EXPERIENCED ACOUSTICS CONSULTANT

Chris Wood. An acoustics consultant, or acoustician, with nearly 30 years' experience in consultancy. My feet have barely touched the ground since starting as a technician in 1994, having fallen into an industry that turned out to be as varied as it is niche, growing and evolving as it is established, and as rewarding as it is demanding!

My only complaint has ever been of being too busy! All helped by having worked with some of the best along the way, on every scale of project conceivable, and for Joe Blogs to Blogs Incorporated.

I am a Corporate Member of the Institute of Acoustics (MIOA), and hold the Diploma (Dip.) and Master of Science Degree (MSc.) in Acoustics and Noise Control from the IOA.

Why Chris Wood Acoustics? As soon as I started my career I was aware it was an industry in which you could work for yourself, and the seed for doing so one day was sown early on.

Having worked for a number of consultancies over the years, large and small, I have been fortunate to have experienced the best and worst of what the industry has to offer from an employee's perspective. The best being the variety of work, the worst being the bureaucracy and inefficiency that can come with larger organisations.

Working for myself allows me to offer a more personal, efficient, and cost-effective service to my clients, without the overheads of a larger organisation. I can be more flexible, more responsive, and more focused on the needs of my clients.

So, Chris Wood Acoustics started in August 2023, and I very much look forward to working with a wide range of clients on a wide range of projects.

Both a curse and a blessing of the industry is that it is so varied. From environmental noise assessments for planning applications, to building acoustics for new developments, to noise at work assessments, to acoustic design for performance spaces — the breadth of work is enormous.

I have experience across all of these areas, and more. I am passionate about good acoustic design and the role it plays in creating sustainable, liveable environments.

I advocate for: good acoustic design, best practicable means (BPM), BATNEEC, agent of change, and sustainable development.

My aim is always to provide practical, pragmatic advice that is grounded in the relevant standards and guidance, but that also takes into account what's feasible and sustainable in practice.