LEED-ing the way in hospital acoustics
Growing up with parents that are also doctors, Pooja Ganatra – a sustainability and acoustic consultant for Buro Happold – spent much of her youth in hospitals. During this time, she witnessed the challenges poor acoustics imposed on patients and hospital workers first-hand. This inspired her to conduct research on this important subject, which she…
Exploring the Design Preferences of Neurodivergent Populations for Quiet Spaces
At EIAS 2023 we were lucky to be joined by Toar Sadia, Senior Inclusive Design Consultant at Buro Happold. Toar gave an interesting and insightful talk on the importance of the design of quiet spaces. And the views and preferences of neurodivergent populations for design aspects of the space. Neurodivergent populations A quiet space (sometimes…
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Background noise in classrooms: How it affects performance (EIAS 2023)
EIAS 2023: Chiara Visentin, senior researcher at Eurah Research in Italy, held an interesting presentation at the recent EIAS29023. It was about the topic of background noise in classrooms, and how this affects the pupils’ task performance. Chiara Visentin Even though a classroom meets the minimum acoustic requirements, there is no guarantee that the room…
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The Influence of Acoustics on People featuring Neurodisorders
Dr Marco Caniato – Free University of Bozen in Italy presented this paper at EIAS2023. The influence of acoustics on people featuring neurodisorders. State-of-the-art and new perspectives As recently by the World Health Organisation, the percentage of people in the world suffering from neurodisorders, neurocognitive or neurodevelopmental disorder (as referred and described in the Diagnostic…
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Acoustics and Air Quality – The Impact on Student Concentration and Fatigue
At EIAS 2023, findings from the former ISF (institute for interdisciplinary school research) and Gerhart Tiesler were presented by Rainer Machner. The research was initiated in 2005 by public discussion of air quality in offices and schools. One pattern for the research we found in “Handbuch der Schulhygiene” (handbook of hygiene in schools), 2nd edition…
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The large Epidauros Theatre – how did it sound with an audience and skene?
For practical reasons, most measurements of acoustics in ancient Greek theatres are made without an audience. Under those conditions much of the sound reaching the listener is in the form of reflections from the curved stone risers that form the seating. These reflections would be attenuated or eliminated by the audience. Let´s explore the Epidauros…
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Listening tests: linking objective room acoustic parameters with subjective human perception
Daniel de la Prida from Carlos III University in Madrid presented about his study into listening tests. He focussed on tests that can be used for linking objective room acoustic parameters with subjective human perception. Such tests have been in use for many years. However, different research usually employs different test protocols, with different operational…
Acoustic metrics for innovative learning environments
Acoustics included as part of a major education research project Amanda Robinson has been a key researcher gathering acoustic metrics for innovative learning environments and she presented the findings at EIAS2023 this year. Traditional acoustic parameters are often used to describe the environment within learning environments. These include metrics such as ambient sound levels, reverberation…
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Optimal reverberation time in classrooms (Italian schools)
Arianna Astolfi Associate Professor at Politecnico di Torino, Department of Energy Torino, Italy has worked with acoustics since 2000. Optimal reverberation time in classrooms in Italian schools is her latest initiative. The study background and scope Arianna shared her thoughts and findings from a large study of Italian classrooms. This was specifically motivated to see…
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Acoustics for restaurants in Brazil – Overview and a Study case
Brazil is known as a country with rich and varied gastronomy. Studies from 2022 indicate that there are about 736,000 restaurants in Brazil, and 56% were opened in the last three years. São Paulo, is the largest city in the country and was selected by Traveller’s Choice as the seventh-best gastronomic destination in the world.…
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More blog posts
Wave-based virtual acoustics integrated into the building design process
Finnur Pind is a co-founder and CEO of Treble Technologies. At EIAS 2023 he presented the background of wave-based virtual acoustics and the merits of what they claim to be a paradigm shift within the area of virtual sound. An acoustic design platform called Treble. Wave-based virtual acoustics The core of the platform, as described,…
