Dick Bowdler Noise consultant

Papers and publications

I have organised meetings on wind farm noise and was chair of the organising committee of the biennial conferences on wind turbine noise run by INCE-Europe from 2013 to 2023. I was also co-chair with Jean Tourret of the "Quiet Drones?" conferences also run by INCE-Europe from their start until 2023. I have often given papers at wind farm noise conferences. Some of them are here. Also here is a Judicial Review decision relevant to the interpretation of ETSU-R-97. There is also a sound file showing a transition from blade "swish" to "thump" - if you need the .WAV file let me know.

You are welcome to quote these or use the sound file for analysis with appropriate credit.

Papers

Please click a document's title to download it.

Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise

This is a note written by Andy McKenzie with my input for the application for Rigghill Wind Farm

Acoustic ~Consultants response to Proposed Irish Guidelines for Wind Turbine Noise February 2019

The Irish Government produced new draft guidelines for wind turbine noise in December 2019. This is the consultation response made by a group of acoustic consultants in UK and Ireland

Consultants Holding Response to Draft Irish Guidelines Dec 2019

This is a holding Response made by a number of members of the Institute of Acoustics to the Draft Irish Guidelines published in 2019. The group were concerned enough with some of the noise guidance to request a meeting. The Government wind energy group replied saying "It would not be appropriate for the Department to meet with you, at this time, as the consultation process in train. The consultation process needs to be open, transparent and fair to all stakeholders". The group hope to be submitting comments in due course.

Incidence of Stroke in those exposed to Wind Turbine Noise

Interesting comprehensive study showing no relation between incidence of stroke and exposure to wind turbine noise

Judgement in the Case Milne v Stuartfield Windpower 2018

Interesting Sheriff Court judgement in a nuisance case showing many of the features of nuisance judgements including the importance of lay evidence in preference to expert evidence.

A Short History of the Dangers of Infrasound

Paper at Institute of Acoustics meeting in 2018 about some of the dangers and uses of infrasound

Planning Condition Wording 2017

This is the text of a planning condition agreed between a number of us and described in IOA Bulletin of Nov/Dec 2017. It is in WORD form and you are welcome to use it.

Brackenside Judicial Review

This is a judicial review regarding a single turbine cumulatively with others. The decision has useful guidance on Financial Involvement

Inquiry Evidence

A summary of which arguments I have won and lost on planning inquiries. Only goes to 2014. Will try to update soon!

Comments on the IOA Good Practice Guide

2013. Acoustics Bulletin Vol 38, No5. Article with critique of the Guide.

IOA Consultation on GPG

July 2012. My consultation response to the draft IOA Good Practice Guide.

ETSU-R-97 - An Alternative View.

2012 - Article in Acoustics Bulletin Vol 37, No3. New thoughts on ETSU-R-97 taking account of developments since 2002.

Wind Turbine Syndrome - An alternative View

2012 - Peer reviewed opinion paper for Australian Acoustics.

A sound file of swish and thump (MP3)

This is a sound file recorded near a turbine showing the sound moving from "swish" to "thump". If you would like the WAV file please contact me through the contacts page.

Why Turbine Noise Annoys

Paper for WTN2011 in Rome

AM of Wind Turbines

Article for Acoustics Bulletin 2008

ETSU-R-97 - An Alternative View

A very early critique of ETSU-R-97, originally written in 2002. Some of it now out of date.

An Inevitable Consequence

Two articles for IOA Bulletin on the history of industrial deafness.

 

 

Useful links

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