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Finding a solution for acoustic problems in your office
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  • Mark Dowse
  • Uncategorised
  • April 28, 2021

Finding a solution for acoustic problems in your office

Often, people only start thinking about acoustics once they experience an actual problem in the office—excessive background noise, too many distractions or lack of privacy. Therefore, acoustic solutions should be part of the design process of a space from the very beginning, requiring close collaboration across all teams involved to achieve the best result, from a design as well as acoustic perspective. When this isn’t the case, the good news is you still have a chance to improve the acoustics profoundly with the right solutions.

This step-by-step guide will help you solve acoustic problems in your existing office space.

Step 1: Detect the source of the acoustic problem or noise
Step 2: Define the type of acoustic problem
Step 3: Choose a solution for the type of room

Generally speaking, there is no one size fits all. That’s also why this guide is primarily meant to steer you in the right direction to choose the best solution(s).

Step 1: Detect the source of the acoustic problem or noise
— Acoustic issues related to building acoustics

As the name implies, building acoustics has to do with the building and the transmission of sounds from outdoor to indoor and between structural elements of a building, e.g. floors and walls.

This is the case when:

Sound is transferred from outdoor to indoor, e.g. cars, trams, airplanes passing by
Sound is transferred between floors, e.g. footsteps from the floors above
Sound is transferred between adjacent rooms, e.g. an adjacent meeting room


Improving building acoustics by means of insulation in an existing space can still be treated with several solutions. For instance, acoustic panels, free-standing sound-absorbing elements or even add curtains, rugs, plants and other porous, soft objects that will help absorb sound waves. As a general rule of thumb, the more porous materials you have, the fewer sound transfers will transpire.

— Room acoustics: noise and sounds within a room or given space

Opposite to building acoustics, room acoustics pertain to noise and sounds within a room or any given space. Rather than focusing on insulation to remedying transmission of sounds, the key to room acoustics is absorption to prevent sound waves from bouncing back-and-forth in a room.

We’ve listed a few examples below that are often reported as the cause of complaints.

Disturbances from chatty colleagues
Air conditioning and heating
Disturbed by conversations from the other end of the room, e.g. from communal spaces
Difficult to concentrate with too many distractions

Step 2: Define the type of acoustic problem you need to solve

The problems that often arise in relation to poor room acoustics are many, but to give you a better overview, we’ve grouped them into the following:

Reverb and echo/background noise/lack of privacy

— Reverb and echo
— Background noise

Reverberation is the persistence of a sound after the original sound has stopped. The brain will recognize the sound as one extended event so it takes too long for the original sound to drop dead.
Echo, on the other hand, transpires when a beat of sound can be heard twice or even more times. In this case, the brain will perceive the sound as separate events.

“In 99% of the cases, it’s reverberation, and not echo, that causes noise problems in workspaces.”

Background noise examples include chatty colleagues, ringing phones, mechanical devices, e.g. refrigerators, coffee machines, and printers.

Possible solutions

From room dividers to acoustic panels and sound absorbing lighting. In order to remove background noise completely, ideally, you have to build floor-to-ceiling partitions or remove yourself from the noise source.

— Lack of privacy

When we talk about lack of privacy, we refer to it in its broadest sense, including both acoustic and visual.

Possible solutions

Whether for visual or acoustic privacy, we suggest options such as phone booths or privacy booths. You may also consider free-standing elements, e.g. room dividers, or desk partitions to divide areas and mitigate sound transfer between specific zones.

Step 3: Choose a solution for the type of room
— Different activities require different solutions

You have narrowed down the problem you want to solve, but finding the most suitable solution to it also depends on the activity of the space whether it’s a cafeteria, meeting room, lobby, library, open office, auditorium, private office or a restaurant. The list can be continued.

In an open office space consider adding desk partitions to existing desks and furnish with privacy booths to create both acoustic and visual privacy. In libraries, delineate different zones with room dividers or create small imaginary islands with acoustic lighting.

