tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2 2009-06-29T11:24:16Z A forum for Ecophon partners in room acoustics Movable Type 3.33 tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.485 2009-06-29T10:53:38Z 2009-06-29T11:24:16Z

Source image: Dynamic Architecture Yesterday, one of my colleagues, forwarded a news item on BBC news. Although it has not much to do with acoustics, it is worth mentioning. Italian architect David Fisher designed the world's first moving building,...

Marc Janssen http://www.ecophon.com Source image: Dynamic Architecture Yesterday, one of my colleagues, forwarded a news item on BBC news. Although it has not much to do with acoustics, it is worth mentioning. Italian architect David Fisher designed the world's first moving building, an 80-storey tower with revolving floors giving a shifting shape. The 420-metre (1,378-foot) building's apartments would spin a full 360 degrees, at voice command, around a central column by means of 79 giant power-generating wind turbines located between each floor. Click here to see the animation about the first building that rotates, moves, and changes shape ]]> For more info click here ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.484 2009-06-25T12:18:32Z 2009-06-25T17:04:31Z

CEN/TC 126, Building acoustics, has created a working group, WG 11, to develop Test Codes for suspended, acoustic ceilings. WG 11 started its work about a year ago with Nils-Åke Andersson from Saint-Gobain Ecophon as convener and has now...

Nils-Åke Andersson http://www.ecophon.com CEN/TC 126, Building acoustics, has created a working group, WG 11, to develop Test Codes for suspended, acoustic ceilings. WG 11 started its work about a year ago with Nils-Åke Andersson from Saint-Gobain Ecophon as convener and has now about 15 participants from around Europe. The reason doing this work is the problems with differences in measurement results from laboratories. ]]> Such measurement results are used for the CE marking of products and the uncertainty of results leads to unfair competition and sometimes even misleading information. Test Codes are supposed to be a compliment to existing standards and shall not supersede them, but might later on be incorporated in revisions of the standards. WG 11 has decided to focus on sound absorption measurements (EN ISO 354) to start with and will later on start up work with flanking transmission measurements (EN ISO 10848-2). There have been 3 meetings so far, where the main topics were to identify possible reasons for the uncertainty of results and to identify laboratories doing measurement for CE marking. One scope for WG 11 is to organize RRT (Round Robin Test) with measurements according to Test Code suggestions developed. RRT will also generate data for calculation of reproducibility or standard deviation to be included in future standard revision. More than 20 European laboratories have been identified doing sound absorption measurements for CE marking and they are now invited to participate in a RRT, which is supposed to start up this autumn. Next meeting with WG 11 is scheduled to be held directly after Euronoise in Edinburgh on October 29th. tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.483 2009-06-18T12:24:57Z 2009-06-18T13:46:01Z

On Tuesday June 16th around 50 delegates participated in a conference in Manchester called "Acoustics in Healthcare Envrionments". The conference, organised by the Institute of Acoustics in the UK, was hosted by Adrian Popplewell, Ramboll UK. Seven papers were...

