Visualization of Acoustic Comfort in an Open-Plan, High-Performance Glass Building

Abstract

The aesthetic and functional appeal of high-performance, open-plan office buildings presents special challenges. Extensive use of glass at the building’s perimeter to improve visual comfort and office communication can negatively impact acoustic comfort without proper design considerations. This study investigates the utility of a novel visualization approach to documenting the interactional impact of acoustical comfort on the health and well-being of occupants in an open-office environment. Room acoustic measurements of background noise and speech transmission index were conducted and distraction distances were calculated and visualized using a mapping technique. In addition, a comprehensive pre- and post-occupancy evaluation protocol was employed. The paper illustrates the reliability of the visualization approach to aid in the interpretation and comparison of various open-office acoustic solutions from a human-centric acoustic environment perspective.