Acoustic Insights & Advice

Approved Document E sets exact dB figures for new builds and conversions. See the thresholds, the testing rules and where projects get caught out.

Micro-perforated panels absorb sound through thousands of tiny holes in a face that reads as solid. See how they're tuned, where they fit, and what to avoid.

Hospitals need hard, wipeable surfaces that echo. See how HTM 08-01 NR targets and infection control are met together.

Acoustic furniture puts absorption into seating and partitions a room needs anyway. See where it helps, what it can't replace, and what to check on fire safety.

Ceiling height, services and exposed soffits decide whether you need tiles, baffles or rafts. Here's how to choose the right acoustic ceiling for your room.

Acoustic wall panels cut echo inside a room, they don't block sound between rooms. Here's how to choose thickness, core, finish and fixing without overpaying.

Class 0 alone no longer satisfies UK building control. See what Euroclass B-s1,d0 and C-s3,d2 mean and which your panels need.

Open-plan offices get loud by mid-afternoon. See how BS ISO 22955:2021 sets targets by activity and how to fix the floor.

Restaurants get loud at peak service, not at the empty-room measurement. Treat for full capacity with easy-clean, design-led finishes.

The Noise at Work Regulations set three legal dB(A) thresholds. See what each triggers and why engineering controls come before ear defenders.

Sound masking adds a calibrated background hum that makes speech harder to follow. See where it works, and why it needs panels too.

Acoustic pods add sound-isolated rooms to an open-plan office without building work. Learn what they block, what to check on ventilation and fire, and sizes.

Conservation officers approve reversible acoustic treatment. See what Historic England allows and why secondary glazing suits listed windows.

BB93 sets reverberation and background noise limits by room type in UK schools. See the figures, the SEN targets and how compliance is tested.

RT60 is the time sound takes to fade by 60 dB. See the Sabine equation, good targets by room type and why treatment plans differ room to room.

Guests notice every door slam and TV through the wall. See how Approved Document E and lobby treatment are solved as one project.

Acoustic lighting combines a light fitting with a sound absorber. See where it works, why it can't replace panels, and what to check on wiring and heat.

10 dB sounds twice as loud but is ten times the energy. See the 3 dB and 10 dB rules, dB(A) weighting and why they shape treatment choices.