suspended
HEX-O
MUSE
surface / suspended
surface / suspended
free standing / susp.
system inlay
surface / suspended
MINO CIRCLE
SONIC
MOVE IT acoustic
TASK
Acoustics for
healthcare facilities
Room acoustics in the health sector
Noise pollution in hospitals is increasing worldwide. This
is due both to the buildings' technical equipment and to
increasingly complex medical devices. Treatment and
monitoring equipment generate a constant background
noise level with a sound pressure level of around 70 dB –
roughly the background noise of a canteen with 50 people.
Studies have shown that the average noise exposure in
large hospitals is equivalent to that on a major road.
Better sleep and quicker recovery time
We have known for a long time that noise is partly respon-
sible for mental and physical stress. Environmental noise
levels have a demonstrable eff ect on our nervous system,
our concentration, and our well-being. From 58 dB already
the heart rate increases, and it can lead to disturbed
sleep. However, rest and sleep are the most important
factors in recovery and rehabilitation. Just as a long-term
increase in noise levels makes us tense, silence has a
relaxing and health-promoting eff ect.
Balanced room acoustics are just as benefi cial to recovery
as stabilising the patients' circadian rhythm. Biodynamic
lighting concepts support natural hormone levels during
the course of the day and thus regulate the alertness and
tiredness curves. The higher the activation during the day,
the more relaxed and regenerative the sleep. In addition,
reduced noise levels in the hospital are benefi cial for the
regeneration of patients and reduces their length of stay
in hospital.
Modern acoustic products
Designing rooms such that people feel comfortable in
them is a central requirement of modern architecture,
lighting, and acoustic planning. This is particularly true in
the health sector. For many people, visits to the doc-
tor and hospital stays are associated with anxiety and
nervousness. Here, anticipatory spatial planning can help
lower stress levels, reduce tension, and allow people to
feel safe in the treatment environment. This begins at
the reception or in the waiting area and continues in the
examination room as well as at the 24-hour nurses’ station
or in the patient's room.
Bright, calm, and friendly rooms counteract the clinical
sterility of a hospital environment. In addition to pleasant,
homogeneous lighting, the room’s acoustics also play their
part. The more balanced the background noise, the better
the organism can rest. Modern, design-oriented acoustic
elements optimise the acoustic conditions in the room and
act as decorative design elements that guide the patient's
gaze.
Optimised communication in the hospital
In addition, balanced acoustic planning improves the qua-
lity of communication. In a medical environment, it is es-
sential that the doctor, carer, and receptionist are clearly
mutually intelligible and that the fl ow of information is not
impaired by reverberation, disturbing sound propagation,
or background noise. Speech intelligibility in particular
plays a major role. It must be suffi cient to enable informa-
tion to be passed on clearly and quickly. However, privacy
must be maintained during confi dential medical consul-
tations. For example, at the 24-hour nurses’ station it is
important to be able to communicate the most important
things quickly while exchanging sensitive data without this
being overheard by other patients. Good room acoustics
therefore have a positive eff ect on the well-being and
recovery of patients and also optimise the processes in
healthcare facilities themselves.
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Healthcare facilities
