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Acoustics in existing buildings: an underestimated potential
The underestimated importance of room acoustics – Part 3
“Acoustics in existing buildings? You can forget it!” When it comes to acoustic design in existing buildings, you often hear this provocative statement. In the previous article, we highlighted the enormous benefits of early planning. One might even think that this would support the statement “no acoustic concept can be implemented in existing buildings”. But the opposite is the case: existing spaces in particular offer excellent opportunities for acoustic optimization measures. This is because the topic is already becoming increasingly relevant and will continue to do so in the future.
The relevance of revitalization
When we talk about construction in existing buildings, it’s not just about sustainability and conserving resources when renovating buildings. Rather, the focus is on revitalizing spaces. The aim is to breathe new life into old buildings and transform them into modern, functional working environments. The average useful life of office space today is around three years. This means that constant change is taking place: Restructuring, new land use and innovative design approaches are the order of the day. Which presents us with new challenges.
Holistic planning is required
In this context, good planning is crucial. Early planning should not be equated with “building from scratch”. The main focus is on analyzing and defining usage requirements. The different areas such as space planning, functionality, digitalization, interior design, design and acoustics must flow into one another. Every room has different acoustic requirements due to its geometry and the materials used. These need to be worked out in order to plan flexible acoustic measures that can be integrated into a new space concept even after three years. We can respond to the given room geometry and architectural structure, as we find them in an existing building, and take them into account individually in our planning. Because we, from apn® accept the challenge and want to revolutionize acoustics in existing buildings.
Influence of design on well-being
The design has a considerable influence on user behavior and the well-being of employees. For example, quiet workstations can have a positive influence on the behavior of colleagues through a harmonious, calming design. It is an interplay of subjective perception, well-being and measurable room acoustics. In workshop areas, a lively design can stimulate inspiration and communication. Acoustic measures can also support your individual architectural style, create orientation and help employees to use spaces intuitively.
Conclusion: Acoustic concepts in existing buildings are possible and necessary
It is therefore possible to conceptually implement acoustics in existing buildings. This requires careful planning, know-how and the right choice of suitable materials and elements depending on the room type and usage characteristics. Let’s exploit the potential of existing spaces and transform them into acoustically optimized, modern working environments.
Holistic acoustics in existing buildings:
- Use the architectural structure – the architectural features form the basic structure and do not present any obstacles for an acoustic concept
- Flexible and modular system / adaptability – flexible and modular systems are required
- Acoustics know-how – understanding rooms and planning acoustics holistically and three-dimensionally
- Individuality of space concepts – every room is different: there is no “one fits all” concept, especially in existing buildings
How we make rooms speak
Rooms are more than just physical places – they tell stories.
Every room, every story comes to life through its colors, textures and materials.
They embody the emotions, the experiences and the character that the room radiates.
But what really brings these stories to life?
It is the room acoustics – the invisible element that shapes the atmosphere of a room.
It enables us to immerse ourselves in the story that the room conveys.
It is the connecting element that brings everything together and offers us a holistic experience.
The design of a room goes far beyond what the eye can see.
It’s about creating an experience that appeals to all the senses.
With us at your side as experts in room acoustics, we can work together to design spaces that not only tell stories, but also bring them to life.
Feel free to contact us to find out more.
We can also do acoustics later!
The underestimated importance of room acoustics – Part 2
“We can also do acoustics later!” – We at apn® acoustic solutions are often only called into a project as “problem solvers” when the acoustic problem is already obvious. The new premises are already in use and suddenly the acoustic problem becomes apparent. The employees are frustrated because it is too loud. “I can’t concentrate, I want to go back to the single office…”
In the best-case scenario, the acoustics have not even been considered; in the worst-case scenario, acoustic measures have already been implemented that do not match the employees’ requirements or tasks. This is “suboptimal” for many reasons. First of all, the problem needs to be solved quickly, which often entails expensive revitalization measures. In addition, employees are already dissatisfied and frustration with the “new” office space is constantly growing.
