Classroom acoustics: Bridging the gap between standards and application

Abstract

Many countries have developed standards to regulate the acoustic conditions in classrooms. Most standards agree that the ideal ambient noise level should be between 30 and 40 dB, a reverberation time of 0.4 to 0.7 s, depending on the age and specific needs of the students and the type of activities taking place. Some standards include noise transmission levels to reduce unwanted noise transfer between adjacent spaces. Despite these standards, studies continue to show that many classrooms do not have acoustic qualities that are conducive to good learning outcomes. In most counties, the acoustic standards are not compulsory standards and good classroom acoustics is treated as a “nice to have” rather than as a key to good learning outcomes. This paper provides an overview of the classroom acoustics standards in several countries across the globe, considering how widely the standards are applied and identifying key concerns or gaps in implementation. The objective is to seek examples of successful implementation of standards, whether compulsory or voluntary, and to recommend mechanisms or interventions that could support the uptake and mainstreaming of good acoustic design for classrooms.