Soundproofing offices

Workplace of the average citizen - do not plant the plant or factory, and office space. Spend many hours in a confined space and office space, a person becomes very vulnerable to minor changes by the microclimate, leading to the emergence of stress that negatively affects the health and performance. One of the major factors that adversely affect the nervous system, is acoustic and vibration impacts. Accumulate in the body, acoustic stimulation leads to fatigue, high blood pressure, drowsiness, nervousness, and other, more serious consequences. Therefore, the sound insulation of office buildings and space - the actual problem of modern construction. Note that for office space include not only the representation of companies, but also various social institutions, academic and business centers. The premises of this kind at the same time there is a large number of people and operating office equipment, which implies a very stringent requirements for microclimate, fire safety and, of course, sound. Until recently, Russia has been given very little attention to room acoustics. This was due not only cost savings but also to the lack of certain acoustic standards. Currently, regulations governing the requirements for sound insulation, are SNiP 23-03-2003 "Protection against noise, as well as sanitary norms CH 2.2.4/2.1.8.562-96" Noise in the workplace, in residential and public buildings in residential areas. " In 1997, for use in the capital have been taken Moscow's building codes 2.04-97 "Acceptable levels of noise, vibration, and the requirements for sound insulation in residential and public buildings," in which the permissible noise level set in the range 13-51 dB. Now in the construction and subsequent finishing of the premises must take into account the need to protect against noise. There are several ways to reduce noise in an office environment to acceptable values. On the one hand, efforts should be directed to the elimination of external noise sources, especially if the facade, as it often does, goes on a busy street. In such cases, a good solution is to use modern window profiles with two or three-chamber double-glazed windows and sound insulation of external walls of plates with various fillings (rock wool, glass wool). On the other hand, it is necessary to control and noise sources inside the office - it's all sorts of office and home office equipment, from computers, printers, fax machines and finishing with air conditioning (which is why manufacturers of office and household appliances lately are increasingly focused on producing low-noise models). In addition, the necessary soundproofing inside the office premises. Effective protection of the premises from noise involves the use of special materials whose structure helps absorb or weaken the sound waves of various frequencies and intensities. Materials used for noise protection in buildings classified in sound-proof, designed to suppress the reflected sound waves inside the premises, and soundproof designed for use as pads under floating floors in multi-layered fencing designs to improve the isolation from the impact of noise and air propagating through walls, partitions, etc. Sound-absorbing materials are used mainly in construction absorbent linings inside surfaces of facilities and technical devices that require noise reduction (installation of ventilation and air conditioning, etc.), as well as to improve the acoustic properties of space (visual rooms, auditorium, etc.). From the acoustic point of view of sound absorbers can be divided into the following groups: porous (including fiber); porous with perforated screens; resonance; layered structure; piece or three-dimensional. The most common because of the ease in assembling the porous absorbers are made of tiles, which are attached to a vertical or horizontal surface, either directly or in respect of light and porous mineral piece goods - pumice, vermiculite, kaolin, slag, etc. with cement or other binding compound. Such materials are strong enough and can be used to reduce noise in the hallways, lobbies, stairways of buildings. The effectiveness of sound absorbing materials sound absorption coefficient is estimated equal to the ratio of energy absorbed to total incident energy on the material of sound waves. The choice of a particular material depends on the acoustic mode, destination and the architectural features of the room. In rooms where sound absorber for the appearance of increased requirements, use a specially processed fiber materials. Raw materials for their production are wood and mineral fiber, glass wool, synthetic fibers. These products are also manufactured as a flat plate (ceiling or wall panels), or curved and bulky items. The most effective protection from the noise of the office by using modern heat and sound insulation materials. Such materials can be both natural origin (products based on stone wool, kaolin wool, expanded perlite, cellulose wadding, mats of flax hemp, cork sheet) and synthetic (penopoliestr, polyurethane, polystyrene, etc.). In principle, all these materials are recommended for use as the soundproofing office. But I would like to highlight some nuances. More recently, cork coating is widely used as a sound insulator. However, according to experts, in fact, cork is only effective against the so-called "impact noise" (resulting from mechanical impact on the building elements), and has no universal sound insulating characteristics. The same applies to various synthetic foams. They are quite attractive in terms of ease of use, but most do not meet modern requirements for soundproofing of public buildings, and, moreover, often do not meet fire safety