Living alongside a busy motorway requires smart solutions. For the new Canvas Living development in Rotterdam, we designed custom-made façade grilles that let fresh air in while keeping traffic noise out. This creates a healthy and comfortable living environment right in the heart of the city.
Case study
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Noise Reduction at the University of Twente
A comfortable temperature is essential for an optimal learning environment at the University of Twente. At the same time, the expansion of the campus cooling facility needed to minimise noise from the chillers. Merford supplied and installed an advanced baffle silencer, ensuring the campus remains quiet and comfortable for students and staff.
Thanks to the baffle silencers and the well-considered design, students and staff now enjoy a quiet and comfortable campus environment.
Expanding the Cooling Loop
As the campus expanded with new facilities such as the Langezijds building, the Technohal and the Citadel, the existing cooling systems reached their capacity limits. The cooling facility was therefore renovated and expanded to increase the capacity of the underground cooling loop.
This cooling loop consists of a reservoir 10 metres deep and 35 metres wide, storing over 10 million litres of chilled water. Through a ring main system, the water is distributed to multiple campus buildings. It returns to the loop and forms a thermocline, maintaining a stable temperature between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius.
Silent airflow
During the expansion, it became clear that additional airflow noise would be generated. To address this, Merford baffle silencers were installed. This acoustic solution:
- significantly reduces noise from the chillers
- achieves a sound pressure level of up to 50 dB(A) at 10 metres
- maintains chiller performance due to minimal static pressure loss
The cooling facility itself was designed with a strong focus on aesthetics and safety. Groothuis Timmerfabriek installed 170 wooden frames, using a total of 14 kilometres of fire-treated timber, creating a secure and natural façade that blends seamlessly into the wooded campus environment.
Captured on site
A comfortable campus environment
Thanks to the baffle silencers and the carefully considered design, students and staff now benefit from a quiet and comfortable campus environment. Noise levels have been reduced to acceptable limits without compromising cooling performance.
The solution supports the University of Twente’s unique “all-in campus”, which accommodates approximately 2,400 students in a multifunctional environment. The project contributes to a sustainable and comfortable learning environment and aligns with the campus’s future growth and sustainability ambitions.
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