Are you struggling with the acoustics of your office or public building? Are things getting too noisy at peak times of the day? Excessive and unwanted noise can have a negative impact on productivity and general wellbeing. But there is an answer; acoustic building solutions. Find out more in this guide from the Rosehill team…
What are acoustic building solutions?
The term acoustic building solutions refers to items of furniture, wall panels, ceiling suspender panels, freestanding panels, desk screens and other objects that are designed to dampen the sound in an open space such as an office, reception area, breakout area, church, or other public space.
There are different levels of acoustic solution – for example, wall-mounted panels that are designed to provide a small level of sound damping in areas where conversations and collaboration take place.
At the other end of the spectrum, there are much more comprehensive dividing panels, booths and completely enclosed acoustic pods that create maximum sound dampening.
The key point is that there are acoustic building solutions suitable for all contexts. For example, acoustic solutions that only offer minimal dampening (e.g. for collaborative environments), through to solutions that offer maximum dampening (e.g. for call centres, focused work etc).
Why acoustic building solutions are important
A noisy office or other open space can have a much more detrimental impact than many people realise.
Whilst you might be tempted to save on the expense of buying acoustic solutions for your building, we’d strongly advise against this and consider making acoustic solutions a top priority.
Why? Well, consider what happens if your office or other open space becomes too noisy:
- Productivity plummets in noisy offices – workers can be up to 66% less productive when exposed to a noisy environment.
- Noise is stress inducing – research has demonstrated that continued exposure to noisy environments can lead to higher long term stress hormone levels and hypertension.
- Noise can damage your hearing – prolonged and repeated exposure to moderate noise levels can lead to hearing damage.
- Employee absence – according to a study conducted by Canada Life Group Insurance, workers in noisy offices take 70% more sick days than home-based workers.
As you can see, a noisy office or other open space can have a truly detrimental impact upon your business and bottom line. Your employees have likely noticed it too. 65% of workers feel that noise is an issue at work – according to a 2019 study of 1,000 UK office workers.
In fact, because of the level of noise in offices and related spaces, around 42% of workers are resorting to makeshift solutions to block out distractions in the office (e.g. using headphones).
So, why not help your employees and eliminate distractions on their behalf? You’ll find that acoustic building solutions can be a more than worthwhile investment.
What are the most common sources of noise in an office or other space?
When it comes to sourcing acoustic solutions for your office or building, it helps to think about the various sources of noise first. From there, you can select solutions that’ll best dampen those noises.
In general, you’ll find that there are four main sources of noise in your typical office or related space.
Employees
People make noise! Whether it’s conversation, footsteps, the closing of doors and windows, the moving of chairs, telephone calls etc, your employees will be generating noise all the time.
Given a large enough number of people – and an acoustically unfavourable environment – this can add up to a considerable racket!
Building
Buildings aren’t the silent monoliths that people think they are. In fact, buildings – or rather, their services and technical installations – can generate quite a bit of noise.
Think about your own building. You likely have air conditioning, heating systems, boilers, lifts, escalators, and ventilation systems, all of which can generate ambient noise.
Devices
Computers. Photocopiers. Smartphones. Shredders. Servers. All of these devices and more are common sources of noise in offices and other similar spaces.
Whilst you can’t get rid of these items – they’re at the heart of every modern business after all – the right acoustic solutions (such as acoustic booths), can minimise the disruption they cause in your building.
External sources
Depending on where your building is located, you may be subject to a variety of external sources of noise. These can include passing traffic, pedestrians, aeroplanes, and even neighbours.
How to select the best acoustic solutions for your office or building
It’s easy to tell if a space is too noisy. But, it’s difficult to tell exactly how noisy it is.
If you want to add some acoustic solutions to your office or building, then you might be wondering how you go about selecting the right types of acoustic solutions.
The answer lies in decibels…
The decibel (abbreviated as dB), is a logarithmic unit that is used to measure sound. It’s the unit that is most commonly used to measure how noisy a space is.
Therefore, if you’re going to buy acoustic building solutions, you’re going to need to know how many decibels are being generated in the space you want to quieten.
Here at Rosehill, we are able to send a team to conduct an acoustic test in your space. The test is based on the square footage of your space as well as the height of the ceiling, and the composition of the building’s fabric (i.e. what the walls, floor, and ceiling are made of).
The test reads the reverb in your space and provides an acoustic rating. With this rating, we are then able to recommend acoustic solutions that offer the appropriate level of sound dampening performance.
