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 comfort, air and water quality, as well as acoustics. The WELL Building Standard, launched in 2014 by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), certifies buildings based on their impact on human heal ..read more

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 Several parts of the existing acoustic standard from 2004 were now out of date. An intense work involving the country’s leading acoustic designers, consultants, and scientists started in 2021. Almost two years later, in December 2022, the s ..read more

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 sound levels in their local communities to raise awareness about the quality of sound environments. During the event, participants made SoundChecks at over 2,000 unique venues worldwide. Data showed pre-pandemic ..read more

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 we look beyond the acoustics and take environmental impacts into account as well. Accurately gauging environmental impacts First on the list of ways to assess the impacts of a product should be an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Every company ..read more

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 also creates a negative impression on the clients, making them feel that the bank is not professional or serious about providing quality service. Therefore, it is essential to minimize noise levels in bank halls and create a comfortable, quiet environment that enables clear communic ..read more

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 suffering from auditory hypersensitivity has also increased. This is especially seen after the Covid pandemic period when children stayed in comfortable acoustic conditions at home for over two years, and now they ..read more

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 optimal working conditions for the teachers. They are schools’ most valuable assets and the primary actors who guide pupils on their journey to knowledge and self-improvement. It is vital for school design to engage the occupant and understand their percep ..read more

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 be constructed. Maria’s Masters thesis research considers how we use the educational spaces we create, including one of the most essential parts: acoustics. What was your main reason for wanting to study the acoustic environment at thi ..read more

Velka Bystrice is a small town in the Czech Republic with only 3,500 inhabitants. The sports hall is the only facility of its kind in the town. It is an integral part of the life of those living here and is used daily, including weekends. Description of the case The area of the hall is 1 180 m2 and the volume is 10 224 m3. The floor is made of a modern rubber surface, the walls are plastered and the roof is composed of sandwich panels. There is a stand with 2 rows of seating along one wall. Velka Bystrice sports hall dimensions According to the mayor of Velka Bystrice Marek Pazdera, the sports ..read more