James Whitlock is a consultant in the Auckland office, involved in all aspects of acoustics and vibration assessment, prediction and design.

The fundament of James' enthusiasm for acoustics stems from a background in music.  He studied classical music on piano and violin from a young age, which has led to drumming and percussion for various orchestras and bands. 

Born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, James' career in acoustics began at Auckland University in 2000 where, whilst studying for a Masters in Architectural Studies in Acoustics, he was employed by the University's Acoustic Testing Service as a technician, testing and rating the acoustic properties of commercial acoustic partitions.

He joined Marshall Day Acoustics' Auckland office in 2001, and has been involved in projects spanning the range of acoustical services which Marshall Day offers, developing skills in building acoustics design and commissioning, room acoustics, environmental noise control (acting as expert witness in council hearings) and vibration assessment and control.  He also has experience with a range of 3D computer acoustic modelling packages.

He has a particular interest in classroom acoustic design (following on from his Masters thesis on this topic), and is actively engaged in research into classroom acoustical mechanisms, on which he regularly publishes and presents at acoustic symposia.

Recent project experience includes:

:: Vector Arena, Auckland - design and commissioning of sound insulation, room acoustics modeling and review of HVAC system

:: State Highway 20, Avondale - prediction, modeling and consent application of night-time construction works and vibration issues

:: Winstone Cameron Quarry, Te Puke - computer modeling (SoundPLAN), vibration assessment and community liaison for the resource consent of future development

:: Birkdale C pipeline project, North Shore Auckland - assessment and computer (SoundPLAN) model development of night-time construction works, and resource consent negotiations

:: Rutherford College Nelson Block, Te Atatu - measurement of existing block and acoustic design of proposed upgrade to achieve Ministry of Education guidelines.

James is a committed father of two and spends his spare time playing drums in two progressive rock bands (as well as the MDA Auckland band!).  He has an avid interest in music, film and cars, and trains in the Japanese Bushido martial art Iaijutsu.

Publications

:: 2009 Whitlock, JAT, Dodd, G. "Recent New Zealand Initiatives towards understanding Classroom Acoustics" Proceedings of Internoise 2009, Ottawa, 2009.

:: 2009 Whitlock, JAT "The Science of Sound - the Dangers of Poor Classroom Acoustics" School News Magazine, Issue 05, April/May 2009.

:: 2008 Whitlock, JAT   "Classroom Acoustics Research in New Zealand - Past, Present and Future"  New Zealand Acoustics Vol.21, No.4.

:: 2008 Whitlock, JAT, Dodd, G.  "Speech Intelligibility in Classrooms: Specific Acoustical Needs for Primary School Children" Building Acoustics, Volume 15, Number 1, 2008, pp. 35-47.

:: 2007 Whitlock, JAT, Dodd, G.  "Classroom Acoustics - Reverberation and the Café Effect... is the Lombard Effect the Key?"  Proceedings of 19^th International Congress of Acoustics, Madrid, 2007