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RWDI was retained to complete an Environmental Noise and Vibration Feasibility Assessment for the
proposed 250 Dundas Street West development in Toronto, Ontario. The latest RWDI report, dated April 27,
2018, was included in the development’s first rezoning submission.
Neither the City comments received on this report thus far, or the architectural design refinements made to
the development as of the date of this letter, are anticipated to impact the validity of RWDI’s previously
environmental noise and vibration conclusions in regard to the development’s feasibility. As such, the April 27,
2018 report can continue to be referenced as needed for this development’s first site plan control application.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours truly,
RWDI
Brandon Law
Senior Project Manager | Associate Principal
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confidential. If you have received this in error, please notify us immediately. Accessible document formats provided upon request.
® RWDI name and logo are registered trademarks in Canada and the United States of America rwdi.com
NOISE AND VIBRATION FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
250 DUNDAS STREET WEST
RWDI#1802702
April 27, 2018
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
RWDI was retained to complete a noise and vibration feasibility assessment for the proposed development to be
located at 250 Dundas Street West in Toronto, Ontario. Road and streetcar traffic noise from nearby roadways were
identified as the sources of sound with the potential to affect the proposed development. The sound emissions
were assessed at the proposed development using the applicable guidance to determine if sound control measures
would be required. A vibration assessment was conducted to assess potential vibration from the TTC subway and
streetcars on Dundas Street West.
• The inclusion of warning clause Type C (as outlined in Section 2.5) in all development agreements, offers of
purchase and agreements of purchase and sale or lease.
At this stage in design the impact of development on itself and its surroundings could not be quantitatively
assessed. However, the impact on both itself and its surroundings is expected to be insignificant.
This feasibility assessment was based on assumptions regarding building configuration and construction so the
resulting recommendations are broad. As such, prior to the construction of the building, a detailed design
assessment is recommended to ensure that appropriate noise control measures have been incorporated into the
design.
rwdi.com
NOISE AND VIBRATION FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
250 DUNDAS STREET WEST
RWDI#1802702
April , 2018
rwdi.com
NOISE AND VIBRATION FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
250 DUNDAS STREET WEST
RWDI#1802702
April 27, 2018
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: NPC-300 Limits for Transportation Sources
Table 2: Traffic Data Summary
Table 3: Predicted Road and Streetcar Traffic Façade and Indoor Sound Levels
Table 4: Predicted Road and Streetcar Traffic OLA Sound Levels
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: 250 Dundas Street Development
Figure 2: South Façade Outdoor Sound Levels (dBA) from Roadway and Streetcar Traffic
Figure 3: South Façade Indoor Sound Levels (dBA) from Roadway and Streetcar Traffic
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix A: Road Traffic Data
Streetcar Traffic Data
Appendix B: Vibration Measurements
Vibration Calculations
rwdi.com
NOISE AND VIBRATION FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
250 DUNDAS STREET WEST
RWDI#1802702
April 27, 2018
INTRODUCTION
RWDI was retained by Dream to conduct an environmental noise and vibration feasibility assessment for the
proposed development to be located at 250 Dundas Street West in Toronto, Ontario. The proposed development
will consist of a 7-storey commercial use podium and a 54-storey residential use tower, as shown in Figure 1.
The site is exposed to noise from road traffic from St. Patrick Street to the west, Dundas Street West to the south,
Simcoe Street and University Avenue to the west, and streetcar traffic along Dundas Street West to the south.
There are no significant commercial facilities located in close proximity to the proposed development. Therefore,
noise from stationary sources were not assessed as part of this assessment. The site is exposed to vibration from
the TTC Subway to the east (along University Avenue) and TTC streetcars on Dundas Street West.
This assessment was completed to support the rezoning application as required by the City of Toronto. This
assessment considered the impact from nearby transportation sources on the proposed development, and
determines the appropriate acoustic control measures, if any.
The objective of this initial assessment is to determine the feasibility of the proposed residential development that
is surrounded by existing sources of environmental noise. This assessment was based on design drawings dated
April 2018. In the absence of detailed data, this assessment made assumptions regarding building construction so
the resulting recommendations are broad. As such, further assessment is required when detailed design drawings
are available, prior to construction.
