Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Acoustics

Serving over 37.8 million passengers every year, the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport relies on clear communication to help travelers navigate throughout the airport’s three enormous terminals. In addition to knowing where they need to go, the over 100,000 passengers and guests that pass through Sky Harbor’s doors every day must be kept comfortable. With the large number of HVAC systems radiating throughout each terminal, it was imperative that a solution was sought to diminish the noise transmitting throughout the walls of the ducts.

“Flight 6836 to Fairbanks Alaska now boarding at gate T2”; “Wheelchair needed at gate C17 for passenger assistance”; the personal address (PA) systems at airports convey critical information all the time. Hearing the announcements clearly is vital, thus airports must go to great lengths to ensure good communication. Clearly marked gates, informational signs, arrival and departure boards, and easily-understood verbal communication help airports run as smoothly as possible. The hard reverberant surfaces that are prevalent in airports reflect noise energy around the space,making verbal communication extremely difficult. Therefore, airport authorities require that all background noise be at an absolute minimum, including noise from HVAC systems. The city of Phoenix had set specific noise criteria for the HVAC units, and the associated ductwork that runs throughout the terminals. To meet these noise requirements, the architects contacted Acoustical Solutions, seeking sound advice.