The Permanent Public Building Committee on April 7 approved PSS No. 15 from BH+A to engage an acoustical consultant to address a noise complaint at the Emery Grover building.

The committee chair, Richard Cream, said the committee had received a sound study showing the HVAC units at Emery Grover “are, in fact, operating in excess of the allowable limit.” The chair moved to approve PSS No. 15 for an acoustical consultant in the amount of $7,850 from the architect’s budget; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call.

The consultant and the project’s mechanical engineer reported different modeling results. Committee staff said the acoustical modeling performed by the designer’s consultant had predicted 38 decibels at the relevant receptor, below the commonly cited 40‑decibel threshold used when background levels are 30 decibels. Field measurements taken at the property during follow-up readings, however, measured between about 57 and 62 decibels at some sample points, according to staff reports. Project staff said they had asked BH+A for additional measurement details taken at the unit and in front of the exhaust louvers but had not received them at the time of the meeting.

Committee members discussed whether the vendor or the design team should bear responsibility. Ken (project staff) told the committee the vendor’s cut sheet indicated a 60‑decibel rating but that the designer and the design team (which hired the acoustical engineer) would carry primary responsibility for design errors if the installed condition failed to meet performance expectations.

The committee approved the PSS and directed staff to continue negotiations and to gather the outstanding measurement data from BH+A before finalizing any invoice payments related to the acoustical work. Committee minutes show the vote was recorded as unanimous.

The Emery Grover matter will return to the committee for follow-up once the consultant supplies recommended mitigation designs and the outstanding measurement data.