Public Building AV Installations
Sound, AV, hearing loops and communication systems for town halls, civic buildings and public venues
We design and install AV systems for public buildings across London, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey and the wider South East.
Our work includes sound systems, screens and projection, hearing loops, public address, AV control and the infrastructure behind them. Projects range from a single public hall or meeting room through to systems covering several areas of a building.
We work directly with clients as well as architects, consultants and main contractors on existing buildings, refurbishments and tendered projects.
AV for public buildings across London and the South East
We work in town halls, civic buildings, public halls, community venues, council buildings and other public-facing premises.
These buildings often need several different AV systems under one roof. A meeting room may need microphones and displays, a larger hall may need sound and projection, reception areas may need hearing assistance and announcements may need to reach several parts of the building.
Where it makes sense, we design these systems together while still giving each room or area the control it needs.
Sound systems for public halls and meeting spaces
Speech needs to be clear wherever people are sitting.
That can be difficult in larger halls with high ceilings, hard surfaces or layouts that change depending on the event.
We design loudspeaker positions and coverage around the room rather than simply placing speakers at the front. The system may also need to handle presentations, public meetings, performances or other events, so we establish how the room is used before specifying the equipment.
Microphones, processing and control are then designed around those uses.
Where required, speech intelligibility can also be measured during commissioning.
Screens, projection and displays
We install projection systems, commercial displays and screens for public halls, meeting rooms, chambers and other shared spaces.
The right option depends on the size of the room, seating positions, sightlines, ambient light and the type of information being shown.
Some buildings suit a large projection screen. Others work better with several displays positioned around the room.
Screens and projectors also need to be coordinated with loudspeakers, lighting and other equipment using the same walls or ceilings, so these positions are best agreed before installation starts.
Our wider commercial AV installations cover the audio, video, control and network infrastructure behind these systems.
Hearing loops and accessibility
Hearing assistance is an important part of AV in many public buildings.
We design, install and test hearing loop systems for halls, reception points, meeting rooms and other public-facing areas.
A loop needs to be designed around the building and measured after installation. Construction can affect its performance, particularly where steelwork or other metal is present within the structure.
We can also test existing hearing loops where there is uncertainty about how well they are working.
Where a hearing loop and sound system are being installed together, we can coordinate the microphone feeds, equipment and cabling as part of the same project.
Public address and voice alarm
Some public buildings need announcements to reach several areas rather than only one room.
We design zoned public address systems so messages can be sent to the parts of the building where they are needed.
Everyday paging and a voice alarm system are not the same thing. Where announcements form part of the building’s evacuation arrangements, the system needs to be designed around the fire strategy and treated as life-safety work.
Our PA and voice alarm systems cover this separately from general sound reinforcement.
AV in historic public buildings
Town halls and other civic buildings can be listed or contain historic interiors that affect how AV equipment can be installed.
Speakers, displays and cabling cannot always be positioned wherever installation would be easiest.
We plan equipment locations, fixing methods and cable routes around the existing building, using existing routes where practical and keeping the visual impact of the installation to a minimum.
Where an architect or conservation adviser is involved, we can work with them during the design stage.
Our experience in churches and heritage buildings is also useful on these projects because many of the same practical issues apply.
Simple controls for everyday use
Public-building AV is often used by staff with very different levels of technical experience.
We set up the controls around what people actually need to do.
For everyday use, that might mean selecting a microphone or source, switching on a display, adjusting the volume or choosing a room setting.
More technical controls can remain protected so they are not changed accidentally.
Where a room is regularly used in several different ways, we can also programme presets to make moving between them straightforward.
Working with existing AV systems
A refurbishment does not always require the existing system to be removed.
We survey the equipment, cabling, loudspeakers, displays, control and network infrastructure before deciding what needs to change.
Some equipment may still be suitable. Existing cabling can also remain useful even where the equipment connected to it needs replacing.
Where the current system can sensibly be extended or upgraded, we will use it rather than replacing everything simply to make the installation new.
If the existing system is already at capacity or the original design is limiting what can be achieved, we explain that before additional equipment is specified.
Public building AV in refurbishments
Public-building AV often forms part of a larger refurbishment or construction project.
We can work from architects’ drawings, consultant specifications and tender documents where these are already in place.
Where OBAV is responsible for the AV design, we provide the technical information needed by the wider project team before first fix.
This can include loudspeaker and screen positions, equipment rack locations, power requirements, containment, network points, cable routes and interfaces with other systems.
Getting these details agreed early means the AV can be coordinated with ceilings, walls, lighting, electrical work and other services before finishes are complete.
Working with architects, consultants and main contractors
A public-sector project can involve architects, AV consultants, main contractors, electrical contractors, fire engineers and other specialists.