Library acoustic pods

— Soft or hard surfaces

Depending on the way your space is built, e.g. soft or hard surfaces, you will need different solutions.

If your room already consists of a number of soft, porous materials such as carpets, rugs, plants—even people—these elements help absorb sound waves too. In other words, you’re already halfway and will need less sound-absorbing solutions.

If, on the other hand, no such soft materials exist and your space is dominated by hard surfaces, e.g. concrete, glass, and metal, you need to bring in more soft, absorbing materials to compensate for the hard surfaces. For instance, add flexible upholstered poufs or consider acoustic lighting and ceiling applications in case your walls are already occupied by shelving systems and art.

Sound deadening screens

— Distance to hard surfaces

Apart from determining the number of soft materials, another crucial aspect is to identify the shortest distance to the hard surface in your space. Why? Sound waves automatically bounce against the closest hard surface and knowing where this is will help you better determine where to apply acoustic solutions rather than placing them randomly.

Think of a regular meeting room with a medium-sized conference table in the middle. As people start talking, the sound waves from their conversations will typically first hit the walls or the ceiling depending on the height. In this case, to prevent the sound from bouncing back-and-forth between the walls, we’re looking to apply absorbing materials to the walls.

— Stuffed or spacious?

In a space already occupied by other furniture pieces, it can be difficult to find room for any acoustic solutions. However, often in between floor and ceiling there is not always a lot happening, and in spaces like these, it might be a great improvement to add, for instance, ceiling applications and acoustic lighting.

When you have a more spacious environment, perhaps not yet furnished, you have the chance to pick solutions based on the type of activity of the space. For instance, rethink the standard meeting setup and use soft lounge seating elements or put two privacy booths together to keep conversations private. In general for bigger and more spacious environments, remember that the sound will naturally better spread out as the distance to the hard surfaces is bigger than in a small room. Keep in mind, all of the solutions listed above are only suggestions, guiding you in the right direction. For specific measurements and the number of products needed, we advise you to get in touch with our acoustic help desk. In the meantime, revisit this guide to be prepared for the kind of questions you need to answer for an acoustic assessment.

NB – original article from Buzzispace website

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  • Mark Dowse
  • Uncategorised
  • September 15, 2016

Housing contractor refurbish head office.

DEVON HOUSING CONTRACTOR USE LOCAL OFFICE INTERIORS SPECIALIST TO REFURBISH NEW HEAD OFFICE!

md-int-devonshire_001-1068x712

Devon house builder, Devonshire Homes has made a major investment to rebrand the company and refurbish its head office located in Tiverton. The company with developments across Devon, including Cullompton, Chulmleigh, Kingsteignton and Barnstaple put out a tender for the works; awarded to independent Exeter-based office refurbishment specialist MD Business Interiors.

MD Business Interiors worked closely with the client from conception through to completion of the fit-out, providing imaginative solutions to gain space and additional storage. A number of services were carried out as a part of a bespoke solution for Devonshire Homes, including: design of open plan office space; incorporating the new brand and corporate colours; creating room for expansion and modern mixed height meeting areas. Dramatic changes included folding doors to the boardroom creating a versatile space transforming the large area into two separate private meeting rooms.

Devonshire Homes, Tiverton. Info: Glenn King 01392 426 984 Photo, Tony Charnock, 07770 484888

Devonshire Homes, Tiverton.
Info: Glenn King 01392 426 984
Photo, Tony Charnock, 07770 484888

The Devonshire Homes head office currently occupied by 20 employees, has been future-proofed, with room to expand across all departments with an additional six work stations. The company established in 1992 has had a major revamp for 2016, seeing them rebrand with a cleaner, stripped-back logo and new website launched in June. The refurbishment, the final part of the rebranding exercise, has seen Devonshire Homes refresh their image as a modern and dynamic company. Moving forward they are looking to expand and taking on a further two employees by the end of 2016.

