Acoustical planning for workplace health and well-being: A case study in four open-plan offices

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Acoustical planning for workplace health and well-being: A case study in four open-plan offices

Lee, Y; Aletta, F; (2019) Acoustical planning for workplace health and well-being: A case study in four open-plan offices. Building Acoustics , 26 (3) pp. 207-220. 10.1177/1351010X19868546. Green open access

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Abstract

Noise is the most frequent reason for complaints about environmental conditions in the workplace. It is associated with individual health and well-being and decreased productivity and performance. This study identified a set of acoustic strategies for open-plan workplaces and examined a case study applying those to four open-plan offices in the United States. The set of measures was defined based on a literature review and a focus group interview with 17 experts. A total of four topics were identified as key performance indicators of proper acoustic environments in the open-plan workplaces. A total of 19 items were then developed within these 4 topics as the protocols for planning acoustic strategies for workplace health and well-being. In the case study, the level of acoustic performance for workplace health and well-being was highest in the Dallas office (27.5 points out of a total of potential 40.0) followed by the Minneapolis office (26.0). Both offices outperformed the other offices in achieving space planning principles to control noises and occupant noise control in open spaces for acoustical privacy. A further examination on the relationships between acoustic strategies and other health and well-being key performance indicators in these offices suggests that guidance to increase occupants’ auditory comfort, well-being, and performance should be sought by designers in a holistic and integrative way.

Type:	Article
Title:	Acoustical planning for workplace health and well-being: A case study in four open-plan offices
Open access status:	An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI:	10.1177/1351010X19868546
Publisher version:	https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1351010X19868546
Language:	English
Additional information:	This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords:	Acoustic comfort, workplace, open-plan offices, noise annoyance
UCL classification:	UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources
URI:	https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10083452