|
Despite all research and scientific outcome, room acoustics are often not being considered in the planning phase of open plan offices. Due to an increasing number of noise abatement consulting requests, IFA is performing a project on room acoustics in open plan offices in Germany. In order to obtain an overview of the acoustic situation in these rooms, measurements are carried out by means of the measurement standard DIN EN ISO 3382-3. Ratings are performed according to the latest draft of the national standard VDI 2569, which defines three room acoustics classes A, B and C. VDI 2569 uses parameters determined by the measurement standard DIN EN ISO 3382-3 to allocate a room acoustics class. In the course of 2017, IFA carried out measurements in 13 open plan offices across different branches. The necessary parameters were collected with a commercial software and evaluated using a self-made software tool according to VDI 2569. Nearly none of the measured rooms reached any of the possible room acoustics classes. This article will also highlight the practical pitfalls and difficulties associated with planning and performing a measurement in accordance with both guidelines. |