About
What is Quiet Mark?
Quiet Mark is the international certification programme associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society charitable foundation (est. 1959). Conducting expert acoustic testing and verification of products Quiet Mark has over the past 10 years driven change in manufacturing worldwide to prioritise noise reduction within the design of everyday machines, appliances, technologies and house build materials, creating the first one-stop platform for third-party approved noise reduction solutions for every living space to health and well-being.
Through specialist acoustic measurement and product assessment, Quiet Mark identifies the quietest products in over 80 product categories giving consumers and trade buyers a more informed choice about the sound levels of the products they buy. The Quiet Mark scheme drives designers and manufacturers to reduce sound levels of their products enabling households and workplaces to rebalance the soundscape reducing stressful unwanted noise.
Why Quiet Mark?
"I couldn't hear my baby crying over the noise of the hairdryer"
The damaging effect of excessive noise on health, productivity and social cohesion is seriously underestimated. World Health Organisation research shows that environmental noise pollution affects mental and physical health and is now second only to air pollution as the world’s largest killer pollutant. Across an estimated population of 340 million people, at least 1 million years of healthy living are lost each year due to noise pollution in Western Europe.
In our fast-paced lives, vibrancy is exciting and necessary. But this heightened state can only be valued if there is also the opportunity to choose the alternatives of calm, quiet and the chance to switch off. Quiet Mark was established to provide a credible, independent scheme that would help consumers easily identify quieter products for the home, at work and for public spaces.
Acoustics Academy for the Building Sector
In February 2020, in a move to further expand its service to tackle noise-related problems in building design Quiet Mark launched its Acoustics Academy to include third-party verification of specialist acoustic materials for the building sector including - walls, floors, ceilings, doors, windows etc.
This brand-new online platform further equips and empowers architects, builders and designers with a guide to expertly verified leading acoustic solutions for every building application area. For more details - www.acousticsacademy.com
Our Partnerships
Quiet Mark has established a unique alliance of partnerships with leading retailers who are helping shoppers to find the quietest appliance technology available on the market including John Lewis & Partners, Argos Sainsburys, Currys Dixons, ASDA, Lakeland and British Independent Retailers Association.
Quiet Mark has announced a new partnership with NBS, a leading construction data and specification platform, to empower architects to specify ‘acoustics first’, by providing a short-cut for specifiers to source responsible products. The new partnership will enable the 3,600+ practices that use NBS to create specifications to easily source and find Quiet Mark certified products and materials.
Quiet Mark is working in partnership with the US Good Housekeeping Institute, one of the most trusted and respected names in America, acoustically testing and reviewing products for the benefit of its readers and raising the bar for quality acoustic design to support consumers health.
By highlighting the distinctive purple Quiet Mark as a trusted symbol, our retail partners are enabling consumers to make a more informed choice about quieter high-performance products they share their homes with. This is a powerful example of collective customer care to combat stress-related noise; an important health and environmental issue.
Find Your Quiet Campaign
In a troubled world finding your quiet every day is powerful and necessary to navigate the times. One of the antidotes to anxiety, stress and uncertainties can be found in the Quiet.
From the latest evidence indicating extensive noise intolerance with the necessity for more quiet, Quiet Mark has responded creating a campaign to help the nation find what it’s looking for. Filmed across several stunning land and seascapes of the West Coast of Scotland, each of the four films is carried by an original music score composed by featured worldclass musicians Hattie Webb & Andrea Resce.
Quiet Mark believes in the extraordinary benefits of communion within the beauty of our natural world. Acoustic instrumentals for the Beach, Forest, Mountain and River locations lead listeners to discover the moments of wonder experienced in the near silence nature recordings at the end of each film.
Listen to the Quiet EP on all major streaming platforms: https://lnk.to/s7GaoOju
Discover more at www.findyourquiet.co.uk
Our Heritage
The Noise Abatement Society (NAS) was founded in 1959 by the entrepreneurial businessman John Connell OBE who believed that being exposed to excessive noise profoundly affected health, children's learning, productivity, and general quality of life – he called noise ‘the forgotten pollutant’.
John almost single-handedly lobbied the Noise Abatement Act through Parliament, when in 1960, noise became a statutory nuisance for the first time in the UK. His practical problem-solving included introducing rubber dustbin lids and plastic milk crates to reduce urban disturbance, stopping night flights, and in the early 70’s he commissioned detailed planning for a revolutionary Thames Estuary Airport directing flight paths out to sea.
Today the internationally respected NAS seeks to accelerate change to protect future generations from a worsening aural environment by disseminating new methods of sound management, running an awareness programme for schools, incentivising industry to design low-noise technology and providing the only national helpline dedicated solely to the problems of noise. NAS cannot change the human condition, but it can offer practical ways to support those who wish to exercise choice in an otherwise noisy world.
