![]() Modern office designs tend to include high ceilings and lots of hard, smooth surfaces such as metal and glass. Improve acoustics with sound absorbing materials Make them more comfortable with adequate ventilation and temperature control. However, people often complain that these closed-in spaces become like a greenhouse after an hour or so. Make quiet areas more comfortableĭoes your office have pod or phone-booth type areas for quiet phone conversations? Theoretically, this should provide a way for people who really need quiet to escape from the open office area that can be noisy. This is just one strategy that HVAC design experts use to both reduce and relocate HVAC noise in your office space. Depending on your installation, this can be a quick and easy way to improve acoustics in your open office space. Sound boots help to control HVAC noise and reduce the movement of cross talk throughout your space. Learn more: HVAC System Design: 6 Strategies for Modern Office Spaces 3. When that happens, poor HVAC choices are frequently made that result in a poorly performing system, as well as a noisy one. This can lead to distracting HVAC noise, as well as poor comfort conditions including hot and cold spots.Įven if you did replace your HVAC system, it’s possible that your building contractor may have failed to consult with HVAC design experts during the design phase of your project. Carefully choose locations & operation of fans and air handlersĭid you redesign your office space without changing the design of your HVAC system? If so, you might have ducts and air handlers located in the wrong spots for the new layout. Learn more: 7 Reasons to Choose VRF Technology for Your New Air Conditioning 2. That means a much quieter operation and less distracting HVAC noise for workers.īONUS: The efficiency of VRF systems also reduces your energy expenses, too. So instead of fans blaring and shutting off every few minutes, the system runs continuously at a lower capacity. These systems are designed to run at the exact capacity needed for the current conditions in your space. If you suspect it’s time for a system upgrade, look into a newer type of HVAC technology: VRF systems. The constantly changing noise level can be very distracting for workers. And every time it turns on, it runs at full blast. When a system is oversized, it commonly turns on and off frequently. This is a common cause of HVAC noise problems. If your air conditioning system has been in place for a while, you probably have an older type of system that only runs at a single capacity, and may even be oversized for your space. ![]() If your HVAC noise problem is not a new or worsening situation, then the cause is a poorly designed system. Has the problem gotten worse recently? Is your loud AC unit making different noises than usual, or louder ones? Read this article to find out possible causes: How to Fix That Noisy Air Conditioner That’s Driving You Crazy Tactics for reducing HVAC noise in an open office environmentįirst things first: make sure your HVAC noise problem is not caused by a malfunctioning system. How? Both HVAC noise and voice distraction can be addressed with better attention to HVAC design. Here’s some good news: you can have that beautiful open plan office and still have peace and quiet for getting work accomplished. Workers report two primary sources of noise distraction in the open office: HVAC noise and voices of nearby co-workers. Another study by Steelecase and Ipsos found that noise distraction cost workers as much as 86 minutes per day in lost productivity. According to a survey conducted by BUILDINGS magazine, 33% of respondents named acoustics as something they would like to change about their office environment, and the problem is about more than annoyance. However, one area where open office design can fall short is addressing acoustics. Reducing space costs, since more workers can be accommodated with less space that’s better designed for employees needs.Encouraging collaboration and stimulating ideas.Helping attract talent by showing off a thriving company culture.Bringing in more daylight to improve employee experience and boost productivity.Getting rid of individual offices and cubicles is bringing benefits to both businesses and employees: The benefits of open office design can be compromised by acoustics problems Read on to learn some effective strategies for HVAC noise reduction, as well as one way you can use HVAC noise to your advantage. Yet distractions such as HVAC noise can lower productivity in these environments. ![]() Today’s open office spaces, featuring collaboration areas along with stations for different types of work, are a boon for business in many ways.
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