Facility managers need to communicate clearly to ensure the facilities they care for are well maintained. But this isn’t always the case – sometimes because it’s too hard to hear inside the building.
There are many factors that can impede a facility’s acoustics. Ambient noise like outside traffic and operant machinery can get in the way of basic vocal communication inside a facility. Lots of hard surfaces can make sound echo to the point of confusion.
Luckily, there are several solutions. When disruptive noise comes from a facility’s systems, sound-dampening materials can be used to reduce noise pollution around the culprit machinery. For ambient noise coming from outside, consider installing multi-paned windows (which will save on energy costs anyway) and sound-absorbing insulation for the walls.
Privacy Concerns
Though being able to clearly hear speech is the goal in many circumstances, including schools, conference halls, and homes, it isn’t ideal in all cases.
In an open office scenario, for example, it might not be conducive to employee concentration to be able to clearly hear every conversation in the building. This is also the case in situations where privacy is a concern, either professionally and/or legally. No matter the sector or organization type, it is a good idea to create private areas in your facility.
