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  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: Floor Construction

All floors in the corridors of all regularly occupied spaces have the following:

a.101 Impact Insulation Class (IIC) value of not less than 50.
Part 2: Walls

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

a.90 Enclosed offices, conference and teleconference rooms: minimum NRC of 0.8 on at least 25% of the surface area of surrounding walls.
b.90 Cubicle style offices: partitions reach to head height and have a minimum NRC of 0.8.
Part 3: School Ceilings

The following spaces have ceilings that meet the specifications described:

a. Spaces less than 6,000 m_ [20,000 ft²]: NRC of at least 0.7 for the entire surface area of the ceiling (excluding lights, skylights, diffusers and grilles).
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Applicability Matrix

Core & Shell Tenant Improvement New Construction
Part 1: Floor Construction - - -
Part 2: Walls - O O
Part 3: School Ceilings - - -
Commercial Kitchen Schools Multifamily Residential Restaurant Retail
Part 1: Floor Construction - O O - -
Part 2: Walls - - - - -
Part 3: School Ceilings - O - - -

Verification Methods Matrix

Letters of Assurance Annotated Documents On-Site Checks
PART 1 (Design)
Floor Construction 		Architect
PART 2 (Design)
Walls 		Architect
PART 3 (Design)
School 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.: 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.c

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

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.
80.2.b

The General Services Administration's Sound Matters recommends this NRC value for open plan workspaces.
Features>Comfort>80. Sound reducing surfaces