To help control noise pollution, spaces need not only employ products that offer acoustical properties, but also utilize the quietest options available from those systems that may otherwise exacerbate the problem. — Rita Catinella Orrell
 

Better barrier
Led by Duflot Technical Nonwovens and the French Textile-Apparel Institute, the Flexifunbar project was a four-year collaboration to produce a new flexible and multifunctional barrier or shielding material. The resulting material for surfaces such as textiles, leather, or paper provides at least two barrier functions, such as fire protection, anti-odor, or bactericidal properties.

For building applications, wall coatings made of the material can offer both acoustic and thermal insulation properties. Duflot Industrie, Caudry, France. www.flexifunbar.org

[Reader Service: February 2009 #217]
 

Noiseless neighbors
Traditional sound barriers often require an extra step in the construction process, but Fomo’s Handi-Foam Sound Barrier Foam provides contractors with a two-in-one product that combines a sound-barrier with spray foam insulation. The foam achieves a Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of 35 at 3'' thick. The barrier is a low-density, open-cell foam that allows enough absorption to provide sound-deadening for buildings that feature shared walls or for spaces such as home theaters. Fomo Products, Norton, Ohio. www.fomo.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #218]

     

Sound blanket
DuPont LoWave is a passive, low-frequency acoustic-reduction solution for commercial applications that can be tuned to target specific pure tones like those generated by security alarms, or provide broadband coverage, reducing sounds such as the hum of heavy machinery. LoWave can reduce low-frequency noise and vibration without altering machine design or existing infrastructure. DuPont expects the product to offer a significant reduction in total operating costs. DuPont, Wilmington, Del. acoustics.dupont.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #220]

Double stuffed
ComfortGuard sound-deadening gypsum board features two specially engineered gypsum panels, each including a mold-and-moisture-resistant core and facers, laminated together using a viscoelastic polymer. The pliable adhesive between the two rigid panels interrupts the transmission of noise vibrations through partition assemblies. When tested in accordance with ASTM C423, a wall built with ComfortGuard produced an STC value of 47 compared to 30 for standard options. Temple-Inland, Diboll, Tex. www.templeinland.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #219]