North Carolina State University Engineering Lab Acoustic Treatment

Jon BoneJon has a multifaceted career in AV, which has been an asset in his work with Acoustical Solutions. Having worked for integrators, manufacturers, and client-side, he is well-prepared for the demands of the acoustical industry. Jon works with contractors and architects to help them best fulfill their project needs. 1-800-782-5742 Ext. 0127

The PolySorpt® panels installed on the wall of the lab at North Carolina State University reduce echo and reverberation, improving the quality of group discussions.

The Issue

Schools and universities serve a multitude of functions to facilitate learning. Research and development may often fuel core curriculum but, more importantly, define the overall focus of the department. Whether teaching a class or sharing ideas around the lab, acoustics play an important role in effectively sharing ideas and discoveries. Acoustical Solutions was contacted to help provide the North Carolina State University engineering department with a quick, cost-effective sound solution.

A combination of baffles and wall panels were used to create a collaborative and effective work space at this university.

The Challenge

North Carolina State University’s computer lab and office space in the engineering department had very low speech intelligibility. The flat reflective wall surfaces were bouncing sound around the room, making it difficult to hold conferences and classes. Additionally, there were some distracting low-frequency sounds being generated in the lab.

The baffles installed at NCSU added absorption around the room and helped to reduce the low-frequency noise from some lab equipment.

The Solution

Since this was a laboratory environment, the client needed a cleanable material to absorb the sound. Both the AlphaEnvriro® PVC Baffles and the PolySorpt® Acoustic Panels fit the bill. The AlphaEnvriro® PVC Baffles were suspended from the ceiling throughout the space to provide general absorption as well as to address some of the low-frequency issues. Suspending the acoustical material in this manner will help with low-frequency absorption due to the fact that the material has give and can ‘swing.’ We installed PolySorpt® Acoustic Panels to cover up the reflective wall space to improve speech intelligibility by lowering the RT60 (reverberation time). The acoustic panels lowered the amount of reflected sound, improving the quality of the sound in the room.

Materials

(31) PolySorpt® Acoustic Panels 2′ x 4′ x 1″ in Charcoal
(27) AlphaEnvriro® PVC Baffles 2′ x 4′ x 1.5″ thick in Beige

The Result

The low-frequency sound was reduced, and the overall speech intelligibility of the room was increased, allowing group discussions to be productive and fruitful. From the client: “I have the panels up and they look and sound great!”

To learn more about how Acoustical Solutions can solve your noise control problems, use our contact form, call one of our Acoustical Sales Consultants at (800) 782-5742, or visit us on the web at acousticalsolutions.com.

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