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Performance loss in open-plan offices due to noise by speech

July 2008
Journal of Facilities Management 6(3):202-211

Authors:

Delft University of Technology

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show how the performance of the personnel can be negatively affected by conversations, adjacent to the working space, in an open‐plan office environment. Design/methodology/approach Using two scientific mathematical models it is possible to quantify the performance losses, as a result of adjacent conversations, with various desk layouts in an open‐plan office. Findings The results obtained from the underlying Finnish study can be improved by applying a regression analysis to the recorded research results. The modified deviation formula not only corresponds more closely to the research results, but also produces a better translation of the speech intelligibility index to the intelligibility qualifications, as shown in the guideline NPR 3438. Originality/value It is reasonable to conclude that performance loss, as a result of a poor acoustic situation, can be related to the speech intelligibility in a space. The relationship between the speech intelligibility index and performance loss makes it possible to design on the basis of productivity improvement, resulting in a comfortable acoustic working environment and a consistent financial advantage for the organisation.

Examples of work areas within open office spaces

…

Curve fitting and the research results of the Institute of Occupational Health in Finland

…

Summary of calculated results

…

Figures - uploaded by C. P.G. Roelofsen

Content may be subject to copyright.

Content uploaded by C. P.G. Roelofsen

Content may be subject to copyright.

Performance loss in open-plan

ofﬁces due to noise by speech

Paul Roelofsen

GrontmijjTechnical Management, Amersfoort, The Netherlands

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how the performance of the personnel can be

negatively affected by conversations, adjacent to the working space, in an open-plan ofﬁce

environment.

Design/methodology/approach – Using two scientiﬁc mathematical models it is possible to

quantify the performance losses, as a result of adjacent conversations, with various desk layouts in an

open-plan ofﬁce.

Findings – The results obtained from the underlying Finnish study can be improved by applying a

regression analysis to the recorded research results. The modiﬁed deviation formula not only

corresponds more closely to the research results, but also produces a better translation of the speech

intelligibility index to the intelligibility qualiﬁcations, as shown in the guideline NPR 3438.

Originality/value – It is reasonable to conclude that performance loss, as a result of a poor acoustic

situation, can be related to the speech intelligibility in a space. The relationship between the speech

intelligibility index and performance loss makes it possible to design on the basis of productivity

improvement, resulting in a comfortable acoustic working environment and a consistent ﬁnancial

advantage for the organisation.

Keywords Employee productivity, Performance levels, Noise control, Acoustics, Open plan ofﬁces,

Finland

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

More and more people are currently employed in the services sector and spend most of

their working days inside a building. A working environment which is as healthy and

comfortable as possible is therefore not unimportant, if people are to function

undisturbed and at their best within an organisation.

Noise, especially in an enclosed space, is an important aspect which affects both the

feeling of “well-being” and concentration in regard to functional performance.

Personnel costs are of a signiﬁcantly higher factor than the costs for organisational

accommodation, therefore any productivity losses, expressed in ﬁnancial terms, clearly

represents large amounts of money. Noise is often deﬁned as undesired sound. Any

sound, however, that is disturbing is, in principle, noise. This can often mean that it is

not the particular sound or the magnitude of the sound which is deﬁned as noise, but

the perception of the sound by the subject listener to which extent the sound is

experienced as noise. This is also relative to the working circumstances at that moment

in time. Everyday noise or noise within a noisy environment can be described as noise

when it disturbs or affects the capacity of the person to perform the working function.

Noise causes personnel to become irritated and interrupted and to perform less well,

especially in situations requiring creativity and thought, and may cause, occasionally,

short-term memory loss. Noise has a negative and often a slowing down effect upon

performance and memory. Noise in ofﬁces is a problem which is, currently and

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/1472-5967.htm

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Journal of Facilities Management

Vol. 6 No. 3, 2008

pp. 202-211

qEmerald Group Publishing Limited

1472-5967

DOI 10.1108/14725960810885970

unfortunately, rarely recognised by the management in a corporate organisation

(Russel, 1999).

Two major reasons for the increase in objectionafble noise in the work place can be

blamed upon the introduction of open-plan ofﬁces and the transformation of formerly

closed ofﬁce work areas into transparent and open character work areas. Magniﬁcation

of the problem has been caused by the intensiﬁcation of the occupancy levels and the

use of speaker enabled telephone and computer communications.

