School canteen uses Suspended Baffles
Vicoustic's Project Team was challenged by the interior design company RL Home to develop an acoustic treatment solution for the canteen at Saint Peter's International School, in Palmela, Portugal. Following a careful study, the ceiling of the canteen was equipped with Suspended Baffles PET MKII, to improve the acoustic conditions of the space.
Noise in school canteens
One of the biggest challenges of school canteens, cafeterias, or restaurants, is the high level of noise that arises during use, especially when used by a large number of people at the same time.
The high level of noise leads people to raise their voices above the background noise in order to communicate, further contributing to the increase in background noise and an increasingly uncomfortable environment.
Generally, school canteen spaces have rigid and reflective surfaces, such as large glass windows, concrete, and plasterboard, which inevitably contribute to an acoustically noisy environment. The absence of acoustic treatment and the presence of non-absorbent finishes means that the background noise that originates in these spaces tends to increase rapidly, which in turn reduces the intelligibility of the dialogue.
Crucial when treating school canteen spaces acoustically is to develop solutions to control the Reverberation Time (RT), and thus minimize the background noise inside them.
Eco-friendly Suspended Baffles
In order to control the reverberation time inside the school canteen, Vicoustic proposed the application of Suspended Baffle PET MKII fixed to the ceiling, acoustically absorbent elements that control sound reflections and, consequently, the reverberation time.
The Suspended Baffle PET MKII uses a metal frame to improve product stability and is made from VicPET Wool, a non-woven textile produced mainly from recycled plastic bottles.
Being a suspended acoustic element, it presents twice the area of absorbing material exposed of a common acoustic panel. This makes it a very efficient solution to control noise build-up in large spaces such as school canteens.
The PET material used in the suspended baffles has an Euro Class B fire rate classification, it is a low emitting material having earned the A+ French VOC label (ISO 16000) and has also been classified as Class 1 according to OEKO-TEX 100 Standard, meeting the human-ecological requirements presently established for baby articles.
Saint Peter's International School Canteen Project
This project was developed by the Vicoustic Project Department for RL Home Interiores & Design to deliver to its client Saint Peter's International School, in Palmela, Portugal.
Acoustic Project by Vicoustic
Vicoustic has a team composed of senior acoustic engineers and designers that are experts in treating rooms according to your acoustic and design needs.
Ref. pp.3444.23
Share:
Wider Sounds, a Studio in the Heart of Ibiza
Audio Enthusiast HiFi Room