A quiet environment is a core human need. Nevertheless, we are usually exposed to background noise from morning to night – from the ringing of the alarm clock to the conversational hum in modern open-plan offices. In the workplace, the quality of room acoustics is cited as one of the most important factors for one's well-being. Studies have shown that the acoustics of a room impact both productivity and the general quality of togetherness and one's health.
XAL's goal is to craft spaces where people feel relaxed, safe, and productive. To this end, we have developed a product portfolio in which lighting and room acoustics interact harmoniously. Acoustic lighting creates optimal lighting conditions and a balanced acoustic environment that enhances concentration, promotes social interaction, and creates an all-round sense of well-being.
We have been experiencing a trend towards a communicative and agile working world in office design for years. In addition to optimising space, the open office landscape is expected to lead to increased professional exchange and more work-related flexibility. However, such open spaces raise acoustic challenges. Conversations require good speech intelligibility, while the rest of the team should be able to work in a focused manner.
The optimum reverberation time for open-plan offices is between 0.7 and 0.9 seconds in the frequencies relevant to speech. If the reverberation time is longer, a room is perceived as too loud. If it is shorter, speech intelligibility increases – but this is counterproductive in open offices, as it is distracting. The optimum average value is decisive for acoustic conditions that promote concentration.
In a well-balanced acoustic concept, the first step is to absorb disturbing sound to reduce reverberation. At the same time, sound screens and other vertically aligned acoustic elements prevent the propagation of speech in the room. This creates a sense of privacy without isolation.
We have created a selection of different lighting and acoustic simulations for you in a typical multi-person office with common structural conditions. Both strict grid arrangements and freely placed acoustic elements are simulated. Lighting and acoustic elements were either combined as separate products or used as a combination solution.
Good mutual understanding determines a meeting's success. At meetings and conferences, the room acoustics should enable people to speak without straining and ensure that speakers are easily understood by other participants. This is especially true for telephone and video conferences, where strong reverberation quickly creates disturbing feedback effects.
The aim is to achieve uniform sound absorption, especially in the frequency range relevant to speech. Unpleasant flutter echoes can be avoided by equipping one of two opposite walls with absorbent material. In small meeting rooms, the placement of acoustic elements close to the sound source has proven to be effective, for example, directly above the conference table. In larger lecture rooms, sound-reflecting equipment in the middle of the ceiling is recommended so that speech can be easily understood all the way to the back rows.
Depending on the size of the meeting or conference room, the optimum reverberation time is between 0.4 and 0.7 seconds. For people with impaired hearing, it should be reduced even further in inclusive spaces, to a maximum of 0.3 to 0.5 seconds.
