Building materials play a significant role in shaping the sound environment of indoor spaces. AKINCO helps architects and builders achieve pleasing acoustics in their projects by using eco-friendly and high-performing acoustic products.
Wood is famous for its acoustic properties; it naturally absorbs and reflects warm, pleasant tones in a space. By contrast, metal surfaces reflect harsh, bright sounds and can cause unpleasant reverberations.
Strength
The strength of building materials determines how well they stand up to a variety of stresses, especially those resulting from bending or twisting. Typically, this property is listed in material specifications, such as the tensile strength of metals and alloys.
Acoustical foams, fabrics and metals are designed to quiet workplaces, homes and automobiles by preventing noise from being transmitted from one room to another or to outsiders. These products may be used for soundproofing, where airborne noise from a music room, for example, is blocked from a general classroom, or as sound absorbing, such as the fabric coverings in a machine shop that reduce the sound bouncing off the ceiling.
Mass loaded vinyl (MLV) is a generic term for several commercial products that use heavy vinyl sheeting installed behind sheetrock as a means of blocking sound transmission. The product flexes as sound waves impinge upon it, prohibiting their transfer to the more-rigid interior walls, which provides effective acoustical insulation while maintaining fire resistance.
Acoustical foam is a wall mounted foam that may be flat, chamfered, convoluted or wedged and are used to reduce reverberation times and improve audio quality in studios and music rooms. The best type of acoustic foam is the open-cell variety as closed-cell structures tend to reflect rather than absorb sound.
Durability
The durability of building materials is a key factor in a project’s success. The longer a material lasts the less maintenance and repair it will require over its lifetime. Durability is also important in relation to climate change and the likely impact of higher temperatures, rising water levels and more frequent extreme weather events.
The big push towards greener construction has placed a major focus on durability in building materials. In particular the LEED rating system requires a detailed durability plan with third party inspection. This can earn a project one point under the Materials and Resources category.
There is a balance between durability and sound absorption that must be struck when selecting acoustic materials for a new build or renovation. Many durable materials are designed to reflect rather than absorb sound, but there is a wide range of durable acoustic products available to help architects and designers create acoustically balanced environments.
For example acoustic foam comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes that can be used to aesthetically integrate acoustic insulation into the walls or ceilings. There are also resilient channels that can be laid over the soundproofing insulation to decouple the structure from the studs or ceiling joists. The acoustic insulation can then deflect and absorb the vibration that would otherwise be transmitted through the structural members.
Aesthetics
The aesthetics of building materials play an important role in the overall building environment. When people see the exterior of a construction, they form opinions about its looks in seconds. Professional architects carefully balance the functional and aesthetic aspects of their buildings. For example, they use colors to create a sense of space or communicate their design intent. They also use color to reflect the cultural or historical context of a location.
Aesthetics is a philosophical branch that studies the nature of beauty and taste. It is influenced by personal preferences, but also by cultural values. The aesthetics of a building are determined by its colors, textures and layout. These elements can affect the comfort of occupants and their satisfaction with the space.
Sustainable building materials can be used to achieve a variety of aesthetic goals, from rustic and natural to sleek and contemporary. They can also help builders reduce their carbon footprint, which is good for the planet and the local community.
Aesthetics also plays an important role in the marketability of a construction project. A visually appealing structure is more likely to attract buyers and tenants, and it will last longer than a less-attractive one. Exceptional craftsmanship is essential to achieve the best aesthetic results, and attention to detail makes all the difference. For example, precise metal finishes and intricate patterns on tiles can elevate the look of a construction.
Maintenance
The building environment has a significant impact on the health and comfort of its occupants. Excessive noise pollution has been linked to a number of health issues, including cognitive fatigue and stress. Poor acoustics have been shown to interfere with the ability of students to learn, and patients in hospitals to recover.
Many materials that are used in the construction of a building contribute to its acoustics. These include walls, ceilings, furniture, light fixtures and mechanical systems. Each of these can have a direct impact on the sound quality in a space.
Acoustic materials are typically classified as absorbent, reflective or blocking. Absorbent materials absorb sound energy, thereby reducing reverberation times. They are usually made from porous materials, and they come in a range of styles so that they can integrate aesthetically into indoor environments. They can be flat, chamfered, convoluted or wedged and may have pyramidal shapes protruding from them.
Reflective materials, on the other hand, reflect sound waves away from a surface, rather than absorbing them. They are often incorporated into walls as insulation. They can also be applied as a spray-applied coating to surfaces to reduce reverberation.
Blocking materials are those that reduce the transmission of sound between spaces within a building. They are generally used as a substitute for traditional plasterboard or drywall and come in a variety of forms. Examples of these are mass loaded vinyl barriers and flexible acoustic putty, which is designed to maintain the structural integrity of wall partitions, while maintaining their acoustic properties.