Acoustics and WELLbeing: the WELL Building Standard
Building standards often consider the performance of a building, including energy efficiency, water consumption and material usage. But what about the occupants? An environmentally friendly, well-built building provides no guarantees that their needs will be considered, even when certified in most cases. Unless it has a WELL Building Standard certification, that is, which considers thermal…
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New Finnish acoustic standard paves the way
Finland paves the way for clear and science-based guidelines worldwide, with its revised standard for acoustic environments in buildings. Developed by the country’s leading acousticians, the standard is established in the business and among policymakers. In 2017, Finland’s Ministry of the Environment issued a decree on the Acoustic Environment of Buildings. Several parts of the…
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“Find your Quiet Place” campaign – SoundPrint strives to make the world a quieter place
SoundPrint has a user-based community who play a vital role in raising noise and hearing health awareness through their “Find your Quiet Place” campaign, sound level measurements in visited venues. Late last year, SoundPrint’s second annual “Find Your Quiet Place” (FYQP) Challenge concluded and data gathered makes interesting reading. The campaign inspired participants to measure…
There’s more to sound absorption than just the acoustics
Deciding which sound absorbing product to choose for a building used to be a fairly simple business. Assessing trade-offs between acoustic performance, design and budget were the primary considerations. But now we know that every product in a building has an additional cost for the indoor and outdoor environment. So it has become imperative that…
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Additional acoustic treatment in a bank hall – a case study.
Excessive noise levels can be a significant distraction while trying to talk to a client, and it can make it difficult to hear and understand what the other person is saying. It can also be frustrating and stressful for both the client and the bank employee. In addition to being a distraction, excessive noise level…
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Teacher Survey: Sound in Schools and its Impact on Learning and Teachers’ Wellbeing
The Future Classroom Lab, collaborating with Ecophon, have launched a teacher wellbeing survey around the topic of sound in schools. The particular focus is on the impact of classroom acoustics on educators’ work, physical and mental health. If we want schools to provide children with the best possible preparation for life, we need to ensure…
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Case study: Psychological and pedagogical counselling centre no. 19 in Warsaw
Psychological and pedagogical counselling centre no. 19 (PPP19) is a place that assists children and their parents living in the district Ursynów in Warsaw, including children from nearby schools and kindergartens. The centre helps in reaching the right diagnosis about e.g. language, memory and intellectual abilities and supports children’s mental development. The number of patients…
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Digital design and acoustics at the School of Architecture
The iterative process of professionals providing expertise to the design students, using a file-to-factory approach and continual feedback, proved an effective way of learning and producing fast and high-quality prototypes at the School of Architecture, Sweden. Collaboration between architects and acousticians, and between designers and other specialists In line with our continued effort to raise…
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Acoustical effects of face masks on Speech Perception
The recent pandemic gave rise to the use of face masks, however, most people found it difficult to wear a mask. As per recent research in 2020 and 2021: However, the global rise in cases proved that masks helped to reduce the cases and prevent fatalities. It also gave mental satisfaction to professionals returning to…
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Expert interview with Maria Nelson, interior architect and school teacher: Using acoustics and furniture to create inclusive learning environments
Maria Nelson has many years’ experience working with public tenders for school interiors as an interior architect through her company WHY Inredningsarkitekt. This was her main reason for qualifying as a school teacher in 2022, so that she could combine the fields of interior architecture and education and truly understand how optimal learning environments should…
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Case study: acoustic renovation at a sports hall in Velka Bystrice, Czech Republic
Velka Bystrice is a small town in the Czech Republic with only 3,500 inhabitants. The sports hall is the only facility of its kind in the town. It is an integral part of the life of those living here and is used daily, including weekends. Description of the case The area of the hall is…
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The issue of invisible sound, commentary by acoustician Daniele Ponteggia
Acoustics means beauty…but why is so much ugliness still around? Today there is a high possibility that you walk into a fancy restaurant, gym, swimming pool, museum, or sports hall and experience all kinds of acoustical defects. I often think about how architects, designers, and even landlords do not consider acoustics. Sometimes things are planned…
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Major acoustic upgrade at Seth MR Jaipuriya school in Lucknow, India
Seth MR Jaipuriya school in Lucknow, India, recently underwent a major upgrade with Team 3 Architects in New Delhi, bringing the school confidently into the 21st Century. Luckily, the acoustics were not forgotten and were, in fact, a main concern for the Principal, Promini Chopra, who speaks in the video below. “After 25-26 years,…
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Expert interview: Prof. Laura Arpiainen
Laura Arpiainen is the first professor in Finland in Health and Wellbeing Architecture, at Aalto University in Helsinki. She has led a research project that has designed new, flexible living solutions for the elderly with mild memory disorders. The acoustic design was one of the focus areas and resulted in the development of an acoustic…
Soundscape Attributes Translation Project (SATP)
The following article on the SATP project courtesy of Dr. Francesco Aletta, at UCL via Ph.D. Candidate Ela Fasllija at Bilkent University. Soundscape Sounds in cities and built environments are often measured as noise in terms of decibel levels. Yet the human perception of soundscapes is often overlooked. Soundscape opens up the possibilities of managing…
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Noise in Preschools – the Effect on the Heart Rate Variability of Preschool Teachers
High noise levels are very common in preschools. In this study, the influence of noise on the heart rate variability of preschool teachers was investigated. Furthermore, suggestions are given on how the noise level in preschools could be reduced. By Sonja Brachtl, psychologist and preschool teacher Background The average sound level in preschools often exceeds…
