Safeguarding Londoners from construction noise

A project to modernize the railway station in Twickenham in south-west London, UK, before the 2015 Rugby World Cup was irritating neighbours who are sensitive to noise. An outsourced monitoring solution ensured legal compliance and provided a web-based interface for all stakeholders. Sharing data with the community and the construction company built trust, reduced complaints and helped avoid delays and fines.

Challenge

Noise has always been an issue for the neighbours of Twickenham Station. And with yet another construction project, the local government authority – the London Borough of Richmond – sought a system to ensure the project stayed within permitted levels.

Solution

Brüel & Kjær’s Noise Sentinel service kept watch on the noise levels 24/7. On a community web page, everyone interested could view the construction progress, noise levels, and mitigation efforts.

Results

The system openly showed residents that the contractor complied with permitted levels throughout the majority of the project period. No complaints were filed after the system had been implemented. Positive feedback has been received from residents as well.