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Effects of Poor Acoustical Building Design
Effects of Poor Acoustical Building Design
FOR PATIENTS:
FOR CAREGIVERS:
THE SHIFT TO OPEN-CONCEPT SPACES THAT ALLOW FOR MORE NATURAL LIGHT AND
WARMTH BY INCORPORATING GLASS WALLS, HIGH CEILINGS AND LOW PARTITIONS,
CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED DISTRACTION AND LOWER PRODUCTIVITY.
PRIVACY CAN BE NON-EXISTENT IN THESE DESIGNS, THOUGH IN FAIRNESS,
TRADITIONAL FLOOR PLANS WITH CLOSED-DOOR OFFICES AND CLASSROOMS OFTEN
DON’T INCLUDE AN ADEQUATE ACOUSTICAL DESIGN AND THEREFORE PROVIDE A
FALSE SENSE OF PRIVACY. SPECIFIC SHORT-TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS RELATED TO
POOR ACOUSTICS INCLUDE INCREASED STRESS, ANXIETY, AND HIGHER HEART AND
RESPIRATION RATES, AND MUSCLE TENSION.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT NOW, MORE THAN EVER, CREATING AN OPTIMAL
ACOUSTICS EXPERIENCE IN ANY KIND OF BUILDING IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE LOOK,
FEEL AND FUNCTION OF THE SPACE TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF
OCCUPANTS.