Acoustic evaluation and adjustment of an open-plan office through architectural design and noise control

Arranging office space into a single open room offers advantages in terms of easy exchange of information and interaction among coworkers, but reduces privacy and acoustic comfort. Thus, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the acoustic quality of a real open-plan office and to propose changes in the room to improve the acoustic conditioning of this office. The computational model of the office under study was calibrated based on RT and STI measurements. Predictions were made of the RT and STI, which generated the radius of distraction rD, and the rate of spatial decay of sound pressure levels per distance doubling DL2 in the real conditions of the office and after modifications of the room. The insertion of dividers between work stations and an increase in the ceiling’s sound absorption improved the acoustic conditions in the office under study. ► Open room Offices: easy exchange of information and interaction among coworkers. ► However, reduced privacy and acoustic comfort. ► Sound pressure level, reverberation time, speech transmission index were measured. ► For acoustic comfort: must have divider panels between the Work stations. ► Their ceiling must be finished with high sound-absorbing material.