More blog posts
After a full 50 years, Slovakia has a new acoustic standard!
Slovakia has a new STN 73 0527 acoustic standard that can finally improve conditions in schools! The new updated STN 73 0527 acoustic standard deals with room acoustics. In schools, universities, and spaces used for cultural, sports, social and public purposes. It aims at ensuring better quality and healthier acoustic conditions. New acoustic standard highlights…
Continue Reading After a full 50 years, Slovakia has a new acoustic standard!
Improving acoustic comfort in swimming pools
Insights from Jeroen Vugts and Pien Schravesande at EAS 2024 Swimming pools, with their lively and dynamic environments, present unique acoustic challenges that are often overlooked. At the recent Ecophon Acoustic Seminar (EAS) in the Netherlands, ir. Jeroen Vugts and Pien Schravesande of LBP Sight presented an insightful discussion on the critical role of acoustics…
Continue Reading Improving acoustic comfort in swimming pools
Tackling acoustic challenges in open-plan offices
Increase in open-plan solutions Open-plan offices have gradually become a preferred model for companies to use, mainly to encourage spontaneous interactions between coworkers, but also because of the aesthetics around a big open room. Further, there is an economic benefit of having as many workstations as possible in fewer square meters. However, these benefits often…
Continue Reading Tackling acoustic challenges in open-plan offices
BNAM 2024: A step forward in acoustic innovation
Baltic-Nordic Acoustic Meeting (BNAM) 2024 is leading the way in acoustic innovation in the Nordic countries. This year, BNAM has been exploring new ways to distinguish itself among major acoustic conferences like Internoise and Forum Acusticum. One of the key strategies has been to offer not just ordinary presentations but also hands-on workshops with software…
Continue Reading BNAM 2024: A step forward in acoustic innovation
Baltic-Nordic Acoustic Meeting 2024, Healthcare
On May 22-24, some 175 delegates from 18 countries gathered together in the beautiful venue at the Finnish-Swedish Cultural Center Hanaholmen. Located at the scenic seafront between Helsinki and Espoo in Finland. This second article will highlight the acoustic meeting presentations regarding Healthcare. Acoustics and Healthcare Acoustic comfort assessment in hospital wards: measuring procedures and…
Continue Reading Baltic-Nordic Acoustic Meeting 2024, Healthcare
Baltic-Nordic Acoustic Meeting 2024
On May 22-24, some 175 delegates from 18 countries gathered together in the beautiful venue at the Finnish-Swedish Cultural Center Hanaholmen. Located at the scenic seafront between Helsinki and Espoo in Finland. Three days of conference targeted even more than before to the people practising acoustics every day. This meant that one of the Baltic-Nordic…
Coffee chain premises noise data gathered by Soundprint
This interesting noise survey can help inform those looking for coffee chain premises which are most conducive for a good conversation. Crowdsourced data has been gathered by the pioneering Soundprint in the USA via their Soundprint App measuring the sound levels when customers visit with the App activated. Rolling data can inform consumer sound preferences…
Continue Reading Coffee chain premises noise data gathered by Soundprint
Renewed Room Acoustic standard, SS 25268:2023
Introduced in April 2023 the renewed room acoustic standard SS 25268:2023 [1] for the Swedish market is now less than a year old. The background and purpose of the standard is, among other things, to supplement the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning’s building regulations and other governing documents and to facilitate planning…
Continue Reading Renewed Room Acoustic standard, SS 25268:2023
The relationship between acoustic privacy, personality type and burnout
The relationship between personality traits and burnout has been researched extensively. The current study conducted among UK office workers uniquely aimed to investigate the relationship between acoustic privacy, personality type and burnout. Although the link between acoustic privacy and burnout is less clear, the evidence shows that acoustic privacy affects stress levels, distractions, the ability…
Continue Reading The relationship between acoustic privacy, personality type and burnout
Dissatisfaction with noise strongly related to the perceived fit of office
Many research studies investigate satisfaction with indoor environmental quality in offices. In their study, Jenni Raduni and Valtteri Hongisto from Turku University examined the influence of office types and satisfaction with indoor environmental quality factors on different activities’ perceived fit. The study was based on a large global dataset consisting of more than 82,000 respondents…
Continue Reading Dissatisfaction with noise strongly related to the perceived fit of office
People’s preferences of sound
Knowledge of the relation between people’s preferences and room acoustic parameters is critical for choosing the correct acoustic treatment and for creating good sound environments for people. In the frame of a PhD, people’s preferences regarding different acoustic environments were investigated. Their judgments were related to various room acoustics parameters. The results from the study…
