Students who live and study near two on-campus construction sites say the noise disrupts their class time and time in their rooms. Construction on both Science Building D and International House started July 1 and is scheduled to end by 2012.
Although movable sound-absorbing walls have been used, the noise from Science Building D reaches students who take classes in Science Buildings A, B, C, and even at the Ewha-Posco Building.
“At times, many students were disturbed because big, underground construction took place without earlier notice,” Han Jee-won (Molecular and Life Sciences, 1) said. “Occasionally, construction continued even beyond the designated hours.”
Students have difficulty concentrating not only during class but also tests.
“When I was taking an exam at the Ewha-Posco Building, I could not concentrate,” Park Shin-won (Psychology, 2) said. “During class hours, I sometimes cannot even hear what the professors are saying.”
Meanwhile, international students in the campus’s Global Zone, which includes the Ewha-Samsung International House and the International Educational Building, also contend with noise from work on the new International House.
Again, students say the sound-absorbing walls don’t do enough.
“I cannot freely open the window of my room because of the noise, and many students have to leave their rooms in order to escape from the destructive noises,” Maël van Beek (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2) said.
“This was especially worse during the midterm exams.”
Nam Seok-jin, director of the Office of Facilities Maintenance, said the noisiest work on the new International House is past. Breaking rocks with tippers and breakers, which is one of the most necessary and loudest parts of construction, is finished. However, there will be noise and vibrations from underground construction on Science Building D until February 2011.
“Construction hours for both buildings is from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and this will be strictly observed,” Nam said.
“There are no special technologies other than sound-absorbing walls that can get rid of all construction noise.
However, we are planning to use more movable sound-absorbing walls if the noise gets worse.”
The two new buildings will provide classrooms and dormitory rooms for students. Many still hope for some noise relief during the construction process.
“A solution is urgent; otherwise, students will have to suffer from this noise for the next one and a half remaining years,” Park said.