• Specialty

  Noise / Vibration
  

• SECTOR

  Commercial
  Municipal
  

• TYPE

  Environmental Study
  Permitting / Compliance
  

• CLIENTELE

  Private Sector
  

• TIMESPAN

  2012

• LOCATION

  Rural, MA

Private Massachusetts Wind Turbine

SERVICE:

Sound Study

DESCRIPTION:

For a private proposed wind turbine, a sound study was needed to determine compliance with the local bylaws and also to be careful to not adversely impact the neighbors. The private wind turbine was proposed for a facility that has intermittent daily activities that currently are experienced by some of the neighbors at times. It was important that this study consider these activities and make sure that the turbine siting has significant buffer for all sound conditions. Tech performed a conservative study over a 14 day period, measuring background sound levels to gain an understanding of the sound levels at the closest residences. Using the turbine vendor- guaranteed maximum sound power levels with considerations for construction variations in equipment, Tech was able to predict the sound levels for multiple wind conditions at the closest residences. Both of these predicted levels were below the allowable 10 dBA increase and therefore in compliance with the bylaws.

 

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Key Points

• A proposed wind turbine had the potential to create a disturbance to nearby residences and therefore required a sound study to determine the potential concern.
• Tech performed the study using conservative parameters and manufacturer's guarantees. Tech had concern with the original proposed turbine location, but once it was to address sound concerns the predicted turbine would readily comply with town bylaws.