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RWDI#1802702
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Road (including streetcars) and rail sound levels are assessed for the daytime 16-hour LEQ and the nighttime 8-hour
LEQ. For assessing sound originating from transportation sources, NPC-300 defines sound level criteria as
summarized in Table 1 for two types of locations: outdoor living areas (OLAs), and indoor areas of sensitive uses.
Outdoor sound level limits are specified for OLAs, which include terraces and balconies with a minimum depth of
4 m and common amenity areas of a multi-unit dwelling. Indoor living areas include living rooms and sleeping
quarters.
NPC-300 Limit
LEQ (averaged over time
Type of Space Assessment Location Time Period
period)
Road & Streetcars
Indoor
Residential Use Living/Dining/Sleeping Daytime 0700-2300h 45 dBA
Areas
Road traffic data for was obtained from turning movement counts conducted as part of the Traffic Impact Study in
June 2017. The NPC-300 guidelines require that assessments be completed for a 10-year time horizon. A modelled
horizon year of 2028 and a traffic growth rate of 1% per annum was assumed. The turning movement counts were
provided for the peak AM and PM hour. The Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) was estimated by assuming the
AM and PM peak represented 10% of the AADT. The maximum AADT yielded from this approximation was used.
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The daytime/nighttime split for each roadway was assumed to be 91.3%/8.7% based on the Institute of
Transportation Engineers distribution (ITE, 2010). Traffic data and calculations are included and summarized in
Appendix A. Traffic data is summarized in Table 2.
Current streetcar traffic was obtained from publicly available schedules on the Toronto Transit Commissions
website in March 2018. Streetcar route 505 runs along Dundas Street West past the proposed development. The
NPC-300 guidelines require that assessments be completed for a 10-year time horizon. A modelled horizon year of
2028 and a traffic growth rate of 1% per annum was assumed. The schedules are included in Appendix A. Streetcar
traffic data is summarized in Table 2.
Speed
Roadway / Streetcar AADT (Year) 2028 AADT
(km/hr)
The indoor sound level is calculated from the sound level at the corresponding façade location. The indoor sound
level is derived from the façade level by assuming a 28 dB reduction, which estimates the loss through a standard
closed window construction. Table 3 summarizes the road traffic and streetcar sound levels for the facades of the
podium and the tower and compares them to the applicable criteria. Table 5 summarizes the sound levels at the
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NOISE AND VIBRATION FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
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RWDI#1802702
April 27, 2018
possible outdoor living areas and compares them to the applicable criteria. Figures 2 and 3 show the predicted
façade and indoor sound levels for the worst-case façade (south) of the podium and tower for daytime and
nighttime, respecitively. The sound levels from road traffic and streetcars are predicted to meet the sound level
limits in all cases.
Table 3: Predicted Road and Streetcar Traffic Façade and Indoor Sound Levels
North 47 39 19 11 45 40 Yes
East 56 50 28 22 45 40 Yes
Tower
South 59 52 31 24 45 40 Yes
West 55 48 27 20 45 40 Yes
Podium
N/A 55 N/A Yes
Rooftop OLA 40
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Figure 2: South Façade Outdoor Sound Levels (dBA) from Roadway and Streetcar Traffic
Figure 3: Predicted Indoor Sound Levels (dBA) along the south façade from Roadway and Streetcar Traffic
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For residential uses, where the sound level at the facade is greater than 55 dBA but less than 65 dBA during the
daytime, and/or greater than 50 but less than 55 dBA during the nighttime, the MOECC requires that the residential
unit includes the provision for the installation of central air conditioning in the future, at the owner’s discretion. A
warning clause of “Type C” is also required. The wording of the “Type C” warning clause is presented in Section 2.5.
The following warning clauses are recommended by the MOECC relating to transportation sources:
“This dwelling unit has been designed with the provision for adding central air conditioning at the occupant’s
discretion. Installation of central air conditioning by the occupant in low and medium density developments will allow
windows and exterior doors to remain closed, thereby ensuring that the indoor sound levels are within the sound level
limits of the Municipality and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.”
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Vibration was assessed using the MOECC and TTC protocol for noise and vibration velocity limit of 0.1 mm/s RMS
(MOECC/TTC,1993).
