Canary Wharf — E14 — sits at the convergence of the DLR network, the Jubilee Line, the Elizabeth Line, river traffic on the Thames, and the A1206/A13 arterial corridors. Façade-level noise on the West India Quay, Heron Quays, and South Quay frontages is routinely measured at 65–72 dBA Leq, with peaks exceeding 80 dBA during peak DLR cycles. For Cat A and Cat B office fit-outs targeting BCO Specification 2023 ambient noise levels (NR 35 in open-plan, NR 30 in meeting rooms), the existing curtain-wall glazing — typically a 28mm IGU achieving Rw 35dB — is inadequate. Commercial secondary glazing is the BCO-compliant retrofit route.
Source: TfL Strategic Noise Mapping 2022 and our own pre-survey acoustic measurements.
The BCO Guide to Specification 2023 sets a maximum internal ambient noise level of NR 35 in open-plan office space and NR 30 in cellular offices and meeting rooms. The WELL Building Standard v2 Sound concept (S01 — Sound Mapping, S02 — Maximum Noise Levels) requires NC 40 in open work areas and NC 30 in conference rooms. Achieving these against a 70 dBA façade requires a glazing system delivering at least Rw 50 dB — well beyond the 35–40 dB Rw of standard commercial IGUs. Our commercial secondary system, fitted 150–200mm internally of the existing curtain wall, lifts whole-window Rw to 52–58 dB while preserving the building's external aesthetic.
Canary Wharf Estate Management requires all internal works in the Canary Wharf Group portfolio (One Canada Square, the HSBC Tower, the Citi Tower, and the surrounding cluster) to be coordinated through the building's Out-of-Hours permit system. We routinely install during 18:00–06:00 weekday windows or 07:00–18:00 Saturdays, with sign-on/sign-off at the building's loading bay and full RAMS submitted in advance. Each floor is typically completed in two consecutive nights, with no impact on tenant operations.
Lift-out and horizontal-sliding configurations allow facilities teams to access the cavity face of the primary curtain wall for cleaning without removing the secondary system. Magnetic trim seals release with a single hand and re-seat against the EPDM gasket without re-commissioning. We provide a 10-year warranty on frames and seals, plus an annual inspection contract for managed buildings.
We provide on-site dB measurement, BCO/WELL gap analysis, and CAD drawings for tender. Most surveys booked within 5 working days; full specification and budget cost issued within 10.