Home › Case Studies

Acoustic Measurement Application Examples: Projects Across Asia

These representative project scenarios illustrate how Norsonic Asia instruments are applied on commercial, infrastructure, healthcare, and industrial acoustic projects across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the GCC. The measurement approaches, instrument configurations, and result ranges shown below are typical of Norsonic instrument deployments in these application types.

Building Acoustics — Grade-A Office, Bangkok

  • Challenge: Open-plan Grade-A office building failing speech privacy requirements before handover; tenants reported excessive noise transmission between floors and meeting rooms
  • Measurement: ISO 3382-2 STI, ISO 16283-1 DnT,w, and LAeq background noise surveys using Nor150 and Nor848B acoustic camera
  • Finding: Nor848B identified HVAC duct flanking path above raised floor as primary speech transmission route — not the partition wall
  • Solution: Targeted duct lining and floor void acoustic break — avoiding expensive partition replacement
  • Result: STI reduced from 0.55 to 0.40 (private office target achieved) · LAeq reduced -6 to -8 dB(A) in affected zones
  • Instruments: Nor150, Nor848B

Construction Noise Monitoring — Metro Project, Kuala Lumpur

  • Challenge: 24/7 tunnelling and excavation for urban metro line through residential neighbourhood; authority required continuous Class 1 monitoring at boundary of affected sensitive receptors
  • Solution: Network of 6× Nor1545 monitoring terminals with NorCloud real-time dashboard and authority reporting
  • Configuration: 1-minute LAeq logging; threshold alerts at 60 dB(A) daytime, 55 dB(A) night; automated weekly PDF reports to DoE
  • Result: Zero authority exceedance notices across the tunnelling period · Real-time NorCloud threshold alerts delivered to contractor and authority via email and SMS

Building Acoustics — University Dormitories, Singapore

  • Challenge: Pre-occupancy acoustic certification required before handover of 24-room dormitory block; SS 553:2009 DnT,w targets to be met
  • Solution: ISO 16283-1 airborne sound insulation testing with Nor150 dual-channel analyser and Nor277 sound source across all rooms
  • Finding: 6 of 24 rooms failed DnT,w target due to installation defects in partition junction — identified before occupancy
  • Result: Targeted remediation on 6 rooms only; DnT,w improved by +7 dB on failed partitions; rework avoided on 18 of 24 rooms — significant programme and cost savings

Healthcare — Hospital Nurse Station, Ho Chi Minh City

  • Challenge: Excessive noise at nurse station affecting patient recovery outcomes and staff fatigue; LAeq measured at 68 dB(A) — well above WHO healthcare guideline of 45 dB(A)
  • Measurement: Nor848B acoustic camera identified medical equipment trolleys, call system alerts, and HVAC discharge as primary sources
  • Solution: Targeted absorptive panel installation at three identified reflection points; equipment relocation and HVAC baffle fitting
  • Result: Daytime nurse station LAeq reduced by 5 dB(A); brought within 3 dB(A) of WHO target

Industrial Noise — Compressor Plant, Rayong, Thailand

  • Challenge: Tonal noise complaint from community adjacent to industrial compressor plant; authority required identification of primary noise source and noise reduction plan
  • Measurement: Nor848B acoustic camera survey at 250 Hz, 500 Hz, and 1 kHz; Nor145 boundary LAeq and Lmax logging
  • Finding: One specific reciprocating compressor unit generating 1/3-octave tonal peaks at 320 Hz and 640 Hz — identified precisely by acoustic camera beamforming
  • Result: Targeted inlet silencer and discharge muffler installation; community complaint resolved; full enclosure (estimated cost US$250,000) avoided — saving over US$175,000

Environmental Noise — Noise Barrier Validation, Singapore

  • Challenge: Client required validation of noise barrier insertion loss before and after installation on urban expressway adjacent to residential estate
  • Solution: ISO 1996-2 traffic noise survey with Nor145 at standardized positions before and after barrier installation; NorCloud time-synchronized data from two measurement points
  • Result: Barrier insertion loss quantified at 8–12 dB(A) LAeq across 16-hour daytime period; validated acoustic performance for planning and warranty purposes

Related Resources