Attended vibration measurements were conducted by RWDI personnel on March 9, 2018 in the underground
parking of the existing building and at the exterior of the building at the south-east corner. On the day of the
measurements, streetcars were not in operation along Dundas Street West1. No vibration from the TTC subway
was perceived during the measurements. Vibration measurements ranged from 0.004 to 0.05 mm/s rms, and were
all subjectively only influenced by the background (i.e. no noticeable subway train passes). The vibration levels
measured on site were all found to be below the vibration velocity limit of 0.1 mm/s RMS. A summary of vibration
measurements conducted is included in Appendix B.
As measurements could not be conducted of TTC streetcar passes, calculations using the approach in the FTA
manual were instead conducted. These calculations predicted vibration levels at the exterior of the building of less
than 0.1 mm/s RMS. This corresponds with measurements conducted by RWDI personnel of TTC streetcars at other
locations. A spreadsheet outlining the FTA calculations is included in Appendix B.
1
Temporary bus replacement for streetcars was in effect for 505-Dundas effective February 2018, until late 2018.
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On-site stationary sources for the development are expected to consist of HVAC related equipment in the roof-top
mechanical penthouse as well as various exhaust fans. As the design is currently in progress, a detailed assessment
of the noise impact by the development on the surrounding environment is not possible. As such, the following
design guidance is provided:
• Stationary noise sources on-site must be controlled to meet the requirements included in the
Environmental Activity Sector Registry documentation in Ontario Regulation 1/17 if applicable, or otherwise
NPC-300.
• Sources of noise should be directed away from potential sensitive receptors, such as the existing
residential development to the north of the site.
• Sources of noise should be controlled to meet the requirements of NPC-300.
• Even with noise control, it is recommended to direct sources of noise towards the noisy side of the
building.
• Emergency equipment should include adequate silencers and mufflers, and should be tested during a time
of minimal impact to the surrounding sensitive receptors.
• The equipment selection and associated noise control should be designed and reviewed by an acoustic
engineer.
Provided that best practices for the acoustical design of the building are followed, noise from mechanical
equipment associated with the development is expected to be insignificant due to the nature of the proposed
development.
• Building rooms or spaces next to mechanical equipment areas may be adversely affected by sound
transmitted through ducts, opening, or noise induced by the vibrations of adjoining walls. The isolation of
sound from mechanical equipment can be readily achieved by good design.
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• All supply, return and miscellaneous fans should be provided with adequate vibration isolation to ensure
that vibration is not transferred to the building structure and become a source of noise. Duct silencers can
be used to ensure that high fan noise levels are not carried by the duct work to residential and other noise
sensitive rooms throughout the building. Fans should be connected to ducting with flexible connectors.
Duct work should be hung on vibration isolating hangers.
• All chillers, compressors and similar items of equipment should be provided with adequate vibration
isolation and mounted on concrete inertia bases. If these units are to be located above grade on the roof,
the structure must be designed to hold the weight of the unit and inertia block. Mechanical rooms or
penthouses containing these units may need a floating floor or other alternate acoustically equivalent
“room to room” construction to ensure that the high sound levels associated with these items are not
transmitted to offices and other spaces.
• All piping runs within the building are potential sources of noise. For example, plumbing can be a source of
noise particularly if the source is not in the same suite as the listener. Pipes that pass through walls, floors
and ceiling should be treated to reduce potential noise and vibration impacts. For example, pipes should
be hung on vibration isolating hangers, and risers should not be rigidly connected to the floors or other
supporting members at anchor locations.
• Pumps should be provided with adequate vibration isolation and mounted on concrete inertia bases where
required. Transformers and other vibration noise producing electrical components should be provided
with adequate vibration isolation.
• Walls and floors separating mechanical rooms, fan rooms, electrical rooms, elevators shafts and rooms,
garbage chutes, retail spaces etc. from occupied spaces in the building should have adequate sound
transmission loss. Attention should be paid to noise from rooftop mechanical spaces penetrating the roof
slab and entering spaces below. Similarly, if there is noise from vehicle activities directly below occupied
spaces, this should be considered as part of detailed design.
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CONCLUSIONS
RWDI completed a noise and vibration feasibility assessment for the proposed development to be located at 250
Dundas Street West in Toronto, Ontario. Road, and streetcar traffic noise from nearby roadways were identified as
the sources of sound with the potential to affect the proposed development. The sound emissions were assessed at
the proposed development using the applicable guidance to determine sound control measures required.
• The inclusion of warning clause Type C outlined in Section 2.5 in all development agreements, offers of
purchase and agreements of purchase and sale or lease.
