The Quiet Mark Podcast

In a recent Fast Company feature, 'Quiet or I’m quitting: Here’s why your employees are getting so fed up with workplace noise',  Jennifer Alsever writes, "As workers return to offices, they may be less tolerant of pre-pandemic decibel levels, especially if they are introverts". Noise can make us lose concentration, motivation, and brain functioning: People lose an estimated 86 minutes of productivity each day because of noise distractions, according to a study by Steelcase. It takes another 23 minutes to get back on task after an interruption, according to another University of California at Irvine study. Sensitivity to noise varies among people. Introverts, for instance, tend to tolerate much less noise than extroverts, according to Susan Cain’s book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking.  She writes of one study in which extroverts chose 72 decibels for the “just right” level of sound, while introverts chose 55 decibels. Those introverts also performed much worse on tasks when exposed to the extrovert’s noise levels. In the Fast Company article, Amanda ends with a section looking at Solutions for a Noisy world, saying:  To improve acoustics, companies are installing modular phone booths for quiet work and building huddle rooms with soundproofing that allows everyone in virtual meetings—both at home and in the office—to hear more clearly. On Quiet Mark's Acoustics Academy directory of verified solutions for every application area, you will find such meeting room and booth solutions by brands including BuzziSpace, Vetrospace and BlockO.  In addition, Amanda notes, "Companies are also turning to “soundscaping.” One UK soundscaping company, Moodsonic, does this by playing a wide range of nature sounds, from the babble of a stream to island forests, inside client offices and thereby silencing noisy conversations or a surge in activity. "The company’s software uses sensors to monitor areas of offices and automatically adjust the sounds", says Evan Benway, managing director of Moodsonic. Moodsonic was recently Quiet Mark certified and is also one of many solutions listed on Acoustics Academy. In this episode, accompanied by fellow guest, Ethan Bourdeau, Sound Concept Lead at IWBI - The International WELL Building Institute, we take a deep dive into the ways in which sound masking and soundscaping can help support a human-centric approach to building design; creating inclusive spaces that cater to a wide neurodiverse range of occupants, from extroverts to introverts.     https://www.quietmark.com/podcast

For more than a year, Rick Neitzel has been Full Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Global Public Health at University of Michigan, where he has worked for over 11 years. In this episode our host, Simon Gosling, asks him to explain the health risks related to noise pollution.  Quiet Mark was founded 10 years ago, in 2012, to recognise and certify advancements in product manufacturing which reduced unwanted noise and improved acoustics; making it easier for consumers and trade buyers to find the quietest products available on the market. In this episode we return to the core of our roots to revisit why we do the work that we do.  Rick has recently been involved in Apple's Hearing Study, sharing new data from thousands of participants across the US in an effort to help people better understand their hearing health. In 2017, he was one of the writers of a study looking at the Economic Impact of Hearing Loss and Reduction of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in the United States.  It estimates that hearing loss affects more than 13% of the working population and claims that if the 20% of hearing loss resulting from excessive noise exposure were prevented, the economic benefit would be substantial, with a core estimate of $123 billion.

Of the 1,200+  certified products listed on quietmark.com one of the most visited categories is refrigeration. And one of the bet know brands in that category is Liebherr, many of whose fridges, fridge-freezers, freezers and wine cabinets we certify. Liebherr refrigerators and freezers offer modern design, outstanding technical performance, innovative technology and superb energy efficiency. In developing its refrigerators and freezers, Liebherr pays attention to customer needs so that appliances are convenient to use and make everyday life easier. One of those people whose life is being made easier by Liebherr is our guest on this episode of The Quiet Mark Podcast,  their Wine Ambassador, Dan Belmont, Proprietor & Wine Buyer at Good Wine x Good People. Dan has spent hundreds of classroom hours thrilling guests with wine & cheese education on both sides of the Atlantic. From the restaurant floor to festivals, television & radio – Dan shares his passion and curiosity for the world of wine and aims to inspire his guests to start their own life-long journey of wine appreciation. He is a certified American Wine Expert and holds the Level 3 certification in Wines & Spirits from the WSET. He led the education departments of NYC’s famed Murray’s Cheese, the largest artisan cheese retailer in the US, and Bedales of Borough, a trio of London wine bars inspired by market-driven fare. Dan currently lives in London with his wife, where he is the Wine Ambassador for Liebherr UK, and proudly supports a variety of international trade associations and producers as a presenter, educator & judge. His decade-plus of experience is the engine behind his latest work - goodwinexgoodpeople.com - now shipping personalised mixed cases UK-wide! Listen, as our host, Simon Gosling asks Dan to share his story and explore the role of sound in our enjoyment of wine and the dining experience.  

