Acoustically smart design means taking the latest approaches and perspectives on architecture and sound design, then utilising them in current and upcoming projects. In our industry, we see newer and more advanced building materials enter the market each week.
Discovering and using these new materials is often exciting for architects, especially when you are introduced to new products which you might not have ever thought of or heard about before.
New developments are constantly happening, and it’s also fantastic to see many of these being in the eco-friendly and sustainable arena.
In this article, we will discuss some of the latest developments in acoustic design that are innovative, smart, and environmentally friendly.
Recyclable and renewable acoustic products
There is a range of environmentally friendly, recyclable, renewable and sustainable acoustic products available on the market today. From PET felt (made from recycled plastic bottles) to Wood Wool Panels (made from sustainable wood, cement and water, with colours added using echo-friendly clay paints), there are an array of ways to achieve high levels of acoustically smart design in your latest project.
Other eco-friendly options include:
- GenCork (natural expanded cork)
- Moss Wall (biophilic sound absorption)
- CorkBee (a by-product of wine bottle cork)
Smarter acoustic design
Picture this. A lovely open plan office space, with full-length windows and shiny hardwood floors. Partition walls provide a bit more structure and space for private meetings, but they don’t reach up to the ceiling.
To an architect, that image sounds modern and attractive, but to an acoustic consultant, it sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen.
9/10 of our projects are usually developments that are almost finished that are suffering from high levels of noise transmission, poor reverberation times and/or inadequate speech intelligibility. Often, clients move into a new space and are the ones to flag up how bad the acoustics are.
In these scenarios, where acoustic design hasn’t been considered from the start, retrofitting solutions to the problems can include having to pull up floors, redesign entire spaces, and ultimately cost the project time and money.
By incorporating smarter acoustic design, such as even just making sure partition walls reach the ceiling to block noise transfer, issues can be mitigated before they even arise.
Other examples of acoustically smart design include using sound-absorbing tiles, ceiling baffles, and wall panels, especially when there is a lot of glass and hard surfaces in a space.
How architectural acoustics can benefit a space?
Positive architectural acoustics can benefit people’s health, wellbeing and overall quality of life.
However, implementing acoustic treatment can do more than just improve the sound and quality of a location.
Acoustic products can be beautiful, adding value to an environment in terms of sound and aesthetics. We believe acoustic treatment should be an asset to a space, not just a functional piece.
When acoustics are NOT an afterthought, you can create an environment that uses acoustics to its advantage, making it a point of interest.
Conclusion
Implementing acoustically smart design, which is sustainable and design-led, creates not only a benefit to the sound of a space but also to the residents that occupy it.
If you are an architect or developer looking to achieve an improved acoustic environment in your next building project, then turning to Sound Zero for guidance and collaboration is the perfect option.
Simple changes, guided by our expert insight, can make the world of difference to you and your end-client. We are open to consultations for just ideas and advice but are also available as your partner in your upcoming project, the same way you work with a structural engineer or other construction advisors.
Our team of acoustic consultants is available to discuss your architectural acoustics needs to ensure you select the right acoustic treatment for the space you are working on. We have a range of products that can be completely customised to your colour, size, fabric, and other product requests.
Please do not hesitate to contact us today to go over our bespoke design-led acoustic solutions that can transform your architectural projects.