The vibration assessment concluded that vibration levels from TTC subway and streetcars are predicted to meet the
required vibration level limits at the proposed new development. No control measures for vibration are required.
At this stage in design the impact of development on itself and its surroundings could not be quantitatively
assessed. However, the impact on both itself and its surroundings is expected to be insignificant, provided best
practices in the acoustical design are followed.
This feasibility assessment was based on assumptions regarding building configuration and construction so the
resulting recommendations are broad. As such, prior to the construction of the building, a detailed design
assessment is required to ensure that appropriate noise control measures have been incorporated into the design.
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REFERENCES
1. Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), 2010, Traffic Engineering Handbook, 6th Edition.
2. RLS, 1990 (RLS). Richtlinien für den Lärmschutz an Strassen. BM für Verkehr, Bonn, 1990.
3. Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation (FTA), 2006, Transit Noise and Vibration
Impact Assessment
4. Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC), August 2013, Publication NPC-300,
Environmental Noise Guideline Stationary and Transportation Sources – Approval and Planning
5. Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy and Toronto Transit Commission (MOEE/TTC),1993. MOEE/TTC
Protocol for Noise and Vibration Assessment.
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APPENDIX A
TRAFFIC DATA REFERENCED
Roadway Direction 2017 AADT 2028 AADT % Trucks 16-hour 8-hr Hourly
Daytime Nighttime Daytime Nighttime
Dundas Both 12300 13723 4.1% 12529 1194 783 149
Simcoe Both 2410 2689 3.8% 2455 234 153 29
University Northbound 15195 16953 1.7% 15478 1475 967 184
Southbound 15195 16953 1.7% 15478 1475 967 184
St. Patrick Both 1270 1417 3.8% 1294 123 81 15
Turning Movement Count Convertor
SLP Aug 2006 Intersection: University Avenue (north-south)
Notes:
%Comm - Percent Commercial - the percentage of traffic composed of commercial trucks (medium and heavy)
%Bus - Percentage of the total as bus traffic (buses count as medium trucks)
%Trucks - Percentage of fleet made up by commerical vehicles and buses
3. Conversion to AADT
Conversion Factors
[3]
AADT Conversion Factor[1] %Comm Breakdown %Comm Ratio
Roadway [2]
DHV AM Peak PM Peak %MT %HT %MT %HT
University Avenue 10% 10% 10% 5% 8% 38% 62%
Dundas Street West 10% 10% 10% 5% 8% 38% 62%
Notes:
[1] Percentage of traffic typically occuring in that hour or period (default is based on arterial roadway (ITE) distribution)
[2] Design hourly volume. If you know the actual DHV and it's different from this number, then put that value in to AM and PM slots
[3] Percentage of traffic typically made up by medium and heavy trucks (MTO defaults)
[4] Total volume on link / conversion factor (in percent)
[5] Average of (maximum of AADT from AM and PM counts) and AADT from 8-hr count
[6] %Diff - difference in volume between maximum predicted and average of the predictions
[6] dB Diff - the approximate dB difference in noise prediction which would result from using the maximum versus the average
[7] Uses Average AADT from above. Switch to appropriate estimate as required.
%MT Percent Medium Trucks
%HT Percent Heavy Trucks
Turning Movement Count Convertor
SLP Aug 2006 Intersection: St. Patrick Street (north-south)
Notes:
%Comm - Percent Commercial - the percentage of traffic composed of commercial trucks (medium and heavy)
%Bus - Percentage of the total as bus traffic (buses count as medium trucks)
%Trucks - Percentage of fleet made up by commerical vehicles and buses
3. Conversion to AADT
Conversion Factors
[3]
AADT Conversion Factor[1] %Comm Breakdown %Comm Ratio
Roadway [2]
DHV AM Peak PM Peak %MT %HT %MT %HT
St. Patrick Street 10% 10% 10% 5% 8% 38% 62%
Dundas Street West 10% 10% 10% 5% 8% 38% 62%
Notes:
[1] Percentage of traffic typically occuring in that hour or period (default is based on arterial roadway (ITE) distribution)
[2] Design hourly volume. If you know the actual DHV and it's different from this number, then put that value in to AM and PM slots
[3] Percentage of traffic typically made up by medium and heavy trucks (MTO defaults)
[4] Total volume on link / conversion factor (in percent)
[5] Average of (maximum of AADT from AM and PM counts) and AADT from 8-hr count
[6] %Diff - difference in volume between maximum predicted and average of the predictions
[6] dB Diff - the approximate dB difference in noise prediction which would result from using the maximum versus the average
[7] Uses Average AADT from above. Switch to appropriate estimate as required.
