Fresno Yosemite International Airport Sound Insulation Acoustical Remedy Treatment (SMART) Program

CSDA Design Group initially provided architectural design and construction administration services to sound insulate thirty (30) single-family homes in 1995. The original scope of work was expanded the following year to include an additional thirty (30) single-family homes. Since 2019 CSDA Design Group, along with a group of Fresno-based engineering firms (Mechanical-Electrical, Construction Administration and Hazardous Materials Testing and Remediation Oversight), is again providing design and construction administration services for the Sound Mitigation Acoustical Remedy Treatment (SMART) Program.

For approximately 5 years, while the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport was in the process of updating the Noise Exposure Map (NEM) the SMART Program was on hold. During the 5 years the SMART Program was paused a number of changes to the AIP Handbook were implemented, such as the requirement to acoustically test homes to qualify for treatment and the elimination of ancillary acoustical treatments, such as attic vent baffles and the installation of attic insulation, unless demonstrated to be acoustically necessary.

However, explaining to the noise-impacted community why they (in the present) were going through a different acoustical treatment process than their neighbors had (in the past) was not as challenging as securing SMART Program participants. Extensive effort was required to achieve a significant level of homeowner participation. The response rate to program invitation letters sent to potential program participants was low. The property owner’s contact information was out-of-date. A number of eligible homes were tenant occupied and, as rental properties, there was less motivation to participate by owners. CSDA worked with SMART Program staff to walk the impacted neighborhoods, knock on doors, speak with occupants and leave information about the program with the owners or occupants. In this way, we were able to assemble a group of homes for sound insulation.

Providing excellent customer service, and being responsive to homeowner questions and concerns, will help spread the word in the community about the resurgence of the SMART Program. CSDA and our partners are working hard to ensure the word in the community are positive, as this will impact participation levels in the future.