How to Evaluate a Class Room for Acoustical Renovation
To guide the classroom evaluation process, here is a list of background noise sources., Ceiling level; the higher the ceiling level the more the room tends to a 'live' acoustic response, which can be detrimental to speech intelligibility and to...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: To guide the classroom evaluation process
Background noise can emanate from: noise traveling through walls from adjacent classrooms, over the ceiling from adjacent classrooms, through doors, around the door frame and under the door, through ventilators or louvers above door units, through HVAC ductwork from adjacent rooms, HVAC noise from ceiling diffusers, through the light fixtures, from outside, through exterior walls and windows, and from the floor above. -
Step 2: here is a list of background noise sources.
The ceilings (and the floor) are usually the largest single areas in a classroom, and so provide convenient surfaces to accommodate cost-effective areas of acoustic absorbing materials and products.
However, if the ceiling is less than 6m high (and even for higher ceilings up to 10m or so), it also provides a useful reflection of the teacher's voice that arrives early enough at the students' ears so as to reinforce the direct sound and enhance speech intelligibility.
It is important to be able to control reverberation using acoustic tiles or some kind of sound absorbing material like glass fibre, while also retaining the useful reflective quality of at least the central 50% area of the ceiling.
Upgrading strategically located areas of ceiling tiles, combined with additional areas on the walls as required, to acoustically absorbing tiles and finishes will dramatically reduce the reverberation and improve speech intelligibility, and hence attention span. , produce a lot of noise especially if ill maintained.
Noise can be reduced by lowering the air-flow velocity, installing absorptive fiberglass duct liners or creating noise diffusers or sound traps in the equipment/machinery space.
Regular maintenance of the equipment is also helpful. , For instance, luminary lights are very bright and reflect as much light as they do noise.
This can be improved by installing lights that don't shine directly onto the students.
Another thing to note with lighting is that fluorescent lights continuously give off a noticeable buzzing noise which increases reverberation time. , For example, carpeting absorbs air-borne sound, helps block sound transmission to rooms below and reduces surface noise better compared to tile or wood flooring. -
Step 3: Ceiling level; the higher the ceiling level the more the room tends to a 'live' acoustic response
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Step 4: which can be detrimental to speech intelligibility and to attention spans in the learning environment.
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Step 5: Air handling systems; heaters
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Step 6: air-conditioners
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Step 7: Lighting; lighting can reflect noise if installed improperly.
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Step 8: Flooring; flooring should have material that improves acoustics.
Detailed Guide
Background noise can emanate from: noise traveling through walls from adjacent classrooms, over the ceiling from adjacent classrooms, through doors, around the door frame and under the door, through ventilators or louvers above door units, through HVAC ductwork from adjacent rooms, HVAC noise from ceiling diffusers, through the light fixtures, from outside, through exterior walls and windows, and from the floor above.
The ceilings (and the floor) are usually the largest single areas in a classroom, and so provide convenient surfaces to accommodate cost-effective areas of acoustic absorbing materials and products.
However, if the ceiling is less than 6m high (and even for higher ceilings up to 10m or so), it also provides a useful reflection of the teacher's voice that arrives early enough at the students' ears so as to reinforce the direct sound and enhance speech intelligibility.
It is important to be able to control reverberation using acoustic tiles or some kind of sound absorbing material like glass fibre, while also retaining the useful reflective quality of at least the central 50% area of the ceiling.
Upgrading strategically located areas of ceiling tiles, combined with additional areas on the walls as required, to acoustically absorbing tiles and finishes will dramatically reduce the reverberation and improve speech intelligibility, and hence attention span. , produce a lot of noise especially if ill maintained.
Noise can be reduced by lowering the air-flow velocity, installing absorptive fiberglass duct liners or creating noise diffusers or sound traps in the equipment/machinery space.
Regular maintenance of the equipment is also helpful. , For instance, luminary lights are very bright and reflect as much light as they do noise.
This can be improved by installing lights that don't shine directly onto the students.
Another thing to note with lighting is that fluorescent lights continuously give off a noticeable buzzing noise which increases reverberation time. , For example, carpeting absorbs air-borne sound, helps block sound transmission to rooms below and reduces surface noise better compared to tile or wood flooring.
About the Author
Diane Ferguson
Brings years of experience writing about creative arts and related subjects.
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