The Potential Noise Problems at the Eastmouth Crematorium - Research Paper Example

The Potential noise problems at the Eastmouth Crematorium Introduction: Eastmouth, on the southern coast of England, is densely populated with the elderly people, who live in homes or sheltered accommodation. This has necessitated a local crematorium in the vicinity. Due to shortage of land, a new crematorium has been proposed to be set up at a site that is only 45 meters away from the sheltered accommodation that houses the elderly. It is expected that the noise levels from the new crematorium facility could contribute to the existing noise pollution, thereby adversely affecting the elderly inmates at these homes. To minimize the risk of noise pollution, the best practices in building acoustics must eb e,ployed from the design stage itself. This report discusses the acoustical design aspects and other noise reduction mechanisms in the operations of the crematorium. Potential Impacts to local residents and recommendations: Based on the pressing demand from the local residents, a crematorium in Eastmouth has become a necessity. The salient features of the crematorium with regard to the mechanical engineering systems include, but are not limited to: 1. Gas fired cremator furnace 2. Air pollution control system 3. Ventilation system 4. Emergencey back-up generator 5. Sprinkler pump and water storage facility. The two major sources of noise generated in the operation of the crematorium are due to the large cremator furnace and the ventilation system, as they incorporate a mixed flow fan. The furnace and the ventilation system are within the plant adjoining the chapel. The ventilation system also serves the chapel, the waiting room and the office. The noise design criterion for the chapel is a critical factor and should not exceed NR 35. With the appropriate fan and silencer selection, the noise rating for the chapel is satisfactory, and it is expected that this system will not add to the noise problems. However, the cremator furnace, incorporating a forced jet burner, has the potential to contribute to excessive noise levels at the crematorium. When the crematorium is in operation, the noise pollution could impact the local residents as well. Hence, the design of the mechanical systems and plant selection must include measures to minimise the risk of noise pollution. The noise must be controlled at the source, and in the present scenario, the noise is generated from the plant room. The nosie data, as stated by the plant manufacturer, must be carefully analysed so as to keep the noise levels at the optimum. Anti-vibration accessories should be incorporated to all elements of the systems design, as they could help to control noise. Apart from the equipments, certain measures in the building design could help to contain noise. For instance, double glazed windows in the plant room could have a positive impact. Location of the ventilation openings is another area that needs consideration. The timings for the operation of the crematorium should be restricted to the day, which would help to avoid disturbance during the night hours. Operation during the day has another advantage. Higher background noise levels exist during the day, which would help mask the noise from the crematorium operation. Considerable noise levels from construction work will also be generated from activities that utilise heavy machinery. The extent of noise levels depends upon the construction methods employed by the building contractor, upon the time and duration of the operation. Although noise generated during construction phase will only exist for the duration of the construction, it can still lead to noise pollution and cause annoyance amongst the elderly. The contractors should adhere to prevailing maximum noise levels imposed by the local authority. Good site practice and noise management techniques should also be adopted during the construction phase to help minimise the effects of noise pollution. Legal options available to the local residents: According to Khan (1998), continuous exposure to high noise levels may lead to diseases, irritation, difficulty in communication, sleeplessness, mental tension, noise induced hearing loss and social unrest. The Environmental Protection (2010) prescribes various action plans to prevent noise. It has also enforced bye-laws that enable local residents to approach the authorities and local jurisdiction in case of violations in noise levels in an environment. If the residents are aware of these government regulations, of the ways of approaching the courts and the local police, they would be in a position to take appropriate efforts to mitigate the impact of the noise pollution. Also, approaching the local municipal government agencies for environmental noise pollution could fetch positive results. If the prevailing ordinance is inadequate to contain the culprits, local residents from the Eastmouth region could form a group and file a petition during local government meetings highlighting the inadequacy of prevailing ordnance and the miserable state of life being experienced by them. Noise reduction measure - Acoustic Barrier: From a noise control perspective, one of the most important aspects of the design of the crematorium facility is compliance with acceptable noise levels. Generally, the most efficient method for achieving this, lies with good acoustic measures employed for the building and the systems design, as previously noted. However, should the noise levels exceed the acceptable limits, additional measures, such as breakout noise, must be introduced to further reduce the noise generated by the facility. This may be achieved by modifying the sound path between the noise source and the receiver. However, it should be noted such a strategy has a limited effect in noise reduction when compared to treating noise at source. As reported earlier, the new crematorium site which is the noise source, is situated 45 meters from the elderly people’s accommodation, the receiving point. A noise barrier system as shown in Fig.1, is a method for reducing external noise levels between the source and the receiver. Fig.1. A Noise Barrier System. (Barrier image to be included here) Such a noise barrier would be effective in this scenario. The attenuation of noise by such barriers is dependent on the barriers’ sound transmission characteristics, height, length and position with respect to the noise