Not only can room acoustics be planned, but the requirement for good room acoustics is also embedded in regulations and recommendations such as the Technical Regulation for the Workplace Ordinance (ASR A3.7) or the Evaluation System for Sustainable Building (BNB 3.1.4). This makes it all the more astonishing that office space is still being built that is barely usable and therefore has to be extensively refurbished.
In his presentation, Dr Christian Nocke explained the legal basis for room acoustics planning. Using reverberation time as an example, he illustrated the differences between workspaces for concentrated work and those for communication, and finally pointed out the interaction between the perception of the acoustic quality of rooms and other environmental factors, and thus the importance of psychoacoustics. Using practical examples and 3D simulations, the chairman of numerous expert committees in the field of room acoustics showed how room acoustic planning can provide very concrete information about the acoustic quality of rooms and the workplaces within them, even before an office is occupied.
A detailed summary of the lecture will be available in the IBA Forum Newsroom from August 2025.
Photo: © IBA
