Marist College computer room. Centre of room empty, NCS Pinnacle ceiling tiles in grid. Desks around the perimeter of the room, each with keyboard and mouse.

 

When is high acoustic absorption too high?

Optimising the level of sound absorption is important in any space, however is of particular importance in relation to classrooms and learning spaces. Ceilings with high acoustic absorption are always crucial, however it must be ensured that a balance is struck.

 

Measuring Acoustics

Ceiling tiles are tested for acoustic value with regards to NRC, and CAC values. You can read more about how these are measured and defined in this article.

 

Reverberation and Absorption

In any space, there is a level of reverberation created by various background sounds. The level of reverberation varies between each space and is generally calculated by a sound or acoustic engineer with specialised equipment. Naturally however, users of a space will feel uncomfortable within the space when the reverberation is too much, or too little.

Acoustic ceilings can be installed to reduce reverberation levels, as well as acoustic wall panels and carpets to absorb more sound, and reflect less.

Therefore, a room’s acoustic performance is always determined by the balance of reflected sound (reverberation) and absorbed sound (absorption).

 

How much is too much?

When ceilings are installed with too high acoustic absorption, a space (especially a small one) can become “dampened”. Humans are not naturally used to overly-absorptive spaces, and particularly in classrooms, an extreme acoustic ceiling can cause speech to be muffled; making it difficult for students to hear the teacher and reducing learning opportunities.

Based on the experience of the NCS team, an optimal product for nearly any classroom or learning space is the PINNACLE. With a high NRC of 0.7 and a CAC of 35, it provides a perfect balance between absorption and natural reverberation, fostering studies.

 

In conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to consider the balance of natural reverberation in spaces that require high acoustic absorption. NCS recommends the PINNACLE, especially for classrooms and learning spaces, to optimise this correctly.