brothers to Rolling Stones, and many more. In its current state, the room is excessively reverberant for amplified music. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems were upgraded during the 1990s, albeit without apparent acoustical input. Street… Show more

The Sacramento War Memorial Auditorium opened in 1927 with a screening of the silent film, “Old Ironsides.” Over its ninety-year career, the 3500-seat auditorium has hosted everything from Shriners conventions to Shinedown concerts, Ringling Brothers to Rolling Stones, and many more. In its current state, the room is excessively reverberant for amplified music. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems were upgraded during the 1990s, albeit without apparent acoustical input. Street traffic noise is clearly transmitted via acoustically weak windows and stage house doors. McKay Conant Hoover is currently engaged in an acoustical, audiovisual, and theatrical renovation of this historic venue. Importantly, the Auditorium must temporarily accommodate Sacramento's touring Broadway shows, Philharmonic, choral, and ballet performances while their main venue, The Community Center Theater, undergoes a several year-long renovation. This paper will discuss acoustical challenges faced, current findings, and how factors such as ill-conceived pit lifts, historical finishes, limited storage, and lead paint influenced our recommendations. Show less

No standards exist for the field measurement of impact insulation performance of roofs against rainfall noise which can be problematic especially for lightweight roofs. Our firm was hired to do a mock-up test of rainfall noise impact on two emergency dispatch centers in Arizona which could not afford interruptions during rain events. A local firefighter crew was hired to simulate rainfall by spraying water from hoses onto the roof, and measurements were conducted inside the dispatch centers… Show more

No standards exist for the field measurement of impact insulation performance of roofs against rainfall noise which can be problematic especially for lightweight roofs. Our firm was hired to do a mock-up test of rainfall noise impact on two emergency dispatch centers in Arizona which could not afford interruptions during rain events. A local firefighter crew was hired to simulate rainfall by spraying water from hoses onto the roof, and measurements were conducted inside the dispatch centers.

Our measurements revealed that rainfall noise impact due to the lightweight roof construction would be well above background sound levels inside the dispatch center, and would interfere with good speech communication as well as being generally annoying. This paper will discuss the results of the study and subsequent recommendations, as well as ways to compare field measurements with lab-tested data. Show less

Learn the advantages and dilemmas of choosing a one, two or three channel sound reinforcement system for House of Worship, theater or multi-use performing arts center. What are the trade-offs: is stereo good enough, is a center channel worth the added expense and what are the pitfalls of LCR.

The sensation of auditory spaciousness is closely related to the pattern of reflections in a room, often described by a room impulse response (RIR). The early and late portions of RIRs are cor- respondingly the basis of most metrics of auditory spatial impression. Even though this pattern of reflections might reasonably be expected to indicate many sound source locations, listeners commonly localize sounds to their sources. This phenomenon, called the precedence effect (PE), is often thought to… Show more

The sensation of auditory spaciousness is closely related to the pattern of reflections in a room, often described by a room impulse response (RIR). The early and late portions of RIRs are cor- respondingly the basis of most metrics of auditory spatial impression. Even though this pattern of reflections might reasonably be expected to indicate many sound source locations, listeners commonly localize sounds to their sources. This phenomenon, called the precedence effect (PE), is often thought to result from the suppression of reflections. This appears to present a paradox. How do we gain spatial information from reflections we are thought to suppress? Also, is this process different for early and late reverberation? In three parallel studies, we addressed this question by examining the specific roles of specular (early) and diffuse (usually late) reflections. The first experiment compared listener performance under conditions that elicited the precedence effect with diffuse or specular reflections. The second investigated listeners’ ability to match re- verb times using different types of stimuli. The third compared apparent source width (ASW) resulting from physically wide sources to narrow sound sources with side reflections. Our results suggest that the PE, ASW, and listener envelopment are the result of closely related auditory pro- cesses. We also find that listeners do not appear to have a clear internal temporal representation of the decaying late reverb tail of a room impulse response. Possible implications for current metrics of spatial impression are considered. Show less

McKay Conant Hoover has guided a 2300-seat multipurpose venue through a series of modest renovations, each with tangible improvements, including expansion of the orchestra pit, provision for a proscenium eyebrow, reconfiguration and replacement of the orchestra shell, HVAC noise reduction, sidewall shaping, and finish selections to improve hall response for unamplified acoustics. However, much of the distinctive geometry of the hall by the renowned acoustician, Vern Knudsen, such as the broad… Show more

