How can we design for sound in the workplace?

We analyzed sound levels of three workplace environments in three different industries (real estate, financial services, and energy) to determine how to design for comfortable and productive workplace sound. To complete this research, we partnered with Cerami, an acoustic design and technology company that optimizes noise and vibration levels within a variety of building and space types. We conducted on-site sound metering to measure the type and level of sound at each site throughout the workday and created a corresponding heat map of the data. To further understand how workers characterize their preferred environment for work, the impact of unwanted noise, and the space types that provide ideal sound quality, we developed a module of noise-specific questions as part of Gensler’s Workplace Performance Index. We compared the survey data, site variables, and sound metering using a variety of different methods, including principal component analysis, ANOVA, and regression.