For more details - www.quietmark.com
Latest images
Quiet Mark (US)
Quiet Mark (US)
Quiet Mark (US)
Quiet Mark (US)
Press releases
31/10/22
SOUNDS SMART
SOUNDS SMART
Useful Tech Tools to Help Improve Acoustic Comfort
Did you know that noise is the 2nd biggest killing natural pollutant after air, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)? And yet, because sound is invisible we're often prepared to simply tolerate it. However, if you could see noise levels in our cities it would be like tons of plastic waste strewn all over the place.
Well, with the advent of the smartphone, thanks to apps like SoundPrint, noise is becoming 'visible' and everyone can do something about it. In addition, platforms like Quiet Mark's Acoustics Academy are making it easier for consumers and trade buyers to source the quietest products and building materials to improve acoustic comfort in the spaces in which we live.
In the release below, we share a suggested feature looking at the problem of noise and the 'sound tech' that is helping us to address the situation. Please feel free to either use it as is, or allow it to form the basis of an interview/ feature with the companies included: SoundPrint, Quiet Mark and Moodsonic.
Thank you.
Image: SoundPrint Founder, Gregory Scott - SoundPrint is an app that measures the
noise levels of local bars, cafes, restaurants and other venues in multiple cities.
The pandemic has helped to restore the value of quiet back into society. People have developed a greater appreciation of the importance of quiet in their lives and its vital role in their sense of wellbeing. And yet, because sound is invisible it is all too often overlooked in the design process of buildings. Consequently, the world suddenly appeared very loud, when lockdowns ended and we returned to a world of busy bars, restaurants, shopping malls, and the open-planned workspace.
A recent study by Leesman found that noise levels are important to 71% of the employees, yet only 33% find them satisfactory in their workplace. Additionally, recently released data reveals that London’s restaurants are the loudest in Europe, and second only to San Francisco worldwide. A survey by SoundPrint found 80% of 1,350 London restaurants were too loud for conversation.
“The advent of smartphone technology is enabling people to educate themselves on sound levels and more. As a society we are wanting quieter spots and there wasn’t any prior data allowing us to do that, which is why SoundPrint was born” explains Gregory Scott, Founder of SoundPrint.
SoundPrint is a global app that measures the noise levels of local bars, cafes, restaurants and other venues. Launching first in the US in 2018, it has since branched out to the UK and other European locations and has amassed over 170K downloads.
Explaining his invention, Gregory told us, “SoundPrint has been designed to be very simple and intuitive for the user. The app has two main functions. The first is ‘SoundCheck' where you take a sound level measurement of your environment for a minimum of 15 seconds. The objective output will tell you whether the venue is good for conversation and whether it is safe for your hearing health. You simply submit the measurement by tagging the venue that you’re in.”
“The second key function is to Search. Users can find venues by noise levels, location and other criteria.”
A study shows that a restaurant can lose up to 10% of revenue per year for being too loud, with diners, who may have enjoyed the food, nevertheless being less inclined to return to a space where it was difficult to have a conversation. This is where the SoundPrint app can empower restaurateurs, enabling them to see exactly how loud their space is. In fact, another helpful feature of the app is that it allows users to make a friendly, helpful, yet anonymous noise complaint to the venue.
Of course, restaurateurs and business owners aren’t usually trained acousticians or interior designers. It can be challenging knowing where to start when it comes to finding products to reduce noise and improve acoustics in their venues and workspaces. This is where Quiet Mark’s Acoustic Academy platform can help; providing a one-stop online directory of Third Party Certified acoustic solutions for every application area and building type.
“Optimising acoustic comfort within any space requires a two pronged approach”, explains Poppy Szkiler, CEO/ Founder at Quiet Mark. “One needs to both choose appliances that have low noise levels and are proven to be the quietest of their category, like coffee machines, air purifiers, hand dryers and washing machines, and introduce more acoustic enhancing products and materials, such as glazing, flooring, ceilings, and sound absorbing lighting and furniture”.
Since launching 10 years ago, Quiet Mark, the independent global certification programme associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society charitable foundation, has made it easier for consumers and trade buyers to find the quietest, best performing products. Their logo can be seen on products by brands including Dyson, Samsung, Miele, BuzziSpace and Rockfon, in leading retailers such as John Lewis, Argos and Very, and on NBS, a leading construction data and specification platform.
