Acoustics , Materials Used In An Office Space To Create Acoustics And Eliminate Reverberations,a Study About The Space With Reference To A Context And The Space. Recommendation To Create Noise Free Environment In An Office Space

1. ACOUSTICAL TREATMENT IN OPEN OFFICES
CASE STUDY ON OFICE BUILDING, AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA
CONTENTS-
• INTRODUCTION TO RESTAURANT ACOUSTICS
• DESIGN OF OLIVETO, CALIFORNIA
• ACOUSTICAL PROBLEMS FACED
• SOUND REINFORCEMENT SYSTEMS
• SPEECH PRIVACY
• MATERIALS USED
SUBMITTED BY-
VII B, TOSA
ADIL SHARIFF
CLINSON CHACKO
JACOB ABRAHAM
POOJITHA K
SAI LAKSHMI
SAPNA MANJUNATH

2. ACOUSTIC CHALLENGES IN OPEN OFFICE PLANS
 In the Acoustic Challenges in Open Office
Plans latter, the goal might be to minimize
distracting noises, providing the amount
of sound absorption or “blocking”
background noise so that employees can
concentrate.
 It is important to use the ABC concept (A –
using sound absorbing materials in both
speaker and listener areas; B – using
sound blocking materials between the
talker and listener areas; C – the need for
controlled background masking of a
particular sound content and level)

3. ABSTRACT
 The facility incorporated a 2 storey atrium
reception lobby, open plan (cubicle)
offices, conference rooms, private offices,
lounge, storage, work and utility spaces.
 Problems faced :-
• Noise in lobby
• Intrusive noise in conference room
• Speech distraction in open plan office
• Telephone, machine, computer noise in
open office
• Transient noises from door closers

5. INITIAL OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
 Demising portions are metal studded framed
drywall.
 Open office cubicles are 1.2m high and partially
absorptive.
 Floors are coverd with thin carpet tiles.
 Suspended ceilings had lay in acoustic tiles
with moderate absorbtion.
 Doors in metal frames have brush pile
infilteration seals.
 Large area of glazed exterior walls.
 Office and conference demising partitions.

6. OBSERVATIONS
 Reverberation on lobby: large
volume space with reflective floor
and ceiling area.
 Conference room and office
privacy: partitions not adequately
sealed
 Corridor traffic and activity noise:
space planning , inadequate ceiling
acoustical absorption.
 Open office noises: inadequate
ceiling and partition surface
absorption.
 Machine noise: via structure borne
paths ie. Ceiling door and partition

7. RECOMMENDATIONS
 Room acoustics: reverberation and reflection.
o Lobby: mounting acoustical panels
o Open office and corridor: replacing existing
ceiling tiles with better (acoustically) tiles.
o Increase ceiling and wall surface acoustical
absorption machine, workrooms and lounges
to reduce conversational noise.
 Sound Isolation : privacy and freedom from
noise
o Isolate sensitive spaces and functions
o Perimeter conference and partition
intersection: use of sealant.
o Perimeter and office ceiling soffit with air slot:
bloct ceiling path
o Installation of acoustic seals on heads jambs to
replace brush pile infiltration seals.

8. RECOMMENDATIONS
 Space planning and layout rearrangement
o Increase open office perimeter partition from
1.2m to 1.6m.
o Relocate conference room door to end of
room.
o Relocate storage room door in corridor to alter
material transport route an d reduce traffic.
o Relocate a group of cubicles away from
conference room door
 Mitigate transient structure-borne noise:
o Replacing metal actuator with nylon or plastic
or provide minor edge damping of door panel
o Removal of drywall from cubicle side of
partition, and reinstallation of damped drywall
product over existing drywall to reduce
 Sound masking using water:
o Water sound is a natural noise masker

9. MATERIALS USED
 Worktop in Antwerp Oak, white
laminate.
o Absorption
Attenuation
 Acoustic panels: felt,
honeycomb cardboard,
Rubber strip, poplar wood
o Diffusion
Attenuation
 Self adhesive wall panel:
Sliced felt, Self-adhesive
backlayer
o Absorption

10. MATERIALS USED
 Sound absorbing panel:
Upholstery
o Absorption
 Sound absorbing pouf: 3D
foam, Antiskid, Upholstery
o Absorption
Diffusion
 Free standing acoustic
pillar: Acoustic Foam +
Plywood, MDF, Pinewood,
Baseplate: powdercoated
metal and fabric cover

11. MATERIALS USED
 Sound absorbing panel:
Upholstery
o Absorption
 Ceiling grid element: 2
layers of Felt on white PVC
o Attenuation
 Room divider: Felt
Extra layer in fabric
collections, Baseplate
o Attenuation
Diffusion

12. EURONOISE
 A program for the acoustical measurements was designed
specifying how to perform the measurements and which
type of parameters to measure.
 Measurement specification
DL2 - Rate of spatial decay of sound pressure levels per
distance doubling
DLf - Excess of sound pressure level with respect to free
field

13. • Reverberation times and speech transmission index were measured at
workplaces while DL2 and DLf were measured at two different paths, one
along the workplaces and one in the diagonal direction of the room.
• Ordinary room acoustic parameters like reverberation time are not sufficient
for a relevant characterization of the acoustic environment in open-plan
spaces.
• The influence of the interior design on sound propagation over distance is a
crucial factor for the overall impression of the acoustic environment and its
suitability as an efficient work place.
Inquiry
• The measurements of objective room acoustic parameters were
accomplished by an inquiry among the staff.
• The purpose of the questionnaire was to identify critical criteria with regard
to the subjective impression of the working environment.
• the results from the questionnaires were compared with measured room
acoustic parameters.

14. Acoustic treatment
• In general terms the refurbishment in the two offices consist of
partly or totally new suspended ceilings.
• As a complement to the acoustic ceilings patches of free
hanging sound absorbing units were installed over the
workplaces.
• In one of the offices sound absorbing screens were placed
between the workplaces.
• In both offices, wall absorbers were mounted on one of the
walls.
• The basic idea behind the acoustic design was to prevent
speech propagation between different working teams.
• Measures related to sound propagation like DL2 and DLf are
therefore appropriate for open-plan spaces.
• In two open-plan offices a refurbishment program has been
performed. It has been shown that DL2 and DLf are sensitive
the acoustic treatments carried out and also reflect the
improvement of the subjective judgment concerning the
acoustic environment in general.

15. REFERENCES-
 http://www.jeacoustics.com/library/ICSV16_JBEvans_269.pdf
 http://buzzi.space/