Noise is the nuisance most complained about in office workspaces – in particular in open-plan offices. These should enable both verbal communication and undisturbed concentration on the tasks in hand. The objective of room acoustic planning is the creation of good acoustic conditions for every workplace. Architectural trends are making this more difficult, e.g. through the use of external walls with large acoustically hard glazed areas. Open-plan offices also present problems with regard to adequate acoustic separation.

The White Paper addresses the following questions:

• What factors need to be taken into account for good room acoustics in offices?
• What considerations are important in lecture and conference rooms?
• Where in the room are sound absorbers installed and how do these work?
• What are the benefits of sound absorbent ceilings?
• How are sound absorbers designated and how is this information to be interpreted?