Background to the report Despite resistance to open plan classrooms in many countries, the movement towards innovative learning environments continues in parts of Europe, especially Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. Their definition (ILEs), is an ongoing discussion in itself and their success is dependent on many aspects. However, understanding the changes in pedagogic approaches, including […]
New acoustic standard for hospitals in Denmark This year a new acoustic standard for hospitals will be approved in Denmark. Up until now there has only been some rough guidelines (not mandatory). The acoustic demand will be on reverberation time – and the value will be 0.6 sec. in e.g. patient rooms, examination rooms and […]
Calculation tools Recently a new acoustic calculation tool has been published. It is based on Air Flow Resistance (AFR) and calculates several room acoustic descriptors. This article aims to explain why calculations based on the Sabine equation are not always the whole truth. Background – Sabine and ISO 3382-1/2 A long tradition of research shows […]
“We have seen that applying acoustic conditions that support SEN learning actually benefits everyone.” – Adrian James, AJA Acoustics and former BB93 author An optimal sound environment is a basic necessity if all students are to learn effectively. The modern classroom puts greater emphasis on group communication and collaboration which often increases the overall noise […]
Modular rooms Building a hospital is a complex task to do and especially operating rooms can be a challenge. The functionality of the room has to be ‘spotless’ as well as the cleanliness. In a lot of projects – both new buildings and renovations – modular operation rooms are used to secure a short, controlled […]
Thea Mathilde Larsen, Research Assistant at DTU (Technical University of Denmark), has recently defended her master thesis project ‘Study of Room Acoustics and Noise at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital’, a study that aimed to investigate the need for improving room acoustics in hospitals along with investigating staff’s opinion of the noise problem. It is no […]
Acoustic standards, guidelines and building codes have the potential of having a profound impact on future construction, for better or worse, for years to come. That is why we at Acoustic Bulletin keep a keen eye on the developments. We’ve written about this topic on several occasions, like this post from Poland, or this one about […]
Better acoustics in the classroom reduce the teacher’s heart rate, according to research by students at a leading technological institute in the Czech Republic. Negative stress leads to bad decisions and poorer performance. When we are under stress, our heart rate increases, which is a good measure of how stressed we are. Jana Dolejší, a […]
When designing for good acoustics, how do you make sure you follow the rules and demands of a certain space? You will (at least) have to look at: The requirements = What you are trying to achieve acoustically. The legal standards, the building regulations and guidelines = The way this is going to be achieved. […]
I had the privilege to present a paper at Internoise 2016 based on an intervention study in a dementia clinic in Munich. The study was done in collaboration with Saint-Gobain Ecophon, the Technical University of Munich, the acoustic company PMI and the architect company Dietz Health Care Facilities. Current standard, DIN 18041 – only reverberation […]