This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.
  1. Comfort
  2. Sound reducing surfaces

Sound reducing surfaces

Features>Comfort>80. Sound reducing surfaces

80. Sound reducing surfaces

Proper design and construction are not always enough to achieve acoustic comfort in buildings. Sound transmission from internal and external sources, footfall noise and voices from adjacent spaces are difficult to control. However, sound reduction treatments such as wall panels, ceiling baffles and surface enhancements can help with reverberation management to improve acoustic comfort.

The intent of this feature is to design spaces that incorporate absorptive surfaces to reduce unwanted noise reverberation. The noise reduction coefficient (NRC) is an average value that determines the absorptive properties of materials. The larger the NRC value, the better the material is at absorbing sound under standardized conditions.

Part 1: Ceilings

The following spaces, if present, have ceilings that meet the specifications described:

a) Open office spaces: NRC of at least 0.9 for the entire surface area of the ceiling (excluding lights, skylights, diffusers and grilles).
b) Conference and teleconference rooms: NRC of at least 0.8 on at least 50% of the surface area of the ceiling (excluding lights, skylights, diffusers and grilles).
Part 2: Walls

The following spaces, if present, have walls which meet the NRC specifications described:

a) Open office spaces: minimum NRC of 0.8 on walls or panels of at least 25% of the surface area of the surrounding walls.
b) Cubicle style offices: partitions reach to head height and have a minimum NRC of 0.8.
c) Enclosed offices, conference and teleconference rooms: minimum NRC of 0.8 on at least 25% of the surface area of surrounding walls.
Endocrine
Cardiovascular
Nervous

Applicability Matrix

Core & Shell New Construction WELL Interiors
Part 1: Ceilings - O O
Part 2: Walls - O O
Commercial Kitchen Education Multifamily Residential Retail
Part 1: Ceilings - O - O
Part 2: Walls - - - O

Verification Methods Matrix

Letters of Assurance Annotated Documents On-Site Checks
PART 1 (Design)
Ceilings 		Architect

90

U. S. General Services Administration Center for Workplace Strategy Public Buildings Service. Sound Matters: How to Achieve Acoustic Comfort in the Contemporary Office. Washington, D.C.: General Services Administration Center for Workplace Strategy Public Buildings Service; 2012: 11, 29, 32, 33, 36.
80.1.a

The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends this NRC value for open plan workspaces.
80.1.b

The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends this NRC value for meeting rooms and teleconference rooms.
80.2.a

The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends this NRC value for open plan workspaces.
80.2.b

The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends this NRC value for quiet open offices which have head-height walls.
80.2.c

The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends a minimum NRC of 0.8 on at least 25% of two adjacent walls for enclosed workspaces.
Features>Comfort>80. Sound reducing surfaces