Devonshire Homes, Tiverton. Info: Glenn King 01392 426 984 Photo, Tony Charnock, 07770 484888

She adds: “The team are delighted with the new look office, which has created a fantastic, motivational work environment for all. The space created is contemporary, dynamic and versatile, and has given plenty of storage space, lacking before. Creating room for the team to expand was key to the refurbishment, with future business growth in mind. Our office is now light, bright, modern and stylish, in line with the new Devonshire Homes brand.”

Jane Pearce – Sales and Marketing Director, Devonshire Homes comments: “As part of the brief given to Mark Dowse at MD Business Interiors we asked that there would be minimal downtime for the business, our staff and customers. The refurbishment programme was completed in six weeks, with all minor works carried out by the MD Business Interiors team outside of office hours. The final transition saw the new office furniture turned around in one day.”

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  • Mark Dowse
  • Uncategorised
  • May 3, 2016

An insight into the psychology of colour!

We are office furniture and office fit out and office refurbishment specialists based in Exeter, Devon. We share with you a blog from our office furniture manufacturer Lee and Plumpton about colour as below.

Colour can have a profound impact on our behaviour and productivity in the workplace.

The four primary psychological colours are: blue, red, yellow and green. Although there are no universal truths in terms of colour psychology (mostly due to cultural and individual differences) certain colours have been shown to possess distinct psychological properties.

colour psychology

Psychologist Angela Wright has developed a scientific theory of colour. According to this theory, red affects the body, blue soothes the mind, yellow stimulates our emotions and green can balance our mood*.

The intensity and saturation of the colour you choose is just as important – if not more so – than the hue itself. Bright, striking colours will stimulate while softer, pastel shades will soothe. By combining colours of varying intensities, it’s possible to create harmonious office spaces that promote productivity, efficiency, creativity and wellbeing.

When choosing your colour palette, you should also consider the culture of the workplace in question and the nature of the work being done.

Blue

Of the four primary psychological colours, blue is believed to improve productivity and is a good choice for office environments that demand concentration and focus, such as accountancy practices.

It’s important to note that colours are generally classified as either warm or cool and can influence the perception of temperature. Certain shades of blue could make rooms appear cold and unwelcoming compared to warmer colours such as bright red, yellow and orange.

design10Red

Commonly associated with passion and anger, red is a highly stimulating colour that can provoke a physical response by raising blood pressure and quickening pulse rate. It can be useful in sales environments that require staff to be assertive or professions that demand a keen eye for detail but it could exacerbate stress and tension.

Yellow

Yellow is believed to inspire creativity, which makes it ideal for creative professions such as graphic design.

Fully saturated yellow can be very psychologically stimulating and could be a catalyst for negative emotional energy including anxiety, anger and frustration.

Yellow is also highly reflective. Despite these issues, it can still be a useful addition to your colour scheme.

Green

Green is thought to be a calming colour that promotes a sense of serenity and tranquillity. As a result, people are considered to be more relaxed in green rooms and this effect can be exploited to promote social communication and networking.

There is a current trend towards natural, earthy colours such as green and brown.

Trends in office design7

Colour trends change over time. White is popular at the moment because it has a modern appeal and can make rooms appear more spacious.

Neutral colours such as beige and grey continue to be popular despite negative colour connotations. Many people find these colours dull so they should be used sparingly and offset with brighter colours.

Don’t overlook the use of bright accent tones on seating and partition screens to add a splash of colour to previously uninspired office spaces. And don’t forget to exploit the uplifting effect of natural light and other strategies that are thought to improve wellness at work, such as bringing plants into the office to complement your colour choices.

Source:

www.colour-affects.co.uk

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  • Mark Dowse
  • Uncategorised
  • April 6, 2016

Project complete and some feedback, BPA Quality…

Just over a year ago we did a large refurbishment for BPA Quality creating a new HQ at Pynes Hill in Exeter. We recently did some additional works for them and there was their feedback below:

 

MDBI-BPA_010“It’s my first day back in the office after 10 days off and was going to email you with my feedback. Not only was the quality of the work excellent, the approach of the guys you sent to do it was fantastic. They got on with the job with the minimum amount of mess and interruption, and left the room clean and tidy at the end. Please pass on my sincere thanks for a good job very well done.”

Kind regards
Judith Yates
HR Director EMEA
BPA Quality
Pynes Hill
Exeter
https://bpaquality.co.uk

 

 

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  • Mark Dowse
  • 2015, Uncategorised
  • February 17, 2015

Choosing the right office partitions!

Devon office refurbishment contractors MD Business Interiors share their thoughts on office partitions & how to choose the most suitable for your project.

So you’re planning a new office fit-out in Devon or Exeter and there’s a lot to think about – from picking the right paint colours, carpets and blinds, to making sure that you choose the most comfortable and appropriate workstations, your mind is suddenly full of critical decisions.

Double glazed office partition with integral blinds.

Double glazed office partition with integral blinds.

Full height single glazed partitions

Full height single glazed partitions

One very important element of office fit-outs that may risk being forgotten in all this is office partitions. Not only do they contribute to the professional appearance of your office, but they play an important role in making it a functional and productive working environment.

Office partitions are an essential element of office fitouts for various reasons. Most usually they are placed in between cubicles in an office building to provide privacy and space sectioning in an open-plan setting. In this way, partitions are an effective way to provide different workers with their own secluded space. Once the design of your office is set you will need to begin to consider which selection of style and finish of office partitions will work best for you and your company to ensure your finished office fitout is exactly the way you want it.

There is a huge range of partition options for office fitouts, including plasterboard and glass partitions, full or half height partitions and unique one-off designs that can be created according to your individual requirements. See here for some case studies. In fact, the selection of office partitions to choose from is so huge that it’s a good idea to narrow down your scope of selection by first noting down what colours, materials, styles, widths and heights will be most suitable for your particular needs.

Height is one of the most crucial considerations. Although colour is highly customisable, there are just three main heights available in partitions for office fitouts and not every choice in height is going to be suitable for you. One of the most popular styles of office partitions are half height, often used to construct cubicles in open plan offices. If the demands of your office necessitate a quiet environment, you may wish to consider a full height partition, which reaches from floor to ceiling, and is more like a temporary wall than a screen. The third type of partition commonly used in office fitouts is the ‘accordion’ style, which have the appearance of full height partitions, except they concertina open, allowing stylish and easy access between separated spaces.

Effective space planning.

Effective space planning.

The materials used to construct office partitions ranges from glass to plasterboard, light wood and cloth covered foam. Again, your choice of material is likely to be a very individual decision based on the lay-out of your office, your style of décor and the available space. For example, if you wish to optimise the transmission of natural light, glass partitions will be a great choice, but, if you plan to regularly rearrange your office furniture, a more durable and hardwearing material will be a better option. Apart from height and material, you should also consider the possibility of future expansions when choosing office partitions. If your company is likely to expand, mobile partitions or wheeled partitions that are light, easier to move and re-position when the need arises, may be your best choice.

Finally, when it comes to deciding what is most practical and suitable in office partitions for your office fitouts, it may be worth consulting an expert office designer who will consult with you at every step of the way to designing your office fitouts and partitions according to your needs and budget.

For more information email here or call our Exeter office on 01392 834980.

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  • Refurb or relocate?

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We supply office furniture and office refurbishment & renovation across the South West of England. Our aim is to always give great service and value for money based on our extensive knowledge of office furniture & refurbishment projects.

MD Business Interiors

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Marsh Barton
Exeter
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contact@mdinteriorsdevon.com
07862 258214

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103 Grace Road West
Marsh Barton
Exeter
EX2 8PU

07862 258214

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