The open office space of today, featuring collaboration areas and stations for uncommon types of work, is a boon for business.
- In these environments, distractions such as Heating and A/C noise can lower productivity.
Businesses and employees benefit from removing individual offices and cubicles by bringing in more afternoonlight, attracting clients, encouraging collaboration, and reducing costs. However, open office design can fall short when it comes to acoustics… Good news. It is possible to have that beautiful open plan office and still have peace and quiet to work. How? Better Heating and A/C design can reduce Heating and A/C noise and voice distraction. Make sure your Heating and A/C noise concern is not caused by a malfunction. Is the concern getting worse? Does your loud A/C unit make uncommon noises than usual? Air conditioning systems that have been around for a while truly only run at a single capacity and may even be oversized. Have you redesigned your office space without changing the Heating and A/C system? You might have ducts and air handlers in the wrong sites. Hot and cold spots can result, and distracting Heating and A/C noise. By using sound boots, you can reduce Heating and A/C noise and crosstalk. It can be an straight-forward and quick way to improve the acoustics in your open office. For quiet iPhone conversations, does your office have pods or iPhone booths? The open office section can be noisy, so this should give a way for people who entirely need quiet to escape. High ceilings and metal and glass surfaces are standard in new office designs. It looks beautiful and inviting, however bounces sound around. Materials that absorb sound without compromising design, such as carpets, drop ceilings, and wall coverings, can help reduce Heating and A/C noise.