Remove old windows in laboratory and replace with dual-paned windows.
Seal gaps that allow external noise to enter the lab by insulating all door and window frames with weather stripping.
Install heavy-weight fabric curtains with thick backing over each window. Lower the curtains when direct exposure to sunlight is not required in the lab.
Plant rows of tall shrubs and large species of trees in areas surrounding the lab. The shrubs will provide an immediate buffer against noise pollution, while the trees will give additional protection as they grow.
Install a barrier wall between the laboratory wall and nearby roads or highways.
Muffle sound coming from rooms above the laboratory by installing 4-inch thick acoustical panels across the ceiling.
Cover the lab walls with acoustical sound-dampening wall panels.
Post signs on the laboratory door, in the hallway near the lab and on the floor above the lab requesting that people assist in maintaining an environment free of noise pollution by keeping footsteps quiet and voices low in the vicinity of the lab.
Minimize the effects of footsteps and conversations within the lab by separating the experiment area from the rest of the laboratory with a series of roll-around acoustical screens.
Cover experiments that require a noise-free environment in quilted fiberglass sound-absorber blankets.
Wear rubber-soled shoes to muffle footsteps in the lab. Wrap quilt batting around shoes when entering areas of the lab where complete silence is required.