If no acoustic concept is available, we develop a customized concept that is tailored to the specific office situation. There are numerous ways to influence existing buildings. If acoustic measures already exist, we try to optimize the situation by adding and implementing suitable measures. Elements that were purchased out of ignorance need to be rearranged, replaced, supplemented or readjusted.
An acoustic disaster in the new office complex
An illustrative, albeit sad, example of poor acoustic planning can be seen in a newly refurbished office complex. The employees complained about the acoustics, even though it was a modern new building with open-plan offices and high-quality furnishings. The architect had recognized the importance of acoustics and installed a high-performance absorbing ceiling. Great importance was attached to quiet ventilation and insulating windows. All around, a lot was done to create a quiet environment. But despite these measures, considerable acoustic problems arose.
Our acoustician carried out numerous measurements and determined a speech intelligibility of over 21 meters. The room geometry favored horizontal sound fields in combination with overdamped acoustics. This meant that every conversation, every phone call and even the faintest keyboard clatter could be clearly heard throughout the office. To give you a rough idea of this figure, although it is not an exact value: Our voice spreads out in a spherical shape and carries about 9 meters in free field, without the influence of absorption or reflection. In open-plan offices and especially in modern working environments where different teams work together, the aim is to achieve speech intelligibility of around 5 meters. This guideline comes from the new ISO 22955. This allows teams working together to communicate well, while other teams are not unnecessarily distracted.
VDI 2569 establishes a link between the intelligibility of speech (expressed by the speech transmission index, STI) and our cognitive performance. Studies have shown that with an STI value above 0.5, our short-term memory is strongly influenced by irrelevant speech. This has a negative impact on our ability to concentrate. To create a good acoustic office environment, the STI value below 0.5 should be minimized to 5 meters. In this way, the negative influences of irrelevant speech are dissolved and we are able to concentrate better.
To achieve this, diffusivity is required above all so that the irrelevant speech is transmitted diffusely and disappears in the background noise. In our example, however, the speech transmission was now more than 21 meters. This means that every word spoken by colleagues at the other end of the office could be heard – an absolute nightmare for the employees.
Optimization measures in the office: a balancing act between costs and sustainability
We took various measures to improve the acoustics in a newly refurbished office complex. The simplest solution would have been to remove the ceiling completely and refurnish the room in a targeted and three-dimensional manner. This would not only have meant temporarily closing down the space, but would also have been anything but resource-efficient. Not to mention the additional high conversion costs that would have been incurred.
Instead, we opted for a different optimization measure. Supporting elements were installed on the walls to minimize horizontal sound fields and a sound masking system was introduced. This creates an artificial background noise and has a speech masking effect. We have therefore solved the acoustic problem here.
Well-intentioned acoustic planning resulted in additional revitalization measures and the project costs increased considerably.
You might think that all is well now. Unfortunately, however, another phenomenon is emerging that is having a significant impact on the company: Employees have lost confidence in the new workspaces due to the poor acoustics and the resulting frustration. This leads to a drop in motivation and productivity and therefore has a negative impact on the entire corporate culture.
Frustration and disappointment: the challenges of poor acoustics in the office
A considerable amount of frustration has built up among the employees in this newly furnished office complex. They had to experience the negative effects of a poor acoustic environment. Psychologically speaking, the open-plan area is now “scorched earth”. Statements such as “It was clear that it wouldn’t work. We knew that beforehand. Open-plan areas don’t work” are widespread.
The positive effect that this new office space should normally bring – new motivation, inspiration and lively communication – does not materialize. It will therefore be a major challenge for the company and managers to get these employees back on board. Breaking down the existing barriers and turning the project into a success will require a lot of work and commitment.
Lessons learned from an acoustic misstep: the importance of early planning
What can we learn from this example? Early integration of room acoustics issues is essential. Seek advice from practical experts. Although the office space in our example was mathematically well equipped, the actual requirements were not taken into account. With sound acoustic know-how, such hurdles and stumbling blocks can be avoided in advance.
