Do you know the mix of relief, happiness, and a feeling of power that comes right after submitting a conference paper at the very last minute? While last-minute submissions or trip bookings release adrenaline, planning ahead is still the better strategy – especially when 2026 is packed with excellent acoustics conferences that you might want […]
Education
Acoustic and indoor air quality conditions on sensory and cognitive responses of university students
In this guest post, Matteo Pellegrini post doc researcher at University of Ferrara shares his latest research paper looking into students sensory and cognitive responses to their university acoustic and indoor air quality conditions. Matteo Pellegrini Post doc researcher University of Ferrara, Italy Study introduction Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) describes the overall quality of an […]
The effect of a reduced reverberation time on students and their performance in higher education classrooms: a between-groups experiment
Research about the effect of reverberation time reduction on students and their performance was carried out by Henk W. Brink. Study Overview This study explored an alteration of the classrooms’ reverberation time (RT). This lead to acoustic conditions meeting quality class A of Dutch guidelines, resulting in a positive effect on students’ perceptions and performance. […]
Architecture and Autism, shared spaces and sensory escape
On Friday, 28 November 2025, the BeSENSHome research group will host the international workshop “Architecture and autism, shared spaces and sensory escape”. Participation in the event at the University of Trieste is possible in person or online (see registration below). The event brings together researchers, designers, educators, and professionals. To explore how built environments can […]
Remodelling of open plan De Werkplaats primary school – acoustic design and operational challenges – School case study 4
Introduction De Werkplaats in Bilthoven, (NL) inspired by Kees Boeke’s educational philosophy, was designed as a progressive primary school with open learning environments. The aim: to stimulate collaboration, autonomy and inclusivity. In practice, however, the open spaces proved to pose considerable acoustic and organisational challenges. This led to a large-scale remodel, during which objective and […]
From Theory to Reality : Assessing Predictive Models for comparison of Reverberation Time results
Guest post by Marco Caniato University of Applied Science HFT of Stuttgart, based on his recent presentation at Forum Acousticum / Euronoise 2025 conference in Málaga. Background Reverberation time (RT) is a fundamental parameter in room acoustics, directly affecting speech intelligibility, comfort, and the overall acoustic quality of a space. Yet, despite decades of research […]
From RT to Clarity. A Simpler Way to Assess Classroom Speech Intelligibility
Guest post by Deniss Mironovs, acoustic consultant at Akukon / Researcher at RTU / PhD Introduction Speech Intelligibility is one of the main attributes of a well-functioning classroom or auditorium. It is widely known, that learning outcomes depend on the acoustical conditions of the classrooms. Common practice is to use reverberation time RT as a […]
Classroom Noise: How Activities Shape the Sound Environment
A guest post by Chiara Visentin, a researcher at the University of Ferrara, Italy Background While noise sources like traffic or ventilation systems can contribute to classroom acoustics, in primary schools the dominant and most persistent sound is the students’ own activity and communication. Talking, moving, shifting chairs and desks all contribute to a highly dynamic […]
Replicating Performance Venues in Virtual Reality for Performance Preparation
Guest post by Carly J. Wingfield from The School of Music, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA. Introduction Singers often adjust their vocal production based on the acoustics and visual aspects of a performance venue, which can differ greatly from the typical rehearsal space. This mismatch can lead to changes in technique and increased anxiety due […]
ENSA Architecture School in Lyon undergoes a co-design acoustic renovation with the architecture students
A sound environment co-design project renovation gives the students an applied and deep learning experience. The Architecture school was built in the 1980s, ENSA Lyon is architecturally distinctive but acoustically challenged. A prototype renovation was initiated in a 143 m² vaulted classroom to address excessive reverberation and poor speech intelligibility—critical issues in educational environments. Acoustic […]
