| Traditional Closed Offices Lack Confidential Speech Privacy |
The Collaborations
Laboratory Test and Evaluation results
Laboratory Test and Evaluation results
Unfortunately today’s typical private offices do not
provide adequate speech privacy. In fact, the typical
private office provides far less than the minimum
required level of confidential speech privacy. Most
offices allow occupants located outside these private
offices to easily overhear and understand sensitive
conversations that occur inside.
provide adequate speech privacy. In fact, the typical
private office provides far less than the minimum
required level of confidential speech privacy. Most
offices allow occupants located outside these private
offices to easily overhear and understand sensitive
conversations that occur inside.
Three Key Components to Achieve
Confidential Speech Privacy:
Confidential Speech Privacy:
- Use ceiling-high fixed drywall or the preferable
choice of modular partition systems with a
minimum of 35 Sound Transmission Class (STC)
performance. Use of appropriate floor partition
tracks that either gasket or are designed to “grip”
the carpet and retain the 35 STC performance at
the floor line. Insuring that doors and door
gaskets create a good sound seal.
This conclusion comes from the results of a yearlong
collaborative study by Dynasound Inc., Armstrong World
Industries, and SMED International. The project was
coordinated with the aid of the IFMA Healthcare Council.
collaborative study by Dynasound Inc., Armstrong World
Industries, and SMED International. The project was
coordinated with the aid of the IFMA Healthcare Council.
Why Most Private Offices Lack
Confidential Speech Privacy
Confidential Speech Privacy
- Use lay-in suspended ceiling systems that span a
facility continuously across the entire plan.
Whenever possible upgrade the ceiling system
sound absorption performance to .70 Noise
Reduction Coefficient (NRC) while maintaining a
minimum 35 CAC. It is critical to provide a baffle
(attenuator) over the top of all open return air
grilles. These devices will prevent most of the
sound from passing from these private offices
directly into the plenum.
Traditional interior design selects ceiling systems,
walls, and doors that are laboratory tested and rated
individually for acoustical performance.
walls, and doors that are laboratory tested and rated
individually for acoustical performance.
Components are NOT laboratory tested according to
specific field installation. They do not factor in job-site
construction conditions, such
as utility penetrations and construction tolerances,
resulting in sound leaks and reduced speech privacy.
specific field installation. They do not factor in job-site
construction conditions, such
as utility penetrations and construction tolerances,
resulting in sound leaks and reduced speech privacy.
- Provide a properly designed, installed, and tuned
(adjusted) soundmasking system for all private
office areas. Soundmasking will uniformly raise
the buildings background sound level so that
occupants in private offices, or adjacent open
plan areas, will not be able to distinguish or
understand speech intelligibility.
Most conventional acoustical ceilings are laboratory
tested without light fixtures, air diffusers, return air
grilles, sprinkler heads, etc. Each of these
penetrations, which occur in “as built” installations,
cause sound leaks that significantly lower the
published Ceiling Attenuation Class (CAC) ratings of
ceiling sound transmission.
tested without light fixtures, air diffusers, return air
grilles, sprinkler heads, etc. Each of these
penetrations, which occur in “as built” installations,
cause sound leaks that significantly lower the
published Ceiling Attenuation Class (CAC) ratings of
ceiling sound transmission.
The collaboration found that because of the various
sound leaks that occur with “as built” interior
components, it would be virtually impossible to provide
confidential speech privacy with partitions stopping at
the ceiling line without the use of a well designed,
installed, and tuned soundmasking system.
sound leaks that occur with “as built” interior
components, it would be virtually impossible to provide
confidential speech privacy with partitions stopping at
the ceiling line without the use of a well designed,
installed, and tuned soundmasking system.
| Soundmasking.com is the web site of Dynasound, Inc., the industry leader in sound masking since 1975. Dynasound is a process driven organization that provides turn-key sound masking solutions tailored to the requirements and characteristics of each environment. Home Site Map Dynasound, Inc. 6439 Atlantic Blvd. Norcross, GA. 30071 Toll Free: 800.989.6275 |