Marc Janssen http://www.ecophon.com On Tuesday June 16th around 50 delegates participated in a conference in Manchester called "Acoustics in Healthcare Envrionments". The conference, organised by the Institute of Acoustics in the UK, was hosted by Adrian Popplewell, Ramboll UK. Seven papers were presented during the day. One of the speakers, Anthony Thomas of Ecophon UK, wrote some notes especially for Acoustic Bulletin. Please click on the link below to read them. ]]> HTM08-01 – The new design guide - Richard Budd, SRL Richard explained how the new Guidance document was produced to give achievable acoustic results in healthcare facilities in a practical, informative document. He stressed that the HTM is not law, and would only be mandatory when the document was written into a construction contract. He strongly recommended an Acoustic Statement be produced for every project, and that derogation should be avoided. Research into hospital acoustics – review and overview – Professor Bridget Shield, London South Bank University. Bridget commented that research articles are predominantly from Healthcare, rather than Acoustics, journals, and undertaken by HC staff with little knowledge of acoustics. She noted that there is a lack of UK studies, although the LSBU’s MARU, in collaboration with Acoustics Group, are currently researching Acoustic Design for Inpatient Facilities in Hospitals. She commented that Design of Infection Control is one of a number of factors affecting acoustic design in hospitals. Sonic issues and resolutions for varied patient groups – Richard Mazuch, Nightingale Associates Richard expanded presentation topics to include how healing within various patient groups can be affected by (positive) sound, eg music, and well as other sensory interventions (smell, light, colour, etc), and explained how negative sounds (noise) and other inappropriate conditions can have detrimental effects in patient outcomes. Design of restorative environments for healthcare using the Tranquility Rating Assessment Tool – Greg Watts, University of Bradford Greg defined tranquility, and explained some of the research he and his team had undertaken. He identified important factors, and gave examples of physiological benefits of moderating factures. He explained how perceived tranquility is affected by soundscape, landscape and moderating factors, and discussed the practical application of his tranquility prediction tool. Effects of non-acoustics factors on healthcare acoustics – Michael Phiri, University of Sheffield Michael identified non-acoustic factors, including cleaning regimes and infection control, which impact building acoustics, and evaluated the impact of some of these factors. He highlighted a number of noise-generating items and activities, and stressed the need for the development of a framework which recognises the interrelationships between acoustics and other design considerations. He stated the need for greater involvement of acoustic consultants at the critical stages of the building process – both pre- and post project. Front Row (from left to right): Richard Budd, Anthony Thomas, Michael Phiri, Rosemary Glanville Research into the effect of the sound environment on staff and patients in healthcare facilities – Anthony Thomas, Saint-Gobain Ecophon Anthony demonstrated that despite a growing awareness of hospital noise it is a major and growing problem in the UK. Using research examples, he talked about the negative effects a noisy environment can have, such as longer patient recovery due to sleep disturbance, and an increased need for medication in post-operative recovery rooms. Anthony also referred to studies showing how the more vulnerable patient groups,ie ICU and, in particular NICU, can suffer significant long-term physiological effects when exposed to high noise levels. In contrast, research indicates how improved acoustic conditions can reduce help patient readmission rates and improve staff morale and efficiency The experience of using HTM08-01 in smaller healthcare facilities – Philip Hankin, Cole Jarman Referring to projects such as local GPP centres and LIFT schemes, Philip looked some of the issues facing an acoustician He explained how the document has benefits in providing clarity and good advice on compliance, as well as tying in well with BREEAM Healthcare. On the negative side, he mentioned a lack of guidance for audiology and how for example insufficient co-ordination between HTM08-01 and Infection Control might be used to argue against absorbent finishes. He has found the document easy to use when deign issues are ready accepted by the projects design team. ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.482 2009-06-17T11:07:54Z 2009-07-01T14:49:12Z

Some partners of the Week of Sound have collaborated to provide the visitors of the Palais de la Découverte in Paris with a unique acoustic corridor walk through experience....

Colin Campbell Some partners of the Week of Sound have collaborated to provide the visitors of the Palais de la Découverte in Paris with a unique acoustic corridor walk through experience. ]]> : front view of the corridor’s side walls The corridor offers a unique acoustical experience for those heading to the « Sounds and Vibrations section » of the Palais. In a recent Note Acoustique (French Acoustic Bulletin)newsletter, one can read: "One of the corridors of the Palais has been fitted with sound absorbing panels. Sound energy is lost by friction, transformed into heat when air vibrates in the air gaps between the fibres. That way, this « relaxing » corridor reduces the sound intensity coming from either end of the corridor. Come and experience this feeling and enjoy the shows « Sound for everybody » and « A timbre for a sound ». A plan view click here to go directly to the original item on the French version of Acoustic Bulletin ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.481 2009-06-16T11:01:39Z 2009-06-18T12:16:33Z

Euronoise is the European conference on noise control, co-ordinated by the EAA Technical Committee Noise and organised by a national acoustical society on behalf of the European Acoustics Association (EAA). Edinburgh in Scotland is the setting for the 8th...

