Market Sector Spotlight: Firing Range Acoustics
Market Sector Overview
Services Provided
Acoustical Testing
Design Consultation
Construction Administration
Typical Clientele
U.S. Department of Defense | Military Bases
Law Enforcement Departments
Private Businesses
Design Partners
Action Target
TACK Architects
Saltz Michelson Architects
As the acoustical industry continues to grow and expand, firing ranges have emerged as a highly dynamic market that requires thoughtful acoustical considerations. Traditional clients who request services for firing ranges include the U.S. Department of Defense, law enforcement facilities, etc. However, clients seeking firms with consulting and specifying experience in firing ranges have diversified in recent years. Private businesses, such as the owners of 88 Tactical in Omaha, Nebraska, have crafted a business model that combines firing range facilities with restaurants, fitness centers, and other amenities offered as part of a membership package.
Firing ranges that are integrated within a larger campus require specialized design and testing experience. Not only is this integral for remaining compliant with municipal noise ordinances, but it also helps to provide a peaceful environment for the spaces surrounding the ranges. IP Design Group’s diverse experience within these facilities has allowed our firm to build best practices and offerings that ensure clients receive exceptional solutions.
Our Services
Our firm offers a comprehensive assortment of acoustical services for firing ranges. From acoustical testing to design and calculation, our team of consultants can recommend finishes, construction assemblies, and various acoustical treatments. Our team also diagnoses the efficacy of post-construction acoustical treatments to determine if they meet certain criteria and requirements. Jessica Hiatt CTS-D, an associate principal with IP Design Group, has measured noise levels on a multitude of different sites.
“We measure for a couple of key elements that determine sound performance,” Jessica stated, “The two biggest elements we track are reverberation time and sound isolation.”
Our firm can also make additional recommendations to achieve a more amicable sound environment based on a project’s design requirements. As a design consultant on a project, our firm collaborates with multiple disciplines early in the design stage to recommend optimized sound treatments in tandem with the building and structural components. Jenn Epstein is an acoustical consultant with our firm who has been involved in both the testing and the design of multiple firing ranges over the past three years.
“The earlier we can be involved in the design, the better,” Jenn explained, “It makes it much easier to coordinate with other design disciplines so we can determine what the best course of action will be on each project.”
Our team can also be involved during the construction administration phase of the project to help ensure that the installation of the acoustical materials is properly coordinated. This is especially important for firing ranges, where even minute construction deficiencies can equate to a decline in performance regarding the space’s sound transmission.
Unique Design Considerations
As one might imagine, it is imperative for acoustical treatments and building materials to be constructed from ballistic-rated material when installed in a firing range. However, there are additional considerations for acoustical designers to account for when consulting on firing range design.
Firing ranges are required to be equipped with specialized mechanical systems that can filter lead particulates and gun smoke while resupplying the space with clean air. From an acoustical perspective, any sort of perforated sound deck would not be suitable in a firing range design as the smoke and lead would eventually plug the perforations over time, diminishing their functionality.
Additionally, the mechanical systems for these spaces can generate significant noise levels as they filter the air. Not only are our consultants finding ways to mitigate sound transmission from within the structure, but they are also crafting solutions for the noise generated by the range’s machinery. Space considerations for the specialty mechanical components, target retrieval assemblies, and other range-specific equipment also have to be considered when our firm is specifying materials.
Configuring the spaces that surround the firing ranges is another strategy that minimizes sound from transmitting into adjacent areas.
Highlight Projects
88 Tactical is a great example of how firing ranges are being utilized and designed for private businesses. 88 Tactical constructed a multi-use complex that contains a firing range, restaurant, fitness center, retail store, and training areas. IP Design Group’s role was to provide sound isolation design for the floor-ceiling assembly, which was pivotal in keeping noise out of the Founder’s Club fine dining area located directly above the range.
“We hosted a team outing in the 88 Tactical dining area after construction was complete,” Jenn explained, “We enjoyed a very peaceful meal! It amazes me how, with proper acoustical isolation strategies, a gun range can be underneath a restaurant without disturbing a single patron.”
A sheriff’s department located in Florida selected IP Design Group to provide acoustical design for a new training complex that contained a firing range adjacent to a memorial space honoring victims of gun violence. Due to the sensitive nature of the memorial space, it was imperative to provide construction assemblies that ensured appropriate sound mitigation. During construction administration, our designers were able to diagnose construction deficiencies and coordinated with the contractor to correct the issues.
“After the issues were corrected and all gaps were thoroughly sealed, there was a night and day difference,” Jessica stated, “Being detail-oriented during the construction administration is incredibly important in the acoustics field.”
In collaboration with Action Target, a custom shooting range manufacturer, installer, and designer, IP Design Group has been selected for multiple acoustical testing projects involving the Department of Defense as they modernize military bases with updated firing ranges. Throughout our work at the Yokota Air Base located in Western Tokyo, our consultants were able to identify that the current installation in the shooting range did not meet all of the U.S. military’s acoustical standards. Our consultants then provided recommendations in order to meet the design criteria.
A Precise Approach
Similar to how a trained marksman aims a rifle at a target, the acoustical treatments, construction assemblies, consultations, and testing within firing ranges require a precise approach to achieve a satisfactory result for our clients. Our firm can assist the project team with acoustical needs through every step of design and construction.
——–
Interested in learning more? View our comprehensive list of acoustical consulting services.
