Healthcare facilities need to protect their residents, staff and neighbors from unwanted noise
This article focuses on the benefits of installing sound barrier walls and enclosures for noise control at healthcare facilities. By reducing unwanted external hospital noises, sound barrier walls and equipment enclosures offer effective noise control from traffic, HVAC systems, generators and other external hospital noises, ensuring a peaceful environment conducive to rest and healing.
AIL Sound Walls are ideal noise-mitigation solutions for healthcare facilities
Effective, versatile and aesthetically pleasing, lightweight PVC AIL Sound Walls are popular healthcare sector noise-control solutions for applications like hospital generator enclosures and rooftop HVAC equipment enclosures — both rooftop-mounted or ground-mounted. Sound barrier walls are also used around loading docks and as perimeter walls around higher traffic roadways or parking areas.
Project partners are choosing lightweight PVC sound barrier walls
Owners, engineers, acoustic consultants and contractors are recognizing the technical and performance advancements in today’s noise barrier walls for healthcare facilities and, increasingly, AIL Sound Walls are being chosen for noise-mitigation solutions.
Project design versatility is a key benefit in lightweight PVC sound barrier walls
Hospitals are very busy places, often on congested campuses where space is at a real premium. Because AIL Sound Walls are made from lightweight PVC panels, they are very nimble and versatile and can be easily configured around complex layouts and tight spaces. They also are easily integrated with concrete pads, rooftops of various types, parapets and other structural members. AIL Sound Walls are also easily adapted to accommodate access gates, doors, utility ports and other site variations.
Seven healthcare facilities that used AIL Sound Walls
To help demonstrate how well AIL Sound Walls have helped to keep the peace around healthcare facilities, we are presenting seven projects from our healthcare facility noise-control portfolio. Each project is expanded upon in the View Project Profile link and includes a printable PDF version.
Project #1: Packaged solution makes AIL Sound Walls the best choice for University of Florida Health project
University of Florida Health in Jacksonville required a sound barrier wall to mitigate unwanted noise from their new generator building. The wall was originally specified as a precast concrete solution, but AIL Sound Walls collaborated with the general contractor on a joint bid with our economical sound barrier wall system packaged as an installed solution. Concrete sound walls are quite heavy and require much larger foundations than lightweight PVC AIL Sound Walls — and this wall was 25′ tall, requiring even larger foundations. In addition to our foundations being smaller, there are also fewer of them, thanks to the 16′ panel lengths of our Tuf-Barrier XL Series. Less concrete, less machine time and less labor made the AIL Sound Walls installed solution even more attractive. View Project Profile >
Project #2: AIL Sound Wall curves around pandemic field hospital equipment in Ottawa, Ontario
At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ottawa Civic Hospital needed to quickly add an emergency field hospital extension to accommodate 40 additional beds. This structure was erected in the hospital parking lot and the AIL Sound Walls team was tasked with expediting the design and supply of a Silent Protector (Absorptive) sound barrier wall to enclose the associated equipment farm. The mechanical equipment was on a curved slab immediately against a busy traffic laneway. This meant our noise barrier wall had to not only follow the curve, but it also needed to integrate a safety guardrail. The other challenge was that the sound wall needed to be installed quickly, in a very limited workspace, once construction started. View Project Profile >
Project #3: Silent Protector noise wall silences BC hospital’s new generator noise
Unwanted noise from running generators is annoying, especially when next to a hospital. When Fraser Health needed to protect the silence around the new generator at their Burnaby, BC, facility, our Silent Protector (Absorptive) sound barrier system was prescribed. Our engineering and detailing expertise came into play with the differential heights and the door attachment detailing. We manufactured some custom posts to provide clean joints going around those corners. View Project Profile >
Project #4: HVAC noise control enclosure reduces compressor noise and maintains tranquility around special care home
Revera Inc. is a leading provider of seniors’ accommodation, care and services, with about 250 locations throughout North America. The Meadows, Revera’s long-term care facility in Ancaster, ON, is located in close proximity to neighboring homes and was in need of an attractive and simple noise-mitigation solution for its ground-mounted HVAC systems. The owner’s noise and vibration consultant recommended our Silent Protector absorptive sound barrier wall system. View Project Profile >
Project #5: Noise control wall quiets hospital’s new MRI machine
It was great news when Vernon’s Jubilee Hospital was finally going to get its own MRI unit; however, its rooftop components were going to create unwanted noise that would disturb the nearby operating rooms. A lightweight and easy-to-install solution was needed, so AIL Sound Walls supplied a Silent Protector (Absorptive) enclosure to mitigate the unwanted noise. Our PVC system went together very quickly without the need for roof reinforcement or heavy lifting equipment. View Project Profile >
Project #7: AIL Sound Walls integrates Silent Protector sound barriers with Sequoia Hospital’s existing roof structure
Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, CA, is a perfect example of how AIL Sound Walls can seamlessly integrate into existing metal visual screens and parapet openings without adding substantial weight or changing the look of the building. Three different Silent Protector (Absorptive) sound barriers were needed to mitigate mechanical equipment noise on various roof levels. The lighter weight of AIL Sound Walls allowed them to mount onto the existing visual screens or parapet openings and easily stay within rooftop load restrictions. And, because AIL Sound Walls are available in a variety of neutral colors, they were able to blend in with the two different finishes in various parts of the building. View Project Profile >
Project #7: Rooftop Silent Protector installation quiets industrial noise emitted by generators
Up on a rooftop mezzanine, AIL Sound Walls are doing their part to keep the peace around the University of Michigan’s new nursing school — although not quite as initially planned. The sound barrier was originally designed to go around the rooftop mechanical equipment, but structural issues with the chiller platform and the roof deck necessitated a change of plans. We worked closely with the engineer and the contractor to create an alternative solution by filling in the openings around the rooftop’s mezzanine walls with our absorptive Silent Protector panels. To accomplish this, we developed a custom bent plate attachment for the existing openings to accept our panels. View Project Profile >
Explore all the features and benefits of AIL Sound Walls
AIL Sound Walls’ features and benefits quickly stack up to make them the go-to choice over noise barrier walls made from concrete, wood or other materials:
- Lightweight PVC construction
- Sound-mitigation performance
- Lower installed costs
- Durable and low maintenance
- Sustainable and enviro-friendly choice
- Enhanced aesthetics and finish levels
- Project design versatility
- Experienced project partner
Learn more on our Features & Benefits web page >
An AIL Sound Walls Technical Sales Representative can help with your project
There’s an AIL Sound Walls specialist ready to help you value engineer a better solution for your sound-mitigation project — and the sooner they get involved in the process, the more you may save. Call toll-free 1-866-231-7867 to get started.
