Recent and ongoing debates about the PISA Study Results and educational outcomes in Sweden have led to a focus on the suitability of the acoustic environment for today’s teaching and learning activities. Some renowned Swedish academics have questioned the suitability of present day classroom acoustics for today’s education and suggest a different room acoustic approach […]
Education
School canteens in Sweden creating acoustical food for thought!
“After a full morning at work, would you choose to eat your lunch right beside a busy highway?” Perhaps there would not be many takers for a seating arrangement like this, however, a recent study by Sveriges Radio (SR – Sweden’s public service broadcasting organisation) showed that over one in four of the school canteens it tested had […]
Acoustic Design of Schools – performance standards (UK) New BB93
In order to demonstrate the new changes to BB93 Acoustic Design of Schools: Performance Standards, Ecophon UK commissioned Adrian James Acoustics to produce this video auralisation, which has been endorsed by NDCS, The National Deaf children’s Society. BB93 Part 2 (Guidance Notes) will be released June 2015. For more information, or a BB93 CPD, contact Shane […]
Students and staff delighted as acoustics improves at the architectural college of Madrid
In an effort to improve the comfort, the students’ cafeteria at the architectural college of Madrid, ETSAM-UPM, was acoustically treated. Dr. César Diaz and his team at ETSAM-UPM, grabbed the opportunity to make measurements before and after, to quantify the improvement. Results showed that a large reduction of the reverberation time (from 2.3s to 0.8s) and an increase […]
Teachers most at risk from hearing loss
A recent American survey conducted by the EPIC Hearing Healthcare, uncovered the scope of the problem for teachers specifically. According to the report last September from EPIC Hearing Healthcare, 15 percent of teachers report a diagnosed hearing loss, compared to 12 percent of workers nationwide. That might not seem like a huge difference, but EPIC also […]
Sports lessons can have a big impact on our hearing!
Acoustics in Dutch sports halls In the Netherlands a short item was broadcasted on national TV by SBS6 Hart van Nederland it was made to demonstrate the impact sports hall acoustic have on our hearing and especially the teachers who spend much of their time there as they feel the impact on their working conditions. […]
Acoustic emergency in schools discussed in Italy
(Above) Interview (In Italian) with Ing. Anna Marchesini and Ing. Cesare Trebeschi commenting on the outcomes of the seminar and the Progetto De.C.I.So (Deaf Children: Improvement of class room Sound quality) in particular A recent study in Italy found that 90% of the schools involved do not comply with acoustic regulations. In some cases the […]
Acoustics in schools a topic in Spain
A seminar focused on the benefits of good acoustics in schools was held in Madrid. It was called “Sound Education – Acoustic design in educational spaces” and was co-hosted by Ecophon and Iberacustica. The speakers were Ricardo Canto Leyton and Ignacio Ordóñez. Ricardo held two presentations, the first one explaining basic concepts of acoustics, and […]
ECO for Sustainable Design – new Educational Environments online edition now available
The latest “ECO for Sustainable Design” is now available online and has an end-user perspective which is often missing when we look at the design process. The magazine is full of good examples about how to solve acoustic challenges in educational environments, as well as testimonials from teachers and those involved in creating and maintaining […]
Grace Academy, Darlaston – thermal mass meets sustainable acoustics
Grace Academy, Darlaston, recently completed by main contractor Kier, was recognised recently for achieving excellent acoustic standards, by a group of high profile architects from across England. The architects visited the Academy to celebrate the successful use of sustainable acoustics within a thermally activated concrete design, which complies with, and in some areas exceeds, BB93, the acoustic […]