This paper will show, by means of two scientiﬁc models, how the performance of

the personnel can be negatively affected by conversations, adjacent to the working

space, in an open-plan ofﬁce environment.

The open-plan ofﬁce

Ofﬁce spaces can be roughly divided into two categories. Open ofﬁce spaces with high

concentration levels of work areas (Plate 1), subdivided, or not, by screens and ﬁling

cabinets and, conventional individual compartmentalised ofﬁces separated from each

other (Figure 1).

Open-plan ofﬁces are often preferred, partly because the working areas within the

ofﬁce space are 50 per cent smaller than in conventional, individual, ofﬁce

accommodations.

Alterations to the layout within open ofﬁces are simpler to carry out. An open-plan

ofﬁce is also easier to rent. Furthermore, the economic advantages of open-plan ofﬁces

can be improved by the following:

(1) The shorter working distances.

(2) The promotion of better:

.communications;

.information routes;

Plate 1.

Open ofﬁce space

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203

.colleague relations;

.work involvement;

.transparency and openness; and

.fresh and modern architecture.

Undesirable acoustic consequences – due to, for example, lack of speech privacy and

reduced concentration as an outcome of overhearing other conversations – are often

ignored, or not taken seriously, during strategic accommodation decisions, because of

the apparent advantages of the open-plan ofﬁce economics and organisational beneﬁts;

since it is expected that the personnel will, in due course, adjust to the new ofﬁce noise

situation.

From various studies, it has been shown that speech (incidental and/or formal

meeting discussions, telephone conversations, etc.) form the most disturbing source of

noise in an open ofﬁce accommodation. The disturbance is not, apparently, due to any

increase of speech volume, whether individually or due to a multitude of voices

speaking simultaneously but, and in particular, as a result of over-hearing a

conversation which is distracting. Studies reveal that once a person has been distracted

it will take ten minutes or more for that person to return to the same concentration level

they were at before the distraction. In practice, everyday, in an open-plan ofﬁce, there

are virtually constant conversations which can be of a disturbing nature (Folsom and

Koenig, 2007). The reduction of the speech intelligibility disturbance between various

working areas in open-plan ofﬁces takes on great importance.

Figure 1.

Examples of work areas

within open ofﬁce spaces

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Speech intelligibility versus speech privacy

Speech intelligibility

The speech intelligibility in a space can be evaluated on the basis of the speech

transmission index (STI) as mentioned in NEN-EN-ISO-9921 (2003). The STI is a

measurable and calculable value for the speech intelligibility, whereby the values vary

between 0 (not intelligible) to 1 (perfectly intelligible). Speech is modulated by a test

signal which has particular speech characteristics; given that speech can be described

as a broad band white noise modulated with particular ﬂuctuation frequencies. At the

receiver location, the modulation depth of the received signal, over various frequency

bands, is compared to the test signal transmitted. The speech intelligibility is related to

the reduction in the modulation depth.

Speech privacy

Speech privacy is the complete opposite of speech intelligibility and can best be shown

on the basis of the Privacy Index, as follows:

Privacy Index ¼12STI ð2Þ:

The relationship speech intelligibility index, speech intelligibility and speech privacy

is shown in Table I.

For a good speech privacy, a speech intelligibility index equal to or smaller than 0.2

is advised (Bradley et al., 2004). In order to evaluate the speech intelligibility between

two adjacent working areas, whether or not separated by a sound barrier, this study

uses the Wang and Bradley model (Wang et al., 2002).

Other inﬂuential aspects

When reading, the sounds of a conversation are only a disturbance if there is a

similarity between the text being read and the content of the conversation, and not by

the loudness of the speech. Conversations have a more negative inﬂuence than any

back ground noise, if the conversation concerns a recognisable subject.

Conversations that one cannot follow, for example in a foreign language, are much

less disturbing. Noise can also have a negative inﬂuence on the memory.

Conversational noise makes memory retention more difﬁcult. Other sorts of noises

are disturbing but to a lesser extent. Performance studies carried out in noisy

situations but with good acoustic environments do not always reveal large differences.

