Sound masking

BACKGROUND

Ambient silence can be just as distracting as a loud environment as it highlights acoustical disturbances and decreases speech privacy. Overhearing private conversations is reported as a specific cause of employee acoustic dissatisfaction in open offices. Sound masking systems supply a low level of background noise to provide workers with a degree of confidentiality in their communications and can decrease distraction associated with aural interruptions.

Nervous

Immune

Part 1
Sound Masking Use

VERIFICATION

All open workspaces use the following:

a.⁹⁰

Sound masking systems.

Letter of Assurance
MEP

Part 2
Sound Masking Limits

VERIFICATION

If sound masking systems are used, sound levels fall within the following range, when measured from the nearest workspace:

a.⁹⁰

Open workspaces: 45 - 48 dBA.

b.⁹⁰

Enclosed offices: 40 - 42 dBA.

On Site
Performance Test

	Core & Shell	New & Existing Buildings	New & Existing Interiors
Part 1: Sound Masking Use	-	O	O
Part 2: Sound Masking Limits	-	O	O

Verification Methods Matrix

	Letters of Assurance	Annotated Documents	On-Site Assessment
Part 1: Sound Masking Use	MEP
Part 2: Sound Masking Limits			Performance Test

Standard Citations

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.: 2012: 11, 29, 32, 33, 36.
79.1.a	The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends that sound masking should be considered a technique to achieve acoustic comfort in contemporary offices.
79.2.b	The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends sound masking at 40-42 dBA for private offices.
79.2.a	The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends sound masking at 45-48 dBA for open plan workspaces.

This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.