Acoustic Design Tips
No single acoustic product, including the Scamp Sound Masking System, can create an effective acoustic environment.  Only through planning and through the careful use of an appropriate mix of acoustic treatments can proper acoustics be ensured.

In very simple terms, the best acoustic strategy is as follows.  First, eliminate as much noise as possible at the source.  Second, add absorptive materials to the space to reduce reverberation and the distance over which sounds travel.  Finally, replenish the lost background sound with the Scamp Sound Masking System.  This will further reduce the distance over which sounds are heard and over which speech remains intelligible, while increasing the comfort of the space.

The following is a list of items to consider when designing for acoustic effectiveness.  Some of these items are common sense, while others have been taken from the experience our employees have gained in over twenty years of providing sound masking solutions.  The list is by no means complete since volumes could be written about these issues, however, many key points have been included.  When taken together, incorporating these items into the design of a space will go a long way towards creating a productive and comfortable acoustic environment.

We encourage you to contact our Technical Consultants to discuss any acoustic issues.


Ceilings
The ceiling is the primary acoustical treatment in any office.  Its acoustic function is to absorb sounds and reduce the reflection of sounds back down into the office space.  This helps reduce the distance over which noises and conversations can be heard.

• The absorption of a ceiling is measured by the Noise Reduction Criteria (NRC) which ranges from 0 (no absorption) to 1.00 (100% absorption). The higher the NRC, the better.

• In order of acoustic performance, from best to worst, ceiling types usually rank as follows: fiberglass tile, mineral tile, perforated metal tile, no ceiling, solid metal tile, and drywall.  Generally there is a significant decline in acoustic performance with any of the last four ceiling types.  There are mineral and perforated metal products available which demonstrate better than average NRC ratings.  The key is to check the NRC rating of the ceiling.

• Foil backing on a fiberglass tile will help contain sounds within closed offices.  Foil backing will also increase the dispersion of a sound masking signal.  From a non-acoustic perspective, foil backing on tiles tends to keep the tiles clean over a longer period by reducing airflow through the tile.

• The thickness of the mineral or fiberglass tile will affect its performance.  Generally, the thinner the tile, the less effective it will be.  However, it is again important to check the tile's NRC rating.

• Since the ceiling is the key acoustic element in the office, failure to use a ceiling tile will have a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of the space.  Also, any break in the ceiling tiles or partial treatment of a space will result in poor acoustic control.

Acoustic Furniture Panels
The furniture's acoustic function is to absorb and block the transmission of office noise and conversation.  Here the term furniture will include partition systems.

• The height of partitions is acoustically significant.  Offices with partitions below a height of 1.25 meters (50 inches) provide essentially the same acoustic benefits as those with no partition systems (from one workstation to another).  Partition heights above 1.75 meters (70 inches) offer decreasing acoustic benefits relative to their cost.

• From an acoustic perspective, it is better to use partitions with absorptive materials than those without.  The absorption of partition systems is measured according to the Sound Transmission Criteria (STC).

• It is important to minimize the number and size of reflective surfaces.  Glass, metal, and drywall components will increase the reflection of noise and conversation and cause them to be heard over a greater distance.

• Minimize openings between, under, and around furniture panels to minimize sound paths.



Lighting
Acoustically, lighting components will increase the reflectivity of the ceiling.  There are a number of lighting strategies which can provide excellent lighting while maintaining proper acoustics.

• Select a lighting system that incorporates a minimum number of fixtures in the ceiling, while providing good lighting.  In some situations, up to 20% of the acoustic ceiling tile is replaced by highly reflective plastic lenses (with an obvious effect upon sound transmission).

• Consider using a deep parabolic lens instead of the traditional solid plastic lens.

• From an acoustic perspective, the best lighting system is an indirect system.  These systems are suspended from the ceiling and maintain the maximum surface area of acoustic ceiling tiles.

Physical Acoustic Barriers
Physical acoustic barriers include plenum barriers, permanent walls, absorptive materials above the ceiling tiles, and doors.

• Plenum barrier materials can be relatively expensive and somewhat difficult to install properly.  The effectiveness of lead, drywall, or rigid fiberglass barriers is significantly reduced if breaks in the barrier exist (either from initial installation or from subsequent damage).

• Plenum barriers may require the installation of expensive HVAC components (cross-talk silencers) to maintain airflow to all areas while limiting the transmission of sound through the ductwork.

• Slab to Slab walls should only be used when absolute confidentiality is required.

• Placing fiberglass insulation above the ceiling tiles has a marginal acoustic benefit.  It also has the disadvantage of hindering access to the ceiling and has potential health concerns due to the presence of loose fiberglass particles.

• Sound masking can often eliminate the need to increase construction standards for permanent walls around private offices (such as additional insulation or extra layers of drywall).  Often a compromise can be reached with the combined use of sound masking and additional wall components that is more effective and cost efficient.

• Ensure that there are no gaps between the suspended ceiling and walls that are built to the ceiling.  Any spaces will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the wall.  Ensure that doors are well sealed for the same reason.

• When walls are built along the perimeter of the building, do not allow spaces to remain between the wall and the window mullion.  Again, any spaces will provide a clear path for the transmission of sounds from one office to another.

• Attention should be paid to the HVAC elements.  Sound can travel through ducts and other heating or cooling elements that pass through a wall from one office to another.


Layout & Design
Layout can affect the proximity of noise sources to office occupants and can also affect the likelihood that noises will travel or be reflected from the source to the listener.

• Locate noisy office machines in a remote or isolated area to prevent the noise from interfering with the concentration of office occupants.

• Try to minimize layouts with direct paths of sound transmission from one person to another.

• The volume of noises and conversations decreases over distance.  As the density of an office layout increases more efforts must be taken to address acoustics.

• Long narrow office spaces, including corridors, tend to have more acoustic problems due to the reflection of noise off of the walls.

• Areas of the office with high activity levels and noise levels (for example, call centers) should be located in a remote or isolated area so that they do not interfere with the activity of other office occupants.

• Try to maximize the distance between employees to allow sound to decay.

• Try to minimize the incidence of employees who face each other on either side of a partition.  Instead, have the employees seated facing away from each other.

Flooring
The main acoustic consideration with respect to flooring is absorption and the reduction of footfall noise.

• Hard flooring is highly reflective and will result in a reverberant environment.

• Carpeting will greatly reduce footfall noise and will absorb much more sound than a hard floor.
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Scamp Sound Masking Systems improve office acoustics by masking office noises in open plan and closed plan concept environments. Sound Masking provides speech privacy, reduced distractions, and increased concentration not with white noise, not with pink noise, but with a sound masking signal. Noise reduction is not achieved with soundproofing or with sound barriers, but with sound masking the best acoustic treatment for offices. Office acoustics is about privacy and freedom from distraction. Scamp sound masking can provide paging, public address, and music system functions. Acoustics and office acoustics are improved with Scamp sound masking systems which give privacy and reduce office noise. Scamp sound masking does not work by active noise cancellation, but introduces a masking sound into the office environment. Acoustic planning is key to creating an effective and productive office space and sound control through the use of sound masking is a key acoustic treatment. Soundproofing in open plan and closed plan offices is not achieved only by using sound baffles or barriers, but with a sound masking system not white noise or pink noise. Office acoustics and paging systems and public address systems and music systems are all combined in the Scamp Sound Masking System. Privacy, acoustics, sound control, office acoustics, white noise, pink noise, sound masking, and noise reduction are all addressed by Scamp Sound Masking Systems.