WHY CHOOSE CLIMATE READY FABRICS’ ACOUSTIS COLLECTION?

Beyond Acoustis’ visual appeal and decorative capability, Acoustis has broken new ground, being the first patented acoustic fabric solution to be based exclusively on weaving coated fibreglass with a special weft and a controlled diameter.

Not only does this special weave significantly reduce sound reverberation, but perfect control of the material’s porosity means that sound waves are effectively absorbed without need for adding harmful fibrous or porous materials that could pose inhalation risks.

Acoustis fabrics also have optimal aeration because the material has no thermal resistance.  This guarantees good natural ventilation even in humid environments.

Not only is Acoustis the most effective option, it’s the safest.

BY WHAT ACOUSTIC STANDARDS ARE ACOUSTIS PRODUCTS TESTED?

Climate Ready Fabrics’ Acoustis collection has been tested to Australian and internationally recognised standards for acoustic sound absorption.

Reference:

AS ISO 354–2006 “Acoustics – Measurement of sound absorption in a reverberation room”

AS ISO 11654–2002 (ISO 11654:1997) “Acoustics – Rating of sound absorption – Materials and systems”

WHY IS ACOUSTIC CONTROL IMPORTANT?

In communal spaces such as restaurants, meeting rooms, sports complexes, covered swimming pools, and railway stations, natural social discussion creates a high sound level (75 to 95 decibels) which can be perceived as quite clamorous. When this noise reaches a certain value, people have to raise their voices or even shout to continue to communicate.

In order to maintain the functionality of these spaces and limit discomfort, research has shown that it is ideal to keep sound below 72 decibels, hence the need for materials capable of acoustic absorption.

HOW IS THE ACOUSTIC SUITABILITY OF MATERIALS MEASURED?

It is important that the acoustics of a space are aligned with its architectural function and because some materials absorb sound energy better than others, selecting an appropriate material to use on the walls of a room is pivotal to its acoustic quality.

The suitability of material is assessed using the alpha Sabine coefficient (αw) per frequency, which is a ratio comparing the sound energy absorbed by a given material to the incident energy (or initial sound energy before striking the given material ).

Without absorption, reverberation time and sound level increase, decreasing the overall functionality and ambience of the space.

How is Acoustic Absorption Assessed?

The acoustic absorption capacity of a given material is expressed by its alpha Sabine coefficient (αw) in the 3 octave bands:

bass (below 200 Hz)
medium (200 to 2000 Hz)
treble (above 2000 Hz)

This result is expressed as a number between 0 and 1 with optimal materials tending towards 1.  In other words,

0 = total sound reflection
1 = total sound absorption

For ease of comparing products for application in buildings, sound absorption ratings are then classified into five classes: A – E

The international standard ISO 11654 breaks absorption performance into five classes, from A to E for the comparison of products for application in buildings.