Classrooms beyond the minimum acoustic standard found to significantly reduce school noise and disturbance
According to the study, additional sound absorbing materials – e.g. acoustic panels, carpets and soft furniture – play a significant role in creating calm and pleasant learning environments. In a study published in 2023 by Turku University of Applied Sciences. It was found that the noise generated in the school environment from the activities of the…
Sound in schools and its impact on learning and teachers’ wellbeing
New wellbeing report captures the results of a pan-European survey conducted by European Schoolnet under its Future Classroom Lab initiative. This Teacher wellbeing survey was available to educators in 13 languages between February 2023 and June 2023. It investigated the current state of school acoustics across Europe. The aim included understanding better what secondary school…
Continue Reading Sound in schools and its impact on learning and teachers’ wellbeing
Robotic surgery – precise but noisy
Operating rooms for robotic surgery require sound absorption for lowered sound levels and improved speech intelligibility. Introduction Operating rooms (OR) in hospitals are supposed to be quiet, controlled spaces that allow doctors and nurses to focus on performing complex surgeries. Unfortunately, the reality is often very different. Noise from medical equipment, combined with poor room…
Sound absorption of snow?
Freshly fallen snow is an effective sound dampener. The explanation lies in the structure of the snowflakes. Freshly fallen snow tends to have a soft and loose texture. This characteristic allows the snow to deform under the pressure of sound waves, dissipating energy and reducing the reflection of sound. ”There is nothing in the world…
Navigating Unique Challenges in South African Acoustic Design
Unique Challenges Imagine stepping into the unique challenges as a project acoustician in the bustling heart of Johannesburg, South Africa. Your mission: to ensure the acoustic conditions of a forthcoming office building that will grace the trendy business district in three years. While the architect’s vision is crystal clear, and an array of documents and…
Continue Reading Navigating Unique Challenges in South African Acoustic Design
A major survey in France : Noise in Bars & Restaurants
At EIAS 2023 a poster session was presented and lots of great studies were shared. Studies from Education, Healthcare and Office segments were covered at the same time as studies about sound environments in restaurants and bars. A poster including a survey from France revealed that restaurant owners risk lower income because of noise. The…
Continue Reading A major survey in France : Noise in Bars & Restaurants
Research and Development in Acoustics at Ecophon, EIAS 2023
In May 2023, it was again time for EIAS, Ecophon International Acoustics Seminar. We were utterly proud to once more host an event, focusing on development in room acoustics AND sharing a great time with some of the brightest minds within the field of acoustics. A bit more than 200 guests and 25 speakers from…
Continue Reading Research and Development in Acoustics at Ecophon, EIAS 2023
Hungary’s Journey Towards Standardization in Room Acoustics: An Interview with Csaba Huszty
Standardization in Room Acoustics Room acoustics and electroacoustic systems are critical components of building design that can impact the quality of sound and speech intelligibility in various environments, from concert halls to classrooms and offices. In Hungary, the journey towards standardization in this area began over a century ago, but it wasn’t until 2020 that…
Acoustic Design for Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Mainstream Schools
Acoustic Design for Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Mainstream Schools presented by Emma Greenland at EIAS2023. A review of the evidence base regarding acoustic design and special educational needs was undertaken. To answer the following questions on behalf of the Department for Education in England: What are the differing listening needs for students with different…
Continue Reading Acoustic Design for Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Mainstream Schools
Office noise increases stress hormone levels in blood plasma
Why this study? Valtteri Hongisto stated that there are no previous studies which have investigated the effects of office noise on the stress hormone levels (concentrations in the body) using the most precise and real-time method: i.e. blood sampling. Also a questionnaire was used to evaluate the effect. 100 person participated in the study and…
Continue Reading Office noise increases stress hormone levels in blood plasma
Designing for Acoustic Satisfaction in Open Plan Offices: EIAS Presentation by Jack-Harvie Clark
Jack-Harvie Clark demonstrated that the perception of the acoustic environment is influenced by numerous factors. Working on room acoustics alone can help reduce annoyance caused by noise. Achieving acoustic satisfaction necessitates considering many additional factors that extend beyond room acoustics. Dissatisfaction with noise levels kills productivity Jack Harvie-Clark outlined at the beginning of this talk…
Find out more on: