Rid yourself of office noise

As it turns out, noise is not a problem confined to industrial operations; it is something that can affect office workers tucked away behind a desk, too. In work spaces, impact sound is often created as a result of footsteps, slamming of doors or dragging of furniture. Other common sources of noise include traffic, weather, plumbing, duct-borne noise or noise entering the building via open windows.

Tandy Coleman, CEO of Polyflor SA (specialists in vinyl flooring and wall-protection solutions), says: “Noise can have an extremely detrimental effect in the workplace and can even significantly impact an individual’s well-being and hinder work performance.”

Fortunately, the negative impact of sound can be greatly reduced by professional acoustic planning at the outset of a project and with the expert assistance of a specialist acoustician. Aspects such as acoustic ceiling and wall panels, fabrics, textiles, plants and mindful space planning can all contribute towards reducing noise.

“For this reason, acoustics, sound levels and sound insulation, that effectively reduce the noise levels within new and refurbished commercial interiors, are increasingly becoming a primary area of focus for builders, contractors and architects,” Coleman explains.

Sound levels and sound insulation values are expressed in decibels (dB). In the United Kingdom, building regulations are in place that stipulate that a suitable floor covering should have a weighted reduction in impact sound pressure level of not less that 17 dB when measured in accordance with EN ISO 140-8 and calculated in accordance with EN ISO 717-2.

Polyflor offers a number of acoustic options within its heterogeneous flooring collection. These allow designers to combine aesthetically pleasing designs with robust functionality in a variety of different spaces such as entrance and reception areas, lobbies, corridors and hallways, meeting rooms, hotel rooms, auditoriums, classrooms and lecture halls, libraries and high-density residential developments.

Coleman adds: “Acoustic flooring is also an excellent choice for large spaces, as it reduces echoes and creates ambience in a room. They are able to reduce impact sound at source, as well as provide the additional benefits of aesthetics, performance, hygiene and durability.”

In conclusion, Polyflor acoustic flooring has the capacity to assist organisations in raising productivity whilst offering unique sound reduction capabilities, aesthetics and hassle-free maintenance.