Acoustics 101 for Architects: Essential Considerations for Every Project

Acoustics and architecture go hand in hand. The layout of any space directly impacts the way it reflects sound waves, and ultimately the way everything within that space sounds. It’s just as important that our living, working, and entertainment spaces sound as good as they look, and as such, there are a number of essential considerations that most architects incorporate into their designs.  Proper acoustics make spending time in our most frequented spaces more pleasurable, and can even reduce our chances of experiencing serious health issues down the line. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons architectural acoustics are so important, and how architects use some simple principles to improve the look and sound of the spaces they are designing.

Acoustics and Architecture: Their Important Ties

If you have ever found yourself in a beautiful room with acoustical issues, you already understand the impact of poor acoustics on the overall experience. It’s often hard to communicate in these spaces, and the excessive noise may even put a serious damper on an otherwise beautiful evening. Let’s look at some important reasons we focus on the acoustics in any architectural project.

Wellbeing and Productivity

One of the biggest reasons we focus on acoustics and architecture simultaneously is because poor acoustics can have a profound impact on our wellbeing and productivity.

Physical and Mental Wellbeing

Chronic exposure to excessively loud noise has been proven detrimental to both our physical and emotional wellbeing. If we don’t address this exposure, the results can be detrimental. First, exposure to loud noises has the ability to cause hearing damage. It is generally recommended that we limit our noise exposure to no more than 85 decibels weighted over an 8 hour period to minimize our chances of experiencing hearing loss, but exposure to sounds louder than that can cause hearing loss and tinnitus much more quickly.  Chronic exposure to noises can increase our overall stress levels as well. Whether those noises are caused by pens clicking, keyboards clacking, or even just voices carrying over into spaces where they don’t belong, the irritation they bring can significantly increase stress levels.  Chronic stress has been linked to increased rates of physical and mental health problems like depression, anxiety, digestive problems, weakened immune system, and cardiovascular issues. That said, reducing our exposure to unwanted noise is an important part of keeping ourselves healthy.

Productivity

Another effect of chronic noise exposure is a lack of focus and productivity. Studies have shown that chronic exposure to noise has a negative effect on our ability to focus and concentrate. As this continues, we are more likely to make mistakes and miss deadlines. Neither of these are good for our emotional health or the health of the company. Here are some ways proper design in acoustics and architectural design can help.

Acoustics and Architecture: The Basics

Now that we know a little bit about the importance of good acoustics, let’s look at some common acoustical treatments and soundproofing techniques that architects rely on to treat the spaces they design. Both acoustical treatments and soundproofing techniques play individual roles in sound control, but they are absolutely linked.

How Sound Waves Work

The nature of the way sound waves travel through both solid surfaces and open spaces is the first thing we must understand to combine acoustics and architecture in meaningful ways. That’s because we must minimize the amount of reflections in the space to eliminate acoustical issues, and we must prevent the vibrational energy of those sound waves from passing from one side of the walls, floors, and ceilings to soundproof the space.

Sound Waves in Open Space

First, let’s take a look at the way sound waves interact with solid surfaces inside of the room.  Sound waves travel in a straight line until they reach an object that blocks their path. If that object is hard and smooth, the sound waves reflect back into space and continue on that new path until they reach another obstruction. If that object is dense and porous, the sound waves will be absorbed into the object. Both of these situations create unique acoustical situations. When sound is allowed to traverse vast open spaces and hit a reflective surface at the other end, we experience echo. The size of the open space dictates the echo’s delay. If echoes build up in the space by bouncing back and forth, we end up with reverberation problems that increase the noise levels in the room and make communication more difficult. Absorptive materials are often required to improve reverberation time control, or the time it takes to quiet the sound by 60 decibels.

Sound Traveling Through Surfaces

On the other side of these reflections, some of the vibrational energy contained within sound waves will be transferred into the surface they have impacted. Whether or not those vibrations make it through the wall and emerge on the other side as audible sound depends on a number of factors, from the volume and frequency of the sound wave to the way that wall was constructed.

Using Acoustics and Architecture to Tame Sound Waves

In order to control the way sound waves interact in the space, architects utilize a number of different techniques. Some acoustic considerations for architects are aimed at improving the sound inside the space and others are aimed at preventing sounds from traveling through walls and floors to reach the other side. Here is how to tackle both excessive noise levels and pervasive sound passage.

Preventing Sound Passage

Keeping sound from traveling through barriers is important for a space’s inhabitants and neighbors alike. It allows everyone to live, work, and sleep in relative peace, without being disturbed by whatever is happening on the other side. There are some key acoustics and architectural concepts meant to prevent sound passage.

Adding Mass and Volume

The first step in preventing sound passage is usually the addition of mass and volume to the surface. This can be accomplished as simply as sealing gaps and cracks around windows and doors and rolling out some mass-loaded vinyl onto the drywall and covering it with an additional drywall layer. Sound has trouble passing through dense, heavy objects, so adding mass and volume will work wonders.

Decoupling Surfaces

Another way we design walls and floors to minimize sound passage is to decouple surfaces that provide pathways from one side to the next. For instance, if we install two sets of studs and stagger their placement, vibrational energy is no longer able to travel from one side of the wall to the other via a single stud. There are products and project plans that can help architects decouple all the problem spots throughout the build.

Sound Damping

The third concept we need to look at is sound damping. Since energy can neither be created nor destroyed, we must convert it into another form if we want to take it out of the equation. Sound damping is the process of transforming vibrational energy into a small amount of heat energy, thereby removing noise from the room.  Sound damping is usually accomplished by introducing materials that are composed of many tiny fibers that vibrate in the presence of sound waves and transform that energy into heat. This is an incredibly important concept in preventing sound passage, but it’s equally important in reducing noise levels.

