Noise and unwanted sound in the indoor environment makes it difficult to work efficiently. The ability to concentrate is noticeable reduced and the noise can cause stress and headaches. The negative impact of noise is particularly felt in open office environments, where studies show that even relatively low noise levels have a negative impact on efficiency and work performance.

These factors lead to a proven link between improved room acoustics, and the ability to concentrate. Extreme noise can even lead to impaired hearing or tinnitus and must be prevented.

Acoustic improvement may be to:

• Remove or isolate the sources of noise
• Reduce the noise
• Improve the interior acoustics

There is clear and documented correlation between room acoustics and noise levels, where poor room acoustics entail relative long reverberation time, meaning that the sound waves are cast around the room for a long time before they disappear.

Good room acoustics can among others be achieved by applying special materials to the room surface areas with relatively high absorbent rates.

Acoustic Key-words:

Absorption – a material reduces the energy of sound reflected off it. By absorbing sound energy, the volume of the reflected sound is reduced.

Reverberation – persistence of a sound in a space due to many reflections of that sound from the surfaces in the space after the sound source has been stopped. 

Diffuse sound – random spread of sound waves around a room.

Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) – NRC is a rating representing and overview of how much sound is absorbed by a material.

Absorption Coefficient (α) – actual absorption coefficients of a material in a given frequency.

Please note, in practice it differs, which materials are a good absorbent in low, medium or high frequencies.