requirements. Therefore, currently in the forefront versatile soundproofing materials based on natural raw materials, such as products based on stone wool. Their excellent sound insulation properties defines a specific structure - chaotically towards the finest fibers in friction against each other make the energy of sound vibrations into heat. The use of such heaters significantly reduces the risk of vertical sound waves between the wall surface, reducing reverberation time and, thus, reducing the sound level in adjacent rooms. The main area of ??application of acoustic materials - the exterior walls, interoffice partitions, as well as ceilings and floors. Consider the most common ways of soundproofing office. External walls in the Russian climatic conditions is a priority insulation of external walls. But, as already indicated, fibrous insulation materials are simultaneously zvukoipoglotitelyami. Therefore, many activities aimed at the thermal insulation of external walls, while improving their acoustical characteristics. For thermal and acoustic insulation of external walls are used plates with different porous or fibrous fillers. The most effective sound insulator slab of fibrous material. In particular, the insulation on the basis of stone wool has been used successfully in a multi-layered constructions, sound-proof quality is many times better than a monolithic wall. The structure consists of sheets of different materials between which there is an air cavity. In this structure, vibrations are damped faster than in a homogeneous material. Quite often, offices are located in old buildings, which because of structural deterioration of a very poor sound insulation. In such cases, reconstruction may be used in front of the "wet" type. System is "wet" type is a classic example of a two-layer acoustic design. Walling in terms of sound waves is a two-layer: two shell structures excited by the sound varies independently from one another and are connected by only a little stiffness insulating materials. For building facades with a thin plaster layer can be used front system ROCKFACADE. Interoffice partitioning the same principle of multi-layer structure is applicable for interior walls and partitions in offices, with the only difference is that here in the insulating structure of the load, not exceeding its own weight design. Besides, here in the foreground environmental and fire safety of the materials used. In connection with these claims justified the use of nonflammable fibrous materials. A typical light baffle with good acoustic properties looks like a sandwich in which the fibrous sound insulator is made between two sheets of gypsum (or other sheet material). As a sound insulator can be used as rock wool and glass wool. More complex design partitions, for example, multiple alternating layers of drywall and sound insulator, or even the air layer between two layers of sound-absorbing material. Multilayer design partitions, of course, more expensive and difficult to install, but provide the best possible sound insulation. To ensure good sound insulation between rooms partitions can not rely on clean floors and joists, but should be placed directly on the slab. Moreover, to minimize the likelihood of resonance oscillations, the partition is not adjusted to a ceiling of 15-20 mm, filling the remaining gap by elastic soundproof material. The same "cushion" should be provided, and through the support wall on the floor. Traditionally, the ceilings as the primary sound-absorbing design uses suspended acoustic ceiling. Such designs are very useful in large office buildings, divided into individual jobs (kubikly) light partitions do not reach the ceiling. Acoustic ceilings are made of rock wool, fiberglass, and plaster, metal, drevesnovolokonnyh materials. There are also ceilings, lined with the front of the aluminum film and specially treated internal surface prevents the ingress of dust. Paul To date, the most effective means of combating the impact noise is the use of design "floating" floor. To this type of floor construction with a solid include an elastic layer between the floor and bearing reinforced concrete slab and the construction of the floor on a soft and elastic strips. Material and thickness of plates for use in soundproofing constructions chosen on the basis of acoustic characteristics of the plates. In this case, must take into account a number of requirements, because structures such materials are high loads. The most important parameters here - this is the compressive strength and low degree of deformation. Also no less important, and fire characteristics of materials, because of fire regulations in finishing escape routes (corridors) may be used only non-combustible materials. These requirements are fully meet the rigid plates of rock wool (eg, Flor Butts, specially designed for creating acoustic floating floor). It should be noted that in recent years in Russia there are more office buildings, which used modern materials to create a soundproof structures. So, we can give several examples of office buildings built in the most bustling cities in Russia - in Moscow and St. Petersburg, which meet the modern requirements for soundproofing. This building company "Lukoil", the insurance company Rosno, business centers, "Berlin House" and "Petrovsky Fort". Also factor in soundproofing pays great attention to the renovation of older buildings with office space under alteration or repair of existing offices. Obviously, employers are beginning to realize that the quality of their work depends largely on the environment in which employees work. But in providing psychological comfort and healthy atmosphere of sound insulation plays an important role.