Followers of Quiet Mark's social media channels will have seen a news feature that we recently shared by Caroline Davies & Harry Taylor in The Guardian,  titled: ‘It’s atmosphere’: is noise of London’s restaurants just part of the charm? The piece stated that "the capital’s restaurants are the loudest in Europe, and second only to San Francisco worldwide. A random survey by SoundPrint, a global app measuring noise levels, found 80% of 1,350 London restaurants were too loud for conversation". On tagging that post, Quiet Mark was immediately contacted by SoundPrint's Director of Marketing, Sharon Cohen Bunkin who then enjoyed a call with Quiet Mark CMO & Host of The Quiet Mark Podcast, Simon Gosling, to discover more about one another's companies. In this episode we enjoy a conversation with Gregory Scott, Founder at SoundPrint, an app that not only shows you how loud a restaurant is before you book, it also allows you to take your own sound measurements and write your own sound reviews, enabling restaurateurs to address noise complaints that could be loosing them business and repeat custom. In Spring 2018, Scott launched SoundPrint. The app, which has now achieved 170k downloads, has a built-in meter that measures sound levels for at least 15 seconds, recording levels in real time, as well average and maximum decibels. Download the app here: https://www.soundprint.co/ Loud restaurants aren't just annoying — they could be hazardous to our health. According to the World Health Organization, anyone exposed to sound levels over 85 decibels for more than eight hours could be at risk of hearing loss. This is about the same sound level as a leaf blower or gas-powered lawn mower.

Together, building and construction are responsible for 39 per cent of all carbon emissions in the world. To meet the UK government’s commitment to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, the building industry has a big role to play, requiring radical cuts in emissions from construction and operation. Our guest on this episode of The Quiet Mark Podcast is Nigel Burton, Director of Acoustics at Temple, Board Member at The Association of Noise Consultants and Member of the London Branch of the IOA Institute of Acoustics.  Our host, Simon Gosling, asks Nigel how he brings sustainability to his specification decisions when sourcing acoustic products to suit his designs and recommendations. Nigel also raises the case for choosing refurbishment over new build. Temple are leaders in the field of built and natural environments and creating sustainable futures. By forming inclusive alliances with their clients, associates, other environment, planning and sustainability experts, they make a meaningful environmental and social difference together and offer an authentic, unrivalled service.  Quiet Mark is one of several 3rd Party Certification filters that Specifiers can now use when making product decisions on our partner’s platform, NBS Source. By selecting Quiet Mark and various sustainability certification filters, when sourcing products, we’re helping to make it easier for developers to create healthier buildings which enhance occupant's wellbeing, whilst also being kind to the planet. 

After a successful inaugural year, The Sound of the Year Awards returned in 2021/22. A celebration of everyday sound in all its forms, the awards are presented by The Museum of Sound in partnership with The New BBC Radiophonic Workshop and others.  The awards aim to highlight the rapidly-growing international community of sound professionals and enthusiasts as the value of good sound, listening, and healthy sonic environments are becoming recognised as a vital part of our lives.  Quiet Mark was delighted this year when our CEO & CoFounder, Poppy Szkiler was invited to join the esteemed panel of judges. Quiet Mark was also the official partner of a brand new category for 2021, 'Best Sound Innovation in Everyday Life': Recognising a new technology, appliance or technique made public in the last year that has improved the sound of something experienced in everyday life. On this episode, we speak with Manchester based Sound Artist, Hayley Suviste, Lead Producer of The Sound of The Year Awards, to find out more about this year's awards. Our host, Simon Gosling, also enjoys a global conversation with the category winner, Justin Wiggan in Cornwall UK, and Runners Up, Fanis Maragkos in Athens, Greece and Yui Onodera in Tokyo, Japan, to find out more about their fascinating, innovative and timely entries and the stories behind them.  Learn more about their work here: https://www.soundoftheyearawards.com/2021

