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Norwich Waterfront continues to offer better facilities to national touring acts and up-and coming musicians thanks to an upgraded acoustic system installed by Hodgson & Hodgson. The 'box' layout of the Waterfront, with its low ceiling and hard surfaces, had led to a problem with reverberation of sound around the auditorium. Hodgson & Hodgson fitted a dB Ceiling Absorber panel to the ceiling.

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Renovating the 72-year old listed Wembley Arena was always going to be a mammoth task, but contractors were helped along the way by Tufsound acoustic wall and ceiling panels from Hodgson & Hodgson. The panels have reduced noise reverberation around the building and transformed the quality of sound within the venue, something which has been much criticised in the past.

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Hall 5, Stand M125 The Sheerframe sustainable window range from LB Plastics will be on display at Interbuild, and will include windows that achieve 'A' Energy Rating. A new range of acoustic ventilators will also be showcased. One of the latest additions to the Sheerframe range from is the PVC vertically sliding sash window, a design which offers egress to the requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations. It's engineering means that much smaller windows of this type can be used as escape windows for the first time, with windows just 900mm high complying with legislation.

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All-in-one insulation and infill from Maxit Building Products is helping conservatory specialist Newlook Windows speed up construction and win over energy-conscious customers. Maxit LWA Insulation Fill provides fill and insulation in one hit simply by laying the bags in which it is delivered directly into the conservatory base. The ready-to-install bags contain approximately 15 kg of special insulating lightweight aggregate which is manufactured by expanding clay at high temperatures. The 50 litre bags are laid in the foundations, and the gaps infilled with loose LWA, prior to the installation of the damp-proof membrane and concrete door slab. After digging out, one operative can install the insulating bags for a standard conservatory in as little as 30 minutes. Newlook has calculated that the bags typically trim build time by around one day.

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The SoundBar System developed by Finnforest and Lafarge Gyvlon is said to not only exceed the requirements for Part E but also present a solution to time, cost and on-site efficiencies. The system comprises what the company says is the only engineered timber i-joist on the market, the Finnjoist, with a SoundBar board, exclusive to Finnforest, and environmentally-sound anhydrite screed from Lafarge Gyvlon. This enable housebuilders to construct a shallower compartment floor than the current E-FT-1 Robust Detail 4 layer system or even beam and block flooring

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Thermatex Alpha is the latest product to join the AMF acoustic range. It is claimed to be the first tile to feature the handling and installation advantages of a wet felt mineral tile - as opposed to low density mineral or glass wool - and provides performance characteristics previously unavailable in this material. Available with both square and recessed edges Thermatex Alpha is aimed at locations where the highest performance of acoustics is required.In addition to achieving claimed high levels of performance it is said to offer excellent asethetics, with a white, smooth design, affording 80% light reduction in a 600 x 600 mm format It can also be specified with the Hygena treatment to suit areas where a higher degree is required.

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EcoJoist, the open-web steel joist system from Gang-Nail Systems has gained status as a recognised Robust Standard Detail. This is under the House Builders Federation's programme for the acoustic development of new homes and Part E of the Building Regulations. The EcoJoist is a precision-engineered structural component consisting of parallel stress graded timber flanges joined together with V-shaped galvanised steel webs. This is claimed to make the EcoJoist lightweight, strong and versatile and the ideal specification product for both brick and block timber frame methods. The product exceeds the levels of sound insulation for both airborne sound and impact sound without the need for mineral wool insulation between joists. The open web format offers timber frame manufacturers, housebuilders and specifiers a simplified and virtually access for services such as electricity and pipework. EcoJoist can be top chord supported. This helps to minimise the number of brick courses needed between floors to achieve the same height of building. This feature, combined with ease of installation, results in a joist that can be installed in just 50% of the time taken to install a conventional floor joist.

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The problem of reducing the passage of sound through a building could be tackled by Raven acoustic door seals, distributed by Royde & Tucker. Acoustic seals act as a barrier to airbourne sound within a building, and are particularly important in the increasing number of high density developments. They can be fitted in schools, hospitals, hotels, offices and homes and are suitable for FD30S and FD60S fire doors. The Raven seals exceed the revised requirements outlined in Part E of the Building Regulations and remain compliant with Part B and Part M.

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Board manufacturer EcoTherm has invested £8 million in a new laminating line and warehouse at its Basildon headquarters. The line, which will significantly increase production capacity, will be used to join facing materials such as aluminium foil to the company's rigid thermal insulation boards. The investment will also fund a customer service website, which will provide accessible information on products.

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Sporting activity is no longer a racket at a Tyne & Wear school after CMS Acoustics supplied Vertiface Composition - a retrospectively applied acoustic wall covering system to control high reverberation levels - in its new-build sports hall. It is put directly onto finished interior walls.

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