Acoustics in the hospitality industry
Good room acoustics are an essential feel-good factor and, especially in the premium hotel industry, a basic prerequisite for making the guest's stay as pleasant as possible. Unfortunately, acoustics are often only really noticed when they are poor.
Just as with lighting, a balanced acoustic environment should be ensured in all areas. However, as with lighting, there are areas where meeting lower requirements is acceptable. In corridor areas as well as in the rooms, carpeting is sufficient to avoid impact sound. In most cases there is also a suspended absorbent ceiling. For all other areas, we have developed a product portfolio in which lighting and room acoustics work together harmoniously. Acoustic lighting crafts ideal lighting conditions and good acoustics, which together create a high level of well-being.
Lobbies, foyers, and receptions
The lobby is the first point of contact with the guest. This is why hotels increasingly focus on modern architecture and reduced design: smooth, hard surfaces, large glass facades, and sparse decoration. Although this creates visual elegance, it favours the propagation of sound. To create a certain confidentiality and pleasant atmosphere, the deliberate use of acoustic elements is crucial. Expansive, high rooms are best optimised by large-volume acoustic elements that are freely arranged in the room.
Conference and meeting rooms
Good mutual understanding determines the success of a meeting or seminar. The room acoustics should allow participants to speak without effort and ensure that the speakers are easily understood by others. The goal is uniform sound absorption, especially in the frequency range relevant to speech. In small meeting rooms, acoustic elements are best placed close to the source of the sound, for example, directly above the meeting table. In larger lecture rooms, sound-reflecting equipment in the centre of the ceiling is recommended.
Restaurants, bars, and coffee shops
Good room acoustics are indispensable when dining or having a drink in the evening. In principle, the reverberation time should be in a fairly low range to dampen the sound caused by conversations and to prevent mutual build-up (Lombard effect). Crockery and cutlery also cause clanging, high-frequency sounds.
The even distribution of absorbent acoustic elements, which are distributed both on the restaurant’s ceiling and its walls, promotes a balanced acoustic environment. This allows guests to enjoy their stay to the full.
Children's area
Good room acoustics are crucial especially in children's areas. In addition to sound-absorbing measures protecting the hearing of the staff, children also need even better basic room acoustics for improved comprehensibility. High-frequency sound components are more prevalent and can be attenuated very well with XAL’s portfolio. With the new colours, a very colourful and appealing lighting and acoustic concept can be created, for example with HEX-O.
Fitness, spa, and wellness
XAL’s acoustic products are ideal in fitness and wellness areas as the PET material is resistant to moisture and does not absorb it, thereby providing no breeding ground for bacteria. In the fitness room, however, a very good floor structure is important to avoid impact sound transmission from falling weights or bouncing people. Even if this basic requirement is met, high-frequency noise can still occur due to metal components within equipment clashing. We can counteract this with our portfolio and install targeted acoustic elements on ceilings and walls in noisy areas.
