Open-plan space, modular walls, and reflective surfaces such as glass, concrete, and metal are just a few of the design trends making today’s interiors even more dependent on sound masking for speech privacy and noise control.
The effects of noise have been well-documented in studies by the World Health Organization (WHO).1 It can increase blood pressure or be a risk factor for coronary heart disease.2 It is known to cause stress and hostility, interfere with sleep, speech, and tasks, and to affect the body’s physical reactions and our relations with other people.
Downtown St. Catharines, Ont., is the new home to the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre—an 8825-m2 (95,000-sf) project encompassing four unique performance venues. The honey-coloured brick facility runs along St. Paul Street with a glazed curtain wall allowing passersby a view of the lobby.
A suspended acoustical ceiling represents a significant percentage of a room’s surface. As such, these ceilings are critical to controlling the noise level in a space by providing a means of absorbing unwanted sound generated inside and blocking unwanted sound generated outside.
In a 2015 dining trends survey by Zagat, the number-two complaint by restaurant-goers, after service issues, was excessive ambient noise. People often have to speak excessively loud to be understood by their dining companions sitting next to them. This ambient noise and subsequent voice raising can be irritating and cause patrons to avoid future return visits.
Many people believe white noise, pink noise, and sound masking are synonymous, and tend to use these terms interchangeably. However, there are distinct differences between each of them.
Wood has long been regarded as a viable material for construction thanks to numerous factors, namely design flexibility, efficiency, and affordability—reasons making it especially popular for smaller housing projects. Add in a smaller carbon footprint than concrete or steel, and wood can also be seen as a much more sustainable choice.
A building is an assembly of various materials intertwined to construct something solid and enduring. However, even small adjustments in a building’s plan can lead to unforeseen problems, especially to acoustics and noise control performance. Acoustics and ambient noise are common complaints, but relatively small changes can have big acoustical implications.
When designing a wood-framed floor system for multi-family projects, building to meet the prevailing building code is only the first step in the performance spectrum. Once complying with those requirements, there remains an array of choices a designer can make without materially affecting the project’s overall cost that nonetheless directly affect occupant comfort and the floor’s perceived quality.
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