Visitors to Acoustics Academy are first invited to select their building type, from a comprehensive selection including Office, Restaurant, Hospital and Hotel. They can then browse acoustic solutions ranging from lighting, partitions and furniture by BuzziSpace, meeting pods by BlockO (pictured above), glazing and sliding doors by Internorm, curtain tracks by Silent Gliss, or ceiling solutions by Rockfon, Knauf, or BASWA acoustic.
You’ll also find innovative soundscaping solutions in the Acoustics Academy. Quiet Mark recently certified Moodsonic, which introduces responsive nature-inspired soundscapes that demonstrably improve human experiences and wellbeing indoors.
Sonically, the places where we spend most of our waking hours are unrecognisable from the natural environments we evolved in. Buildings like workplaces, hospitals and schools tend to be distracting and lacking the richness and therapeutic value of the natural world.
“The way people process sound is deeply personal. But, the evolutionary process did instil some common responses, which have been explored in hundreds of scientific papers”, explains Evan Benway, Managing Director at biophilic soundscape specialist Moodsonic.
“Birdsong, for example, tends to help us feel safe and secure, and its absence can indicate the presence of predators. And, just as the dawn chorus was once our natural alarm clock, the sound of birds can actually trigger our bodies’ circadian rhythms, improving our sleep cycles and quality”.
Moodsonic works with some of the world’s largest organisations to turn the sound of their buildings from a painful afterthought into a positive and exciting design tool. Its nature-based soundscapes create choice for people across a space, and use algorithms to optimise environments in real-time. Sound and technology come together to create buildings that are more comfortable, diverse and productive.
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IMAGES FOLDER - all images seen above are available to download here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13QOyv26qwXiYwaz8Yybib0cDpMqnEzwP?usp=sharing
For more information:
Quiet Mark - Simon Gosling - CMO - simongosling@quietmark.com
SoundPrint - Sharon Bunkin- CMO - sharon@soundprint.co
Moodsonic - Julia James - Founder at Julia James PR - julia@juliajamespr.com
08/03/21
Quiet Nights - The Impact of WFH On Our Sleep
Photo by Garett Mizunaka on Unsplash
QUIET MARK PRESS RELEASE - FEB 2021: With Stanford research showing an incredible 42 percent of the U.S. labor force now working from home full-time, a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Quiet Mark, the international approval award programme associated with the Noise Abatement Society, explores the important question:
“What impact can The New Normal have on our sleep routines?”
Working from home in many ways reduces the need for such a rigid bedtime and wake up time, in large part because we no longer have a commute to contend with. As nice as this extra time is in the morning, the lack of separation between work and rest times can make it hard to wind down and fall asleep at night when we have been at home all day.
WFH is all very well, but it’s also vitally important to take time to be HFW (Home From Work)!
The National Sleep Foundation’s annual Sleep Awareness Week will be held from March 14-20, 2021. This annual event celebrates sleep health and encourages the public to prioritize sleep to improve overall health and wellbeing. Their website helpfully shares 10 Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep. One suggests making sure your bedroom is quiet. Noise has a major impact on sleep. Exposure to too much noise during sleep has immediate effects while we are sleeping, which leads to short-term issues the next day, and over time may result in long-term mental and physical consequences.
Sleepiness, irritability, and poorer mental health are short term effects associated with exposure to nighttime noise the night before. Poor quality sleep over a long period of time is linked with high blood pressure, heart disease, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
The NSF suggests making a few simple changes to your bedroom with these four tips to create a better sleep environment, which includes;
1. Darken Your Room
2. Lower the Temperature
3. Choose a Comfortable Mattress and Sheet Set
4. Reduce Noise
Through scientific testing and assessment, Quiet Mark identifies the quietest products in multiple categories spanning many sectors, including home appliances and technology, building sector materials and commercial sector products. Quiet Mark certification is the unique consumer and trade champion mark of approval. It provides consumers with reliable and independent purchase decision making, information about the sound a product makes with the primary focus to improve health and wellbeing; thereby stimulating manufacturing worldwide to prioritise responsible acoustic design to reduce noise pollution.
In The Quiet Mark Podcast, Host and Quiet Mark CMO, Simon Gosling, enjoys fireside-chat style conversations with leading sound experts, acousticians, soundscape artists, and acoustic architects, exploring the human relationship with sound, the dangers of noise pollution - (the 2nd biggest killing natural pollutant after air, according to WHO) - and the well-being benefits of improved acoustics in the built environment.
Image: The Blue Pure 411, with Blueair’s proprietary HEPASilent™ technology, certified by Quiet Mark
Another factor impacting our ability to get a good night’s sleep is the air quality in our bedrooms, especially during cold months when much of the day is spent working from home with the windows and doors firmly shut and the heating on for longer periods than usual.
