Now that COP27 has drawn to a close, the construction industry, like most other sectors, will be thinking introspectively on how to improve sustainability. However, the COP events are about more than just lowering carbon. They’re also about improving lives and wellbeing – highlighting how the world around us can impact our physical and mental health.
Ideas relating to this topic have been around for a while and it’s worth remembering that in 2015, the UN developed its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a framework aimed at enhancing the physical world for greater good. In particular, it’s ‘Goal 3 – Wellness and Wellbeing’ is as relevant today as it was seven years ago.
The goal highlights how our environments and social spaces can create healthier, happier lives and focuses on proactively addressing issues rather than being reactive. It’s an area that can be directly linked to acoustic health. Exposure to excessive noise levels can cause adverse side effects, including hypertension, hearing loss and even strokes, yet it’s often overlooked and awareness is low.
We know the problem is systemic – particularly within work environments. Following our own research into the impact of noise on hybrid workers, over half of employees felt their offices are too noisy and a quarter felt more ‘stressed’ as a result. Alarmingly, over a third of managers were unaware of UK laws that safeguarded employees from sky-high noise levels.
As one of the 193 countries in agreement with these goals, UK architects and specifiers have a responsibility to prioritise acoustic health and fix our noise epidemic. This means creating safer and more comfortable environments that promote wellness, productivity and that are simply a pleasure to work or live in.
Architects that recognise the benefits of acoustic health are often surprised at how effective solutions can be at reducing unwanted sound. Acoustic sprays for example, work by absorbing sound energy, rather than reflecting it, reducing overall noise levels. They’re also highly versatile and can be applied to both walls and ceilings on nearly every surface type, without compromising the interior design of a space.
However, the benefits of acoustics sprays go beyond noise control. They can also contribute towards sustainable design and health certification systems – an area of increasing importance to specification plans. This can range from BREEAM, SKA, Living Building Challenge and adds up to 17 points towards the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating of a project. Premium sprays that are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, also improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and help meet the highest welfare standards.
Safety also falls under the banner of ‘wellness and wellbeing’ and a premium acoustic spray can also prevent the spread of a fire. Yet only a few provide third-party certification – a sign of quality and proof that it can perform under emergency conditions. Architects and specifiers looking to prioritise fire safety should always opt for acoustic sprays that go above and beyond Approved Document B fire requirement (Class 0 to BS476 & B-s1,d0 fire rating). Opting for cheaper options that lack third-party testing could put lives in danger should such an event take place.
Given that an estimated three quarters of employers now offer hybrid working and with rising energy bills driving workers back to offices, it’s high time we prioritise acoustic health. The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 1 million healthy life-years are lost every year from noise in Western Europe, and noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most easily preventable work-related illnesses in the world.
It’s clear that through proper attention to architectural acoustics, the industry can put some SDG’s goals into action and in a world still reeling from the pandemic, prioritising health, be it mental or physical, should be a necessity. We also need to consider acoustic solutions as a key to unlocking workplace productivity – and in these tough economic times, supporting staff to be healthier and happier, will only help us prosper.
Ben Hancock, MD of Oscar Acoustics.