In educational facilities, it is well known that proper acoustic planning and design in buildings is very important for the well-being of pupils and teachers, and promotes effective learning. Numerous studies have shown that prolonged exposure to noisy environments contributes to increased stress and mental fatigue and impairs cognitive skills.
The most common acoustic issues
The most common acoustic issues in schools can be grouped into three categories: firstly, noise inside the building created by teachers and pupils talking in classrooms, conversations between administrative staff in offices, footfall and clamouring in corridors when people are moving around; secondly, noise from outside the building, from courtyards, sports courts and even traffic (for buildings located in city centres); finally, noise from electronic equipment, such as air-conditioning systems, fans, computers and laboratory equipment.
Together, all these sources of noise affect the acoustic comfort and overall experience at school.
How can acoustic comfort be improved at school?
Installing sound-absorbing products into school buildings can improve acoustics and contribute to an overall reduction in noise levels. Caruso Acoustic offers a wide range of acoustic solutions for this area: from free-standing products, such as D-Space partition panels and Menhir totems, which are easy to reposition as required, to ceiling or wall-mounted solutions like Silente and Dot acoustic panels which, when installed inside classrooms, can significantly reduce reverberation times and improve clarity of speech. One of the common benefits is installation flexibility: different layouts, which vary based on the specific needs of the setting in question, can be created and solutions can be customised thanks to the wide selection of upholstery-fabric colours and ad-hoc prints available.
Acoustic planning and design in teaching environments, which involves the use of various sound-absorbing products chosen based on specific needs, is therefore essential to ensure effective teaching and learning.