If you are unable to accommodate a visit from a sound testing team, then we can also provide advice based on floor plans (including elevation), or CAD drawings.
The key point is that a well-designed space, with appropriate acoustic solutions, is the best way to fight unwanted noise levels.
Note – want to book an acoustic test for your office or public building? Then speak to the Rosehill team today.
How noisy should offices be?
If we look at work spaces specifically, then there are clear guidelines which stipulate the maximum noise levels that should be tolerated in a working environment.
In the UK, the specific regulations regarding noise in work environments are The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
These regulations state the noise levels at which employers are required to take certain actions:
- 87 dB – this is the noise level that beyond which – taking into account any reduction in exposure provided by hearing protection – employees must not be exposed to.
- 85 dB – at this noise level, employers must provide hearing protection and hearing protection zones to employees.
- 80 dB – at this noise level, employers must assess the risk to their employees’ health and provide them with information and training.
You shouldn’t necessarily restrict yourself to taking action at these noise levels, though. Bear in mind that 80 dB is the level of sound that you get from a noisy alarm clock. You wouldn’t want to work in an environment that is just a bit quieter than that all day!
In other words, even if your office is reaching on average 60 – 70 dB, you should still consider installing some acoustic solutions.
To further drive this point home, consider that long term exposure to noise levels of only 60 dB can lead to permanent hearing damage.
You owe it to yourself and your workers to create a suitably quiet environment!
Where can acoustic solutions be used?
Although we’ve predominantly talked about offices so far, it’s important to note that acoustic solutions can be used in a wide range of spaces – in fact, any space where you need to dampen sound.
The types of spaces that can benefit from acoustic solutions, include:
Reception areas
Acoustic solutions are ideal if you need to create quiet areas within your reception space. Items such as freestanding screens not only baffle and dampen sound, but can also be used to divide your reception area.
Breakout areas
Breakout areas often require a mix of quiet space for focused work, and open space for collaboration. Acoustic solutions are a great way of achieving this.
Churches and places of worship
Churches and other places of worship are typically complex spaces when it comes to acoustics. You don’t necessarily want to lose the sound of the choir and organ, but at the same time, you may want to create a quiet area for counselling and other sensitive discussions.
Acoustic solutions can help create these quiet areas, without disrupting the acoustics of the main area of your place of worship.
Education institutions
Whether it’s a school, sixth form, community college, or university, these institutions require areas for quiet study and thinking. Acoustic solutions are available that are perfect for educational settings.
Museums and galleries
Given that many museums and galleries are housed in large, cavernous buildings, sound levels can quickly get out of hand on busy days.
Adding acoustic solutions will not only dampen excessive sound, but will also enhance the visitor experience, allowing for more careful consideration and contemplation of exhibits.
How much do acoustic building solutions cost?
Because every building is different, every acoustic building solution is bespoke. This means there are no set prices for acoustic solutions.
As we mentioned earlier, if you want to dampen sound in your building, then the best thing to do is book an acoustic test. From there, you will be provided with a quote that’s based upon the type of solution you require.
It is, however, possible to buy individual acoustic items – but even these can be customised and are available in a huge range of options – thus they vary in price.
Tip – if in doubt about the cost of an acoustic solution, contact us and we will be happy to help!
What types of acoustic building solutions are there?
What can you expect when you decide to add acoustic solutions to your building?
Below, we’ve detailed the various solutions that are available, starting with solutions that provide a basic level of acoustic dampening, through to complete office solutions and booths that provide a very high level of acoustic performance.
Desk screens
We’ll begin by looking at the most basic type of acoustic solution for your office – desk screens.
As their name indicates, desk screens are screens which affix to the backs of desks, creating a small ‘wall’ that will divide the desk from other desks immediately adjoined to it.
As well as helping to prevent the passage of sound from one desk to another, desk screens also have the benefit of providing a degree of privacy, reducing distractions whilst individuals are working.
Vibe Desktop Fabric Screens
A great example of a modern, effective desk screen is our Vibe Desktop Fabric Screens. Designed to be used on sit/stand desks, the Vibe screens provide a physical, visual and acoustic barrier.
The Vibe’s acoustic performance is in large part to its construction and materials. With a melamine core which is encased in 25mm thick foam, the Vibe is not only attractive, but highly effective.
The Vibe is available in a variety of lengths too:
- 1200 mm x 600 mm.
- 1400 mm x 600 mm.
- 1600 mm x 600 mm.
As the Vibe is a highly ‘visual’ addition to the office, it’s available in over 12 colours, with a range of different fabric options available upon request.