Welcome to the 40th Episode of The Quiet Mark Podcast. The Big 40! Such a milestone is worthy of a celebration cake! So, who finer to invite to guest on this special episode than Steve Punter, Managing Director at Magimix UK, and the 'King of Cakes' himself, Eric Lanlard, Master Patissier & Owner of Cake-Boy, the relaxed yet glamorous lounge–café near the river Thames in Battersea?! With a successful career in consumer appliance and technology markets, and working with brands that include Gibson Innovations, Philips and Henkel, Steve joined Magimix UK as MD in 2016, where he is responsible for overseeing the UK management, brand development and product roadmap.  In an interview with ERT Magazine, Steve described Magimix as, "The Rolex of Food Processors". Certainly Quiet Mark would agree and is proud to have certified a range of their food processors, blenders and the Magimix Juice Expert 3. Someone else who, from personal experience, agrees with Steve's statement is our other special guest, Eric Lanlard, who has certainly made his mark in the UK both as a master French Pâtissier and a much loved celebrity chef. His career so far reads like a pastry chef fairytale having previously worked for the French Navy and for the Roux brothers and created masterpiece celebration cakes for the likes of The Beckhams and The Queen!  Eric has changed the face of British Patisserie and has been rightfully twice crowned the winner of the prestigious ‘Continental Pâtissier of the Year’ at the British Baking Awards. With his renowned Cake Boy boutique, his popular tv shows, four published books and working as brand ambassador for baking mad it’s a wonder he has anytime away from the oven! Thankfully though, both Steve and Eric have kindly taken time to enjoy a conversation with our host, Simon Gosling,  on our 40th episode, where we take a deeper dive into the work that they do, how it helps to have quieter appliances in the kitchen... (laboratory, sorry Eric!), and the role that sound plays in the art of a Master Patissier.

The Noise Abatement Society (NAS) conceived Silent Approach™, a collaborative holistic scheme to enable swift, efficient deliveries without causing noise disturbances to residents in order to reduce congestion and help improve air quality and safety in our towns and cities. In this episode of The Quiet Mark Podcast, we discuss Silent Approach™ with NAS MD, Lisa Lavia and also hear from some of the companies who partnered in the scheme, and whose Quiet Mark certified products helped make it a great success; proving that it is possible to make quiet deliveries, anywhere, at any time of day.  Those guests include: Christopher Hanson-Abbott - Chairman at Brigade Electronics Group Plc Emily Hardy  - UK Marketing Manager at Brigade Electronics UK LTD Jann Hansen - Vice President, Sales & Product Management, MOFFETT, PRINCETON Truck Mounted Forklifts, HIAB Carl Fordham - Managing Director at Rolltek International Ltd Silent Approach™ was used as the basis for trials across the UK by the Department for Transport in a consortium with the NAS and the Freight Transport Association called the Quiet Delivery Demonstration Scheme which has informed Transport for London’s ‘anytime delivery’ programme.  NAS was at the heart of this work carried out in London, the results of which are viewed by cities all over the world as examples of successful sustainable logistics.

Our guest on this episode, Ramune Bartuskaite, is a WELL Accredited Professional,Healthy Building Advocate and an architect at FIFTEEN Architecture + Design in Philadelphia—a practice driven by the desire to affect positive change. She's also the Founder and CEO of Spec Matters, whose opening line on their website says: 'Empowering the building industry to write healthier specifications and make better material selections—because these decisions matter'. We couldn’t agree more! Last December, Quiet Mark announced a brand new partnership with NBS, a leading construction data and specification platform, to empower architects and interior designers to specify ‘acoustics first’, by providing a short-cut for responsible product sourcing. The aim of the partnership being to elevate the aural design of buildings, optimising the overall level of acoustic comfort for occupants. Throughout her career, Ramune has worked closely with material manufacturers to stay on top of trends and the latest products in the industry.  While pursuing her license, she learned about the challenges and health concerns of the building industry.  After losing her mother to cancer in 2020 and learning about the carcinogens that are often used in building materials, she created Spec Matters in hopes of spurring change and raising awareness in the movement towards healthier buildings and environments. “Architects, interior designers, and developers are making material selections every day without knowing the impact on human health and the environment”, says Ramune. Spec Matters is a free website and newsletter solving this problem by providing a hub of accessible healthy building information.  Ramune is a Lithuanian immigrant and a first-generation graduate. She holds a Masters of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a Marketing Minor from Miami University, and a Certificate in Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building from Parsons School of Design. She’s a recipient of the Alpha Rho Chi Medal for leadership, willing service, and promise of professional merit and a co-editor of a book titled Women [Re]Build: Stories, Polemics, Futures. The book highlights female architects, designers, scholars, and educators who are pushing the boundaries of architecture and design.

