Workshop 1
"Optimisation of classroom acoustics – speech intelligibility vs. reduction in sound pressure level"
Workshop leaders: Lily Wang (University of Nebraska) and Tobias Kirchner (Ingemansson Technology)
Ecophon responsible: Carsten Svensson (Ecophon Group)
This workshop addresses classroom acoustics and the new demands of modern school environments. Classrooms have to be designed to maintain low ambient speech levels as well as to transmit the teacher’s speech from the blackboard to the pupils. In practice, we will look at the influence of the level of absorption (on ceiling and walls) on a set of acoustical descriptors (from EDT to Clarity, via SPL reduction).
Workshop 2
“Open-plan room acoustics – spatial decay, intelligibility and privacy”
Workshop leader: Ann-Charlotte Johansson (Ingemansson Technology)
Ecophon responsible: Pierre Chigot (Ecophon France)
Measurements of acoustics in rooms were traditionally carried out on the basis of diffuse sound fields. This is not suitable for open-plan offices, especially regarding the measurement of speech privacy. The concept of speech privacy is related to the propagation of sound from a speaker. The room’s ability to reduce speech propagation effectively is therefore crucial, and the ceiling makes a major contribution. This workshop will highlight descriptors such as rate of spatial decay per doubling of distance and Articulation Class (AC).
Workshop 3
Experience Ray Tracing Modelling
Workshop leaders: Konca Saher (Delft University) & Bengt-Inge Dalenbäck (CATT Acoustics)
Ecophon respsonsible: Erling Nilsson (Erling Nilsson Akustik)
This workshop will acquaint you with ray tracing modelling of classrooms and open-plan offices. In particular, the effect of absorbent ceiling treatment and sound scattering objects will be discussed. Take the opportunity to meet experts in this field and discuss the possibilities and limitations of ray tracing techniques.
Workshop 4
"Measurement of room acoustics - variance and uncertainty"
Workshop leaders: Adrian James (Adrian James Acoustics) & Lennart Nilsson (Akustikmiljö)
Ecophon responsible: Nils-Åke Andersson (Ecophon Group)
Room acoustics measurement will be demonstrated and discussed in depth at this workshop led by two very experienced workshop leaders. Limitations in existing and frequently used room acoustic parameters constitute one of the items. Another is the question whether reverberation time is an appropriate and precise tool for the assessment of the performance of sound absorbers in real spaces.
Workshop 5
"Sound and space - psychoacoustics, hearing, seeing, believing"
Workshop leaders: Bernard Delage (Via Sonora) & Mendel Kleiner (Chalmers University of Technology)
Ecophon responsible: Torbjörn Persson (Ecophon Group)
The workshop will address the way in which psychoacoustics can help to increase the understanding of architectural acoustics in general and room acoustics in particular. The hearing sensation itself, and the way we relate to previous auditory sensations. "Does what I see sound right?" "Can what I hear be generated by what I see?" "Is it true that what I see sounds the way I hear?" “Does a room have to sound the way it looks?”
Workshop 6
"Acoustic visualisation"
Workshop leader: Monica Rychtarikova (University of Leuven) & Marcus Spovell (WSP)
Ecophon responsible: Marc Jansen (Ecophon Group)
The engineering world has undergone tremendous development in the use of computers for generating virtual illustrations. Visualisation and auralisation features can together be important tools for the acoustician to improve non-specialist understanding. This workshop aims at presenting a few examples, showing how visualisation and auralisation tools can help the acoustics industry to increase awareness of room acoustics and the understanding of its principles.
Workshop 7
"Ecophon Plant visit"
Workshop leader: Anette Johansson (Ecophon Group)
A small train will take us through the Ecophon plant to see the production chain, from production to warehouse. Presentations of Ecophon, the products and the company’s environmental and safety work.
Workshop 8
Building case visit: School
Workshop leader: Alex Dubow (Ecophon Sweden)
Demonstration of two different classrooms at Campus Helsingborg, part of Lund’s University. This building was formerly used for the manufacture of rubber products, such as tennis balls, by Tretorn, which was owned by Henry Dunker. Today this is a modern university with about 3,000 students, with all the auditoriums, classrooms, laboratories and other facilities necessary for a university. During planning, considerable attention was paid to the acoustic environment, so you will see and experience different applications of sound absorbers.
Workshop 9
Building case visit: Open-plan office
Workshop leader: Jonas Christensson (Ecophon Sweden)
This workshop will deal with acoustics in open-plan offices. For such an office to function as well as possible acoustically, various requirements can be defined:
- The space must have acoustic properties appropriate to the work to be carried out there.
- Furniture and fittings must be adapted to the acoustic requirements.
- People working in an open-plan office must be trained in good “acoustic behaviour”.
By adhering to these “rules”, there are good possibilities of creating open plan offices with an acceptable working environment. Examples will be given and demonstrated.