Acoustics

Sound Environment

Common physical factors affecting the comfort of office workers are defined by: temperature, air quality, lighting, acoustics and spatial layout. Research over the past 40 years has shown that poor acoustic environments in offices are the number one source of employee complaints. The sound environment affects people’s behavior, motivation to perform tasks and intellectual work, so it is very important to find solutions that optimize acoustic comfort in the working environment. Not only for comfort and well-being, but also for efficiency and economic purposes, this aspect becomes vital when setting up new office premises or renovating existing ones.

Sound Environment

Noise control

Sound control devices

Acoustic solutions

NOISE CONTROL

The word noise has a negative connotation and we perceive it as unwanted sound. People can tolerate a certain amount of noise until the inconvenience turns into annoyance, which turns into discomfort and general dissatisfaction. Most people who work in an office are exposed to environmental noise, often without realizing it. Existing guidelines in ISO or BREEAM documents provide limits for minimum and maximum background noise levels. This is because if the noise is too high, the productivity and concentration of the workers suffer. However, if the noise level is too low, privacy can suffer.

SOUND CONTROL EQUIPMENT

If workers are exposed to noise levels above recommended levels, we will advise employers and employees on measures that can be taken to reduce or control noise levels in different office spaces:
  • In conference halls;
  • In common areas, such as the kitchen or lounge areas;
  • Between jobs;
  • In open-plan offices;
  • In closed offices.

ACOUSTICS IN CONFERENCE HALLS

Reverberation is often annoying in conference halls. By measuring the duration of reverberation with a special device, it is determined whether the room is acoustically comfortable. Generally, if the echo lasts no longer than 0.9 seconds, the environment is classified as having good acoustic conditions. In closed spaces like conference rooms which they are often minimally filled with furniture interior solutions, acoustic paintings are often used. They look like a regular picture printed on canvas, but thanks to the special material they become a sound-absorbing acoustic design element. According to the size of the space and the need for acoustics, ERGOLAIN specialists will advise which dimensions of the picture would be suitable for a specific space.

ACOUSTICS IN COMMON ROOMS

In office kitchens, leisure areas and other common areas, it is popular to solve the acoustics with acoustic furniture. This furniture has high backs, so it not only absorbs sound, but also separates spaces and gives zones privacy. Another way to solve acoustics is acoustic wall decor. In addition to functionality, it is a luxurious-looking element that creates a feeling of coziness in the interior with its textures. It is not uncommon for companies to choose a brand that reflects the shades of the materials.

ACOUSTICS IN OPEN PLAN OFFICES

Open spaces have the most difficult conditions for creating proper acoustics. Nevertheless, sound propagation and noise can be controlled by assessing the most problematic areas of the open space. Open-plan offices often use a variety of acoustic solutions. For example, fabric curtains are hung, walls and ceilings are decorated with acoustic panels, and separate zones are created using acoustic furniture. One of the most popular solutions in open offices are acoustic booths that create a room within a room. Talk Talk’s acoustic rooms can be single or double and are mostly used for one-on-one phone conversations or virtual meetings.

ACOUSTICS IN THE WORKPLACE

The most efficient way to separate workplaces is to use free-standing or suspended acoustic partitions and acoustic table partitions that are attached to each ERGOLAIN standard table. ERGOLAIN designers will adapt acoustic solutions to your individual work space – you can choose from more than 100 shades of fabric options.

ACOUSTICS IN CLOSED CABINETS

In a closed cabinet, depending on its size, one or several acoustic solutions are often enough to control the sound. One of the most modern solutions is the acoustic lighting hood, which is made of PET FELT material (recycled plastic textile). Due to its sustainable origin, interesting design and modernity, this solution is often implemented in small meeting rooms and kitchenettes, as it is ideal for centering above the table.

Acoustic solutions

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