What RBA Acoustics does

RBA Acoustics Limited (legal entity) is a privately held UK acoustic consultancy practice founded in 2002 by Russell Richardson and Torben Andersen, headquartered in London (44 Borough Road, SE1 0AJ) with a regional office in Stockport/Manchester. The firm employs over 20 consultants and operates as one of the largest independent acoustic consultancy practices in the UK, delivering architectural and environmental acoustics from planning through detailed design to construction, commissioning and post-completion testing.

Its core service set spans Building Acoustics, Environmental Acoustics, Vibration (including ground-borne and re-radiated noise), Building Services Noise, Construction Noise, and acoustic Testing, supplemented by sector-specialised offerings in Cinema Acoustics, Student Residential (PBSA), Office Acoustics, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Live Music Venue design. Methodology combines analytical acoustic design, building-services and vibration analysis, on-site testing (pre-completion sound insulation, commissioning), and predictive simulation using Odeon acoustic modelling software. Differentiated techniques include BREEAM credit optimisation and box-in-box construction design with spring-isolator ceilings for critical recording environments.

RBA operates a sales-led, project-based professional services model, engaging directly with developers, contractors, architects, and end-clients on a fee-for-engagement basis. The revenue stream is concentrated entirely in acoustic consultancy services, with no disclosed pricing or productised tiers; the firm emphasises repeat business from existing clients and a high-touch full-lifecycle delivery model. Named enterprise clients span Universal Music, Everyman Cinema, Lafayette (Venue Group), Ravensbourne College, Unite Students, Howard de Walden Estate, HawkinsBrown, Barratt London, PureGym, Berkeley Group, Cadogan, Kering/Harrods, WeWork, Mace and Skanska, across residential, commercial, education, leisure, and infrastructure sectors. The firm is independently owned with no external investment backing and no subsidiaries.

Name

RBA Acoustics

Legal name

RBA Acoustics Limited

Website

https://rba-acoustics.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RBA Acoustics is a UK-based independent acoustic consultancy, founded 2002, delivering building and environmental acoustics, vibration, and noise-impact services to developers, architects, contractors, and end-clients across residential, commercial, education, leisure, and infrastructure sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Acoustic Consultancy Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Acoustic & Soundproofing Works (IMAFANAL)

Keywords

• Acoustic consultancy
• Noise assessment
• Vibration control
• Architectural acoustics
• Environmental noise

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Acoustic Consultancy Services: Project-based professional consulting fees for acoustic consultancy services covering planning, design, construction, and commissioning phases

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RBA Acoustics is an independent UK acoustic consultancy practice providing specialist advice on acoustics, noise, and vibration from planning stage through detailed design to construction phase and commissioning. Services cover building acoustics (sound insulation, internal fabric design, building regulations compliance), environmental acoustics (noise and vibration impact assessments), vibration (ground-borne and re-radiated), building services noise, construction noise, and pre-completion/post-completion testing. The firm also delivers sector-specific offerings for cinemas, student residences, offices, and live music venues.

Product overview

RBA Acoustics is a UK-based independent acoustic consultancy practice offering a unified suite of specialist advisory services spanning from planning stage through detailed design to construction phase and commissioning. The core services include Building Acoustics, Environmental Acoustics, Vibration assessment, Building Services Noise, Construction Noise, and Testing. Specialized sector offerings include Cinema Acoustics Design, Student Residential Acoustics, Office Acoustics Design, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Live Music Venue Acoustics. The practice operates as a single service offering rather than a platform with modular add-ons, providing end-to-end acoustic consultancy for architectural and environmental projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Acoustics Specialist acoustic design for buildings including sound insulation, internal fabric design, and compliance with building regulations, for developers, architects and contractors.
• Environmental Acoustics Noise and vibration impact assessments for planning applications, including mitigation measures for developments.
• Vibration Assessment and mitigation of ground-borne vibration and re-radiated noise, particularly from rail sources, for developers and infrastructure clients.
• Building Services Noise Assessment and control of mechanical plant noise and building services to achieve compliance with acoustic criteria.
• Construction Noise Quantification and management of construction and demolition noise impacts with recommendations for alternative methods or working hour limitations.
• Testing Pre-completion sound insulation testing, acoustic commissioning, and post-completion testing services.
• Cinema Acoustics Design Full acoustic design service for cinema venues covering noise break-in/out assessments, auditorium design, room acoustics, and building services noise control.
• Student Residential Acoustics Acoustic services for Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) including surveying, testing, design of internal fabric and building services, and BREEAM credit compliance.
• Office Acoustics Design Acoustic design for flexible office spaces including speech privacy, background noise levels, sound insulation, and VC spaces for hybrid working.
• Environmental Impact Assessment Acoustic conditions assessment for new developments, including noise and vibration source identification, site suitability evaluation, and mitigation recommendations for planning approval.
• Live Music Venue Acoustics Specialist acoustic design for live music venues including sound insulation, licensing support, room acoustics, and vibration isolation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Corby Cube achieved BREEAM rating of 'Excellent' - the only theatre in the UK at the time of opening
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hoare Lea Acoustics: Hoare Lea's acoustics division is a direct UK peer — both firms are independent acoustic consultancies serving building and environmental acoustics markets. The firms have even jointly won the 2020 ANC Building Acoustics award for Lafayette, signaling directly comparable work and standing.
• Hann Tucker Associates: Hann Tucker is a UK-based independent acoustic consultancy providing architectural and environmental acoustics, noise and vibration assessment, and audio/AV design — closely comparable service portfolio and project types to RBA's building acoustics practice.
• Sandy Brown LLP: Sandy Brown is one of the UK's longest-established independent acoustic consultancies, offering building and environmental acoustics, theatre/venue design, and testing services — directly overlapping RBA's service lines and client base in architecture, construction, and entertainment.

Broad incumbents

• WSP Acoustics: WSP is a global engineering professional services firm with acoustics teams handling building, environmental, and infrastructure noise projects. It serves many of the same developer and infrastructure clients as RBA but at greater scale and with broader service bundling.
• AtkinsRéalis Acoustics: AtkinsRéalis (formerly Atkins) operates a global acoustics practice within its engineering consultancy, addressing building, environmental, and transport-related noise projects. Comparable technical scope to RBA, particularly on infrastructure and large-scale development work.
• AECOM Acoustics: AECOM operates a global acoustics practice within its multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy, delivering building acoustics, environmental noise, and transportation noise services. Comparable in technical scope to RBA but typically positioned as a larger incumbent on infrastructure and major development projects.
• Arup Acoustics: Arup is a global engineering consultancy with a large acoustics practice delivering building acoustics, environmental noise, and vibration services on major projects. It competes with RBA on large schemes but typically as part of multi-disciplinary bids rather than as a pure-play acoustic specialist.
• BDP (Building Design Partnership) Acoustics: BDP is an integrated architecture and engineering practice with in-house acoustics capability covering building design, environmental noise, and venue acoustics. Competes with RBA on architectural commissions where acoustics is bundled into design services.

Emerging players

• KP Acoustics: KP Acoustics is an independent UK acoustic consultancy delivering building and environmental acoustics services across residential, commercial, and education sectors. Directly comparable service model to RBA at a smaller/specialist scale.
• ION Acoustics: ION Acoustics is a smaller UK acoustic consultancy focused on building acoustics and environmental noise assessment. Comparable service offerings to RBA's residential and commercial acoustics work, with a regional/smaller-scale profile (referenced in RBA team background).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RBAacoustics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RBA Acoustics