In December 2021, Quiet Mark announced an industry-milestone partnership with NBS, a leading construction data and specification platform to empower architects to specify ‘acoustics first’, by providing a short-cut for specifiers to source responsible products. The aim being to elevate wellness through architectural acoustics; optimising the overall level of acoustic comfort for occupants. The 3,600+ practises that use NBS to make 13.6M specification decisions per month can now filter for Quiet Mark certified products and materials, using the left hand navigation menu. This includes products such as Dyson hand dryers and Mira electric showers, or building materials including WoodUpp’s Akupanel Decorative Wood Acoustic Panels and ROCKWOOL’s Thermal and Sound Insulation Range. For architects, engineers, designers and contractors NBS provides a cloud-based specification system that enables them to work smarter and reduce their risk. For building product manufacturers, NBS helps grow their business by exposing their products across the construction project timeline.  In this episode, our CMO & Host, Simon Gosling, enjoys a conversation with 3 expert guests, each one representing a different part of that process. Together they explore the role of specification, the ways that they use the NBS platform, and what the new Quiet Mark x NBS partnership means for them, and the industry as a whole.  Stephen Hamil is Innovation Director at NBS - Stephen first started working on NBS products in 1999 and has played a big part in the development of platforms such as NBS Chorus and NBS Source. He was the project lead for parts of the UK Government’s BIM Task Group 'Level 2 programme'. Prior to joining NBS, Stephen studied at Durham University. His first degree was in Structural Engineering followed by a PhD in the digital modelling of building structures. Richard Grove is Director | Europe at Inhabit - After 8 1/2 years leading the acoustics team out of BDP's London Studio, Richard recently started an exciting new role as Director | Europe at Inhabit. Part of Egis Group, Inhabit is a design-led, multi-disciplinary team of experienced architects, designers, engineers and contractors who are passionate about making a positive contribution to our built environment. Gregg Wright is Director at WoodUpp, manufacturer of Quiet Mark certified Akupanel Decorative Wood Acoustic Panels, bringing the beauty and calming essence of nature to homes or workplaces. They oversee each area of production, from selecting the standing trees, right through to the distribution of the end product ensuring only the highest quality products are made for their clients.

There is little doubt that the lockdown months have forced many of us to reassess our homes and how we live in them.  As we head into 2022 with a certain amount of relief, we look at the impact of Covid-19 on our behaviours and highlight how the pandemic has driven the new priorities we now have for our homes. In this episode Trend-Monitor Founder & Research Director, Jane Blakeborough shares with our Hist, Simon Gosling, some of the Top 10 priorities consumers now have for their homes, as highlighted in their Post-COVID Trend Map for the UK Home Improvement Sector.  Trend-Monitor is a leading insight resource for the UK home improvement industry, providing targeted consumer and market insights and trend analysis for major brands, multiple retailers, trade associations and the trade press for over 16 years.  Alongside 'Easily Sustainable Homes', and 'Clean Air at Home', the Top 10 priorities also includes 'Quiet Homes', saying: Noise is very much an invisible pollutant as many layers of sound can build up over time.  Whereas previously we may have been able to ignore these layers of sound, working from home, and in particular when on Zoom or in virtual meetings, has made us extra sensitive to the amount of noise we have going on around us in our homes. Spending more time at home during lockdown has emphasised the detrimental effect of being constantly surrounded by noise from domestic appliances, technology and poor acoustics. This in turn is impacting on our mental health and energy levels. Quiet Mark, the international consumer champion award programme associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society charity, is seeing an increased interest in products that ensure that acoustic design is as important as visual design. You can download the Trend Monitor report, in full, here: https://trend-monitor.co.uk/