This can be answered by understanding that one compensates and subdues daily and

familiar background noises by a higher level of concentration. However, this very often

results in tiredness, lack of comprehension and irritation. One performs less well and

cooperation is poorer with colleagues (Russel, 1999).

Speech intelligibility index (-) Speech intelligibility Speech privacy

0.00-0.30 Bad Good

0.30-0.45 Poor Reasonable

0.45-0.60 Reasonable Bad

0.60-0.75 Good Very bad

0.75-1.00 Excellent No

Table I.

Translation of the speech

intelligibility index to the

intelligibility qualities,

NPR 3438 (2006)

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205

Human beings have an almost instinctive reaction to sound. There is always a reaction

to a new sound and this causes a lack of focus in the activity being carried out. The

consequences can be that important details are overlooked and/or the creative thought

processes are detrimentally disturbed.

Mans sensory perceptions keep a persons active and subconsciously aware of what

is occurring around them, but only to a certain level. Above this level, any disturbance

is disruptive. The disturbance level is variable from person to person and is dependent

upon the work activity, the situation, other overriding sensory impressions, etc. Sound

can also result in performance improvement. Certain monotonous manual work, such

as painting and decorating and production line work can perceive sound as acceptable.

Conversely, more difﬁcult tasks demand concentration. The activity level of an

individual is also inﬂuenced by personal circumstances, such as health, sleep, drugs,

medications, work pressures, etc.

Noise becomes a disturbance when one is deciding how to carry out a particular

activity. Unwelcome noise causes one to diminish the value of and ignore available

information. The result is that the activity is not always performed in the best manner.

Noise is an inﬂuence on strategic solutions to a problem. If one is affected by noise,

human nature chooses the simplest most favoured strategy, even when, subsequently,

circumstances change and the noise disappears.

Noise increases working pressure. A problem that couldbe solved by using a little more

effort may be carried out, but less effectively, despite every intentions of more effort.

Noise reduces performance capability, even when the noise has subsided and may

later result in tiredness, irritability and depression.

Noise disturbs verbal communication and makes speech and hearing less

distinct. A noisy environment demands more effort to speak and listen. The difﬁculty

is increasedwhen the listener must also remain concentrated on theirwork (Russel, 1999).

Performance loss

It is reasonable to conclude that performance loss, as a result of a poor acoustic

situation, can be related to the speech intelligibility in a space. For this purpose, the

research results from the Institute of Occupational Health in Finland (Hongisto, 2005)

are used. A summary of the results from the Finnish study show that the performance

loss varies between 4 and 45 per cent, dependent upon the task. The best performance

was shown to occur when there was no speech present (STI ¼0) and the largest

performance loss occurred when speech was perfectly intelligible (STI ¼1). Between

these two extremes, the assumption is that, the performance loss, as a function of the

speech intelligibility, in principle, follows a similar curve to the subjective speech

intelligibility, as a function of the speech intelligibility index, conforming to IEC

60268-16 with a maximum of 7 per cent, which is the minimum performance loss,

within the parameters of the previously mentioned inventory for proofreading (see the

lower curve with squares in Figure 2).

In the Finnish study, the model was not inﬂuenced by a regression analysis of the

research results. Consequently, and for this presentation, it seems sensible to perform a

regression analysis upon the results in order to evaluate the extent to which this may

affect the eventual model. The results are graphically shown in Figure 2 and the upper

curve with circles illustrates the inﬂuence of the regression analysis.

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By means of the Boltzmann sigmoid function, which is advised in the previously

mentioned study, the deviation in the prediction model due to regression analysis

conforms to the following formula (see upper curve with circles in Figure 2):

DP ¼8:03ð121=ð1þEXPððSTI 20:30Þ=0:06ÞÞÞ

where DP – performance loss (per cent); and STI – speech intelligibility index (-).

The maximum of the modiﬁed deviation formula appears to be somewhat higher

than the Finnish study. Larger differences are also apparent between the speech

intelligibility indexes 0.2 and 0.5. In our opinion, the application of this deviant formula

not only corresponds more closely to the research results but produces a better

translation of the speech intelligibility index to the intelligibility qualiﬁcations, as

shown in the NPR 3438 (2006). The model should be further developed by continuing

the studies of Ellermeier and Hellbru

¨ck and Venetjoki et al. as mentioned in the Finnish

study. For the record it is pointed out that culture may be of inﬂuence. This should be

further investigated too in future research.

