There has been an increased awareness and emphasis on the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining physical fitness and as a consequence the fitness industry has experienced significant growth in recent years. This trend has led more people to seek out fitness facilities and services to support their wellness goals, and in turn for an increase in Gyms and Fitness Studios to be located near where people live and work.

Unfortunately, this can lead to a conflict in the noise generated by gyms and similar fitness activity and nearby residential and commercial premises which in some situation can result in costly legal disputes! The noise generated from Gyms is multifaceted and can depend on the typical use of the gym. For example certain gyms may create structure borne noise due to heavy weight drops whereas others may be due to airborne noise from music playing in a pumping Spin Class.

However, the negative noise and vibration impact can be avoided by conducting a gym noise assessment early in the planning and design process. Alternatively, any adverse noise impact can be remedied by conducting an operational gym noise assessment to identify the primary sources of noise and creating bespoke noise control solutions to each of these.

To assist with these assessments the Association of Noise Consultants in the UK has developed the guidance document ProPG : Gym Acoustics Guidance https://www.association-of-noise-consultants.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ProPG-Gym-Acoustic-Guidance-Document.pdf. The guidance outlines suitable noise and vibration criteria for gym activity, as well as suitable assessment and mitigation methods for gym noise and vibration assessments.

At Amplitude, our team of acoustic consultants have extensive experience at completing gym noise assessments, supporting our clients reduce the noise and vibration impact of existing and proposed gyms of all types. If your planning a gym and need advice please reach out to info@amplitudeacoustics.com.