CE0065

Engineering Utilities 2
 MODULE 7
Acoustical Design in Buildings
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Factors in Acoustical Design
7.3 Applications of Acoustics in Buildings
7.4 Building Code of the Philippines
BUILDING ACOUSTICS
- The science of controlling the
noise in buildings which
includes minimization of noise
transmission and the control
of the characteristics of sound
within spaces

- Noise pollution has impact on

the health and wellbeing of
individuals
NOISE NUISANCE
▪ Environmental noise – noise from transportation sources
▪ Neighbor noise – includes noise from inside and outside
buildings
▪ Neighborhood noise – includes noise arising from
industrial and entertainment premises, trade and
businesses, construction sites and noise in the street
Building acoustics can be influenced by:

▪ Site selection
▪ Volume
▪ Shape
▪ Interior surface
▪ Reverberation
▪ Seating arrangements and audience
▪ Sound absorption
▪ Sound insulation
Site Selection
— If possible, site should be away from busy street, railways,
and airports
— Orientation, layout, and structural design

Volume
— Purpose of hall
— Height is of greater importance
Shape
— Correcting the defects for better distribution of sound
— Ceiling height for a room or hall is 1/3rd to 2/3rd of the width
of the room

Interior Surface
— Provide favorable reflections
— Tilted portions of the ceiling
— Plain side wall are normally found suitable
— Concave ceiling surfaces should be avoided
Reverberation time
— The persistence of sound in space after a sound source has
been stopped and is linked to the surfaces that enclose it
and the volume of the room
— High reverberation time can make a room sound loud and
noisy
Sound absorption

— Loss of sound energy when sound waves come into contact

with an absorbent material such as ceilings, walls, floors,
etc.
— Sound absorbers are divided into three categories:
▪ Porous absorbents such as fibrous materials
▪ Resonance absorbents which consist of a mechanical
or acoustic oscillation system
▪ Single absorbers such as tables, chairs, or other
objects
Sound insulation

— Level of sound lost across a partition and not the level of

sound within an adjacent room

— Sound insulation of a material is governed by its mass,

stiffening, and damping
Acoustics in residential buildings and hotels

- Hotels and residential buildings rely on good acoustics for

bookings and high building occupancy levels for sleep
and comfort

- Buildings with less noise have shown to be more valuable

Acoustics in office spaces

- Good acoustics help office workers keep productive

creating a space for better communication

Acoustics in school and medical facilities

- Poor acoustics can lead to poor performance of students

- Acoustic quality in medical facility affects comfort and
recovery of patients