Situation under consideration

To obtain an impression of the performance loss by an employee in an open-plan ofﬁce

situation, a calculation study has been carried out. An open work area is considered, as

shown in Figure 3, whereby the screen height, the sound absorption coefﬁcient of the

ceiling and the background noise levels are variables. In order to remain in line with

the previously mentioned Finnish study, their proposed prediction model is used

instead of the modiﬁed deviation function.

Calculation results

The calculated results are shown graphically in Figures 4-6.

Figure 2.

Curve ﬁtting and the

research results of the

Institute of Occupational

Health in Finland

as a function of the speech intelligibility

Performance loss [%]

Speech intelligibility index [–]

00 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Hongisto Curve fitting Ellermeier & Hellbruck Venetjpki Kaarlela

Performance loss

Source: Hongisto (2005)

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207

Conclusions

Based upon of the observations, the following can be concluded:

.Using the previously described models, it is possible to quantify the performance

losses, as a result of adjacent conversations, with various desk layouts in an

open-plan ofﬁce.

.The results obtained from the Finnish study can be improved by applying a

regression analysis to the recorded research results.

.The modiﬁed deviation formula, in our opinion, not only corresponds more

closely to the research results, shown in Figure 2, but produces a better

translation of the speech intelligibility index to the intelligibility qualiﬁcations,

as shown in the NPR 3438 (2006).

Figure 3.

Plan considered work

station diagram (top view):

two desks opposite of each

other; lights (open grill)

over screen

Screen height: 1.7m

3m 3m

Figure 4.

Summary of calculated

results

Performance loss

Performance loss [%]

Mean sound absorption ceiling

01 1.1

0.42 0.61 0.9 0.97

1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8

Screen height [m]

as a function of the speech intelligibility, the screen height and the

sound absorption of the ceiling

Note: Background noise level 41.9 dB(A)

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.The maximum performance loss for ofﬁce workers inﬂuenced by intelligible

adjacent conversations would be approximately 8 per cent, using the modiﬁed

deviation formula.

Figure 5.

Summary of calculated

results

Performance loss

Performance loss [%]

Screen height [m]

01 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8

Note: Background noise level 44.9 dB(A)

Mean sound absorption ceiling

0.42 0.61 0.9 0.97

as a function of the speech intelligibility, the screen height and the

sound absorption of the ceiling

Figure 6.

Summary of calculated

results

Performance loss

01.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8

0.42 0.61 0.9 0.97

Performance loss [%]

Screen height [m]

Note: Background noise level 46.9 dB(A)

Mean sound absorption ceiling

as a function of the speech intelligibility, th screen height and the

sound absorption of the ceiling

Performance loss

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209

.By applying the modiﬁed deviation formula, the curves shown in Figures 4-6

would be drawn somewhat higher in the graphical representation.

.Especially, for the speech intelligibility index interval between 0.2 and 0.5, the

modiﬁed deviation formula produces a larger off-set compared with the Finnish

study.

.The speech intelligibility index should be lower than 0.5 to produce any positive

inﬂuence upon performance.

.In order to obtain acceptable conversation privacy, a speech intelligibility index

lower or equal to 0.2 is advised. (Bradley et al., 2004).

.An increase in background noise level causes a worsening of the speech

intelligibility of the participants and a decrease in performance loss.

An open-plan ofﬁce requires a minimum background noise level of 45 dB(A),

where potentially disturbing conversations/discussions are carried on.

The background noise level may, however, never be higher than 48 dB(A)

(Bradley et al., 2004).

.Practically speaking, this means that ceilings with very good sound absorbing

qualities together with high separation screens should be used in order to mask

speech sounds. Without these measures, a good speech privacy is impossible in

an open-plan ofﬁce environment.

.Other general measures to limit or prevent noisy activities will improve speech

privacy and increase performance.

.In addition, it is strongly recommended that during the design of an open-plan

ofﬁce environment, the incorporation of smaller closed ofﬁce spaces should be

planed, where employees may retreat for telephone conversations or to carry out

activities which require more creativity and/or accuracy.

