Other than natural light, acoustics also plays a crucial role that affects individuals and their productivity within a workspace. In this article, we will be providing a guide to understanding acoustics.
The usage of a decibel scale would be a great place to start in understanding acoustics. At the same time, it also provides a basis to the acoustics requirements of workspaces as compared to the specifications of your glass partitions.
Decibel (abbreviated dB) is the unit used to measure the intensity of sound. On the decibel scale, the smallest audible sound (near total silence) is 0 dB, where some common sounds and their decibel ratings are as follows:
- Near total silence – 0 dB
- A whisper – 15 dB
- Normal conversation – 40 dB
- A car horn – 110 dB
- A jet engine – 120 dB
Many of our clients (especially so for the legal industry) require high levels of acoustic performance due to the confidential nature of their work. At ISP, our partitions are acoustically rated according to their performance in laboratory acoustic tests. The resulting figures give an index of performance, which enables the comparison of one form of a partition to another and assess a particular type of partition for a specific application.
Additionally, to ensure the optimum level of sound insulation, ISP also offer tailor-made partition systems to achieve the desired dB rating. For example, our acoustics glazed partitioning has a dB rating of up to 50dB, which helps to ensure that loud conversations cannot be heard easily across this partition.
However, as opposed to a laboratory, the conditions onsite are generally different as most buildings possess a number of acoustic pathways or flanking transmissions which will greatly reduce sound insulation. Some examples of sound leakage includes the junctions of partitions with facades, walls, ceilings, and floors.
At ISP, we understand that different environments may have their unique challenges while attempting to achieve high acoustics performance. Hence, as experts of our craft, we provide recommendation to products with the most appropriate specifications and designs in order to attain maximum levels of acoustic performance and aesthetics.
From the scale of a small meeting room to a large board room, we are confident that our products provide an ideal balance between cost-efficiency and high acoustics performance. Reach out to us and we will be happy to arrange a session to discuss with you the next steps on crafting the ideal acoustics environment for your workspace!
