For some, acoustic engineering is sometimes seen to be shrouded under a veil of technical terminology (hence its  reputation for being a black science).  In actual fact, the physics of building and environmental acoustics is generally well understood. 

Since launching Hanson Associates 4 years ago, we have been developing an acoustics “toolbox” to help us communicate acoustic concepts to our clients and other project consultants in more palatable terms.  Our auralisation tools allow us to recreate room environments and to express our engineered results as real sounds that can be independently experienced and assessed by non-technical stakeholders.  

Using generated room impulse responses from 3D computer models, we are able to convolve dry recordings of speech and music and replay the predicted aural experience over headphones or loudspeakers in a controlled environment.  With time to prepare, we can bring our calibrated sound system to our clients for on site presentations and workshops.

In spanning the gap between architecture, engineering and technology, numbers and equation will be deliberately kept to a minimum!  Examples will include a virtual sonic tour of one of the County Courts in Melbourne.  A more detailed computer model case study has been prepared for the Banco Court in Supreme Courtrooms, Melbourne.  The intended outcome is for attendees to come away with a 'real world' understanding of the factors affecting good speech intelligibility and acoustic comfort