SCHOOL ACOUSTICS - THE GREAT DEBATE

摘要

Acoustic standards in schools are guided by Building Bulletin 93 (BB93). A mandatory requirement for all new school developments and a design target for higher education and refurbishments, BB93 is a set of design principles which facilitates effective acoustic design for different areas of a school. For example, BB93 specifies the sound insulation and reverberation times necessary for music rooms as compared with communal spaces. Generally, BB93 sets maximum reverberation times within rooms for teaching and learning. Minimum reverberation times are set in only a couple of types of spaces, with all others there is no lower limit. Research carried out by various parties suggests that reverberation time cannot be too low, especially for 'vulnerable listeners', such as those with hearing impairments. Providing criteria for specific teaching spaces means BB93 should, in theory, deliver rooms that are fit for purpose. However, in practice, this is not always the case.