This year, 2022, Quiet Mark celebrates 10 years. Our origins, however, stem back much further, to 1959, when The Noise Abatement Society (NAS) was founded by the entrepreneurial businessman John Connell OBE. He believed that being exposed to excessive noise profoundly affected health, children's learning, productivity, and general quality of life – he called noise ‘the forgotten pollutant’. John almost single-handedly lobbied the Noise Abatement Act through Parliament, when in 1960, noise became a statutory nuisance for the first time in the UK. In this episode we enjoy the company of 2 guests who lobby for change that will create healthier homes and more sustainable construction and design practises. Daniel Slade joined the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) in January 2020 to work as a Policy and Projects Manager. The TCPA's vision is for homes, places and communities in which everyone can thrive. Their mission is to challenge, inspire and support people to create healthy, sustainable and resilient places that are fair for everyone. Cat Hoad is Director & Founder at Absolute Project Management who are a Founding Signatory of Interior Design Declares, for whom Cat is a Steering Committee member. Interior Design Declares is part of Construction Declares, a global petition movement uniting all strands of construction and the built environment. It is both a public declaration of our planet’s environmental crises and a commitment to take positive action in response to climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse. At the end of last year, as part of our ongoing mission to increase occupant wellbeing through noise reduction and improved acoustics, Quiet Mark announced a new partnership with NBS, a leading construction data and specification platform, to empower architects to specify ‘acoustics first’, by providing a shortcut for specifiers to source responsible products. Listen to Cat and Daniel, as they share, with our host Simon Gosling, more about their work and missions.

Our guest on Episode 34 of The Quiet Mark Podcast is Jouko Urpolahti General Manager, Vetrospace, a company whose modular space products have recently been Quiet Mark certified and listed in our Acoustics Academy directory of verified acoustic solutions for every building type.  In a recent episode of The Quiet Mark Podcast, Adam Cossey, Partner at Hawkins\Brown Civic, Community and Culture Sector Lead shared how his company research had found that, in the modern era of hybrid working, 3 desks per 10 team members are often sufficient, whereas pre-pandemic, it would have been 6 per 10. Workers returning to the office, from their homes, no longer want to see rows of desks in open plan spaces. Instead, they prefer a more zonal approach with soft fabrics and finishes, more plantings and biophilic design, and quieter spaces to go to for privacy, quiet and focus. It's no wonder therefore, that there were so many new pods and booths on display at the recent Workspace Design Show. Founded in 2017, before the pandemic, and based in Finland, Vetrospace manufactures unique meeting pods and phone booths that incorporate critical health technology, including anti-microbial lighting, anti-viral nano-coating and clean-air ventilation. The result, they say, is the most hygienic, private modular spaces on the market. On December 1st, Jouko took time out of his hectic Slush schedule to talk to The Quiet Mark Podcast, from Vetrospace's latest product, their StreamSpace.  Helsinki's Slush has grown into the largest single gathering of venture capital in the world – 1,700 investors ranging from VCs to angels, CVCs, and LPs, all looking for the next big thing. Vetrospace supplied this year's Slush event with almost thirty indoor air purification meeting rooms. Would their StreamSpace booth be enough keep out the noise of the 8,000 Slush attendees and enable our Host, Simon Gosling, to record their conversation in peace and quiet? Listen to discover more!

(December 2021). In the week that Quiet Mark announces a new partnership with NBS, a leading construction data and specification platform, in this episode we take a closer look at the science of specification.   There are few people as knowledgeable or well-versed in the art of specification, choosing the best acoustic products to suit every building type, as our guest, Jeffrey Fullerton, Acoustics Department Manager - Building Science Solutions at Intertek.  Intertek is an industry leader with more than 43,800 employees in 1,000 locations in over 100 countries. They are a Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Through their global network of state-of-the-art facilities and industry-leading technical expertise they provide innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification services to their customers. In fact, in addition to testing products in its own labs, Quiet Mark often partners with Intertek for additional testing, harnessing their global network to assess many of our international partner brands' products. Jeff has 20 years of experience providing acoustical consulting guidance to clients on local, regional, national and global projects. His past projects include mixed use facilities, entertainment venues, corporate and commercial buildings, single and multi-family residences, higher education buildings, government buildings, healthcare facilities, transportation terminals, and industrial plants. Jeff shares his experience as an acoustician working alongside architects and interior designs, to help realise their visual designs, whilst optimising the acoustic comfort of the space. He makes our CMO and Host, Simon Gosling, chuckle when he talks about the challenges this can present, citing a book titled 'Deaf Architects & Blind Acousticians? A Guide to the Principles of Sound Design', by Robert E. Apfel!  If you're interested to learn more about how skilled aural design and the specification of acoustic products can enhance the wellbeing of a building's occupants, then look no further!

In Episode 32 of The Quiet Mark Podcast, we discuss Shopping for Sound - The Art of Acoustic Acquisition, with Vicki Mantle, Head of Sales at Muffle. Our host, Simon Gosling, recorded this conversation in early November ‘21, soon after bumping into Vicki at The Workspace Design Show in London’s Business Design Centre. Both were amazed at just how much emphasis there was on acoustic design in the furniture, lighting, screens, panels, pods and booths being exhibited at the event.  Clearly, the pandemic, work from home, hybrid-working, and the growing trend for well-being focused design in workspace, has caused designers to think, not just visually, but also acoustically, blending attractive designs with products that improve the soundscape of the workplace; be that in our homes or our offices.  Vicki mentions a Google Popularity Score search that she did for the term, 'Noisy Neighbours’, which scored 20 pre-pandemic, rising to 100 in April and May last year, when lockdowns began. With people spending more time working, teaching and resting at home, came the realisation of just how loud our homes actually were.  But, as Vicki explains, before Muffle was formed 3 years ago, if you were a residential or small business customer, wanting to buy a couple of panels, screens or other decorative acoustic products, most manufacturers run B2B rather than B2C operations and there really wasn’t anywhere that you could go to buy them.  Muffle changed that, making it easy for everyone to buy acoustic products, online via their website, which now offers hundreds of products by over 20 brands, several of whom, such as BuzziSpace, Ecophon and Echo Barrier, are Quiet Mark certified and listed in our Acoustics Academy platform of verified building products for every building application area. 

Dan Mayfield is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, sound artist, author, and Acoustic Ecology graduate. He founded the School of Noise in 2015 and has since run online and offline workshops for children, young people and adults encouraging the exploration of music and the science of sound. Their aim is to provide creative and imaginative activities using sound in accessible, fun and educational ways. So many previous guests on The Quiet Mark Podcast played instruments in bands before embarking on sound and acoustic related careers; varying from the sound design of household products for global brands, to the acoustic design of some of the world’s most iconic buildings. In July 2021, Ofsted published its latest research review looking at music education in schools. It can be found on Gov.uk under the headline: Simply ‘doing’ music is not enough. It points out that the number of pupils taking up music at key stages 4 and 5 continues to decline. Key stage 3 music provision has also been reduced and trainee primary teachers are offered shrinking amounts of musical training. And with reduced lesson time, this has been accompanied by lower levels of staffing to support a school’s rich musical life. Therefore, it is more important than ever for schools to find ways that put high-quality music at the core of the curriculum. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman said: Music touches the heart of our humanity and its sense of wonder has influenced human societies throughout history. For many pupils, the music they love will be part of the narrative of their lives. Music is part of the curriculum but simply ‘doing’ music is not enough. We shouldn’t be satisfied with just having music on the timetable. We need to be ambitious about what we expect for music in the classroom and make sure that time is well used. Dan and The School of Noise are on hand to help. Discover more... 

In this episode we look at the growing trend for well-being, and the interrelated role of acoustics, in the design and build of commercial offices, educational libraries and town halls; with Adam Cossey, Partner at Hawkins\Brown. Established in 1988 Hawkins\Brown is now the 7th largest UK practice, working in a wide range of sectors including residential, infrastructure, education, workplace and civic, community and culture [CCC]. Adam leads the CCC sector which is involved in a number of projects including community and Higher Education libraries as well as a number of Town Hall projects providing new workplace environments for local authorities. Hawkins\Brown employs a global team of 300, working in offices of around 20 people in centres including London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Los Angeles. Adam talks of some of the in-house testing and experimentation that has taken place within their own studios, which has shown that, with the growth of hybrid working environments, desk to person ratios can be reduced from 6 desks per 10 people, to as low as 3 to 10.  Treated correctly, less desks can equal improved acoustic comfort, more biophilic planting, collaborative spaces, and break out zones for one to one Zoom calls; all improving the wellbeing of the occupants.  Adam shares his experiences working on: The new University of Bristol Library - a world class facility for all, to support and enhance the services offered by the University’s broader library and study centres network. It will strengthen the University’s ability to provide high quality study spaces, programmes and events, and services to reach out to an increasing number of new students, researchers and academics. The Grade II listed Waltham Forest Town Hall and Assembly Hall, along with the surrounding landscape, which recently, have sensitively been transformed into a place where council staff, local business and residents come together.  Adam states that only a few years ago, the specification of sustainable materials and solutions and the consideration of accessibility and inclusivity in design were ‘nice to have bolt-ons’, which have now become absolute must-haves. With show host Simon Gosling, he explores the need and hope that the specification of acoustic products, to enable well-being design, will also become par of the course.  In the meantime, they can easily be sourced in Quiet Mark’s Acoustics Academy - a free to use online platform further equipping and empowering architects, builders and designers with a guide to expertly verified leading acoustic solutions for every building application area. 

