7 years after the first discussions and 5 years after the first working group meeting at the PKN (Polish Standarisation Committee) the Polish Standard PN-B-02151-4:2015-06 is now published. It is the first standard in Poland setting demands concerning room acoustics in public use buildings, mostly in office, educational and healthcare premises. The first part of […]
acoustics
Do classroom acoustics work for today’s activities?
Recent and ongoing debates about the PISA Study Results and educational outcomes in Sweden have led to a focus on the suitability of the acoustic environment for today’s teaching and learning activities. Some renowned Swedish academics have questioned the suitability of present day classroom acoustics for today’s education and suggest a different room acoustic approach […]
New digital magazine about healthcare acoustics
A new digital magazine about healthcare acoustics, the ECO for Sustainable Design – Healthcare edition, has recently been released. Available via Google Play (and soon App Store), this digital publication is choc-a-bloc with case studies from the healthcare sector. It can easily be shared with friends who work in healthcare professions and others interested in […]
School canteens in Sweden creating acoustical food for thought!
“After a full morning at work, would you choose to eat your lunch right beside a busy highway?” Perhaps there would not be many takers for a seating arrangement like this, however, a recent study by Sveriges Radio (SR – Sweden’s public service broadcasting organisation) showed that over one in four of the school canteens it tested had […]
Sound Environment improved in NICU at UZ Leuven
The sound environment was improved in one of the bays in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Leuven when installing acoustical islands. NICU The NICU has an innovative design focused on improving conditions for both staff and patients. The general layout is based on 3 interconnected bays. Each bay has 12 single-unit patient rooms […]
Acoustic Design of Schools – performance standards (UK) New BB93
In order to demonstrate the new changes to BB93 Acoustic Design of Schools: Performance Standards, Ecophon UK commissioned Adrian James Acoustics to produce this video auralisation, which has been endorsed by NDCS, The National Deaf children’s Society. BB93 Part 2 (Guidance Notes) will be released June 2015. For more information, or a BB93 CPD, contact Shane […]
Inaudible low frequency sounds may damage our hearing
A recent study by neurobiologist Markus Drexl and colleagues at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany, found that the ear may be temporarily more prone to damage after being exposed to low-frequency sounds and Markus Drexl was quoted as saying “Even though we haven’t shown it yet, there’s a definite possibility that if you’re exposed to […]
TABS Expert Meeting – Sound of Cool filmed presentations now available!
Keynote speakers: Susan Roaf of Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh / Andrew Parkin of Cundall, UK The filmed presentations from the recent TABS Expert Meeting held on 25-26th September near Helsingborg are now available here. TABS stands for Thermally Activated Building System and is a design engineering approach for maintaining good thermal comfort in buildings, although unfortunately […]
The Next Chapter for Green Building
Health, Wellbeing and Productivity in Offices World Green Building Council taking the next step towards a “Sustainable Working Environment”, with more focus on the People! The report finds that a range of factors – from air quality and lighting to views of nature and interior layout – can affect the health, satisfaction, and job performance […]
Sports lessons can have a big impact on our hearing!
Acoustics in Dutch sports halls In the Netherlands a short item was broadcasted on national TV by SBS6 Hart van Nederland it was made to demonstrate the impact sports hall acoustic have on our hearing and especially the teachers who spend much of their time there as they feel the impact on their working conditions. […]
