A whitepaper, commissioned by acoustic solutions giant CSR Himmel Interior Systems, provides a clear outline on the necessary acoustic considerations to make when designing commercial environments.

Up until now, acoustics have often been sidelined in favour of more visible architectural decisions except in buildings where the acoustics are most pertinent. However, while the science of acoustics has been properly understood for some time now, the impact of acoustics on user wellbeing is becoming more and more clear, following a number of studies concluding that they impact productivity, stress, health and a suite of other factors – affecting students, hospital patients, healthcare staff and office workers alike. Acoustic consideration is as important in commercial environments as it is in spaces such as concert halls or theatres.

The paper goes on to discuss specific impacts on each of the aforementioned groups of people, each of which is negatively impacted by improper acoustic environments. Following on, the white paper talks about how best to understand and manage noise within spaces that often have differing acoustical demands.

Given these differing demands, the white paper stresses the importance of considering the acoustics of a building on a number of scales and from the outset of a project, so that a plan might be integrated with minimal disruption to design intent or the end result.  Furthermore, it stresses the lack of a one-size-fits-all approach from project to project, or even in spaces that might appear to be the same from a hypothetical point of view.

CSR Himmel make more general reflections on the options available in specifying acoustic solutions into a project, and how to best integrate them into the space as a holistic answer to the challenge of proper acoustics. These reflections are apt when considering the depth of understanding required, and the sheer number of options available.

To find out more about designing commercial environments with acoustics in mind, download the free whitepaper here.