Lockdowns may have shut cinemas and choked off the supply of new films and TV shows, but developers are banking on the streaming boom by pouring hundreds of millions of pounds into building Hollywood-style studios in the UK. In this episode of The Quiet Mark Podcast - LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACOUSTICS! - we discuss Film Studios with Barry Jobling, Partner with Hoare Lea, who, in addition to working on numerous studios including Dagenham, Elstree and Manchester, recently contributed to a new report from JLL: Reel Estate – Film and TV Studios as an Investment. It reveals that an increased appetite for film and TV content across a growing number of platforms is creating demand for further significant studio capacity in the UK. The report includes contributions from our in-house experts at Hoare Lea, along with the British Film Commission and Scott Brownrigg. It highlights that the demand for new studio capacity, services and facilities has never been greater, with up to 4.5m sq ft of new development under consideration in order to meet it. This is more than double the current amount of permanent stage space in the UK. As a recent report in The Guardian pointed out: Barking and Dagenham council has struck a £300m deal to build a studio in east London that is expected to welcome its first TV and film productions as soon as mid-2022. Liverpool city council submitted a planning application to create the city’s first “pop-up” TV and film stages, which will sit alongside a much bigger development of the city’s historic Littlewoods Building, a 10-acre (four hectare) site dubbed the “Hollywood of the north” that will open in 2023. The Quiet Mark Podcast Host, Simon Gosling asks Barry about the challenges of Film Studio acoustic design and the work of Hoare Lea. 

When Specifiers select products and materials for their projects, they increasing seek solutions which have been manufactured sustainably, with certifications to verify their credentials.  In this SUSTAINABLE SEPTEMBER episode of The Quiet Mark Podcast, our host, Simon Gosling, speaks with 6 manufactures whose Quiet Mark certified products are listed on our AcousticsAcademy.com directory of expertly verified solutions for every building project to support the new era of responsible design. Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The concept of sustainability is composed of three pillars: economic, environmental, and social—also known informally as profits, planet, and people. Increasingly, companies are making public commitments to sustainability through actions like reducing waste, investing in renewable energy, and supporting organisations that work toward a more sustainable future. Working our way up, starting with floors by Karndean Designflooring, through to walls by WoodUpp, insulation by ROCKWOOL, acoustic artworks and furniture by BuzziSpace with Cory Grosser + Associates, murals and furniture by AllSfär, all the way up to ceilings by Armourcoat Acoustic®, Simon asks each manufacturer how they produce their products sustainably, and what it means to their businesses. Your company might be considering corporate sustainability initiatives but wondering just how hard it is to implement meaningful change in your organisation. It can be helpful to have examples of corporate sustainability initiatives to look to for inspiration, and this is precisely what our first guests on this episode, Products of Change provides. Tune in to discover more!    

In this episode we discuss the occupational and environmental effects of noise pollution in construction, with Peter Wilson, Technical Director of Industrial Noise and Vibration Centre and Echo Barrier, whose noise reduction products are Quiet Mark certified: https://www.quietmark.com/brands/echo-barrier In the UK in 2019, noise breaches on construction sites were reported to be up 25%. With the sector now preparing to ‘build, build, build’, the situation will worsen without action. Noise is one of the most commonly-found contaminants in the construction sector. Construction sites produce extensive amounts of noise pollution, the effects of which are experienced immediately. The negative effects are not restricted to the construction site, with noise pollution creating a problem for surrounding areas. Local residents often report varying levels of stress, sleep disturbance and high blood pressure. Noise pollution can also disturb the natural cycles of animals and reduce the size of their habitat. In addition to a mechanical engineering degree and an MSc in Acoustics and Vibration, Peter Wilson has spent over 35 years honing his practical skills in the field of noise and vibration engineering - initially in the automotive industry (solving problems on both products and for customers). He has acquired a considerable reputation for developing innovative noise control techniques across a very wide range of applications and industries. This includes the design of the award-winning Echo Barriers, innovative, award-winning fan noise control technology and novel structural vibration dampers. Peter also developed the Institute of Occupational Health (IOSH - UK) competency training courses in both noise and vibration. To share good vibrations, he also does a bit of stand-up comedy! But noise pollution is no joke, so please do tune in to find out more.