AR 381 BUILDING PHYSICS II

     FINAL PROJECT REPORT

FALL 2020

3.02.2021

CANER ÇAKMAK
FATMANUR KOYUNCU
MERVE SÖZEN 
YUSUF EMEK
CONTENT

Part 1. The description of the design

           1.a   Decision  of material,  size and placement of windows , doors  and surfaces
           1.b    Floor plan, ceiling plan, and four sections
           1.c   3D views

Part 2.  Lighting

            2.a  Calculation and design for luminaire 1
            2.b  Calculation and design for luminaire 2
            2.c   Decision on choice of luminaire

 Part 3.  Acoustics

             3.a   A short description of how you selected the optimal reverberation time
              3.b  Table of selected materials listing absorption coefficients used for calculation
              3.c   Calculation table listing of divided surfaces, its material, area,
absorption coefficient for each frequency and equivalent absorption
              3.d   Drawing a graph with reverberation times (RT) on the y-axis and frequency on the x-axis. 
              3.e   A final short evaluation of the reverberation times in the studio

Part 4.   References
Part 1. THE DESCRIPTION OF DESIGN 

The Department of Architecture at IZTECH is designed as an  educational building at Urla,İzmir. There is no dominant noise
source around the building. 
The study focuses on analysis of visual performance, lighting design and acoustic comfort and design for architectural
studios. It analyzed several important design issues that have significant impact on visual quality, including space size and
depth to height ratio, windows orientation, lighting direction and desk position. Dimensions of the studio are 17.00 m by
12.00 m with a height of 3.80 m. 
The brief was to work with an existing educational organization to create a classroom design that would best serve their
needs into the next century.
Additionally, the Window Wall also allows the students to regulate their own immediate physical environment, fine tuning
the light, air, and acoustics of their space in order make the most of their connection to these other, larger systems.
The new Window Wall system fits into the existing opening, a section through the system shows the components:

1.a   Decision  of material,  size and placement of windows , doors  and surfaces
Window direction
Natural daylight coming from the northern windows does not create shade in the classroom; Accordingly, it is
recommended for illuminating classrooms and other teaching areas because it consists mainly of indirect emitted light from
the sky. In the north orientation, direct sun can be experienced for very short periods in the early morning or late afternoon
in the middle of summer when schools are closed. Therefore, openings were created on the north facade.
Lighting direction
Another important issue that has an effect on the visual performance of the student is the direction of lighting in the
classroom according to the position of the desk. For the design of the school building, the suitability of the lighting for the
purpose of the studio is based on by embedding the lighting in the suspended ceiling.
Table positions
The position of the student desk in the classroom has a great impact on the visual comfort of the student. Each student
position has a different field of view, which is a function of the viewer's perspective and focus of attention. The contrasting
luminosities in the field of view should be comfortable and help improve visual performance. It is desirable to make the
visual task the brightest object in the field of view.
  1.b    Floor plan, ceiling plan, and four sections
           1.c   3D views
Part 2.  LIGHTING

First we determined Room Cavity Ratio . When finding room cavity ratio, we need to know room cavity height, width and
length of the studio. While finding room cavity height, we subtract luminaire height from -workplane height .Work plane
hight is equal to desk high, and desk heigth is 80 cm. 

Step 1:

5 h RC (L+ W )
RCR=
LW

Room cavity height (hRC)= Luminaire height- workplane height

Ceiling height=0,2

hRC =2.8 m

5 x 2,8(17 m+12 m)
= 406 / 204 = 1,99 approx. 2
17 m x 12 m

Step 2:

5 h cc( L+W )
Ceiling Cavity Ratio =
LW

5 h fc( L+W )
Floor Cavity Ratio =
LW

Step 3: Finding effective cavity reflectance

Step 4: Then, CU value can be determined from CU table for first luminare and second luminare.

Pcc is 0,7 and wall reflectance is 0,5. Light loss factor is 0,8 and room cavity ratio is determined almost 2. CU value of first
luminare is 0,59. CU value of second luminare is 0,62 (TABLE H) .
CU= 59 From table H

Qtotal x CU x LLF ( 1800 ) X 2 X a x 0.59 x 0.80

EWP= = = 500
Awp 17 x 12

a=38,8009738 approx. 39

( 2650 ) X 2 X a x 0.62 x 0.80

= = 500 a= 60,0282248 approx. 61
17 x 12

Luminaire 1 60,0282248 61
 Luminaire 2 38,8009738 39

Figure: Luminaire locations

LUMINAIRE CALCULATION

We used the following formula to find the number of lamps;

The result from the formula for 1. luminaire is 60,03, so we assumed it 61.

