Developing a Comprehensive Construction Noise Specification

As acoustical engineers, we are often asked to develop community noise-related guidelines, regulations, laws, ordinances, and project specifications. This paper will describe the ingredients needed to develop a robust and defensible construction noise specification that is both enforceable and effective. It will be based on the author's past and current experiences developing such specifications, including those used for the Big Dig project in Boston, FHWA's construction noise handbook, the New York City construction noise regulation, as well as dozens of large-scale construction projects across the country. The goals of proactive and reactive noise control and the difference between a performance-based versus a prescriptive-based specification will be explained, community noise criteria will be suggested, and examples will be provided for important clauses in such a specification. Lastly, a listing of "lessons learned" over the decades will be provided.