Reducing Noise Levels

When we are dealing with noises within the room itself, we focus in a few different places in order to eliminate them. Since sound waves tend to bounce off hard, reflective walls, ceilings, and floors, introducing sound absorption materials to soak them up and utilizing sound diffusion strategies is key to eliminating them.

Sound Absorption Materials

Placing sound absorption materials like acoustic panels and acoustical curtains at the locations where a large number of sound waves tend to reflect will reduce echo and reverberation that cause acoustical issues. These materials allow sound waves to enter, where many of them will become trapped. Keeping these waves contained is a key concept in acoustic design for architects.

Sound Diffusion Strategies

Sound diffusion is also an important part of reducing echo and reverb. By spreading reflections out, we eliminate many of the back and forth reflections that add to excess noise. Diffusion can be accomplished through either designing spaces with angled surfaces or by utilizing wall-mounted diffusers in some locations that are common contributors to back and forth reflections.

Key Acoustic Considerations for Different Building Types

Different types of buildings have different uses, so it’s important to treat each type a little differently. Tailoring acoustics in construction projects to the building’s intended use will provide the best results. Here are some key acoustic considerations for a range of different building types.

Acoustics in Residential Buildings

Keeping the sound in our homes under control can help us get better sleep and reduce stress and anxiety. In order to accomplish this, there are some key spots to focus our attention on.

• Room Layout – Bedrooms that are placed right next to laundry rooms, HVAC systems, or above garages experience more noise than those in other locations. Proper room layout will ensure that your sleep and veg sessions aren’t disturbed.
• Flooring Choices – Another source of much sound in residential buildings is the flooring. When hard, reflective materials are used, the impact sounds of footfalls can become disruptive. Using carpeting instead, or introducing area rugs, can help a lot.
• Windows – Properly sealed, double or triple-glazed windows will work wonders on outside noises. Many of those noises enter the home through the windows, so using a quality set can keep indoor spaces more comfortable.
• Outdoor Sound Barriers – If the property is adjacent to something that creates a lot of noise, such as a busy road or railroad track, an outdoor sound barrier can stop a lot of that noise before it ever reaches the home.

Acoustics in Commercial Buildings

Commercial buildings tend to create much of their own noise. They may experience road noise or some other form of outside noise, but treating the insides to minimize the amount of noise bouncing back and forth is often more important than anything else.

• Room Layout – Just like it is in residential buildings, room layout is an important consideration in architectural sound control for commercial spaces. Separating noisy areas like break rooms and conference rooms from quiet areas encourages collaboration while designating spaces for concentration.
• Sound Isolation – For the rooms that are loudest, isolating them will help prevent sound passage to the rest of the office. If you have a warehouse or manufacturing area, these types of spaces can get incredibly loud and distracting. Keeping that sound contained is beneficial to every employee’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Acoustical Treatments – One of the most important things we can do to the interiors of commercial spaces is to add acoustical treatments like acoustic panels, acoustical curtains, and wooden acoustical ceiling treatments. These not only lower the amount of unwanted noise in the space, but provides privacy for our confidential conversations.

Acoustics in Educational Facilities

Educational facilities have their own set of criteria when it comes to sound. There are many lessons going on in adjacent rooms, and keeping them separate allows for a clearer understanding of the subject matter. Here is how to make that happen.

• Windows and Doors – The ability to close a heavy door does wonders for privacy. Doors and windows are primary points of entry for unwanted noise around the world, so installing quality windows and doors gives us much greater control over indoor noise pollution.
• Proper Ceiling Design – Many schools utilize drop ceilings and connect individual rooms via the empty space overhead for heating and cooling purposes. Fitting these drop ceilings with acoustical tiles will prevent audio spillover from the lectures happening on either side of the space. They also minimize the noise from overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems.
• Compliance with Standards and Regulations – The design of educational facilities is often governed by regulatory agencies that dictate acoustic and architectural decisions. As they are designed with safety, comfort, and privacy in mind, adhering to these standards should lead to room acoustics optimization.

Acoustics in Healthcare Environments

Healthcare environments present another interesting variant when it comes to noise control in buildings. Protecting patient privacy is of paramount importance, so we must take specific measures to ensure that privacy.

• Sound Isolation – Here is another place where sound isolation is incredibly important. We don’t want to hear surgeries and root canals scaring us from the next room while we wait in the lobby. We also don’t want everyone in the office hearing our private business. Isolating patient rooms and treatment rooms from common spaces maintains that privacy.
• Acoustical Treatments – Another layer of privacy is provided through the use of acoustical treatments. Installing acoustical panels and diffusers will keep speech sounds where they belong. They keep noise levels down and allow us to speak and be heard at lower volumes.
• White Noise or Music – Another way we keep things confidential in healthcare environments is whole office speaker systems. Whether they play white noise or soft rock at low levels, the extra audio they produce helps to drown out conversations on confidential matters.

Collaborating with Acoustic Consultants

An acoustic consultant collaboration can help ensure we do the things necessary to improve the sound in our spaces. Consultants understand how to best treat each unique space to both reduce noise and prevent sound transmission. Access to these specialists also ensures we don’t waste any time and money on solutions that don’t work. The pros at ASI Architectural understand every aspect of how acoustics and architecture work together, and can provide you with the help and products you need to make your project a success. If you would like to learn more about how to improve the sound in your most used spaces, reach out for a consultation.