References

Bradley, J.S. and Gover, B.N. (2004), “Criteria for acoustic comfort in open-plan ofﬁces”,

Inter-Noise 2004 – The 33rd International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control

Engineering Prague, Czech Republic, August 22, 2004, pp. 1-6.

Folsom, F.W. and Koenig, Th.A. (2007), “The impact of open plan speech noise on employee

productivity & satisfaction and the facility solutions”, Dynasound Inc., available at: www.

ifma-holland.nl/ﬁles/Congressen/The_Impact_of_Open_Plan_Speech_Noise_on.doc

(accessed 23 January 2007).

Hongisto, V. (2005), “A model predicting the effect of speech of varying intelligibility on work

performance”, Indoor Air, Vol. 15 No. 6, pp. 458-68.

NEN-EN-ISO-9921 (2003), “Ergonomie – Beoordeling van spraakverstaanbaarheid”, October,

NEN, Delft.

NPR 3438 (2006), Ergonomie – Geluidhinder op de arbeidsplaats – Bepaling van de mate van

verstoring van communicatie en concentratie, November, NEN, Delft.

Russel, P. (1999), Geluid en het moderne kantoor, Hilanders, Helsingborg.

Wang, C. and Bradley, J.S. (2002), “Sound propagation between two adjacent rectangular

workstations in an open plan ofﬁce”, I Mathematical modelling: NRCC-46314, available at:

http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/fulltext/nrcc46314/nrcc46314.pdf

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About the author

Paul Roelofsen, CFM, MSc Eng., studied Architecture, Urban Planning and Housing at the

Eindhoven University of Technology specialising in the Physical Aspects of the Built

Environment. After graduation, he continued his studies through a post-Higher Professional

Course in Advanced Installation Techniques and an advanced course in Environmental Noise, as

well as a course in Facility Management and Quality Management. Paul is a visiting lecturer and

occupies various supplementary functions within both his working and tutoring activities. He is

also active with various contact groups, related to his expertise in building constructional

techniques, and performs several functions for, and within, these groups. The IFMA Award of

Excellence for outstanding achievement in Facility Management was presented to Paul in 2004

as well as an Award for Building Services Innovation in The Netherlands in 2007. Paul Roelofsen

can be contacted at: paul.roelofsen@grontmij.nl

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Oct 2023

Mária Roberta Nagy

A vállalat által kitűzött célok elérésében nélkülözhetetlen az emberi erőforrás használata. Tanulmányom az “open office” munkakörnyezet bevezetéséhez kapcsolódó munkavállalói elégedettségmérés eredményeit foglalja össze, amelyet az NCH szervezetében végeztem. A vezetés instrukciója alapján, az európai irodák reformáción esnek át. Ezáltal a magyar irodát is, “open office”, azaz nyitott légterű irodává szükséges átalakítani. Kutatásom célja, hogy a dolgozók elégedettségét felmérjem és javaslatot tegyek a vezetőség részére a további irodák kialakítására vonatkozóan. A téma aktualitása az, hogy a magyar cégvezető megosztotta tapasztalatait, vezetői értékelését az iroda átadása óta, visszatekintve az irodafelújítási projektre. Az irodafelújítási beruházás bemutatását követően, az „open office” elégedettséggel kapcsolatos korábbi szekunder kutatásokat tekintem át, majd primer kutatásban vizsgálom meg, hogy a magyar és cseh nemzetiségű alkalmazottak valóban elégedettek-e a megvalósult új munkakörnyezettel mélyinterjú segítségével. Az eredmények összegezve, a magyar és cseh munkavállalók alapvetően elégedettek a munkakörnyezetükkel. Igényüket fejezték ki a nagyobb terekre és a tágabb saját munkakörnyezetre, továbbá tárgyalók és pihenő zónák kialakítására vonatkozóan, valamint jelezték a zaj túlzott mértékét. A modern és zárható bútorokat sorolják előre az értékelés során, továbbá közvetlen és gyors kommunikációt vettek észre az egymás közötti működésükben. A kutatás következtetéseit tekintve, a vizsgálat alapján javaslom a további „open office”-ok kialakítását az európai országokban, elsősorban projektcsapat felállításával. Fontos, hogy a funkcionális vezetők részére továbbra is zárt tereket alakítsanak ki. Kiemelt szerepe van a pihenő zónáknak. Fektessenek hangsúlyt a bútorzat kiválasztására, elsősorban kényelemben, mely egyúttal variálható az iroda átrendezése során. A zaj csökkentésére pedig lokális megoldások számbavétele szükséges a helyi adottságoknak megfelelően.

