The world is changing, so is the amount of noise pollution. Noise pollution can be distracting, not only is it distracting but it can make companies and neighbors feel compelled to live or do their business elsewhere. This can put a strain on the economy in a particular area. For example, if a commercial loading dock opens up, the offices nearby may not be so enthused. In fact, the parties could end up in court both fighting for what they consider to be their fundamental rights.
This is why sound walls are becoming more acceptable. In the US there are more than 164,000 miles of highway. As the population increases and the demand for travel heightens, more highways will be built. Highways carry a significant amount of noise. The land that is along those stretches of miles will need to be occupied in one way or another. But the question is, what family will build their home right near a highway because of the noise. Most highway traffic tends starts early in the morning around 5:30 am. What will be the cost of those homes? Or better yet, what type of office building would subject their employees to work in an area where there are hours of continuous traffic?
The majority of highways are located in rural areas. That amount just happens to be 65% and the other 35% are in urban areas. Some of these areas are used to the effects of noise pollution. But others are not and are doing something about it. An outdoor sound wall is able to dramatically reduce the amount of noise. The wall is made from items such as HDPE? HDPE means High Density Polyethylene. HDPE is a plastic. It is also used in hard hats. So next time you see a construction worker outside with a hard hat on remember most likely inside of his hat is a plastic called polyethylene.
Polyethylene was produced in the United Kingdom in the 1930s. It gained popularity in the US in the 1950s. This type of plastic is light but very tough. It is also impact resistant. This type of material is weather resistant, so you do not have to worry about your noise reducing wall rotting or growing mold or mildew. Throughout the years HDPE has been taking the place of items that are much heavier.
Sound walls are also made from masonry, wood, and sheet metal. With these materials in place the amount of noise pollution in that area is greatly reduced. Sound walls recreated made from these materials are well-known to be sound absorbing walls. Walls made from concrete or only from wood or steel reflect sound. Walls that reflect sound are seen by many not serving their original purpose. Reflecting sound only draws the sound back to its original source. So what’s the purpose?
As our society began to cherish its time, health and silence it is certain that walls that actually do the job will become more in demand. And as the use of these types of walls slowly replace concrete walls the amount of lawsuits between tenants and business owners may also see a reduction. For years tenants have wrestled with companies that had outrageous sounds vibrating from them. Sadly, in many cases the tenants did not get what they wanted and ended up uplifting their families and moving to another area. As we push forward in science and environmental knowledge the lives of all of us will undoubtedly improve in a significant way.
