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

Sound masking

Sound masking

Intent: 

To reduce acoustic disruptions and increase speech privacy by implementing sound masking into the building design.

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.

Part 1
Sound Masking Use

All open workspaces use the following:
a.90
Sound masking systems.

Part 2
Sound Masking Limits

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.