This modernization project covered the 120,000 square foot building. Major facilities included five courtrooms; judges’ chambers and related offices; jury deliberation and mediation rooms; detainee areas; a variety of support spaces; and federal office spaces, all of which required a high degree of acoustic confidentiality and good hearing conditions.

Acentech provided consulting for room acoustics, sound isolation, and recommendations for mechanical system noise and vibration control. Architectural acoustics included room shapes, finishes, and furnishing, all of which affect the way a room sounds and speech intelligibility.

Since the GSA required a high degree of sound isolation between many sensitive spaces, we reviewed constructions and detailing of walls, floors-to-ceilings, doors, and windows. The GSA also required that low noise levels for mechanical systems in the courtrooms and judge’s chambers, so Acentech addressed all aspects of mechanical-system noise and vibration that would bear upon the background noise level in the finished building.

Acentech’s sound and audiovisual consulting included detailed programming, system design, preparation of working drawings and specifications suitable for competitive bidding, a pre-bid meeting, and bid review.