A recent study concluded that exposure to air pollutants can affect sleep quality. Bedrooms can have high levels of indoor pollutants and allergens including dust, dust mites, bacteria and viruses. Pure, fresh air is not only energizing during the daytime but also helps you sleep better at night, so you wake up refreshed. Since we spend a third of our time in bed, the bedroom is the most important room in the house when it comes to getting rid of allergens and asthma triggers like dust, pollen, and pet dander.
“Pure air can lead to better, more restful sleep but no one wants to trade allergens for insomnia. That’s why when choosing an air purifier, it’s critical that you factor in noise,” said Jonas Holst, Chief Product Officer at Blueair. “Blueair’s proprietary HEPASilent™ technology combines efficient clean air delivery with whisper-silent noise levels, meaning our products are almost silent - so you can keep them running 24/7, even as you sleep.”
Blueair’s proprietary HEPASilent™ technology combines both electrostatic and mechanical filtration, meaning a Blueair air purifier delivers more clean air at less noise and at less energy consumption. The technology also removes 99.97% of all airborne particles such as pollen, smoke, dust, mold, spores, bacteria, viruses, pet allergens and microplastics as small as 0.1 micron in size are removed from the air.
Blueair is recognized by Quiet Mark as a brand that supports health and wellbeing as well as a quiet and peaceful home. Both the premium Blueair Classic and the more compact Blue Pure product families have received the Quiet Mark certification. Models with the Quiet Mark include the Classic 205 and 280i, Classic 405 and 480i, and Blue Pure 411.
Image: Quiet Mark certified Pella(R) Lifestyle Series Windows - reducing sounds by 52% more than single-pane windows*
Of course, while Quiet Mark can help us to take control over the volume of our indoor domestic soundscape, there isn’t much anyone can do about noises made outside our homes. Trucks will still drive by, dogs will still bark and that dawn chorus, beautiful as it may be, may disturb our sleep, just when we want to rest.
Noise reducing windows help minimize annoying, unwanted sounds that occur in the outside environment. They work by slowing the transfer of sound waves. As sound waves travel through different materials, the waves can be absorbed, reflected or minimized. In windows, this can be done by optimizing the air space, mixing the thicknesses of glass or by adding additional panes of glass. If you’re looking for a quieter sleep environment, consider window replacement.
Pella Windows & Doors offers an optional Sound Control package that reduces 52 percent more sound than single-pane windows*. Pella Lifestyle Series windows with Sound Control have been recognized and awarded the QM certification in recognition of outstanding acoustic performance and excellence. Pella is the first and only window manufacturer in the United States to be awarded this seal.
In addition, Pella's Quiet Mark certified triple-pane products have optional Room-Darkening shades which meet with one of those four NSF tips listed above. Their patented Lifestyle triple-pane design with integrated shades also achieves higher STC and OITC sound ratings, meaning that triple-pane product with shades provides a quieter environment than triple-pane product without shades or even triple-pane product with blinds.
One of the other most important elements of the window performance is installation. Proper installation helps ensure airtight seals as well as helping keep the noise out. From choosing the window attributes along with ensuring proper installation, Pella Windows & Doors has experts who can help make this process simple and easy to understand.
Of course, we all hope that by next year, The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week 2022 will happen when the lockdowns of the global COVID-19 pandemic have ended and become a thing of the past. Nevertheless, a recent survey of just under 1,000 firms by the Institute of Directors (IoD) shows that 74 percent plan on maintaining the increase in home working, even after the pandemic, so it would appear that WFH is here to stay. Just remember to take time to be HFW.
*Reduction in sound based on OITC ratings of Pella Lifestyle Series windows with respective performance package compared to a single-pane wood or vinyl window with an OITC of 19. Calculated by using the sound transmission loss values in the 80 to 4000 Hz range as measured in accordance with ASTM E-90(09). Actual results may vary.
The Quiet Mark Podcast with John Lopos (NSF)
In addition to this press release, John Lopos, The National Sleep Foundation (NSF)'s new CEO, has been interviewed as the next guest on The Quiet Mark Podcast, slated for release next Tuesday 9th March, a week before Sleep Awareness Week. You can listen to the teaser clip here, in which we ask John what impact the pandemic has had on our Sleep Routines.
The Quiet Mark Podcast explores the human relationship with sound and the dangers of noise pollution. More information HERE.
Now in its 17th episode and available on all major podcast platforms, you'll see that our guests are some of the most renowned names in sound design and acoustics, including Ethan Bourdeau - International WELL Building Institute, Matthew Herbert - Composer and Creative Director of the BBC New Radiophonic Workshop and Martyn Ware - 3D Soundscape Design and Founder member of The Human League and Heaven 17.
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