source and receiver. Valid data related to the attenuation of the barriers, show that for the octave band frequency range, attenuation can be achieved by increasing the height (E). The application of a noise barrier has been provided in Appendix A. The noise reduction levels provided by the barrier for each octave band centre frequency are represented in Table 1 below. (table to be included here-between paragraphs) It is proposed that a high density barrier (wall), comprising of concrete block and brick facing, be constructed. The proposed wall shall measure 2 metres high and extend across the entire length of the site. The factors for proposing a wall of 2m height are as follows: 1. A wall of 2m height, centred between the noise source and receiver, offers a degree of attenuation to the noise generated within the crematorium plant room. 2. This height can offer sufficient privacy and security for the crematorium. The medium sized wall does not pose a significant visual impact and should also satisfy local planning requirements. 3. This wall height is approximately the upper limit of standard wall construction. Exceeding this height could incur significant structural costs. It can be thus be seen that the use of a noise barrier can be effective in noise reduction and this feature could eliminate the potential impact of noise pollution. Design considerations for utility services Designing the mechanical and electrical services for a crematorium also would require certain considerations. At the outset of the project, it is necessary to discuss and come to an agreement about the proposed design criteria with the local authority and the utility service providers. A number of utility services are necessary to serve the building. These include gas, water, electricity, drainage disposal and telecommunication service. An extensive survey of the site should be undertaken to establish the locations of existing services in the area. Utility service providers will extend the existing infrastructure to an agreed location, generally on the perimeter of the site. They will also provide metering equipment for gas, water and electricity. The property owner is responsible for all remaining internal and external services - from agreed service point to within the building, with the exception of meters etc. Specifications for the privately owned external utility services will be provided by the utility service providers. A number of factors must be considered when designing the following systems: Fire protection The crematorium includes a number of fire hazards such as the cremator furnace and upholstered seating in the chapel. The proposed design for fire containment and fire suppression systems should be discussed and agreed by the local fire authority. Fire protection drawings and specification should be developed and incorporated into all design team members’ designs. The building design should incorporate fire compartments to help control the spread of fire. The size of each compartment should not exceed the maximum travel distance. Each compartment should be appropriately sized and incorporate primary and secondary escape routes. The partition wall separating the plant room and the chapel is a critical element in fire compartments. Ventilation services that penetrate this wall should incorporate fire dampers with similar fire retarding properties as the wall. Smoke control can be provided by means of automatically opening smoke ventilation units controlled via an addressable fire detection/alarm system. Fire suppressions systems for crematorium applications include automatic sprinkler systems, hose reels and external fire hydrants. The sprinkler system comprises of the pump room, storage tank and distribution pipe work. Assuming the furnace is gas fired, the plant room should be provided with a CO2 fire extinguisher. Drainage provision Surface and foul drainage systems should be provided to dispose of rain water and foul water respectively. All sanitary systems should be served by the foul drainage system. Soil and waste connections to stacks should be independent of one another. Dedicated soil and waste floats shall be provided where necessary. Stack sizes shall be evaluated using the sanitary appliance discharge unit method. The provision of all sanitary systems exist only on the ground floor and the invert level of below-ground pipe work is within 750mm. Hence, ventilation of stub stacks will not be necessary. Otherwise, stacks shall be ventilated at roof level in accordance with termination guidelines. Roof water shall be channelled at eve level through gutters that connect to down-pipes. Each down-pipe shall terminate over grated gullies. All pipe work systems installations should comply with the local building regulations. Lifts For economic reasons, vertical transportation systems are invariably omitted from the design of crematoriums. However, should a passenger lift be considered as a form of access to upper levels such as balconies, etc the following considerations should be made. Initially, a lift traffic analysis should be conducted to determine the appropriate capacity. This is followed by agreeing a budget cost for the installed system. The lift location should not exceed the recommended distance from any point in the building, i.e, 45 metres. The installation should be installed in accordance with BS5655. Conclusion: This report has presented the potential noise pollution that may arise due to the crematorium and the chapel in Eastmouth, England. As this facility is essential for the local public, its design and operation must consider potential noise problems. This report has discussed the potential noise impact of this building upon the nearby elderly people’s home. The report has also dealt with the legal options available for the residents to safe guard themselves against the noise pollution. Finally, general information concerning utility services has been outlined. Apart from these, the major discussion of the report has been focused on the acoustic design and operation of the crematorium facility. Reference: Khan, AB, 1998, ’The impact of Noise Pollution on Community Health : A study at Pondicherry Biomedicine’, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 83 – 190 Environmental Protection, 2010, ’Noise Pollution’, retrieved online 10 January 2010 from http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/noise/environmental-noise/noise-pollution/ Read More