Wall and ceiling acoustic panels
The next level up from desk screens (in terms of acoustic performance) are acoustic wall and ceiling panels.
These are panels which are designed to affix directly to the walls of your office or hang from the ceiling. They are designed to reduce echo and reverberation in a room by absorbing excessive noise.
Because of the way they work, acoustic wall and ceiling panels help to prevent sound transfers, and are ideal for environments where speech intelligibility is particularly important.
And, they really do work! Recent studies have found that acoustic wall panels can reduce reverberation time (the length of time it takes for sound to decay) by up to 70%.
Modern acoustic wall and ceiling panels – like the ones we supply here at Rosehill – not only play an important role in the dampening sound, but also make attractive features in their own right.
If you’d like to reap the benefits of acoustic wall and ceiling panels in your office, then take a look at two of our most popular options below.
Formo Acoustic Wall Panels
Should you be looking to dampen sound more broadly across your office or other related space, then the Formo Acoustic Wall Panels offer an aesthetically pleasing way of achieving this.
Because the Formo Acoustic Wall Panels are manufactured from thermoformed felt and covered in specialised fabrics, they are in the right sound absorption class to dampen sound in areas where people hold lots of conversations.
The Formo Acoustic Wall Panel range includes three types of acoustic panel, and one acoustic curtain:
- Formo I – an irregular pentagon that can be combined to create endless shapes.
- Formo II – a classic square with an eye-catching 3D pattern embossed on its surface.
- Formo III – diamond shaped wall panels that can be arranged into ‘spatial cubes’ providing the illusion of depth.
- Formo Curtain – a curtain made up of interconnected panels that provide greater privacy, improve acoustics, add lightness to a room and add colour to a space.
All the Formo Acoustic Wall Panels are available in a wide range of colours and are affixed to walls using a special mounting bracket.
Sileo Acoustic Panels
Taking their name from the Latin for ‘silence’, the Sileo Acoustic Panels are a range of sound-absorbing and sound-insulating panels.
The result of a research project conducted by a team of acoustic engineers, the Sileo range is able to absorb a broader range of frequencies than your average acoustic panel – making the Sileo range the high-performance option.
The Sileo range of acoustic panels not only provide exemplary acoustic dampening performance, but given their aesthetically-pleasing appearance allow you to create comfortable, cosy working spaces.
Given the diverse nature of the Sileo range – encompassing both wall and ceiling panels – allows you to create interesting compositions, adding an extra touch of visual appeal to your office.
Freestanding acoustic screens
If you want to take the acoustic dampening up a level further, then freestanding acoustic screens offer a further level of performance beyond desk screens and wall panels.
This is simply because freestanding acoustic screens have a much bigger physical presence and are literally able to act as barriers to the transmission of sound across open office spaces.
Freestanding acoustic screens are typically constructed with wooden cores which are wrapped in a fabric covered foam which absorbs sound.
Aside from helping to dampen excess noise, freestanding acoustic screens can also be used to help divide up open working spaces – making them even more versatile and useful additions to an office.
What’s more, freestanding acoustic screens also have the benefit of not requiring any installation. Simply buy the number you want and stand them in place around your office.
If you think some freestanding acoustic panels would be a great choice for your option, check out two of our most popular options below.
Kielder Freestanding Screens
The Kielder range of freestanding screens are an attractive and easy way of dampening excess noise in open offices, breakout areas and other working spaces.
Available in a choice of two heights (as a low panel, or high panel), the Kielder Freestanding Screens have a natural, organic shape and can be used to create a ‘forest’ of dividers throughout your space.
The forest-like impression of the Kielder range is enhanced by the four woodland colours that the screens are available in; autumn yellow, maple leaf, grass green, and forest green.
This design is perfect for reception and breakout areas, or for creating a quiet space for relaxation.
Sileo Turn & Sileo Turn Leaf Freestanding Panels
The Sileo Turn and Sileo Turn Leaf are a set of freestanding acoustic panels that can be used to dampen excessive noise, divide up office spaces, provide privacy and create an attractive working environment.
Where the Sileo Turn and Sileo Turn Leaf differ from other freestanding acoustic panels is that they are composed of three and six elements, each of which can rotate independently at 360º.
Because of this, these freestanding panels allow you to ‘modulate’ acoustics and privacy throughout the day – ‘opening up’ the space when collaboration is required, and ‘closing it down’ when focused independent work is needed.
Available in a wide range of colours, these are the ideal freestanding acoustic panels for the most modern of office and co-working spaces.
