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Yearly Archives: 2025

ANC Awards 2025 – entries close 1 May

There are just over 2 weeks to go before entries for the ANC Awards close at midnight on Thursday 1 May.

 

The Awards will take place on Wednesday 25 June at 7pm, following the ANC Conference at the Crowne Plaza, Birmingham, where the shortlisted entrants will give presentations about their entries.

 

The awards promote and recognise excellence among UK acoustic consultants and look for examples of work that displays innovation, and originality in acoustic design or approach to a particular project.

 

What to do?

  • If you are interested in entering or want to find out more information about the awards and the process involved click here.
  • You can also view entries and winners from previous years to get a better understanding of the types of projects recognised here.

 

What to enter?

  • As with last year, you do not need to enter an award in a specific category – as part of the judging process, the judges will allocate entries into categories themselves – see previous categories below.

 

Never entered before?

  • Watch a 3 minute video where some of the judges talk about what they like to see from entries.
  • For tips on what to include and the benefits of entering see here.

 

Winning projects often include:

  • demonstration of value for the client
  • collaboration with other parties
  • how they benefit similar projects, or go beyond existing good practice
  • an explanation of how any problems were overcome
  • testimonials from end user or client
  • creativity and innovation in approach
  • evidence of a challenging project being delivered.

For more information about the awards and to request an entry form click here.

 

Award Categories

Award categories will be determined by the judging panel although reference should be given in any entry to which categories are relevant, such as:

 

Environmental Acoustics: Infrastructure – work involving sound outdoors. This is a dedicated award that relates specifically to transportation, energy and water infrastructure projects.

 

Environmental Acoustics: Non-Infrastructure – work involving sound outdoors. This is a dedicated award that covers all other environmental projects other than infrastructure.

 

Vibration prediction, assessment & control – work that concerns transmission of vibration, either associated with a building and / or the ground.

 

Acoustics for Inclusion – work which has contributed to improving the acoustic experience for those with additional needs such as a visual, hearing and/or cognitive impairment.

 

Building Acoustics – work concerning acoustics within any type of building.

 

Sustainability – recognises the work of Companies that have contributed to using acoustics to deliver sustainable developments.

 

Innovation – any type of project where innovative techniques have been developed.

 

Small Consultancy – recognises the contribution that smaller consultancies (generally with 6 or fewer technical staff, based on full time equivalent) bring to a successful project.

ANC Awards Information

Where do I find the entry forms? 

To request an entry form, visit the Awards 2025 page.

 

What sort of projects win awards?

If you’ve never entered before and want to see how others approach it, click here to check out some previous winners.

 

What are the benefits of winning an award?

The awards are a great way to promote your expertise. Winners get a trophy, certificate and logo to add to your emails or website, plus your video and brochure entry appear on the ANC website.

 

What the judges are looking for

  1. demonstration of value for your client
  2. your collaboration with other parties
  3. how you benefit similar projects or go beyond existing good practice
  4. an explanation of how any problems were overcome
  5. testimonials from end users or clients
  6. creativity and innovation in the approach
  7. evidence of a challenging project being delivered.

 

The deadline for entries is fast approaching. Submissions need to be in by the 1st May, with the awards being presented on Wednesday 25th June after the Annual Conference at the Crowne Plaza in Birmingham.

 

ANC announces annual conference date

The Association of Noise Consultants 2025 Annual Conference and Awards takes place 25th June at the Crown Plaza, Birmingham.

 

ANC members are being urged to put forward entries for the awards, which are presented on the evening of the conference.

 

The accolades promote and recognise excellence among UK acoustic consultants and look for examples of work that displays innovation, and originality in acoustic design or approach to a particular project.

 

The categories are;

 

  • Building Acoustics (sponsored by CDM Stravitec)
  • Education and Office Buildings (sponsored by Getzner)
  • Environmental Noise: Infrastructure (sponsored by AcSoft)
  • Environmental Noise: Non-Infrastructure (sponsored by ANV Measurement Systems)
  • Vibration Prediction and Control (sponsored by CMS Danskin)
  • Acoustics for Inclusion (sponsored by the Institute of Acoustics)
  • Sustainability (sponsored by Pliteq)
  • Innovation (sponsored by Mason)
  • Best presentation (sponsored by Gramm Barriers)
  • Smaller Consultancies: The Patrick Shortt Award

 

The judging panels are made up of consultants, academics, suppliers and those with specialist knowledge of each award category.

 

More details about the 2025 awards and conference can be found here.

 

New guidance launched to support compliance with Approved Document O

The 38-page ‘Approved Document O Noise Guide’ lays out the requirements set down in the Building Regulations, focusing on overheating mitigation in new residential buildings.

 

A Working Group of industry experts from the ANC and IOA has worked on the advice, which sets out a method to demonstrate compliance to the Building Control Body of the noise constraints in Approved Document O.

 

It supersedes the ‘Guide to Demonstrating Compliance with the Noise Requirements of Approved Document O’, which was a draft for consultation.

 

In the latest document, the statutory guidance relevant to the industry in Approved Document O is explained, and the authors have focused on overheating mitigation using methods such as opening windows, ventilation louvres in external walls, and mechanical ventilation and mechanical cooling systems.

 

Louise Beamish, Chair of the ANC, said: “This guide sets out a method to demonstrate compliance to the Building Control Body of the noise constraints in Approved Document O.

 

“It aims to provide clarity for practitioners and regulators so that assessments can be carried out consistently, and the outcome is repeatable and reliable.”

 

Chair of the Working Group, James Healey added: “Meeting the requirements of Approved Document O has been a challenge for developers, particularly from a design coordination perspective and due to varied interpretations of the approach, which affect the route to compliance.

 

“This latest guide offers an extensive evaluation of all the methods available to developers of residential properties, with contributions from the principal authors of the Acoustics, Ventilation and Overheating Guide.

 

“It provides guidance for practitioners to appropriately implement the requirements of Approved Document O, assists the industry in the understanding of what is published in the regulation and uses award-winning research to provide an approach that uses one language form for both acousticians and thermal modellers to increase coordination.

 

“Whilst the requirements of Approved Document O are succinct, there is some ambiguity regarding important details.  Some of these have been addressed in this new guide, which provides interpretation and clarification on content within a published regulation.”

 

The guide is available for free download at https://www.association-of-noise-consultants.co.uk/approved-document-o-noise-guide/