2. is 38,8 for luminaire and we assumed it as 39 and

According to the Candle Power Diagram, the emission amount of the 2nd luminaire is lower. It is more appropriate to use
the one with the high amount of diffusion in the classroom. As a result, the number of lamps used for the classroom is 39.

Part 3.  ACOUSTICS

Acoustics: The basic  requirements of acoustic comfort for architectural studios can be listed as; to ensure background
noise level at optimum limits, to provide speech  intelligibility, to prevent rain noise and other acoustical problems. Impact
sound insulation is controlled by floor finishes. absorbent liner absorbent panels to the walls
              
  3.a   A short description of how you selected the optimal reverberation time
The reverbration time of a classrooms varies according to the volume of that area. As the volume increases, the optimal
reverberation time increases.

‘’The standards are quite simple in their criteria, requiring a reverberation time of not more than 0.6 seconds at the mid-
speech frequencies of 250, 500, and 1,000 Hertz in typical classrooms up to 10,000 cubic feet and 0.7 seconds for classrooms
up to 20,000 cubic feet.’’

According to ANSI Standard S12.60, the optimal reverbration time value of classrooms around 20,000 ft 3 (566 m3) should be
0.7 seconds. Therefore, we accepted the optimal revebration time in the studio as 0.7 seconds. Considering the acceptable
values of ± 10%, we came to the conclusion that the revebration time should be between 0.77 seconds maximum and 0.63
seconds minimum.

Table.1: acceptable values

0,7
Optimal Revebration Time (sec) 0,70 0,70 0,70
0
0,7
Maximum Revebration Time(+10%) 0,77 0,77 0,77
7
0,6
Minimum Revebration Time(-10%) 0,63 0,63 0,63
3

3.b  Table of selected materials listing absorption coefficients used for calculation

We have found their absorption coefficients by selecting acoustically suitable and usable materials from various sources.

Table.2: absorption coefficients of materials

FREQUENCIES (Hz) 250 500 1000 2000

MATERIALS COEFFICIENTS(α)
0,0
Tile 0,015 0,02 0,02
1
0,3
Floor areas with Drawing Tables and chairs (occupied) 0,40 0,50 0,50
0
0,2
Floor areas with Drawing Tables and chairs (empty) 0,10 0,10 0,20
0
0,2
Plaster Decorative Panels 0,18 0,15 0,15
2
0,0
Plaster 0,03 0,04 0,05
3
0,3
Acoustic Plaster 0,40 0,55 0,70
5
0,8
Fiberglass: 2'' 703 no airspace 0,99 0,99 0,99
2
0,9
Foam: SDG 4'' 0,84 0,99 0,98
0
0,2
Glass 0,18 0,12 0,07
5
Acoustic Door 0,3 0,44 0,49 0,54
 9
0,0
Whiteboard 0,01 0,01 0,01
2

3.c   Calculation table listing of divided surfaces, its material, area, absorption coefficient for each frequency and
equivalent absorption

The equivalent absorption value of the surface at that frequency is found by multiplying the absorption coefficients values
of the materials in Table.2 at each frequency with the surface area of the material used. After all the values are calculated,
the total A value is obtained by adding up. The formula for all these calculations is below.

