CIEH Noise Conference

Cirrus Research plc

Established in 1970, Cirrus Research is one of the world’s leading names in scientific noise measurement equipment. Noise changes lives, and our priority is to make monitoring, measuring, and controlling excessive noise levels as straightforward as possible, whilst ensuring that the most effective decisions are taken to protect people and the environment from the risks noise presents. Therefore, we provide noise measurement solutions that offer a superior level of accuracy and reliability, whilst being incredibly easy to use. All Cirrus Research instruments are provided with an worry-free 15-year warranty and are supported by in-house technical support, ensuring that investment are protected and users get the most out of their equipment.

Gramm Barrier Systems Ltd. are the UK’s leading specialist contractors in the supply & installation of Noise Barriers and Security Fencing. Gramm installs all types of Barriers including CE Marked Highways England compliant systems and whole life costs driven railway barriers. We carry out noise surveys, noise modelling, barrier designs including calculations & drawings.

The INVC a multi-award-winning engineering consultancy with a reputation for developing unique, innovative ways to diagnose and solve noise problems that cut typical project times from months or years down to days.

We also provide a very popular free diagnostic Best Practicable Means service for EHOs. This entails emailing smartphone or calibrated recordings that we analyse to provide an instant evaluation of the costed BPM solution by return, dramatically reducing EHO workloads.

As INVC noise control innovations are widely recognised as defining current best practice, we are often retained by public bodies and by industry to provide definitive rulings on what constitutes BPM or Best Available Technology (BAT).

RHE Global

RHE Global is a specialist company, pioneering new digital technologies to transform public protection. The Noise App, released in 2015, is now used by over 350 public bodies for noise nuisance reporting and is the most popular software for anti-social behaviour reporting in the UK. Following on from the success of The Noise App, RHE has released a new app called Reportable for all picture-based anti-social behaviour reporting and case management. Both apps have changed the experience for complaint sufferers and investigators for the better. Everyone benefits from the streamlined process which builds trust, based on reliable, validated data.

Colin Cobbing, Director, Pinnacle Acoustics Limited and Acoustic Facades Limited. Colin is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and a Fellow and external examiner for the Institute of Acoustics (IOA). He has over 30 years of experience in taking complex and high-profile projects from inception through planning, and into operation. Colin is a leading advocate for human-centred design solutions, optimising all aspects of design that affect human health and comfort, as well as the environment. He has shaped best practices in noise assessment and sustainable design and has been integrally involved in the production of standards and guidance documents that are used in planning new developments. 

Tim Everett LLB LLM FCIEH CMCIH FRSPH CEnvH is a trainer and researcher in Environmental Health Law and is currently studying for a PhD at De Montfort University, Leicester. He has postgraduate business qualifications and in addition, has completed postgraduate work on air and water pollution control. Tim is a Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner and was elected as a Fellow of the CIEH in 2000 and served as President from 2015 to 2017. Tim was also President of CIEH's London hub from 1999-2004. In his career, Tim has worked for four London Boroughs, the City of Swansea, and two District Councils. He has also served as a national adviser on Environmental Protection issues to the Local Government Association (LGA) for over ten years.

Dani Fiumicelli, Technical Director, Vanguardia, was an EHO in London for 16 years and became an acoustic consultant in 2002. Much of Dani’s work is within the public sector providing specialist noise, vibration and acoustic advice, as well as expert witness services in relation to the statutory nuisance, planning and licensing sectors. Dani has extensive experience in EIA noise and vibration work and nationally significant infrastructure projects including airports, railways and highways. He has participated and led the noise compliance checking and management for over 150 outdoor concerts on behalf of Licensing Authorities, event promoters and venue owners. He is a member of the working groups reviewing the Noise Council Code of Practice on Environmental Noise from Concerts and the Institute of Acoustics Code of Practice on Noise from Pubs and Clubs. 

Jack Harvie-Clark MA(Hons)MIOA, Managing Director, Apex Acoustics Ltd. Jack is the past-Chair of the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) and a Board member of the Air Tightness Testing & Measurement Association (ATTMA). Jack has a strong interest in the interdependence of acoustics, ventilation and thermal comfort. He instigated and is a major author of the Acoustics, Ventilation & Overheating Guide by the ANC. He produced and edited “Acoustics of Schools: A design guide”, and the ANC Guide for Measurement of Sound in Buildings. With a background in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, Jack worked on steam turbine blade development for Rolls Royce, undertook research into a novel thermal composite at Newcastle University and helped establish a renewable energy visitor centre before finding acoustics.