Colin Campbell Euronoise is the European conference on noise control, co-ordinated by the EAA Technical Committee Noise and organised by a national acoustical society on behalf of the European Acoustics Association (EAA). Edinburgh in Scotland is the setting for the 8th European Conference on Noise Control ]]> Edinburgh is an intriguing host city, rich in history and culture. The conference will be held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), which is in the heart of this dynamic city. With world class facilities, this is the perfect environment for a successful event. The Conference programme will consist of key-note lectures, invited and contributed papers in structured parallel sessions, workshops and poster presentations. Final papers are to be submitted by 30th June Ecophon is one of the Gold Sponsors for the conference and will sponsor the Chairman’s Reception and Dinner, have an exhibition stand and present 4 papers during conference. The four papers will support much of Ecophon’s ongoing work around how sound affects people by promoting the benefits and consideration of Room Acoustic Comfort™ focusing on the interaction between person, room and activity. Our papers will cover a range of subjects: Acoustics in Office premises; “Is it possible to create a good working environment in an open plan office?” and “Exploring acoustic parameters for open plan offices”. Acoustics in Healthcare “Room Acoustic Comfort™ in healthcare premises” and Acoustics in Education; “Noise level reduction in secondary school classrooms by acoustic treatment”. ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.480 2009-06-15T09:22:24Z 2009-06-15T09:33:45Z

Coming up soon in New Zeeland is a symposium on tinnitus. This meeting will be a great opportunity for tinnitus clinicians and researchers to join forces and updated their knowledge on this subject....

Carsten Svensson Coming up soon in New Zeeland is a symposium on tinnitus. This meeting will be a great opportunity for tinnitus clinicians and researchers to join forces and updated their knowledge on this subject. here as to get more detailed information! ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.479 2009-06-12T06:49:13Z 2009-06-12T13:34:15Z

Evidence Based Hospital Design (EBD) is a new field that guides health care construction. Research indicates that well-designed physical settings play an important role in helping hospitals to support patients healing and making hospitals better places for staff to...

Katrin Bergmark Evidence Based Hospital Design (EBD) is a new field that guides health care construction. Research indicates that well-designed physical settings play an important role in helping hospitals to support patients healing and making hospitals better places for staff to work. The findings support the importance of improving a range of design characteristics or interventions, including good acoustic environments, nature distractions and daylight. ]]> Center for Health Design. Read more about Evidence Based Design in the report from the Center for Health Design. ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.478 2009-06-11T07:58:29Z 2009-06-11T09:38:25Z

An impressive initiative by the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) and Grand Designs Kevin McCloud involving 50 MPs, is calling for government to ensure that new schools meet national standards for acoustics. The call comes after Freedom of Information...

Colin Campbell An impressive initiative by the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) and Grand Designs Kevin McCloud involving 50 MPs, is calling for government to ensure that new schools meet national standards for acoustics. The call comes after Freedom of Information Act data received by NDCS showed that only 21% of the local authorities in England that responded had new schools with acoustics meeting the requirements set out in Building Bulletin 93 ]]> Building magazine article. The NDCS have a real insight into the reality for deaf children in mainstream schools and have recently highlighted new figures which show that deaf children's GCSE results continue to lag behind those of all children, and may even be falling further behind. Click here; Supporting action regarding these new figures the NDCS's UK-wide campaign report, Must do better!, set out the barriers that are holding deaf children back and recommendations for Government action. Click here; ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.477 2009-06-09T14:44:48Z 2009-06-11T09:58:08Z

Earlier this year the founder of the “elevator music”, Muzak, went bankrupt! But the business of background music, making you shop more, is still successful....

Carsten Svensson Earlier this year the founder of the “elevator music”, Muzak, went bankrupt! But the business of background music, making you shop more, is still successful. ]]> Read more: What is Muzak? (in English) Read more: About Muzak and background music. (in English) Read more: MusicPartner (in English) Read more: ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.472 2009-05-18T12:04:49Z 2009-06-02T10:08:10Z

The Building Acoustics Group of the UK's Institute of Acoustics has organised a meeting in Manchester on 16th June 2009. Entitled "Acoustics in Healthcare Environments", it will be held at the Victioria & Albert Hotel, and will discuss Key...

