Bannatyne Gym, Maida Vale

The Challenge

Located in a mixed-use development with apartments directly above the gym facilities, Bannatyne Health Club Maida Vale, was faced with a Noise Abatement Order following a series of complaints from residents occupying the dwellings above. In a bid to remediate the situation, CMS Danskin Acoustics was brought in to trouble shoot the cause of the nuisance noise.

The Solution

An initial site visit by the CMS Danskin Acoustics technical team identified the ‘free weight’ area as the source of the impact noise. Inspection of the floor treatment confirmed that a generic sports flooring tile product had been installed, yet this would not offer sufficient levels of absorption for the impact of free weights hitting the ground.

Recognising that a bespoke specification would be required to achieve the necessary sound reduction, CMS Danskin Acoustics commissioned Pace Consult to conduct subjective testing on-site using a range of acoustic system build-ups.

To resolve the Noise Abatement Order as swiftly as possible and to protect against any further complaints, the highest performing floor-build up was installed as follows:

• Regufoam 220
• Regufoam 190
• FX75 Tile
• 10mm High Impact Mat

The combination of these materials delivered a highly absorptive, durable and resilient construction which reduced the noise generated in the free weights area to a level deemed acceptable by the Council – leading the Noise Abatement Order to be withdrawn.

Martin Jones, Managing Director, Pace Consult, comments: “Remediation in gym environments is more common than many realise. In the absence of any legislative standards, the specification of acoustic treatments is left very open. That’s why subjective testing is crucial in any mixed-use development, it’s the only way to be confident the products specified will deliver the exact acoustic performance required.”