Smart Solutions in Office Design

In order for a room acoustic measure to be calculated and assessed realistically, well-founded acoustic physical basic knowledge and practical experience is appropriate. In particular, the initial values of reality must be determined accordingly. For sensitive areas, the measurement should be carried out professionally by an acoustic expert. Alternatively, at least a provisional measurement should be performed with a phone app repeatedly. The provisional measurement serves only as a guideline for the selection of the room materials and their absorption coefficients in the acoustic calculator. Basically, any calculation without professional measurements of the initial situation is hypothetical!

Example:

Low frequencies are absorbed differently than high frequencies. Glass surfaces (Windows) or a normal office cabinet made of chipboard in different thicknesses, when you hit the resonance of the deep tones, can act for the low frequencies absorbing. However, a correct calculation is hardly possible due to the lack of measured data of the objects. On the basis of a measurement, special depth absorbers (vibrating resonators) need to be specifically set.

The calculations are based on measured data from objects and materials. Some of these are listed in the DIN 18041 exemplary. Others are taken from various sources for their correctness and conformity with the actual existing object or material there is no guarantee.

Area is important-small elements, for example, are simply overlooked by lower frequencies due to the long wavelength. Even with a-class absorbers, an adequately large absorbing surface is required in relation to the size of the room. In communication rooms, absorbers on the ceiling are sparingly and consciously dealt with. Here is more of a reflection desired!

Vital-Office therefore recommends the use of flexible acoustically effective products. Acoustic products that are divisible and easy to install and can be easily removed if necessary. This makes the investment in acoustically effective products more sustainable, more economical and more effective. For example, the VitAcoustic 3d frames. The VitAcoustic 3d frames have additional positive acoustic properties (among others on the lower frequencies) through the nested bamboo solid wood frames.

P.S. in the table "VO01" of the acoustic calculator, example values for a conference room and in VO02 for a club room are entered according to the adjacent 360 degree panorama picture.

Contributors to the Project acoustic calculator:

We are happy to share the original Excel with a contributing community similar to an open source project. Interested parties are kindly asked to contact [email protected] by e-mail. Further development steps are:

Extension and addition of the material and object database, in particular measured values of standard furnishings or entire exemplary facilities by room size.

Extension by further calculation formulas (currently only Sabine was chosen) and their comparative comparison.

What you hear is often different from what you see. Acoustically good room design is not so easy. A consultant should bring well-founded basic knowledge and practical experience. All shown and advertising-strongly published absorption values are to be evaluated in relation to the application in the room and the processing of the product. For example, a huge difference arises whether the sound absorbing material is directly applied to a hard surface or is mounted at a distance.

In this respect, the thickness of the material also plays a role. However, for the most part only in the mass as it increases the distance to the hard surface. In practical terms, this means that a thinner material achieves the same sound absorption when it is mounted at a distance. Depending on the application, a cost-benefit comparison between a. thick material and B. Thinner material with substructure makes sense.

A new development with low costs but at the same time highly efficient in sound absorption: A beautiful opportunity to bring together design and function are the solid wood bamboo frames, in which vitAcoustic panels can be clipped without tools and easily removed and replaced. At home, in the office and even in public buildings, this creates appealing and highly absorbent wall decorations with at the same time pleasant room acoustics. The system can be extended at any time and with it the desired sound absorption. Very individual ideas can be implemented by printing the panels with ornaments, personal photos or company slogans. The filigree frames are made of solid bamboo and are available in three sizes and thicknesses. Thus, a three-dimensional design effect of the wall can be achieved.