Would you like to learn more about office acoustics and proper acoustical design? CCR ASSOCIATES has posted an educational resource, Guidelines for Design of an Office with Good Acoustics to help office designers, architects, and facility managers better understand office acoustics. This book is free to download.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Privacy Concepts
Chapter 2: Speech Privacy
Chapter 3: Achieving Acoustical Privacy in Open Offices
Chapter 4: Achieving Acoustical Privacy in Closed Offices
Chapter 5: Medical Facilities
Chapter 6: Secure Facilities
Appendix: A Primer on Sound Masking
You can also download the entire book here.
Showing posts with label speech privacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speech privacy. Show all posts
April 15, 2010
July 28, 2009
Setting the Stage for Speech Privacy
It pays to keep a common sense approach to office acoustics. There are numerous practical and economical ways to cut down on unwanted noise transmission that are not only highly effective, but necessary first steps towards building a desirable acoustic environment. Remediation strategies such as electronic sound masking can only be effective if the underlying structural environment is relatively sound.
As acoustical consultants, CCR ASSOCIATES is frequently called in to assess ongoing acoustical problems in currently occupied office space. Once on site, it often becomes apparent that many acoustical problems are due to structural/design problems in the office, and that these design problems must be resolved before one can accurately assess the potential effectiveness of sound masking. Wall and ceiling voids, open air grills, low/no cubicle walls, poorly sealing doors and windows, poorly designed workstations, etc. are all very common. Common sense dictates that sound will transmit through openings, and that these openings should be sealed, if possible.
The chart above demonstrates how important it is to fix any underlying structural acoustical problems before attempting further remediation. Until an office reaches a Privacy Index of 60 or above, little acoustical benefit can be gained from sound masking or other electronic acoustical remediation. Above 60, increases in PI through sound masking or other means are considerably more effective.
As acoustical consultants, CCR ASSOCIATES is frequently called in to assess ongoing acoustical problems in currently occupied office space. Once on site, it often becomes apparent that many acoustical problems are due to structural/design problems in the office, and that these design problems must be resolved before one can accurately assess the potential effectiveness of sound masking. Wall and ceiling voids, open air grills, low/no cubicle walls, poorly sealing doors and windows, poorly designed workstations, etc. are all very common. Common sense dictates that sound will transmit through openings, and that these openings should be sealed, if possible.
The chart above demonstrates how important it is to fix any underlying structural acoustical problems before attempting further remediation. Until an office reaches a Privacy Index of 60 or above, little acoustical benefit can be gained from sound masking or other electronic acoustical remediation. Above 60, increases in PI through sound masking or other means are considerably more effective.
May 21, 2009
Measuring Speech Privacy - Guidelines for Success
Though it may seem subjective, speech privacy can be measured, and the overall acoustical effectiveness of an environment can be objectively calculated. Our main tools of measurement are the Articulation Index (AI) and the Privacy Index (PI).Articulation Index is a measurement of speech intelligibility, taking into account the following factors:
- The spectrum of normal human speech
- The sound attenuation (loss in intensity due to sound absorption and dispersal) between talker and listener
- The spectrum of background noise at the point of the listener.
Privacy Index is a measurement of speech privacy. PI can be derived from the AI measurement using the following formula:
PI = 100(1-AI)
The relationship between PI and AI is inverse (as the AI increases, the PI decreases) and nonlinear. The range of PI is between 0 and 100, where 0 indicates complete lack of privacy, and 100 indicates complete privacy.
March 17, 2009
Degrees of Speech Privacy: How much is enough?
When it comes to office acoustics, design follows function. Every human space has different acoustical requirements, depending on its purpose. We expect it to be quiet in a library, and noisy at a basketball game. The acoustical design of each space has (hopefully) been tailored to its function. Like libraries and gymnasiums, office space benefits from acoustical design that has been tailored to its specific purpose.
There are five generally recognized degrees of speech privacy:
1. No speech privacy
2. Transitional
3. Normal
4. Confidential
5. Secret
No Speech Privacy
In environments where face-to-face conversation is the major activity, speech privacy isn't typically desirable, since of course the purpose of a conversation is to hear and understand one another. Retail space, restaurants, lecture halls, and reception areas are examples of areas that don't typically benefit from speech privacy.
Transitional Speech Privacy
Transitional levels of speech privacy allow for transmission of auditory information, but make it slightly more difficult to clearly understand human speech. Casual office layouts with mixed use areas (often used to develop a "team" feeling in the office) generally provide Transitional speech privacy. Though it may feel more like home to have a couch and coffee table in the middle of the work area, it will also sound more like home, too. Depending on the office culture, this may not be a bad thing, but it may lead to an unprofessional atmosphere unless carefully planned and monitored.
Normal Speech Privacy
Most office workers find that Normal speech privacy levels help them to focus on their work, without distraction. Normal privacy allows for auditory transmission, but makes it difficult to understand conversations outside of the employee's immediate area. Office areas in which people are typically working alone at their desks will benefit from Normal privacy levels. The majority of office space falls into this category, though there is a large degree of acceptable variance within the Normal range.
Confidential Speech Privacy
In situations where privacy is important, either for personal, professional, or legal reasons, Confidential speech privacy is recommended. Conversations that you would typically have "behind closed doors" require Confidential privacy levels, ensuring that human speech is completely unintelligible to listeners outside of the conversation.
Secret Speech Privacy
As the name implies, Secret privacy levels make it extremely difficult or impossible for outside listeners to overhear a conversation, even with listening devices. Though it may seem like the stuff of James Bond movies, there are situations in which organizations require complete secrecy in order to protect their interests and prevent information leaks.
There are five generally recognized degrees of speech privacy:
1. No speech privacy
2. Transitional
3. Normal
4. Confidential
5. Secret
No Speech Privacy
In environments where face-to-face conversation is the major activity, speech privacy isn't typically desirable, since of course the purpose of a conversation is to hear and understand one another. Retail space, restaurants, lecture halls, and reception areas are examples of areas that don't typically benefit from speech privacy.
Transitional Speech Privacy
Transitional levels of speech privacy allow for transmission of auditory information, but make it slightly more difficult to clearly understand human speech. Casual office layouts with mixed use areas (often used to develop a "team" feeling in the office) generally provide Transitional speech privacy. Though it may feel more like home to have a couch and coffee table in the middle of the work area, it will also sound more like home, too. Depending on the office culture, this may not be a bad thing, but it may lead to an unprofessional atmosphere unless carefully planned and monitored.
Normal Speech Privacy
Most office workers find that Normal speech privacy levels help them to focus on their work, without distraction. Normal privacy allows for auditory transmission, but makes it difficult to understand conversations outside of the employee's immediate area. Office areas in which people are typically working alone at their desks will benefit from Normal privacy levels. The majority of office space falls into this category, though there is a large degree of acceptable variance within the Normal range.
Confidential Speech Privacy
In situations where privacy is important, either for personal, professional, or legal reasons, Confidential speech privacy is recommended. Conversations that you would typically have "behind closed doors" require Confidential privacy levels, ensuring that human speech is completely unintelligible to listeners outside of the conversation.
Secret Speech Privacy
As the name implies, Secret privacy levels make it extremely difficult or impossible for outside listeners to overhear a conversation, even with listening devices. Though it may seem like the stuff of James Bond movies, there are situations in which organizations require complete secrecy in order to protect their interests and prevent information leaks.
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