Many people assume that a GREEN building means an Environmentally friendly project, but it is also about creating environments that are healthy and nurturing to the building occupants.
Green buildings and acoustics
Despite the fact that poor acoustics are the primary cause of workplace dissatisfaction, designers often pay scant attention to this Health and Safety issue.
Elements of Green Design
Green designs actually present significant acoustical challenges. They often feature high percentages of open plan, lower (or no) partitions, open ceilings, nature ventilation, hard surfaces and narrow spaces. These strategies help with lighting, airflow, temperature regulation and energy conservation, but also negatively impact on the acoustic performance of the building.
This is why many "Green" buildings rank below industry standards in this area. Survey respondents are typically dissatisfied with the level of sound privacy in their workspace and feel that poor acoustic quality interferes with their capacity to work at their full potential.