When we are called to a project, we first get to know our customers. Who is working here? Who will be working here? What do the activities and routes look like? This information helps us to optimize the acoustic concept. Many things can be solved by zoning and defining the room usage characteristics.
Good acoustics in the office are crucial for the well-being and productivity of employees. “We can do acoustics later!”, perhaps. But by involving employees at an early stage and tailoring the acoustics to their needs, expensive revitalization measures can be avoided and the associated added value fully exploited.
Acoustics is more than just an optimal listening experience. Acoustics is an interplay of many details and facets such as room geometry, activity, use of space, furniture and interior.
The advantages of early planning are
- Cost efficiency: savings on expensive revitalization measures, fewer days of absence, cost-effectiveness thanks to holistic space concepts
- Acceptance of the space: Benevolent acceptance of the working environment, psychological added value increases the success of new space and change management concepts
- Appreciation for employees: Increased satisfaction and motivation, the feel-good factor increases enormously, fluctuation decreases
- Optimal acoustic solution: Individual concepts tailored to the room and its usage characteristics as well as to the company itself
Acoustics are far too expensive!
The underestimated importance of room acoustics – Part 1
Statements such as “Acoustics are far too expensive!” or “Acoustic measures are not worth it.” we’ve probably all heard them before. But why are room acoustics a topic that deserves attention at all?
There is an opinion that room acoustics are not so important and that a loud colleague should simply leave the room to make a phone call. The solution seems simple: If everyone sticks to the office rules, there will be no problems. However, the reality is much more complex.
The power of hearing: how room acoustics influence our health and productivity
Hearing is a sense that we cannot switch off. For evolutionary reasons, our hearing protects us from danger. A loud bang immediately puts us on alert and our body goes into “fight or flight” mode. So it’s no wonder that our stress hormones react sensitively to sounds. A constantly noisy environment increases stress hormone levels and can damage our health in the long term. As our brain is constantly processing environmental sounds and assessing them for danger, this auditory strain impairs our cognitive performance. Studies have even shown that poor room acoustics can lead to cardiac arrhythmia.
In addition to the health aspects, a high or restless noise level at the workplace is disturbing and makes us feel uncomfortable. A look at psychoacoustics can help here. Our concept developer Acoustics has provided us with a graphic that shows how listening effort strains our brain. The schematic diagram shows the cognitive performance distribution of a person with normal hearing under optimal conditions in contrast to the cognitive performance distribution of someone who has difficulty understanding. This may be due to a hearing impairment, a foreign language or poor room acoustics. Under optimal conditions, we understand more easily, learn better and can concentrate better. Our brain has more reserves, we are more relaxed and efficient.
The OFFICE ROXX reader survey “Room acoustics 2023” commissioned by the “Quiet please!” acoustics campaign shows that office workers find conversations and phone calls from colleagues particularly distracting. This underlines the fact that room acoustics are more important than you might think. Good room acoustics not only ensure better health for employees, but also fewer days of absence, longer periods of concentration and reduced errors at work. This means that the effectiveness and therefore the performance of the company increases.
How can room acoustics be measured?
Room acoustics are mainly measured using the reverberation time, i.e. the time it takes for a sound event to decay in a room. Roughly speaking, this time describes the reverberation of a room. In offices, this time should be significantly less than one second1. The geometry of the room, the nature of the surfaces and the furniture play a decisive role here. In addition to the reverberation time, speech propagation and speech intelligibility are also of decisive importance. There are also very different acoustic requirements depending on the use of the room and the activities. For example, a lecture room requires different acoustic conditions than an open-plan office. In the lecture room, the aim is to improve speech intelligibility and speech transmission. In an open-plan office, however, speech should not be carried throughout the room.
Standards, guidelines and calculation bases help us to plan and calculate optimum acoustic equipment. However, practice shows that numbers alone do not do justice to room acoustics. There is more to it than pure mathematics. There are many individual factors that interact and work together. It is therefore advisable to seek advice, because the fact is:
Eine optimale raumakustische Umgebung sorgt für
1. optimal speech intelligibility: improved communication, easier to follow conversations – more capacity for memory and reserves.
