Cost/Benefit Matrix
Construction Savings with Sound Masking
Comparison with Traditional Acoustic Build-Outs
Specifying a sound masking system for your new construction or renovation project may seem like an added — and unnecessary — expense. In reality, designing sound masking into a space will substantially decrease both material and labor costs.
And, by creating a controllable, acoustically comfortable environment that also provides speech privacy, sound masking will increase productivity (increases of 3 to as much as 20 percent are proven). Standard acoustical construction cannot achieve the same levels of comfort and speech privacy, and therefore yield little to no productivity gain.
To demonstrate the difference in construction practices, the chart below compares standard (or legacy) acoustical guidelines, with construction that includes a sound masking system.
| Legacy Acoustical Guidelines | Sound Masking Guidelines | |
| Sound Masking |
N/A in space build-out with standard interior acoustical practices. |
Specifying a Spectra® sound masking system includes multiple noise sources and secondary speakers throughout the space. Masking is typically adjusted for 45 dBA sound levels in private offices and conference rooms, and 48 dBA in open office areas. Decibel variance of masking should be maintained at +/- ½ dBA. |
| HVAC Systems |
Air supply ductwork typically requires lining with acoustical insulation. Return air openings through partitions (above the ceiling) are unacceptable. Each office needs to have an acoustically lined elbow duct for return air to prevent sound transmission. |
Air supply ductwork does not require lining when a sound masking system is planned. Return air openings through partitions are not necessary because the walls do not go all the way up to the ceiling deck. |
| Sound Masking Cost Savings: Savings on both material and labor, because there is no need for acoustical insulation (and installation) on air supply and return ductwork. Also, there is no need to seal HVAC penetrations in partitions going above the ceiling. | ||
| Legacy Acoustical Guidelines | Sound Masking Guidelines | |
| Acoustical Ceilings |
Enclosed office ceilings must be CAC 40 and NRC .65 rated, minimum. Open plan office ceilings must be NRC .95 rated, minimum. Acoustical ceilings must be separate in each individual room, because walls are built slab-to-slab. |
Enclosed office minimum required CAC 35 and open plan office area ceilings are NRC .85 rated. One continuous acoustical ceiling throughout space. |
| Sound Masking Cost Savings: Savings on both material and labor, because there is no need for highest-rated ceiling tiles, along with the ability to construct a continuous ceiling throughout the space. | ||
| Legacy Acoustical Guidelines | Sound Masking Guidelines | |
| Partitions |
Partitions around enclosed offices typically must be built from slab to slab. Partitions must be acoustically caulked at all penetrations, abutments and mullions. Partitions are STC 50 to 55 rated, meaning 2+1 or 2+2 layers of 5/8" GWB on 2 ½" metal studs with voids filled with a sound attenuation blanket. |
All enclosed office partitions and walls are constructed to stop at the ceiling. Partitions are STC 40 rated, meaning 1+1 layers of 5/8" GWB, 2 ½" metal studs, with voids filled with a sound attenuation blanket. The addition of sound masking is typically equivalent to the addition of 10 points to the STC ratings of walls and CAC ratings of ceilings, respectively. |
| Sound Masking Cost Savings: With sound masking the walls and partitions do not have to extend beyond the acoustical drop ceiling to the slab. Building with sound masking eliminates the need for acoustical caulking (of any above-ceiling wall penetrations for plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc.). Partitions also require less material for construction to achieve appropriate levels of privacy representing significant savings when sound masking is used. | ||
| Legacy Acoustical Guidelines | Sound Masking Guidelines | |
| Plenum Penetrations |
All penetrations through office partitions above and below the ceiling must be acoustically caulked to help prevent sound transmission. |
Penetrations through partitions do not require acoustical caulking. Penetrations above the ceiling do not occur because the partition does not extend to the ceiling deck above. |
| Sound Masking Cost Savings: Savings on both materials and labor due to no longer needing to caulk these sensitive areas. | ||
| Legacy Acoustical Guidelines | Sound Masking Guidelines | ||
| Systems Furniture |
Personnel requiring speech privacy should not be assigned a workstation, regardless of the panel height. Speech privacy cannot be achieved in workstations without sound masking using the traditional acoustical build-out. |
Open systems furniture panel heights can generally be 54" high or taller, and still ensure speech privacy. | |
| Sound Masking Cost Savings: Acoustical privacy and comfort in the open plan can only be obtained with the use of a properly installed and tuned sound masking system. Reduced panel heights will provide dramatic savings. Use of an open plan will result in less square foot per occupant, better maintainability, flexibility and sustainability. Significant occupant comfort and cost-savings result from good sound masking. | |||
| Legacy Acoustical Guidelines | Sound Masking Guidelines | |
| Acoustical Wall Treatments |
Acoustical wall treatments may be required within offices that may otherwise have insufficient absorption material, including conference rooms. |
Acoustical wall treatments are typically not required within enclosed offices. Acoustical wall panels may be needed in conference rooms and rooms with high noise levels or reverberation levels or both. |
| Sound Masking Cost Savings: Savings on both materials and labor, because there is a reduced need for acoustical wall treatments. | ||
| Legacy Acoustical Guidelines | Sound Masking Guidelines | |
| Life/Safety - Music/Paging System |
Additional paging speaker system needed with all necessary head-end equipment so that an intelligible page can be produced. |
Sound masking system only with integrated, independent paging system makes use of existing speaker infrastructure at minimal additional cost. |
| Sound Masking Cost Savings: Savings resulting from the efficiency of two uses (masking and paging) from one sound system. | ||
Why spend more to leave your space lacking? Ask Lencore how to leverage sound masking for cost and productivity benefits.
