nora: Developing A New Standard

 
Several factors contribute to a space’s acoustic environment, from the drone of air conditioning, to the ceiling tile, to a cart rolling across the floor. However, there is little research that explores how flooring can help reduce “in-room” impact noise. Comprehensive standards and design guidelines that address in-room impact sound can support end users, consultants, designers and specifiers with tools to help improve the acoustic environment in any space, from hospitals, to hotel lobbies and offices, to classrooms. nora sought to expand current third-party research and support the development of a new testing standard for floor impacts within a room.

Acoustics in Healthcare and Education

In the healthcare environment, increased noise levels can result in higher rates of sleep disturbance and extended length of hospital stays, among other negative health effects. However, for hospitals across the U.S., “Quietness of Hospital Environment” has consistently been the lowest or second lowest scoring category of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ten evaluation categories for the last several years.

A basic requirement in the learning environment is everyone’s ability to hear and be heard clearly, as noise distracts from focus and lowers speech intelligibility, which can have a significant impact on comprehension. While research links acoustics to student learning and achievement, the Acoustical Society of America estimates that many classrooms have a speech intelligibility rating of 75 percent or less, while a rating of 95 percent is recommended.