Improving acoustic conditions at Mount Abu School in Delhi, India
Mount Abu School in Delhi, India, prides itself in providing the most advanced and optimized learning environments for its learners. That’s why the school offers an impressive array of technology for students like 3D printers and robotics, and also houses a STEM excellence center. But the acoustic conditions left a lot to be desired. After…
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Designing quality learning spaces in over 600 schools in New Zealand
As part of their School Property Strategy, New Zealand’s Ministry of Education (MoE) has recently revamped their acoustic standard for education, Designing Quality Learning Spaces (DQLS), and aims to implement it across 3,000 learning spaces in over 600 schools. The initiatives were recently presented at the Internoise 2022 conference by James Whitlock from Marshall Day…
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Great presentation of ISO 22955 at Internoise
Conference proceeding by Michel Batista: Acoustic assessment of an open-plan office environment against the newly published ISO 22955 acoustic parameters New ISO 22955 for open plan offices was a topic of a few research papers at Internoise. Michel Batista from Subsonic Designs showed interesting examples of in-situ measurements and simulations according to ISO 22955 and…
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Healing environments – efforts and opportunities
Visiting or staying in a hospital is an exciting experience for most people. In this environment, stimuli are perceived that can influence the situation in both a positive and negative way. Various studies have shown that noise levels in hospitals are too high for optimal healing. This blog is about how healing environments can contribute…
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Healthcare at Internoise 2022
Tomomi Yamada: Masking effect of sounds during treatment on dental drill sound The drill is an excellent device – except for the sound! Well, we can probably all agree with that opening statement by Tomomi Yamada. It´s human nature to respond instantaneously to frightening sounds and this sound probably affects most people! The sound is…
Finding a comfortable balance for children on the autism spectrum (Internoise 2022)
Children on the autism spectrum (ASD) make up a large contingent of today’s classrooms and are highly affected by the acoustic environment. These children often have comorbidities, particularly hypersensitivities to noise and other environmental factors. They find sounds overwhelming and also do not find it as easy to neurologically habituate to sounds over time [1]…
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Sustainable Acoustics at Internoise 2022
We continue on giving you highlights and summarise of a variety of subjects from Internoise in Glasgow, enjoy! Abigail Bristow: From the cost of noise to the value of soundscape The past two decades have seen an ongoing paradigm shift from noise control to soundscaping. Soundscape approaches have been widely applied in traditional noise management…
Improving the acoustic conditions for children with special listening needs (Adrian James Acoustics, Internoise 2022)
As a veteran acoustician and the principal author of the UK acoustic standard for schools BB93, Adrian James has spent nearly three decades considering and influencing the role sound plays in classrooms. He notes that the Department for Education’s Advice on Standards for School Premises, 2015, for children with special listening needs (accessible here) is…
Lily Wang and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: Wonderful key-note at Internoise in Glasgow.
If Michael Jackson was King of Pop – Lily Wang is Queen of acoustics! We feel so lucky to have been part of a legendary keynote presentation that made us laugh, wonder, reflect, and a bit star-struck! Lily has skills that go beyond her impressive professional merits: This lady excels on stage! Add to that…
Diffuse ceiling ventilation contributes to quieter classrooms at a school in Eslöv, Sweden
At Ekenäs School in Eslöv, Sweden, we compared four classrooms with almost identical acoustic treatments but differing in the type of ventilation system used. We wanted to know if diffuse ceiling ventilation can offer a quieter as well as more comfortable, sustainable and cheaper solution. Background: diffuse ceiling ventilation Diffuse ceiling ventilation allows air…
Sound environment in the Intensive Care Unit
Noise levels – how it is experienced by staff We have building regulations for room acoustics in hospitals in Intensive Care Units (ICU). But are they enough to create a good environment for both staff and patients? Recently a new study from Copenhagen hospitals was finalized so let’s take a look at some of the…
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Diffuse ventilation: a quieter, more sustainable alternative for the post-pandemic classroom
Schools globally take on a daily responsibility: to provide the very best environment in which students can grow and thrive. And they need to do it equitably; true inclusivity means that no child gets left behind regardless of background or level of ability. But schools also need to think about the greater context. By raising…
Baltic-Nordic Acoustic Meeting 2022
On May 9-11 2022, Aalborg hosted the bi-annual Baltic Nordic- Acoustic Meeting (organized by the Nordic Acoustic Association), which this time is merged with the EUROREGIO (organized by the European Acoustics Association). The conference brought together academics, engineers, consultants, and other practitioners in the wide field of acoustics. Some of the really interesting presentations are…
New Ph.D: Acoustic Design with Regard to Human Perception
Friday the 13th of May Emma Arvidsson (EA) did her Ph.D. dissertation at Lund’s University (Sweden) under the title ‘Acoustic Design with Regard to Human Perception’. Acoustic design of Ordinary Public Rooms From many years of research, we know that ordinary public rooms (classrooms and offices) where complex tasks such as learning or following long…
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New report shows that European schools neglect their sound environment
A new report finds that far too many European schools neglect their sound environment. Noise harms children’s learning and health and creates inequalities for students with special needs. More schools should regularly measure noise levels and design according to acoustic standards and recommendations in order to provide optimal learning environments, that have the added benefit…
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Design, guidance and induction loops
To create a school environment that works well from an auditory perspective, the acoustics must meet the needs associated with the purpose of the premises. Good acoustics are an investment in teachers’ occupational wellbeing, learning and comfort. “I have teaching spaces that work well for me.“ This is what Heikki Ylhäinen, fifth-grade teacher for a…
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