The_easy_way_to_good_acoustics_ENG - Flipbook - Page 4
Acoustics
We can neither see nor touch acoustics and we usually only notice it when it is less than ideal.
Nevertheless, studies1 show that acoustics play a vital role in our overall wellbeing, health, learning, concentration and much
more - even though it is invisible.
But what exactly are acoustics?
Put simply, acoustics describe how sound behaves and moves through a space.
Sound consists of pressure waves travelling through the air. These are the waves we want to bring to rest as quickly as possible in order to create a comfortable acoustic environment. The higher the decibel level (volume), the more powerful the sound
wave.
To absorb sound, we use sound-absorbing materials. If these are missing, or if a room is dominated by hard surfaces like brick
or concrete, the sound waves are reflected and bounce around in the space, causing them to decay more slowly.
Reverberation time refers to the number of seconds it takes for the sound level to drop by 60 dB after the source of the sound
has stopped. This is the key factor we measure when assessing how to improve the acoustics of a room.
And that’s how reverberation, or room echo, occurs.
That’s why reverberation time sets the agenda when we talk about acoustics.
1
These include studies such as: ”Every tenth child struggles to hear the teacher due to noice”, ”Harmfull noise affects more people than expected” and
”Stress and open office noise”
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