Project Experience

Industrial & Energy, Residential & Mixed Use

Third Party Reviews

About These Projects

From mining operations to luxury condominiums, BKL has conducted 3rd party reviews on a variety of project across all sectors.

For these assignments, BKL’s team applies its experience and insights to ensure technical content aligns with best practice methodologies and international standards. Here are a few examples of projects BKL has reviewed:

Common Acoustical Challenges:

Methods not aligned with standards
Unsuitable assessment criteria
Missing noise sources
Noise modelling accuracy
Gaps in mitigation plans

Third Party Reviews
Third Party Reviews
Third Party Reviews

Site C Clean Energy Project

Fort St. John, BC

Slated to open in 2024, Site C is BC Hydro’s third dam on the Peace River and will add about 5,100 gigawatt hours of energy to the province’s integrated electrical system each year. BKL conducted a third-party peer review of the project’s construction noise assessment. Powerhouse construction at Site C

Aquilini Centre

Vancouver, BC

For this downtown Vancouver development, which comprises three residential towers adjacent to Rogers Arena, BKL reviewed and commented on noise studies to assess the potential effects of concert and event noise on residents. BKL provided advice for calculating noise exposures at various floors, highlighted areas of concern, and confirmed that testing complied with ASTM requirements and the city’s acoustic performance test.

One Pacific

Vancouver, BC

Located near BC Place and Plaza of Nations, this luxury condominium had to meet the City’s acoustic performance test before receiving its occupancy permit. Understanding concerns with event noise from the nearby venues, BKL provided guidance to the City on the criteria and methodology used in the performance testing.

Bedrock Granite Sales Ltd.

Coquitlam, BC

When this industrial site, situated near a residential area, sought to expand operations, the municipality hired BKL to review a noise mitigation report and visit the site. BKL identified some concerns with the existing mitigation plan and shared recommendations with city staff. BKL later reviewed a second assessment and confirmed the concerns had been answered.

Davidson Project

Smithers, BC

BKL conducted a peer review of noise modelling relating to a noise impact assessment completed for this underground molybdenum mine. BKL confirmed the accuracy of the modelling and shared a few minor recommendations to emphasize certain mitigation suggestions and include additional noise sources.

Quintette Mine

Tumbler Ridge, BC

Part of a feasibility study for the reopening of this coal mine, BKL conducted a third-party review of the project’s noise assessment. In the review, BKL shared observations and responded to comments. While Teck received a permit for this project, they deferred restarting the mine, which now sits idle. Quintette Mine

Roman Mine

Tumbler Ridge, BC

For this open-pit coal mine, BKL participated in a third-party review. BKL recommended the client conduct a noise assessment to consider the effects of noise from blasting and increased road traffic on wildlife and nearby residents.

Interior to Lower Mainland Transmission Line Project

On behalf of the Stó:lō Nation, BKL reviewed and commented on the technical content of a noise report relating to this project, which saw the construction of a transmission line between the Nicola Substation in BC’s interior and the Meridian Substation in Coquitlam, BC. BKL identified inconsistencies within the methodologies applied when choosing measurement locations, assessing construction noise, and measuring non-residential land uses. BKL also suggested more suitable criteria for the project, to assess the project’s impact on Indigenous communities.

New Prosperity Mine

Cariboo Regional District

The Tsilhqot’in National Government hired BKL to review the acoustical details in the environmental impact statement for this proposed mine, located 125 kilometers southwest of Williams Lake. BKL’s acousticians found the statement lacked relevant noise criteria and overlooked the potential effects mining and construction noise could have on Teztan Biny, a nearby lake with spiritual and recreational importance for the Tsilhqot’in Nation. Teztan Biny

Rigel Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Project

Northern Alberta

BKL conducted a third-party technical review of the environmental noise impact assessment for this oil sands project, and provided recommendations for improving the assessment, specifically suggesting the applicant include rationale for background noise criteria and confirm its noise data represents worst-case scenarios. BKL recommended conducting a construction noise assessment that includes transportation noise, a monitoring plan and noise management plan, and considers the direct and in-direct effects on Indigenous communities and activities.

Featured Case Study

Residential & Mixed Use

3030 Gordon Project

Operated by RainCity Housing, the 3030 Gordon Project is a shelter and transitional housing facility serving the cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. The shelter features 30 private rooms (20 for men, 10 for women), 30 self-contained transitional housing suites and 30 emergency beds for inclement weather. The project architect, dys architecture, hired BKL to provide acoustical consultation during the design of the shelter. The project offered a significant noise-related challenge: 3030 Gordon is located only a few metres from a railway line that sees as many as 40 trains roll through every day. After conducting on-site audio and video measurements and performing 3-D computer predictions, BKL began work on a thorough and creative a plan to ensure that shelter goers would enjoy a good night's sleep, despite rail passerby noise levels of up to 90 dBA. For most projects, measuring sound levels is all that's needed. But for 3030 Gordon, the variety of train-related noise and vibration meant that BKL needed to record both sound and vibration, and audio and video, over a 24-hour period to distinguish between various types of rail activities- including whistles, pass bys from both passenger and freight trains, and impact noise from railcars shunting and coupling. BKL accomplished this task using microphone, accelerometer and USB webcams connected to one device: its 8-channel Sound book sound and vibration analyzer. The three keys to mitigating the potential noise and vibration impacts from the trains were BKL recommended an 8-foot high sound wall, a 6-inch block layer between the frame and exterior cladding and acoustical windows that feature additional air space between layers and extra-thick glass. "BKL solved the significant acoustic issues confronting this site" says Richard Stout, Principal at dys architecture. “The future residents face many challenges and need to have a calm, quiet place to rebuild their lives. The site, with its poor soils and the adjacent railway running trains almost continuously day and night, offered many barriers to creating the type of environment we needed. BKL's recommendations of concrete fencing. masonry walls and acoustic windows solved the problems completely, to the extent that trains are not heard from within the building unless the windows are opened. Further, our concern about vibration is also a non-issue due to the piling option we selected with BKL's input.” Have a project in mind? Get in touch today.

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