Anthony Thomas The Building Acoustics Group of the UK's Institute of Acoustics has organised a meeting in Manchester on 16th June 2009. Entitled "Acoustics in Healthcare Environments", it will be held at the Victioria & Albert Hotel, and will discuss Key Issues relating to exactly how environmental acoustics affect healthcare outcomes. ]]> Sound Research Laboratories, Nightingale Associates, University of Bradford, Saint-Gobain Ecophon, University of Sheffield, Berry Environmental Ltd, and Cole Jarman. Full details can be found on the IOA's Meetings web page. To book a place please email Linda Canty or phone 01707 848195.]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.474 2009-05-17T10:09:24Z 2009-05-19T08:36:50Z

Noise Action Week in the UK aims to raise awareness about the health effects such as stress, excessive noise can cause for us all. During Noise Action Week hundreds of organisations involved in managing noise across the UK, including...

Colin Campbell Noise Action Week in the UK aims to raise awareness about the health effects such as stress, excessive noise can cause for us all. During Noise Action Week hundreds of organisations involved in managing noise across the UK, including local authority noise, housing, health teams, antisocial behaviour teams, housing organisations, mediation services, schools and others, coordinate events at local level to educate and inform people about noise, the impact it has and how to reduce it. http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/noiseactionweek/ The Institute of Acoustics is a sponsor for the week http://www.ioa.org.uk/]]> http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/noiseactionweek/about/]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.471 2009-05-13T12:05:21Z 2009-05-13T13:28:40Z

Reported in Ecophon Acoustic Bulletin (November 3, 2008) screening of primary school pupils’ hearing wasn’t a research program only. One of the main tasks was to build awareness toward hearing protection and noise control. A short guide for children,...

Mikołaj Jarosz Reported in Ecophon Acoustic Bulletin (November 3, 2008) screening of primary school pupils’ hearing wasn’t a research program only. One of the main tasks was to build awareness toward hearing protection and noise control. A short guide for children, parents and teachers has been prepared, with advises how to protect hearing and how to find first signs of problems. Polish readers can have a look at original text here. Less fluent in Polish can click link below for English translation.]]> 1. Avoid noise – unwanted sound that can be harmful for your health. Noise is a cause of irritation and tiredness, headache and sleeplessness. That has an negative impact on your efficiency at school and work. High level noise can destroy your hearing but also may drive to heart diseases, stomach ulcers and neurosis. 2. Listen silent and moderated sounds that are similar in its level to natural ones. Sounds that are pleasant and not causing tiredness, irritation, headache and tinnitus (constant noise in ears, heard in silence). Don’t follow yours reckless colleagues feeding themselves with cacophony. 3. Save your ears. Listen to the music using loudspeakers rather than earphones. Adjust music’s volume to the safe level – you should be able to understand somebody talking to you when music is on. 4. Save your ears and whole organism. Listen to the music using full frequency band. Low frequency (bass) loud music and vibrations affects negatively our hearing apparatus but also our psyche, emotions, internal secretions driving to serious psychosomatic malfunctions. 5. Loud club or disco noise causes, at the beginning, so called hearing temporary threshold shift. That means temporary partial hearing loss as a noise exposure effect. After certain time of recovery, normal hearing sensitivity returns. The depth and duration of that effect depends on noise level and exposition time. If exposition to high noise is regular, the second stage is tinnitus – constant noise (whistle) heard in ears in silence. Finally, frequent noise expositions repeated for certain time drives to PTS: permanent threshold shift – irreversible hearing loss. 6. Playing with petards and fireworks, shooting firearms without earplugs leads to deafness. Using fireworks etc., you have remember, that it can be more harmful for accompanying persons, that for you yourself. Person that launch firework is, more or less, prepared for explosion – both mentally and physically (he can simple plug his ears in right moment). Somebody not warned, standing close to you could be shocked by sudden burst. Also don’t shout directly to someone’s ear, don’t use for similar purpose any music instruments (trumpet for instance). 7. If involved in fight – protect your head. Head injures often cause hearing loss. Flat palm hit to the ear can be easily reason of drum head (membrane) perforation. 8. Hygiene. Wash your ears with soap water and dry it up with towel. Don’t put any items to external auditory canal. Cosmetic buds are not for ears! When you use them to “clean” your ear, you are destroying natural mechanism of self-cleaning, and just part of ear wax is removed. The rest is pushed to the end of auditory canal like powder in canon barrel. That result in building wax plug that has to be removed by laryngologist. By putting cosmetic sticks into ear, you can also easily damage your drum head. 9. Visit laryngologist when you hear whistling or other constant sound in perfect silence, when you have difficulties with understanding teacher (at least bigger that your school mates), when you are the only person in your group/family that tends to watch TV louder, when you suffer pain while being exposed to noise (e.g. during noisy break at school). 10. Frequent, returning upper airways infections, otitis (ear infection), allergies, snoring, tonsillitis (tonsil infection) should be a subject of medical consultations with laryngologist. 11. If you have problems with writing from listening, with reading, with concentration – visit specialist and ask for hearing examination. tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.470 2009-05-11T15:34:57Z 2009-06-18T12:24:34Z

