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Conclusions and recommendations for managing the physical environment of work
Published in Oluremi B. Ayoko, Neal M. Ashkanasy, Organizational Behaviour and the Physical Environment, 2019
Oluremi B. Ayoko, Neal M. Ashkanasy
Clearly, managers of employees in OPO settings must attend to noise. One of the ways in which noise may be managed is to address it at the office design and construction stages. Architects, for example, could use sound masking to lessen speech intelligibility in workstations and cover room surfaces and partitions with sound-absorptive materials to decrease speech sound levels (cf. Venetjoki, Kaarlela-Tuomaala, Keskinen, & Hongisto, 2006). Hongisto and Haapakangas (2008) point out that sound-masking systems, which add neutral background noise to mask disturbing noises or speech, need to be designed carefully so the level and spectrum of the noises they create may be adaptable to the acoustical conditions of a specific office area while spreading evenly throughout office space. This should in turn assist in effectively masking office noise but not be disturbing itself. Similarly, the use of higher dividing panels to separate workspace, or working in enclosed offices, can also serve as an effective improvement measure (Zhang, Kang, & Jiao, 2012).
The WELL® Building Standard
Published in Traci Rose Rider, Margaret van Bakergem, Building for Well-Being, 2021
Traci Rose Rider, Margaret van Bakergem
Additional performance testing can be used as a strategy for some optimizations to verify that acoustical design has been properly implemented in the space. The Maximum Noise Levels optimization requires the measurement and documentation of sound pressure levels over established periods of time to ensure sound is within established thresholds. This addresses the total level of ambient background noise which, when excessive, can reduce task performance and listening ability as well as increasing stress levels. Also working toward speech clarity and reducing the auditory workload, the Reverberation Time optimization establishes thresholds for reverberation time in different space types, providing achievement options for both design documents and performance. Much of these strategies can be addressed in the selection of surface materials and design, with harder surfaces reflecting more sound and creating more ambient noise. Similarly, the Sound Reducing Surfaces optimization advocates for increasing acoustical absorption as needed through material selection. Documented on design drawings, surfaces combining to at least 10% of the occupiable project area must meet established Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) thresholds for ceilings, walls or workstations as outlined. On the flip side, there is also a benefit to having some level of ambient background sound to help provide privacy, as addressed in the optimization Minimum Background Sound. This optimization requires a sound masking system to be in place to provide established levels of sound pressure in Quiet zones or Circulation zones, supporting both focus and privacy.
Health + well-being
Published in Rob Fleming, Saglinda H Roberts, Sustainable Design for the Built Environment, 2019
Rob Fleming, Saglinda H Roberts
Acoustic specialist can be called in for specialized situations, but there are many strategies that can significantly improve the acoustic quality of a space and do not require specialized engineering skills. The four basic categories to mitigate acoustic disturbances are as follows: Space Planning – Arranging spaces that produce noise away from areas of learning or concentration, or placing spaces away from external sources of noise. For example, placing classrooms on the side of the building away from the road.Blocking – Obstructing the path of sound wave travel. This could be accomplished with landscape features to redirect road noise, gaps in continuous surfaces such as walls to stop sound wave transmission, or large barriers that are commonly found along highways.Absorption – Creating areas that will absorb sound waves instead of reflecting them. This could be done using acoustic ceiling panels, carpet on the floor, cork on the underside of tables, and soundproofing batts within wall structures.Sound Masking – Providing consistent, nonintrusive, or sound-canceling waves to counteract or disguise distracting noise. Water fountains, or a sound-masking system that produces a slight sound of static or a hum obscures distractions so that other unnecessary noises become difficult to be heard and are easily ignored.
Underwater noise levels in Indian waters off the coast of Mormugao Port
Published in Journal of Operational Oceanography, 2021
G. V. V. Pavan Kumar, V. V. S. Prasad, U. S. Ramesh
Anthropogenic noise may threatens the ability of vocalising marine species to communicate, which vocalise at low frequency in particular region, mostly close to vessel traffic movement (Putland et al. 2018). The marine mammal's species mainly foraging in the present location of study, where deliberated by researchers in multiple occasions and also sighted many mammals presence in a habitat like humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides), Killer whales (Orcinus orca) and a humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Parson 2006; Jamalabad and Bopardikar 2017). Indian humpback dolphins groups where mostly found in the coastline, clusters foraging near river mouths towards the Goa port. The acoustic measured data of communication frequencies of Indian humpback dolphins in the present location is inadequate. But, similar work for the same species is available for west Hong Kong region with whistle and barks disturbance recordings mostly concentrated in the mid-frequency range (Sims et al. 2012). The threshold of hearing of one sound if raised by the presence of another sound masking occurs (Erbe et al. 2015). This may vary with many parameters based on the type of species, ocean condition, distance between source and receiver, depth of the receiver etc.