LEED is certainly all the rage, and rightfully so. Though "green building" has been around for quite a while, with LEED we finally have a benchmark program with a proven track record of success.
What role do office acoustics play in LEED buildings?
The core purpose of the U.S. Green Building Council (the organization responsible for developing the LEED program) is:
"...to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life."
How do we incorporate acoustics into this overall goal? Let's break it down:
Environmental and Social Responsibility:
On the surface this may seem like a non-issue. We're just talking about sound waves, right? But, as always, there are factors to be considered. Noise pollution isn't just something coming from cars on the highway -- it can also be coming from the copier in the hallway, or the phone ringing in the office next door, or the coworker sitting across from you. Noise pollution = noise where it shouldn't be. Excessive unwanted noise can create a toxic environment for office workers. This leads us to another important aspect of acoustics and the LEED program,
Occupant Health:
Numerous studies have concluded that excessive unwanted noise and lack of speech privacy can seriously affect your health, increasing stress levels, which leads to headaches, high blood pressure, and possible heart disease. Acoustics are an important component of Indoor Environmental Quality, but as yet have been overlooked in LEED certification standards.
A Prosperous Environment:
A successful acoustical environment leads to happier employees, less stress, less sick days, greater speech privacy, and greater productivity. In one study, workers in a noisy office made 40 percent fewer attempts to solve a problem, which amounts to a significant loss in overall productivity. Speech privacy is also important to a prosperous corporate environment -- without it, confidential conversations can become hot topics around the water cooler, or worse yet, lead to dropped clients or potential lawsuits.
Conclusion:
With proper acoustical design, office environments can successfully fulfill the core principles of the LEED program -- environmental and social responsibility, a healthy and prosperous environment, and a general increase in the quality of life.
Resources:
What Does Sustainable Design Sound Like? from Acoustics.com
What is LEED? from the U.S. Green Building Council
Green Audiovisual Systems from Sound & Communications
Research on Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) from the Center for the Built Environment
Posts