Toby Lewis, Technical Director, Acoustics, WSP. After 23 years working in environmental health, Toby joined WSP in 2015 where he is now a Technical Director in the 40-strong acoustics team. Toby has been involved with industrial and commercial noise assessments since the early nineties and remains a hands-on practitioner and expert witness in that field. He was a member of the Association of Noise Consultants Good Practice Working Group which, after four years of discussions, finally produced guidance on the application of BS 4142 in March 2020. Toby is a qualified trainer, a Chartered EHP and a Fellow of the IoA.

Lisa Lavia MBA, FRSA is Managing Director of the Noise Abatement Society and conducting PhD research at Heriot-Watt University investigating soundscape, engagement and planning policy. Lisa works to implement soundscape research-to-practice, training and policy and is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) working group which has published soundscape standards to assess the human response to sound in context for use in design, planning and placemaking. Lisa is a member of the Institute of Acoustics; the British Standards Institution (BSI) EH/1/2 Transport noise and EH/1/3 Residential and industrial noise committees; and the EU COST Action on Soundscapes of European Cities and Landscapes. Lisa regularly publishes and is invited to speak about her research and is currently on the drafting committee developing a new ISO standard to measure and assess non-acoustic factors.

Sue Thomas, Principal Consultant of Acoustics at Schofield Lothian. Sue is an experienced professional in environmental noise, environmental health, health impact assessment, and sustainable development. Sue has extensive experience gained in local authority and private sector environmental assessment and major projects delivery. Sue’s specific expertise is in acoustics and health impact assessment.

Stephen Turner MA, MSc, HonFIOA, has been working in the field of acoustics and noise control for over 40 years. His career has spanned both the public and private sector. Stephen was a technical adviser to noise policy officials at the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair (Defra) for over 15 years, including 4 years as a civil servant. In that time, he assisted with the implementation of the Environmental Noise Directive in England and was one of the UK’s representatives on the European Commission’s Noise Regulatory Committee. In January 2015, Stephen formed Stephen Turner Acoustics Limited and is now working as an independent acoustics consultant. In 2018 he became the President at the Institute of Acoustics.

Chris Steel, HM Inspector of Health & Safety at HSE, has over 20 years’ experience in Workplace Noise, Building Acoustics, Environmental Noise and Vibration. Chris has the following qualifications; M.Phil. Acoustics: Napier University, Edinburgh 2002, B.Sc.(Hons) Building Surveying: RGU, Aberdeen 1997 (2.1) , NEBOSH Diploma in H&S Regulation, HSE, Bootle 2018. Chris is currently a Specialist Inspector (Noise & Vibration) at Health and Safety Executive in Edinburgh.

Dr Julija Smyrnowa is a Noise advisor with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental and building acoustics, soundscape and design environmental services industry. Dr Smyrnowa has obtained her PhD in building acoustics and worked as a Research Associate in leading European Research projects in Poland, Italy and UK. Prior joining the Environment Agency, Dr Smyrnowa was an acoustic consultant in a large multidisciplinary international firm in the UK, where she initiated and conducted an internal research project on Soundscape data collection in urban places. In the EA Dr Smyrnowa`s has continued research in Soundscape, particularly focusing on linking assessments of context as per BS 4142 standard with context defined in ISO 12913. Dr Smyrnowa has published over 50 papers in the international scientific journals and proceedings of the international and national conferences. 

Peter Wilson MSc, BSc, MIOA, Technical Director at INVC has an engineering background plus 30 years of experience in the fields of noise analysis and control. Both he and the INVC have acquired a considerable reputation (and awards) for developing innovative assessment and noise control techniques across a wide range of applications and industries. Peter developed the current fan noise and Best Practicable Means training noise workshops for both the Environment Agencies and Local Authorities and is in demand internationally as a highly entertaining (and sometimes controversial) speaker.

Somayya Yaqub, Head of Corporate Health and Safety, London Borough of Ealing has over 15 years’ experience in local government with emphasis on environmental health, pollution and noise control and safety, with speciality in acoustics.
Thorough experience of large-scale regeneration projects and design risk mitigation. Giving evidence at planning enquiries and being cross examined.

Co-author of the Professional Planning Guidance document to supplement the National Planning Policy framework, Member of the Institute of Acoustics Environmental Noise Committee, Chair of the London Noise Action Forum and Pollution Study Group at the Charted Institute of Environmental Health and Non-Executive Board member of Broadway Living