Defining the acoustic environment of (semi-)open plan offices subtitle: Acoustic measurements leading to activity based design for retrofit buildings
Regular paper
M+P consulting engineers
Tuesday 2 june, 2015, 14:20 - 14:40
0.9 Athens (118)
Abstract:
Working in an office environment includes many different activities.
Communication
on the phone, social interaction and meetings produce not only sound, but are
also
in need of a good speech intelligibility and therefore in need of good room
acoustics. Difficult performance tasks are in need of different acoustic
conditions.
Areas with a more silent environment is needed with a minimised level of
distraction
from surrounding activities and combined with areas with a high level of
interaction
for the purpose of teamwork. Because the different activities are in need of
specific acoustic conditions, the existing acoustic environment is first being
defined before creating a new office environment in an existing retrofit
building.
Before creating a new Activity Based Design in retrofit buildings the existing
acoustic environment is being carefully measured. Not only the acoustical
qualities
of the existing building and facilities are being measured (according to NEN
5077
for sound insulation, ISO 3382 for room acoustics and ISO 3382-3:2012 for room
acoustics in open plan offices). As a very important input for defining the
acoustic
environment the actual behaviour of people is being measured as well. During a
representative week of working hours, the sound levels are being measured on
different locations in the open plan office. To gather information about the
character of the sound, sound fragments are as well being recorded based on a
trigger level.
Defining the acoustic environment of (semi-)open plan offices based on
building
measurements and noise level measurements gives a good starting point for
redesigning a diversity of office environments. Often the new design leads to
activity based office plans, where carefully the different activities are
projected
in a (semi-) open plan office. This will be illustrated with several practical
projects of engineering.