The influence of a 'quiet hub' on the indoor acoustics in an open office environment: A case study

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Sep 2023

The global COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an era of hybrid work, where a combination of remote work and in-person work is increasingly prevalent. [1-3]. Research shows that because of this there is a growing demand for workplace environments with a flexible office design [4]. Good acoustic workplace design is crucial. Especially people working in an open office often complain about a lack of privacy or not having a quiet space to work in [5]. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the impact of a quiet hub in an open office environment. The hub, as a separate area in the centre of the open-plan office, consists of a free-hanging ceiling section with a highly sound-absorbing top layer and lateral acoustic curtains that serve as screening and act like a visually separated room. The effects of the hub on the acoustic environment were measured using SPL (Sound Pressure Level), reverberation time (T20), speech intelligibility (STI) and level measurements at different distances as acoustic parameters. Based on the results, an evidence-based design was developed to improve acoustic comfort, speech intelligibility and privacy within the centre of the workspace. Outside the centre it was leading to a reduction in intelligibility by a significant level decrease when the distance is doubled.

International Journal Publication May 2023

Article

Full-text available

May 2023

Naveen Prasath

A work environment can have both positive and negative, direct and indirect effects on employee performance in terms of creative outcomes and productivity. Open floors are the most common design form, giving businesses more flexibility in space layouts and taking up less space for each employee, thereby reducing real estate costs. This paper examines the impact of uncontrollable working conditions in open-plan offices on creative outcomes. The study examines the mediating role of employees' work-related behaviour in relation to social interaction and well-being at work. The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis in this study. The respondents were 117 office workers in a creative multimedia company in Iran (Tehran). This study showed that open-plan offices improve employees, social interaction, and overall employee communication by increasing their closeness and reflecting a more democratic work culture. Team members support and motivate each other by sharing knowledge and communicating with each other. In addition, positive work-related behaviours in the form of positive feelings, well-being, and sharing of information and ideas should develop and foster connections between employees, which can lead to the facilitation of creative outcomes. Creative and innovative companies are aware of this fact, which is why they seek to develop their work environments and, in particular, use open workspaces to foster their creative outcomes.

Explanation of the Well-being Factors

Chapter

Mar 2022

Werner Seiferlein

In order to facilitate the application of the matrix, the target matrix is described and explained in detail below. This enables users to better understand the factors and make comprehensible and sustainable decisions. However, it should also be mentioned at this point that the application of a factor is largely a matter of interpretation, for example, in the hotel-business, instead of background music, another acoustic sound such as chirping birds, can also be applied.

Sound propagation between two adjacent rectangular workstations in an open-plan office - Part I: Mathematical modeling

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2002
APPL ACOUST

This paper describes the development of a mathematical model of sound propagation between adjacent workstations in an open-plan office. The model is valid for adjacent rectangular workstations consisting of small enclosures made up of partial-height screens or panels. The new model adds the effects of side and back panels to the primary effect of the common separating screen that was considered in a previous model. In both models, reflections are included using an image source technique and expressions are developed to identify those image sources that represent actual reflection paths. The orientation of openings into the workstations is also considered. Comparisons with measured attenuations of sound propagation between adjacent workstations are included. They verify that the model can quite accurately predict the expected speech privacy between workstations in an open-plan office.

