There is strength in tranquility – improving of room acoustics quite easily with acoustic panels

Advantages of Metawell® acoustic panels

  • Adaptation of the reverberation time to the room use
  • Improved speech intelligibility
  • Well-directed sound control or sound diffusion
  • Uniform sound absorption over the entire frequency range
  • More than 100 % sound absorption for ceiling elements possible by additional sound absorption by the backside of the panel
  • Low weight of the panels
  • Good static stability of the panels. Attachments and fittings can be easily implemented Freedom of design, as any geometries and many surfaces are possible
  • Freedom of design, as any geometries and many surfaces are possible
  • Good heat conduction and therefore no measurable influence on the cooling and heating performance of concrete core tempering with enough space between ceiling and panel
  • Good accessibility, as the gap between the ceiling elements and the walls allows easy revision
  • Lower installation costs, since the surface to be installed is smaller and the elements can be aligned more easily

Why good room acoustics become more and more important?

In our hectic and steadily louder world, the desire for silence is only too easily comprehensible. This applies to the private sphere, but in particular to the workplace. Whether it is in office buildings, kindergartens, schools, sports halls, public administration and public buildings or in certain areas in hospitals – excessive noise is perceived as disturbing and can, in the long run, lead to a reduced performance. Designing rooms acoustically pleasant is a great challenge, especially when considering building physics and design trends, such as concrete core tempering. The optimization of the audibility in the room, increased speech intelligibility and a low reverberation time are of great importance here. Some examples why a good room acoustic should not be underestimated:

In office buildings

A lower concentration under the effect of noise is explained by the fact that human beings are struggling to suppress the disturbing noises from the consciousness. This leads to premature fatigue, loss of concentration, headaches, etc. (See “Health in the Office, publisher: VBG, p. 17). A sound event turns into a noise when it affects a person in his physical, mental or social well-being. Noise leads to lower concentration, which can easily lead to mistakes. If the noise is ongoing, the stress is significantly increased.
(See “Gesundheit, Stress im Betrieb“?) Published by: Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, pp. 24-25)

In kindergartens

Noise leads to increased strains on carers and children, which becomes evident in learning and health problems. A poor acoustics disrupts communication, resulting in restricted vocabulary and a more monotonous language with lesser speech rhythm and speech melody. In addition, attention, concentration, and performance are reduced. This can result in a deteriorated language development of the children which again can lead to problems such as dyslexia. The attendants have to raise their voices, which might lead to vocal cord irritation and they are exposed to a high stress factor. (See “Lärmprävention in Kindertageseinrichtungen“, publisher: Gesetzliche Unfallversicherungsträger der öffentlichen Hand in Nordrhein-Westfalen und der BGW)

In schools

In school rooms, emphasis is primarily placed on a pleasant climate for learning and working. This includes, among other things, room acoustics that have no negative effects on people, such as physiological impairments or psychological stress due to noise. Our acoustically effective ceiling canopies offer 75% to 80% sound absorption and can be used as heating and cooling ceilings for classrooms at the same time.

In hospitals

Hospital noise has a medical, psychological and social impact on patients and nursing staff. Noise leads to stress, which can lead to hypertension over a longer period of time. In noisy rooms one can not sleep peacefully. Sleep is essential for a fast and good recovery. Too much noise leads to concentration impairments, a lower frustration tolerance and a lower performance. Shortened communication is also recorded, which is not helpful for nursing staff or patients. A good room acoustics can help patients recover faster and the nursing staff can take care of their work without additional noise nuisance.
(See Noise control, Vol. 9 (2014) No. 6 – November) Nr. 6 – November)

How can room acoustics be improved subsequently without reducing the effectiveness of already installed radiant ceiling surfaces?

Room acoustics are becoming more and more of a problem in modern office buildings, since large window areas and concrete core-tempered structures are mostly reverberant areas. However, the usually used porous absorbers, which are often retrofitted to improve the reverberation time, have a thermally insulating effect, so that the already installed radiant ceiling panels can only provide a low heat output to the usable space. In comparison to the porous absorbers, Metawell® acoustic ceiling sails combine good sound absorption with excellent thermal conductivity.

In addition to individual acoustic solutions, we also offer a standard acoustic element.

Download our BIM objects for Revit or ArchiCAD:
BIM objects: Metawell Objects as CAD version