%MT Percent Medium Trucks
%HT Percent Heavy Trucks
Turning Movement Count Convertor
SLP Aug 2006 Intersection: Simcoe Street (north-south)
Notes:
%Comm - Percent Commercial - the percentage of traffic composed of commercial trucks (medium and heavy)
%Bus - Percentage of the total as bus traffic (buses count as medium trucks)
%Trucks - Percentage of fleet made up by commerical vehicles and buses
3. Conversion to AADT
Conversion Factors
[3]
AADT Conversion Factor[1] %Comm Breakdown %Comm Ratio
Roadway [2]
DHV AM Peak PM Peak %MT %HT %MT %HT
Simcoe Street 10% 10% 10% 5% 8% 38% 62%
Dundas Street West 10% 10% 10% 5% 8% 38% 62%
Notes:
[1] Percentage of traffic typically occuring in that hour or period (default is based on arterial roadway (ITE) distribution)
[2] Design hourly volume. If you know the actual DHV and it's different from this number, then put that value in to AM and PM slots
[3] Percentage of traffic typically made up by medium and heavy trucks (MTO defaults)
[4] Total volume on link / conversion factor (in percent)
[5] Average of (maximum of AADT from AM and PM counts) and AADT from 8-hr count
[6] %Diff - difference in volume between maximum predicted and average of the predictions
[6] dB Diff - the approximate dB difference in noise prediction which would result from using the maximum versus the average
[7] Uses Average AADT from above. Switch to appropriate estimate as required.
%MT Percent Medium Trucks
%HT Percent Heavy Trucks
Westbound on Dundas St West at University Ave (St
Patrick Station)
505 DUNDAS
Branch Legend
Saturday
B 5:41 B 5:51
5 am
B 6:01 B 6:11 B 6:21 B 6:31 B 6:41
6 am
B 6:51
B 1:06 B 1:16
1 am
Sunday
B 1:03
1 am
Holiday
Branch Legend
B 5:46 B 5:53
5 am
B 6:00 B 6:07 B 6:14 B 6:21 B 6:26
6 am
B 6:30 B 6:34 B 6:37 B 6:41 B 6:46
B 6:50 B 6:53 B 6:57
Saturday
B 5:57
5 am
B 6:14 B 6:25 B 6:35 B 6:45 B 6:55
6 am
B 7:05 B 7:15 B 7:25 B 7:35 B 7:45
7 am
B 7:55
Sunday
B 5:53
5 am
B 6:02 B 6:11 B 6:21 B 6:31 B 6:41
6 am
B 6:51
Holiday
Project #: 1802702
Mitigation Features
Floating slab trackwork? n Concrete floating slab on spring isolators (y/n) 0
High Resilience Fasterners? n Used with concrete track slabs (y/n) 0 0
Resiliently Supported Ties? n Concrete ties on rubber blocks, with resilient fasteners (y/n) 0
Ballast mats? n Rubber mat placed over concrete, under the ballast (y/n) 0
Base Vibration Level at 3 m 81.5 VdB, FTA base curve levels at 3 m from track
Total Train and Track Type
-6.1 VdB
Adjustments
Adjusted Vibration Level at 3 m 75.4 VdB, including train type and track type adjustements above.
2. Define Path
Efficient propagation in soil n Accounts for clay soils or other mediums with efficient propagation (y/n) Mutually exclusive choices 0
Propagation in rock layer n Accounts for lower attenuation with distance in rock versus soil (y/n) May also both be "n" 0.0
Total Path Type Adjustments 0.0 VdB
Notes:
The above value can be used in general for rail vibration assessment, and represents the "free field" value of vibration at the foundation.
Vibration levels within the structure will depend on ground coupling to the building foundation, and effects within the structure (resonances, etc.).
For typical residential houses (woodframe buildings), these generally cancel out. (-5 VdB for coupling, -2 dB for 2nd storey, +6 dB for resonances = -1 VdB for typical bedroom)
For commercial buildings, hotels, hospitals, etc., these effects can be significant.