SM&W Contribution
Shen Milsom & Wilke provided acoustical consulting expertise for the InterContinental Washington D.C. located at the SW Waterfront’s Wharf development. The hotel boasts 12 stories, 278 keys, a 4,250-square-foot spa and rooftop pool, meeting and event space, and three separate restaurants for its patrons.
Our acousticians began the project by conducting a noise survey of surrounding helipcopter and airplane noise. The InterContinential is prominently located on the Washington Channel, which connects to the Potomac river. Both the river and channel serve as a heavily utilized air traffic route in order to avoid flying directly over residences and important government buildings in Washington, D.C. After testing, SM&W used acoustical modeling to identify that the helicopters were the loudest of all passing noise sources, and provided glazing recommendations in efforts to mitigate the effect of the exterior noise for the hotel interior.
SM&W then provided acoustical insight through the design development, construction documents, and construction administration phases of the project. Our acoustical team also analzyed the hotel’s generators in regards to sound pressure, fan coil units to meet InterContinental standards, and the garage’s exhaust system and its noise output for those rooms facing the garage.
The InterContinental was designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.