Acoustical study on the impact of sound absorptions, distances of workstations, and height of partitions in open plan offices

Abstract

Low partitions are commonly found in open-plan offices as the boundaries of workstation islands or groups of workstations. This room layout often cause excessive speech intelligibility, which creates work distraction and reduce the quality of speech privacy. Sound absorption, distance between workstations, and height of partitions are factors that were investigated on their impact to the room acoustics condition, referred to ISO 3382-3:2012. Observed room acoustics conditions were speech intelligibility, speech privacy, and distraction to concentrate in work using parameters of T30, C50, and RASTI. Parameters of T30, C50, and RASTI were used to evaluate the speech intelligibility. The level of speech privacy was indicated by parameter of privacy distance (rP). Distraction to concentrate in work was indicated by distraction distance (rD). The results from 2 experimental setups show that sound absorption, distance between workstations, and partitions influenced the level of speech intelligibility, speech privacy, and distraction to concentration at work. The value of C50 decline, by 76.9% and 77.4%, each for scenario A and B. RASTI decline, by 18.7% and 14.8%. Difference in percentage of speech privacy, by 6% and 11%. Difference in percentage of distraction to concentration at work, by 79% and 70%.