Peter Zumthor, Swiss architect, sometimes called “the poet of the silence”, was awarded a Pritzker Prize – one of the highest recognitions for architects. Zumthor is known for his approach to architecture, which assumes multisensual perception. While some have...

Mikołaj Jarosz Peter Zumthor, Swiss architect, sometimes called “the poet of the silence”, was awarded a Pritzker Prize – one of the highest recognitions for architects. Zumthor is known for his approach to architecture, which assumes multisensual perception. While some have called his architecture quiet, his buildings masterfully assert their presence, engaging many of our senses, not just our sight but also our senses of touch, hearing and smell. ]]> here To watch video about Peter Zumthor's thermal bath in Vals click here]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.469 2009-05-07T12:22:51Z 2009-05-07T13:08:25Z

Each of us exposed to noise of certain level will suffer so called Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) – that is in fact temporary partial hearing loss. The TTS level and its duration depends on level of the noise, time...

Mikołaj Jarosz Each of us exposed to noise of certain level will suffer so called Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) – that is in fact temporary partial hearing loss. The TTS level and its duration depends on level of the noise, time of exposure and noise frequency band. There is no need to visit military firing ground to experience it – just go to the primary school in your neighborhood! Noise levels (Leq) measured in primary schools corridors very often varies between 80 and 90 dBA. Recently prepared simulation program shows that 20 min exposition for noise of Leq=88 dBA cause TTS of 20-24 dBA and hearing needs 165 min of rest for full recovery.]]> Specialists from Multimedia Systems Department of Gdańsk University of Technology and Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing in Warsaw prepared a simulation software that can predict TTS level and recovery time in relation to noise exposure. Software is designed as an internet tool where everybody can upload sound files (MP3 or WAV format) recorded in specific individual environment. After putting in information about real sound level measured during recording, it’s possible to start simulation showing how strong is noise impact on hearing capabilities in this particular case. Simulation is accesible here ]]> tag:www.acousticbulletin.com,2009:/EN//2.448 2009-04-06T18:20:59Z 2009-04-27T14:03:31Z

The increased number of people working in open-plan offices has revealed the lack of knowledge regarding how to design an acoustical environment that’s supporting the activities going on there. Challenges in open-plan office design are to create an environment...

Marc Janssen http://www.ecophon.com The increased number of people working in open-plan offices has revealed the lack of knowledge regarding how to design an acoustical environment that’s supporting the activities going on there. Challenges in open-plan office design are to create an environment both for concentration and communication without disturbances between different working groups. In a Nordic Innovation Centre project the acoustic conditions in five open-plan offices have been investigated. The offices were situated in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland. ]]> The purpose of the project is to identify room acoustic descriptors that are suitable for evaluation and design and that are related to the subjective impression of the acoustic conditions. Several room acoustic parameters were measured in the five offices related to attributes like reverberance, speech clarity, auditory strength and spatial decay. The measurements were accompanied by inquiries among the staff. The worst case offices from an acoustical point were acoustically refurbished. Measurements and inquiries were performed once more after the refurbishments. The final report is planned to be finished before this summer. The results will be valuable as background information for the on going work within ISO WG 19 dealing with a third part of ISO 3382: Acoustics — Measurement of room acoustic parameters — Part 3: Open plan offices. Acoustic Bulletin will provide you with further knowledge later on.