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Design Tips

Sound masking can reduce the requirement for other acoustic treatments. However, as with all acoustic treatments, the benefits of sound masking systems are maximized when used in conjunction with other noise control methods.

The goals of acoustic control

Noise control methods

Reduce workplace noise

Absorb workplace noise

Block workplace noise

Cover up workplace noise

Block Noise Another method of controlling office noise is to block sound transmission. Closed plan designs achieve the majority of noise control in this manner, but blocking is also a relevant consideration in the open-concept office. There are several strategies to review.

The most basic barrier is a wall, though efforts to increase the flexibility of offices and reduce construction costs have reduced their use in most facilities. However, walls should still be used in areas where a very high degree of speech privacy is required. Ensure doors are well-sealed and that there are no gaps between the walls and the suspended ceiling. When walls are built along the building’s perimeter, do not allow spaces to remain between the wall and the window mullion, because they provide a clear path for the transmission of sounds from one office to another. If not properly designed or treated, HVAC components can also provide a path for workplace noise and conversations to travel through the walls.

Plenum barriers are used to block sound transmission over walls that extend only to the suspended ceiling. They can be expensive and somewhat difficult to properly install. Breaks – either from initial installation or from subsequent damage – significantly reduce the effectiveness of lead, drywall or rigid fiberglass barriers. Furthermore, the use of plenum barriers can require the installation of expensive acoustic air return ducts in order to limit the transmission of sound through the ductwork while maintaining airflow.

In open-plan environments, the office layout can be used to maximize blocking of workplace noise to prevent it interfering with employees’ ability to concentrate. Locate noisy office machines and areas with high activity and office noise levels - such as call centers - in remote or isolated areas. Try to maximize the distance between employees because the volume of noises and conversations will decrease over distance.

Blocking in open-plan areas can also be achieved through the use of physical barriers such as workstation partitions. Minimize direct paths of sound transmission from one person to another by seating employees facing away from each other on either side of partitions. The height of the partitions is also significant to acoustic control. Partitions lower than 50 inches (1.25 meters) essentially provide an office with the same acoustic comfort from one workstation to another as a no-partition system. Generally speaking, 64 inches (1.60 meters) is effective because it extends beyond seated head height. Partitions higher than 70 inches (1.75 meters) offer decreasing acoustic comfort relative to their cost; however, using slightly higher partitions in high-traffic areas can be beneficial.

In the end, however, an over-reliance on physical barriers can raise costs and render a workplace relatively inflexible, while still failing to satisfy all occupants’ needs for acoustic control.