2. increased work performance: better concentration leads to fewer errors, more effective work and improved performance.
3. reduces stress and fatigue: fewer days off and more relaxed evenings.
4. greater well-being: The room is perceived as more pleasant – we feel more comfortable and can work more productively. This shows appreciation for the employees.
“Acoustics are far too expensive!” – Room acoustics are a worthwhile investment: for the health of employees, their productivity and ultimately for the success of a company!
- This is a simplified specification and does not reflect the complex interrelationships of room acoustics. More details and connections will follow in further articles). ↩︎
Building in existing buildings – our future?
When we discuss construction in existing buildings, we are not only talking about sustainability and resource conservation in the renovation of buildings, but also about the revitalization of spaces. It’s about breathing new life into old buildings and transforming them into modern, functional working environments. A successful transformation of the existing building can significantly increase the acceptance of the workplace.
Room acoustics and space planning
Room acoustics are a key aspect of this. The way sound interacts in a space can have a significant impact on employee wellbeing and productivity. The “Room acoustics 2023” reader survey commissioned by the “Quiet please!” acoustics campaign has shown that poor room acoustics can lead to increased stress and reduced productivity. It is therefore essential to create a pleasant acoustic environment when revitalizing a building.
Space planning in the office is also of crucial importance. It encompasses the efficient use of available space and takes into account aspects such as light, air quality and accessibility as well as flexibility and agility. During the modernization of a building, space planning should aim to create a balanced connection between the existing architectural structure and the future usage and acoustic requirements. Well-designed space planning can promote collaboration and at the same time provide every employee with sufficient space for concentrated work.
The future of working environments
All these aspects are closely interlinked and play a crucial role in creating a productive and pleasant working environment. A well-thought-out office design that takes all these aspects into account can help to create a sustainable and attractive working environment that increases both employee satisfaction and productivity.
For a successful revitalization of working environments, it is an advantage to be involved in a project from the very beginning. As architecture is increasingly turning to resource-saving construction methods, building in existing buildings will be our future.
Well thought-out space planning includes a coherent room acoustics concept and is essential for a successful revitalization. The earlier we are involved in the planning process with our engineering expertise, the better acoustic hurdles can be avoided in advance and holistic concepts can be jointly developed and successfully implemented. This not only leads to high acceptance of the new space, but also to a wow effect.
Akustikwerft – Handmade acoustic masterpieces
Our unique acoustic products are created in the beating heart of our creative innovation workshop, a place where ideas and inspiration come together. These products are not only specially developed for you, but also bear the Akustikwerft label, a sign of our dedication and commitment to outstanding acoustic solutions.
Each of these special acoustic products is designed in our own contract construction department, the Akustikwerft. Here, every detail is treated with the utmost care and love. Our experts check every design idea for technical feasibility and ensure that every product that leaves our shipyard has been manufactured and perfected by hand.
There are no standards in our shipyard, only excellence. We are constantly striving to push the boundaries of what is possible and produce acoustically effective elements that are unparalleled in terms of quality and design. Whether individual shapes, color combinations, surface finishes, CI-compliant or color-coordinated products, illuminated or fabric-covered – our Akustikwerft creates acoustic objects that set standards and redefine the acoustic landscape.
No challenge is too great for us, no sea too stormy. Your personal design object, which is extraordinary and unique, emerges from our shipyard. It is more than just a product; it is an embodiment of your vision, a piece of art that transforms your space.
Be inspired and inspired by new ideas and possibilities. Discover the infinite possibilities offered by the world of acoustics and let your imagination push the boundaries. Every product we make is a testament to our passion for acoustics and our commitment to quality.
Do you have any questions or need personal advice?
Immerse yourself in the world of Akustikwerft
and make an appointment now. We look forward to accompanying you on this exciting journey, supporting you every step of the way and working with you to create acoustic masterpieces that will bring your rooms to life. Our team of experienced acoustics experts is ready to help you realize your acoustic dreams. We can’t wait to work with you and transform your spaces into acoustic works of art.