Ecophon Acoustic Bulletin

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA have studied how typical noise levels have developed in hospital environments.

Professors Ilene Busch-Vishniac and James West have reviewed previous studies on hospital noise as well as conducted an extensive field study at different sites of the Johns Hopkins University Hospital confirming the conclusion from previous studies.
The findings were presented at ASA/NOISE-CON 2005 meeting in October.

Original scientific publication

Read more about the effects of room acoustics on staff and patients

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Posted by Fredrik at 2:38 PM
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John Culling, Researcher at Cardiff University, School of Psychology has been granted with € 511 000 for a three-year research project on "Effects of reverberation on conversation in rooms".

The project will focus on speech intelligibility in noise, "cocktail party effect". One outcome will be room acoustic design guidelines. The project will run 2006-2009.
Ecophon is together with Arup Acoustics project partners for the research.
Read more about the project

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Posted by Fredrik at 2:43 PM
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The new ISO standard "ISO 18233 Acoustics – Application of new measurement methods in buildings and room acoustics" will be officially introduced late 2005 or early 2006.

The standard describes excitation signals (MLS and Swept-Sine) that can be used to obtain impulse response of a building structure or surface. Ole-Herman Bjor, who headed the standardisation project, has written a summary of the content of the standard.

Read the summary

Purchase the standard at ISO

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Posted by Fredrik at 2:47 PM
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New acoustics guidelines for multidisciplinary sports facilities have been published in the Netherlands. The guidelines support principals in making the right demands in coming building projects, demands which guarantee the quality of the sporting, working and learning environment.
Read more

* What are the recommendations for room acoustics in sports facilities? Ecophon has benchmarked some national standards (pdf 85 kB).

* If you know of other national standards for swimming halls please contact carsten.svensson@ecophon.se

Case study of swimming pool project:
Eriksdalsbadet, Stockholm, Sweden

Have a closer look at an example of a solution. Choose relevant link below.
CZ DE DK ES INT FI FR NL NO RU SE UK

Posted by Fredrik at 2:51 PM
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The standard defining STI, previously known as IEC 60268-16, has been provided since 2003 with an EN (European Norm) reference.

It is from now on a valid national standard in all European countries.

Purchase EN 60268-16:2003 Sound system equipment. Example of objective rating of speech intelligibility by speech transmission index

Posted by Fredrik at 3:16 PM
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Case: Company restaurant, Paris

Background:
Beautiful space on top floor of office building
Noise complaints
Lack of absorption, due to plain plasterboard ceiling
RT = 1.1 s

Key issues:
Maintain architectural quality of space
Simple installation, in order to keep short refurbishment time

Solution:
Ecophon Focus E and Ecophon Light Coffer system
Enhanced architectural qualities, thanks to combined changes in level and light
Short installation time thanks to an integrated acoustic ceiling system
RT= 0.5 s (targeted value)

Acoustic consultant:
Cap Horn Solutions through M Chérif HADREB - a consultancy firm specialised in sound control as well as noise and vibration abatement.
Contact

Read more about integrated lighting (click on relevant link)
DE DK INT FI FR NL PL SE UK

Posted by Fredrik at 3:22 PM
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As presented in the previous issue of the Ecophon Acoustic Bulletin the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is focusing on the issue of noise control in the work place through campaigning and organising activities in various EU countries.

* A conference on noise control organised 12th December 2005 concluded the 'Stop that Noise!' campaign. The Agency has also published a special magazine to share best practice on the issue of noise control in the work place.

National "Stop that Noise" initiatives:

Austria The Austrian Labour inspection has published a web site packed with facts (in German).
Sweden The Swedish Work Environment Authority reports (in Swedish) on the results from the inspections carried out.
Denmark Danish acoustician firm AkustikNet A/S use auralisation examples to demonstrate the effect of room acoustic interventions in open plan offices (in Danish).
Netherlands Printed compilation of Dutch good practices. (in Dutch)

Stop that noise! It will destroy your ears! (link to a short film)

Posted by Fredrik at 3:38 PM
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Mainstream media is more often reporting on the challenges of working in an open plan office. Danish newspapers and building industry periodicals address the problem by interviewing Bjørn Berthelsen from Ecophon Denmark.
Read the article

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Posted by Fredrik at 3:46 PM
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Space is not only visual. For acoustician B. Delage, space can be seen as an interaction of both an acoustical and a visual dimension. In this article, he develops his approach around an architectural icon, the Kidosaki House, by Tadao Ando: a good example of how sounds in architecture can touch and provoke us.

Read the article
Author: B. Delage, www.viasonora.com
Publication: Earshot, # 3, UK, 2002

Posted by Fredrik at 3:48 PM
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The University of New South Wales in Australia has been awarded for their website about music acoustics by the magazine Scientific American.

Aimed at musicians and researchers alike the site offers auralisations on how sound is produced in various musical instruments. This site allows you to measure equal loudness curves - the frequency response of your own ears.

* “Music Acoustics" is a compelling and harmonious compendium of research at the crossroads of physics and music. http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/

Posted by Fredrik at 3:52 PM
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- One of the fundamentals of room acoustics. Link to it! Spread it! Enjoy it.

More information about sound absorption and acoustic ceilings

Posted by Fredrik at 8:53 AM
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