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The effect of sound absorbers and diffusers in ordinary public rooms
Introduction Emma Arvidsson, Researcher and PhD ”Acoustic Design with Regard to Human Perception” presented her recent Phd study at EIAS2023. She focused on the objective and subjective aspects of acoustic design in ordinary rooms. Aiming to optimize room acoustics and examining the effects of different sound absorbers and diffusers. ‘Acoustic design plays a crucial role…
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Problems of Absorption Coefficients as input data for room acoustic simulations
Cheol-Ho Jeong, Associate Professor of acoustics at the Technical University of Denmark, talked at EIAS 2023 about the problems of using absorption coefficients as input data for room acoustic simulations. Cheol-Ho has since his professorship in 2011 among many things engaged himself regarding the difficulties surrounding the use of the absorption coefficient, as defined by…
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The Magic of the Multi-purpose Hall – Henrik Möller at EIAS2023
On the second day of EIAS2023 it was time for “multi-acoustian” and keen debater at the seminar – Henrik Möller – to have his speech about the magic of multi-purpose halls and the problems often faced when building them. Challenging task Multi-purpose halls are versatile indoor venues designed to accommodate a wide range of events…
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Active room acoustics through electroacoustics: Amadeus Acoustics
One of the most common questions that you will hear in active room acoustics is: “what would be the best reverberation time for my room and how do I get there?”. The counterquestion needs to be: “what do you want to do in your room?”. And therein lies one of the common problems for room…
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Despite meeting the regulations, satisfying sound environments are not achieved in Danish hospitals
A “must-hear” presentation on satisfying sound environments for all legislators, architects, acoustics engineers, builders and hospital staff. This is how we would describe the presentation entitled “A holistic assessment of sound environment in hospitals” by Hannah C. W. Jakobsen (Ramboll Denmark) during the Ecophon International Acoustics Seminar 2023. Satisfying sound environments The presentation summarized a…
Sensory design for age and dementia-friendly environments
‘Show of hands, who believes buildings can make you sick?’ ‘Show of hands, who believes buildings can make you feel better?’ At EIAS 2023 Laura Arpiainen (M.Arch. Professor, Health and Wellbeing Architecture at Aalto University, Finland) spoke about sensory design, focusing on age and dementia friendly environments. When thinking about buildings for healthcare, the first…
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Shaping Vibrant Experiences: A Fresh Perspective on Healthcare Design from EIAS 2023
As the sun painted a warm glow over the dunes, streaming into the conference hall on the first afternoon at the 2023 Ecophon International Acoustic Seminar (EIAS), Alessandro Caruso stepped onto the stage, bringing a captivating vibe and challenging us to rethink the role of design in shaping the emotional landscapes of healthcare environments. Caruso…
The sound of absorption – an experience!
How would you explain the experience of good sound absorption in a room? To truly understand the value of better acoustics you need to experience it firsthand. This is why we have built two identical rooms with different absorption in our showroom Ecorama at the Ecophon headquarters in Hyllinge, Sweden. Here you can experience the…
Classic Acoustics and Psychoacoustics – Similarities and Differences
Right after the grand opening of EIAS 2023, it was time for Alice Hoffman Senior Acoustician, PhD from Brekke and Strand, to make her entrance. She took us on a journey to see how Classical Acoustics can be compared to Psychoacoustics. Her own thoughts on this are that it often seems to be a lot…
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Revision of CSN 73 0527 -The Czech Acoustic Standard
The importance of keeping standards relevant and up to date It is indeed important to periodically revise and update acoustic norms. This can take into account for developments like; advancements in technology, changing usage patterns, and evolving needs in indoor environments. As technology and audio-visual systems continue to advance, how we use and experience indoor…
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Learning environments – how do they sound?
For many years, research has shown that good room acoustics is crucial in learning environments and the discussion is no longer whether good room acoustics is to be prioritized or not but rather what indicators should reach what levels. Rasmussen et al [1] give an overview of the trend in reverberation time criteria for classrooms…
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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