Criteria for acoustic comfort in open-plan offices. Inter-noise, the 33rd International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering

Article

Jan 2004

This paper summarizes new subjective studies to better define conditions required for acceptable speech privacy and acceptable noise levels in conventional open-plan offices. Achieving both of these goals will lead to satisfactory acoustic comfort in open office environments. Ambient noise levels of about 45 dBA are judged to be most preferred in the presence of speech from an adjacent workstation, and these ambient noise levels should not exceed 48 dBA. Speech privacy is usually related to values of the Articulation Index (AI) or its replacement the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII). Acceptable speech privacy is usually said to require SII=0.20. Extensive speech intelligibility tests of simulated open office conditions show that it is only below this SII value that speech privacy is substantially improved. Together, these two criteria (background noise ? 45 dBA and SII=0.20) lead to the best possible compromise for achieving satisfactory acoustic comfort in an open-plan office. Ce document résume de nouvelles études subjectives visant une meilleure définition des conditions requises pour parvenir à une confidentialité des entretiens et à des niveaux de bruit qui soient acceptables dans des bureaux à aires ouvertes de conception classique. L?atteinte de ces objectifs se traduirait par un confort acoustique satisfaisant dans les environnements professionnels de ce type. On estime que des niveaux de bruit de fond d'environ 45 dBA sont optimaux lorsque des sons vocaux sont émis depuis un poste de travail contigu, et ces niveaux de bruit ambiants ne devraient jamais être supérieurs à 48 dBA. La confidentialité des entretiens correspond habituellement à des valeurs de l'indice de netteté (AI) ou de l'outil qui le remplace, l'index d'intelligibilité des conversations (SII). Pour être acceptable, on estime en général que la confidentialité des entretiens doit présenter un indice SII = 0,20. Des essais poussés d'intelligibilité des conversations, réalisés en conditions simulées de bureau à aires ouvertes, indiquent que la confidentialité des entretiens s?améliore de façon considérable seulement sous cette valeur SII. Ensemble, ces deux critères (bruit de fond ? 45 dBA et indice SII = 0,20) mènent au meilleur compromis possible pour atteindre un confort acoustique satisfaisant dans un bureau à aires ouvertes. RES

Sound propagation between two adjacent rectangular workstations in an open-plan office - Part II: Effects of office variables

Article

Dec 2002
APPL ACOUST

In part I of this paper a general model was developed of sound propagation between adjacent rectangular workstations in a conventional open-plan office. In this paper, the new model is used to investigate the importance of various office design parameters on calculated speech privacy. The additional effects of the side and back panels of complete workstations are examined in detail. Calculations for systematic variations of the principal design parameters show that the separating screen height and the ceiling absorption have the largest effects on expected speech privacy. High speech privacy can only be achieved with the combination of high screens, high ceiling absorption, and high panel absorption. Empirical corrections are developed to estimate how the presence of ceiling lights reduces the effective ceiling absorption. The complete model is shown to accurately predict speech privacy for a range of office design configurations with an RMS error in predicted SII values 0.02.

A model predicting the effect of speech of varying intelligibility on work performance

Article

Jan 2006

Valtteri Hongisto

Abstract Abstract Speech is the most distracting sound in (open-plan) offices. Several laboratory studies have shown that speech impairs the performance of, for example, reading and short-term memory. It is not the sound level of speech that determines its distracting power but its intelligibility, which can be physically determined by measuring the Speech Transmission Index (STI). The aim of this study was to develop a mathematical model that predicts how much the performance is reduced due to speech of varying intelligibility. The model was based on the literature according to which performance decrements have been 4–45% depending on the task. The best performance occurs when speech is absent (STI = 0.0), and the strongest performance decrement occurs when speech is perfectly heard (STI = 1.0). The shape of the performance vs. STI between 0.0 and 1.0 was adopted from the general speech intelligibility theory. The performance starts to decrease when STI exceeds 0.2. Highest performance decrease is reached already when STI exceeds 0.60.

The impact of open plan speech noise on employee productivity & satisfaction and the facility solutions

F W Folsom
Th A Koenig

Folsom, F.W. and Koenig, Th.A. (2007), "The impact of open plan speech noise on employee productivity & satisfaction and the facility solutions", Dynasound Inc., available at: www. ifma-holland.nl/files/Congressen/The_Impact_of_Open_Plan_Speech_Noise_on.doc (accessed 23 January 2007).

Ergonomie-Geluidhinder op de arbeidsplaats-Bepaling van de mate van verstoring van communicatie en concentratie

Jan 2006

NPR 3438 (2006), Ergonomie-Geluidhinder op de arbeidsplaats-Bepaling van de mate van verstoring van communicatie en concentratie, November, NEN, Delft.

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