Our role is to provide clear information for the AV installation and coordinate our part of the project with the rest of the team.
Where a consultant has already specified the system, we can price and install against the documentation supplied.
Where the AV has not yet been designed, we can develop the system ourselves and provide the drawings and technical information needed for the wider project.
If something on the drawings conflicts with the AV requirements, we raise it while it can still be resolved.
Where electrical and AV work need to be coordinated, we can also work alongside our sister company Lake Electrical.
AV networks and infrastructure
Larger AV systems can require a significant amount of infrastructure that will not be visible once the building is finished.
We plan the signal cabling, network connections, equipment racks, power and containment alongside the rest of the system.
Where required, we can provide a dedicated AV network with fixed IP addressing to keep the equipment organised and make future support easier.
Equipment racks also need suitable positions with enough ventilation, power and access for maintenance.
These requirements are straightforward to provide during a refurbishment but much harder to add once the building is finished.
Commissioning and handover
Our engineers carry out the installation and remain involved through commissioning.
Sound systems are set up in the rooms where they will actually be used. Hearing loops are measured, and displays, sources and controls are tested together.
Where performance measurements or certification form part of the project, these are completed before handover.
The handover information can include drawings, test results, operating information and other documentation required by the specification.
We also show the people using the building how to operate the parts of the system they will use regularly.
Experienced public building AV installers
We design and install AV systems for town halls, public halls, civic buildings and other public-facing premises.
Our experience includes sound systems, displays and projection, hearing loops, public address, control systems and wider AV infrastructure.
We are used to working on tendered and refurbishment projects alongside architects, consultants and main contractors, including older buildings where existing fabric and cable routes need careful consideration.
OBAV is SafeContractor approved and ISO [[NUMBER: exact ISO standard to confirm]] accredited. Our engineers are employed by OBAV and remain available for support after installation.
Public building projects
Accreditations
OBAV is SafeContractor approved and certified to ISO [[NUMBER: exact ISO standard to confirm]].
Copies of our certificates are available on request.
[[NUMBER: SafeContractor registration number, the ISO standard, certificate number and certification body]]
OBAV is the trading name of Old Barn Audio Ltd, company number 06040735.
Our engineers are employed by OBAV rather than subcontracted, so support stays with the company that installed and commissioned the system.
What public-building clients say
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FAQS
Do you survey the building before quoting?
A site survey lets us check the system and the building before we put together the specification. On an existing building we look at what is there before deciding what needs to come out, because some existing equipment may still be suitable and cabling can often remain useful even when the equipment connected to it needs updating.
Can you work from a consultant’s specification?
Yes. Where a consultant has already specified the system, we work to that documentation. Where OBAV is responsible for the design, we prepare the AV specification and work with the project team as the rest of the building design develops. Both routes are familiar to us.
Do you test hearing loops you did not install?
Yes. Existing systems can be tested if there is uncertainty about how well they are working. Our loop work covers design, installation, testing and certification, and building construction can affect performance, particularly where there is a lot of metal in the structure.
Is a public address system the same as a voice alarm?
No. Everyday public address and a voice alarm system are not the same thing. If the system forms part of the building’s evacuation arrangements, it needs to be designed around the fire strategy and treated as life-safety work. Keeping that distinction clear at the beginning of a project avoids trying to make a general sound system do a job it was not designed for.
Can you extend the system we already have?
Sometimes. Before extending an existing system we check whether the equipment already installed has the capacity to support it, which means looking at the amplifier channels, processing, control, network and cabling already available. If the existing system can sensibly be extended, we will use it. If it cannot, we explain what is limiting it.
Will our staff need training on the system?
Staff are shown how to operate the parts of the system they will use regularly. For everyday use that may only be selecting a microphone or source, changing the volume and operating a screen, with the more technical settings kept protected so they are not accidentally changed.
Do you work on tendered and refurbishment projects?
Yes. We work from drawings, tender documents and consultant specifications where these are already in place. Getting the AV requirements agreed before first fix gives us time to coordinate speaker positions, screens, equipment racks, power, containment and cable routes with the other contractors.
Arrange a public building AV survey
If you are planning an AV installation, refurbishment or upgrade in a public building, get in touch and tell us about the building and how the rooms are used.
We can survey existing installations, work from a consultant’s specification or design the AV as part of a refurbishment.
Sound, screens, hearing loops, PA and the infrastructure behind them can all be dealt with as part of the same project where required.
For a public-building AV project, call 01892 752246 or get in touch with OBAV.
Old Barn Audio Ltd
Unit 15 Wylands Farm
Powdermill Lane
Battle
East Sussex TN33 0SU
01892 752246
enquiries@oldbarnaudio.co.uk