With over 500 noise complaints lodged with Derry’s council last year alone, the problem is rapidly intensifying. Many residents suffer from disturbances from sources like pet noises, neighbourly noise, and traffic noise. During our field trip to Derry, the persistent noise from the streets, especially around the Wall City and Foyle Bridge, highlighted the pressing need for solutions.
In this study, we’ve designed a small-scale chamber that’s easily assembled and adaptable for integration into any household in Derry. It incorporates fucoid seaweed alongside other locally sourced bio-based materials. Our primary focus was to measure the chamber’s sound pressure insulation using a reverberation room, aiming to assess the potential efficacy of these seaweeds in combating urban noise.
The investigation underscores the potential of the Fucoid seaweed-based quiet chamber in attenuating urban noise. Although the cabin effectively lowered decibel levels, achieving a notable reduction from 62 dBA to 47 dBA, it fell short of the 30 dBA target. Notably adept at mitigating higher frequencies, further research in insulation material combinations could enhance its efficacy, positioning the quiet chamber as a viable product. The utilization of seaweed highlights its promise as a sustainable substitute for conventional artificial acoustic materials.