McKay Conant Hoover has guided a 2300-seat multipurpose venue through a series of modest renovations, each with tangible improvements, including expansion of the orchestra pit, provision for a proscenium eyebrow, reconfiguration and replacement of the orchestra shell, HVAC noise reduction, sidewall shaping, and finish selections to improve hall response for unamplified acoustics. However, much of the distinctive geometry of the hall by the renowned acoustician, Vern Knudsen, such as the broad, curved ceilings and walls, and the arching flying balcony, has remained unchanged since its opening in 1972. In 2014, an opportunity arose to investigate the acoustics of this space through a series of critical listening exercises, in-situ impulse response measurements, and virtual 3-D CATT modeling and auralizations. This paper will explore the challenges of comparing measured data, subjective preferences from actual music performances, computational model results, and listening tests through auralizations. Show less

In recent years, a new format of short-profile fan coil units as offered by several manufacturers has become increasingly popular. The sound data for such units are generally plotted in octave bands on NC curves, and have the appearance of great data. However, any scrutiny raises a variety of concerns. Fundamental methods were used to approximate power levels from the provided pressure levels for use in HVAC system noise calculations on various projects. In July 2015, test lab power level data… Show more

In recent years, a new format of short-profile fan coil units as offered by several manufacturers has become increasingly popular. The sound data for such units are generally plotted in octave bands on NC curves, and have the appearance of great data. However, any scrutiny raises a variety of concerns. Fundamental methods were used to approximate power levels from the provided pressure levels for use in HVAC system noise calculations on various projects. In July 2015, test lab power level data were serendipitously provided for two fan coil units that had been included in the design for a new project. In due course, test lab data for six units, based on AHRI Standard 260, were obtained. This paper will discuss the approximation methods, ranges of differences between pressure level and power level data, effects on results of calculations, referenced measurement standards, and an issue related to pure tones. Show less

The wide range of benefits offered by modular green roof systems is directly responsible for their growing popularity. Research into the acoustical benefits of these panels has already begun to take
place; however, the purpose of this study is to dissect each substrate to construct a
more complete understanding of how the layers contribute to the panel’s absorptive qualities. The tests were designed to consider the myriad ways the design of such panels assist in the overall result­ for… Show more

The wide range of benefits offered by modular green roof systems is directly responsible for their growing popularity. Research into the acoustical benefits of these panels has already begun to take
place; however, the purpose of this study is to dissect each substrate to construct a
more complete understanding of how the layers contribute to the panel’s absorptive qualities. The tests were designed to consider the myriad ways the design of such panels assist in the overall result­ for instance, holes used for rainwater management. With the assistance of Florasource Ltd, a horticultural supply firm, two different soil depths were obtained, measuring roughly five and 10 cms each. The experiments were conducted in gradual fashion, going from completely empty panels to fully planted panels with additive increments of substrate type. With each soil depth a round of tests was also conducted where the panels were exposed to water in thirty minute intervals prior to taking results. The tests, conducted at Western Electro­Acoustic Laboratory, comply with International Standards for testing the Absorptive Coefficients in a Reverberant Room (ASTM C­432). Based on results from these tests, customization of green roofs design for noise abatement will be discussed. Show less

The essence of Yinyang is two complementary and conflicting extremes. In Architectural Acoustics, one consistently faces the extremes of silence and painfully loud noise, neither desirable. Because solutions in Architectural Acoustics typically combat population induced noise, the ethical lessons of Yinyang provide a unique lens to tackle contemporary issues within the field of Acoustics.

The architecture that surrounds an operable wall often determines its acoustical success. There are standard guides for detailing operable walls; however, these offer a rigid take on design aesthetics. Abstracting these principles into general goals, the designer can accommodate a variety of architectural styles. The surrounding construction should act as a safety net by providing labyrinths when seals fail or by blocking problematic flanking paths. The architecture should also ease system… Show more

The architecture that surrounds an operable wall often determines its acoustical success. There are standard guides for detailing operable walls; however, these offer a rigid take on design aesthetics. Abstracting these principles into general goals, the designer can accommodate a variety of architectural styles. The surrounding construction should act as a safety net by providing labyrinths when seals fail or by blocking problematic flanking paths. The architecture should also ease system operation allowing users to deploy the operable wall with minimal fail rate. This paper compares several off-the-shelf and custom systems, highlighting the importance of construction details and coordination and their impact on the installed product performance. The architecture can only support these systems to a degree and the designer should select an operable system that works within the given conditions. By comparing design trends in operable walls from an acoustical consultant standpoint, this paper will spotlight architecturally harmonious systems as well as several system features to be aware of when evaluating options Show less