Whole room acoustic solutions
If you want an entire-office solution – encompassing acoustic panels, booths, and freestanding screens – then look for what we call ‘whole room acoustic solutions’.
These are generally ranges of acoustic solutions which include each type of acoustic solution. Buying these types of solutions is a consultative process, whereby we will work with you to determine exactly what mix of solutions will work best for your space.
As we mentioned earlier, this process will normally involve us sending a team of acoustic specialists to your building. They will undertake several tests – the results of which will inform the package of acoustic solutions we create for you.
Below, you’ll find a great example of this type of ‘whole room acoustic solution’ – the Sand range of acoustic screens and booths…
Sand Acoustic Screens & Booths
If you’re looking for a ‘package’ type solution that can be tailored to your space, then consider the Sand range of acoustic screens and booths.
The Sand range is structured in such a way as to make it easy to create dedicated zones for quiet working. Likewise, the range can also be configured to create spaces for spontaneous meetings and collaboration – whilst preventing people at work stations nearby from being distracted.
The Sand range includes made-to-order screen systems with acoustic upholsteries. Seats, benches, and tables are also part of the Sand range, with every item available in a range of colour combinations.
Pods and booths
Should you want to create areas within your office where people can immerse themselves in work with minimal disruption, the booths and pods are a fantastic way of achieving this.
Booths and pods vary from chair style pods that have enclosed sides (and in some instances an enclosed top for further acoustic dampening), through to fully-enclosed booths that can be used for team meetings, video conferences and more.
Below, we’ve detailed some of our most popular pods and booths.
Fence Personal Pods
Do you want to create areas in your office where employees can undertake focused work without distraction? Then consider investing in some Fence Personal Pods.
As their name suggests, these are pod-style seats which are designed to create a seated working area where people can work in quiet, but without being completely ‘sealed’ off from the surrounding environment.
The Fence Personal Pod is available in a wide range of configurations, and can be specified with either a left or right-handed table (with different coloured tops), and a power unit with a UK plug socket and A and C USB ports.
As you’d expect, the Fence Personal Pod range can be ordered in a wide range of finishes. The fabric can be selected in either a single colour, or a two-tone configuration. The frame of the Fence can be specified in either silver, black, beech, walnut, or chrome.
Fifteen Pods
A step up from the Fence is the Fifteen range of pods. In addition to enclosed sides, the Fifteen range of pods also feature an enclosed top, which creates further privacy and acoustic dampening.
Available in one to six seat options, the Fifteen pods are a flexible option, allowing you to choose a mix of pods for our office space – providing space for individual and collaborative work.
The Fifteen pods are also available with an optional power and data module, allowing users to charge their laptop/smartphone whilst they are using the pod.
Manufactured in the UK, and using FSC Certified Plywood, furniture-grade fibreboard and Combustion Modified High Resilience (CMHR) foam, the Fifteen pods are of exceptional quality and will provide years of reliable service.
The Fifteen range of pods are also highly customisable, with a series of fabric and faux-leather upholstery options available (including two-tone).
If you’re looking for a seating option that offers the perfect mix of privacy and acoustic performance, then choose the Fifteen range of pods.
Oasis Linear Acoustic Booths
To create the ultimate quiet space for your employees to work or relax, consider investing in an acoustic booth from the Oasis Collection.
The Oasis Collection includes a range of acoustic booths, from compact phone box style booths through to fully-enclosed booths that feature a ceiling and enclosed front for maximum quiet and privacy.
The Oasis Collection includes:
- The Oasis Linear Studio Pod Lite.
- The Oasis Linear Studio Pod.
- The Oasis Linear Phone Booth.
- The Oasis Linear Team Booth.
- The Oasis Linear Pod.
No matter which pod you select, you’ll be able to specify it in a broad range of fabrics, colours, lightning, air circulation fans, acoustic lined panels and much more.
Create the perfect environment in your office or public building with Rosehill
Whether you want to create a serene working environment that’ll maximise productivity, or you want to reduce the noise levels in your public building, Rosehill can help.
We can supply everything from complete tailored acoustic building solutions, to individual items of acoustic furniture and products, all at competitive prices.
For more information, speak to the Rosehill team today on 0161 485 1717 or at: sales@rosehill.co.uk.
Explore acoustic building solutions at Rosehill now
For more commercial and contract furniture buying guides, information and advice, read the Rosehill blog…
What Is the Best Acoustic Booth for Your Office? | How to Create the Perfect Breakout Area | Everything You Need to Know About Buying an Office Sofa