n
A=∑ ( Si . ai ) + A people + A furniture
i=1

A is equivalent absorption

ai is absorption of surface i

Si is area of surface i

Table.3: Calculation table

A  A A A
SURFACE MATERIAL AREA(S) (m2)
250 Hz  500 Hz 1000 Hz  2000 Hz

FLOOR Tile 38,40 0,3840 0,5760 0,7680 0,7680

AFLOOR 0,3840 0,5760 0,7680 0,7680

CEILING Plaster Decorative Panels 204,00 44,8800 36,7200 30,6000 30,6000

ACEILING 44,8800 36,7200 30,6000 30,6000

Plaster 90,90 2,7270 2,7270 3,6360 4,5450

Acoustic Plaster 18,00 6,3000 7,2000 9,9000 12,6000

Fiberglass: 2'' 703 no airspace 33,24 27,2568 32,9076 32,9076 32,9076

WALLS Foam: SDG 4'' 17,00 15,3000 14,2800 16,8300 16,6600

WINDOWS:Glass 25,00 6,2500 4,5000 3,000 1,7500

DOOR:Acoustic Door 3,36 1,3104 1,4784 1,6464 1,8144

Whiteboard 6,00 0,1200 0,0600 0,0600 0,0600

AWALL 68,7142 72,6730 79,7500 84,077

FURNITURE Tables and Chairs(occupied) 165,60 49,6800 66,2400 82,8000 82,8000

 AFURNITURE 49,6800 66,2400 82,8000 82,8000

163,858 176,209 193,918

OCCUPIED ATOTAL O. 197,2450
2 0 0

FLOOR Tables and Chairs(empty) 165,60 33,1200 16,5600 16,5600 33,1200

AFLOOR2 33,1200 16,5600 16,5600 33,1200

133,568 110,889
EMPTY ATOTAL E. 96,2580 114,4250
0 0

As a result, the A values (values shaded in blue) that will be used to calculate the empty and full situations of the class are
obtained.

V
T 60 =0,161× [ sec ]
A

T60 is Revebration Time

V is total volume 

Volume=17x12x3,6=734,4 m3

A is total absorption  When the obtained values are applied in the formula, the reverb times are found according to the
frequency value.

OCCUPIED

For 250 hertz: (0,161). (734,4)/(163,8582)=0,761678 sec

For 500 hertz: (0,161). (734,4)/(176,2090)=0,708291 sec

For 1000 hertz: (0,161).(734,4)/(193,9180)=0,643608 sec

For 2000 hertz: (0,161).(734,4)/(197,2450)=0,632752 sec

Table.4: the fully occupied revebration time

FREQUENCIES(Hz) 250 500 1000 2000

REVEBRATION TIME(sec) 0,761678 0,708291 0,643608 0,632752

EMPTY

For 250 hertz: (0,161). (734,4)/(133,5680)=0,934408 sec

For 500 hertz: (0,161). (734,4)/(110,8890)=1,125515 sec

For 1000 hertz: (0,161).(734,4)/(96,2580)=1,296590 sec

For 2000 hertz: (0,161).(734,4)/(114,4250)=1,090734 sec

Table.5: the empty revebration time

FREQUENCIES(Hz) 250 500 1000 2000

REVEBRATION TIME(sec) 0,934408 1,125515 1,29659 1,090734
It is a graph of reverbration time varios frequencies in the studio. The red line shows the reverbration time when the studio
is full and the green line shows the reverberation time when the studio is empty. The entire reverbration time when the
studio is full is within the acceptable range. However, when there is no table or chair, the reverberation time increases
considerably.

3.d   Drawing a graph with reverberation times (RT) on the y-axis and frequency on the x-axis. 

 3.e   A final short evaluation of the reverberation times in the studio

The reverberation time calculated when the studio is full is in the acceptable range. Values are between 0.63 and 0.77
seconds at each frequency. This is an indication that the studio will not cause any problems in terms of acoustics. On the
other hand, the reverberation time obtained when the classroom is empty (no table or chair) exceeds the acceptable value
and reaches up to 1.3 seconds. As a result, the acoustic panel and other elements used in this studio have ensured that the
classroom has an ideal reverberation time.      

Part 4.   References
 
1. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/388134/
Baseline_designs_acoustics_strategy_Dec_2014.pdf
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
265892734_Acoustical_Requirements_in_Architectural_Design_Studios
3. https://www.acoustiblok.co.uk/soundproofing-materials/#12_Acoustic_Putty
4. http://w-as.net/Classroom-of-the-Future-w-Z-S
5. https://academic.oup.com/ijlct/article/5/4/201/687324
6. https://commercial-acoustics.com/common-absorption-coefficients-for-acoustical-treatments/
7. https://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/soundproofing_tips/html/control.htm
8. https://www.acoustic.ua/st/web_absorption_data_eng.pdf
9. http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-RT60Coeff.htm