Architectural acoustics is the science of controlling sound within buildings.

The first
application of architectural acoustics was in the design of opera houses and then concert
halls.

The science of sound as it pertains to buildings. There are three major branches of
architectural acoustics. (1) Room acoustics involves the design of the interior of
buildings to project properly diffused sound at appropriate levels and with appropriate
esthetic qualities for music and adequate intelligibility for speech. (2) Noise control or
noise management involves the reduction and control of noise between a potentially
disturbing sound source and a listener. (3) Sound reinforcement and enhancement
systems use electronic equipment to improve the quality of sounds heard in rooms.

Good acoustic design takes into account such issues as reverberation time; sound
absorption of the finish materials; echoes; acoustic shadows; sound intimacy, texture,
and blend; and external noise. Architectural modifications (e.g., orchestral shells,
canopies, and undulating or angled ceilings and walls) may act as focusing elements to
improve sound quality.

There are three ways to improve workplace acoustics and solve workplace sound
problems – the ABC’s.

A = Absorb (usually via ceiling tile)

B = Block (via workstation panels, wall placement and workspace layout)

C = Cover-up (via electronic sound masking)

While all three of these are recommended to achieve optimal results, C = Cover-up by
increasing background sound produces the most dramatic improvement in speech
privacy –– with the least disruption and typically the lowest cost.

Interior building surfaces can be constructed of many different materials and finishes.
Ideal acoustical panels are those without a face or finish material that interferes with the
acoustical infill or substrate. Fabric covered panels are one way to heighten acoustical
absorption. Finish material is used to cover over the acoustical substrate. Mineral fiber
board, or Micore, is a commonly used acoustical substrate.

Inadequate control may lead to elevated sound levels within the space which can be
annoying and reduce speech intelligibility. Typical improvements are vibration isolation
of mechanical equipment, and sound traps in ductwork. Sound masking can also be
created by adjusting HVAC noise to a predetermined level.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air-conditioning (HVAC):

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning is based on the principles of thermodynamics,

fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.
In most HVAC systems a portion of ventilation air supplied to occupied spaces is outdoor
air and a portion is recirculated air. The total volume of air is important.

 Air movement contributes to thermal comfort. The lack of air movement can
create a sensation of hot/stuffy air.

There are two major types of HVAC systems based upon the use of airflow to control
temperature -- the Constant Volume (CV) system, and the Variable Air Volume (VAV)
system.

Constant Volume (CV) Systems

In a Constant Volume (CV) ventilation system, variations in the thermal requirements of

a space are satisfied by varying the temperature of a constant volume of air delivered to
the space. A constant fraction of outdoor air will mean that a constant volume of outdoor
air will be delivered to occupied spaces.

Variable Air Volume (VAV) Systems

In a Variable Air Volume (VAV) ventilation system, variations in the thermal requirements
of a space are satisfied by varying the volume of air that is delivered to the space at a
constant temperature. VAV systems reduce HVAC energy cost by 10-20% over CV
systems but complicate the delivery of outdoor air.

HVAC Components

Many HVAC components are particularly important to maintaining good indoor air
quality. Tips for optimum functioning are listed below.

Coils and Drain Pans

 Malfunctioning coils, including dirty coils, can waste energy and cause thermal
discomfort. Leaky valves that allow hot or chilled water through the coil when
there is no demand waste energy and create thermal discomfort.

Humidification and Dehumidification Equipment

 Potable water rather than boiler water should be used as a source of steam to
avoid contaminating the indoor air with boiler treatment chemicals.

Outdoor Air Dampers

Screens and grilles can become obstructed. Remove obstructions, check connections,
and otherwise insure that dampers are operating to bring in sufficient outdoor air to meet
design-level requirements under all operating conditions.

Air Filters

 Use filters to remove particles from the air stream.

  Filters should be replaced on a regular basis, on the basis of pressure drop
across the filter, or on a scheduled basis.

Ducts

A small amount of dust on duct surfaces is normal. Parts of the duct susceptible to
contamination include areas with restricted airflow, duct lining, or areas of moisture or
condensation. Problems with biological pollutants can be prevented by:

 Minimizing dust and dirt build-up (especially during construction or renovation)

Exhaust Systems

In general, slightly more outdoor air should be brought into the building than the exhaust
air and relief air of the HVAC system. This will insure that the building remains under
slight positive pressure.

Cooling Towers

Water is a convenient incubator for microbial growth, with potentially fatal

consequences, such as Legionnaires Disease, for building occupants. Periodically
monitoring water quality and chemical treatment to prevent microbial growth is essential.
Physical cleaning to prevent sediment accumulation and installation of drift eliminators
may also be necessary.

Boilers

Fossil fuel combustion boilers provide the potential for contamination with carbon
monoxide or other combustion by-products.

Existing Buildings

For existing buildings, the HVAC system should be operated to meet, at a minimum,
operating parameters for providing thermal comfort and outdoor air ventilation flow as
specified in design documents.

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause
of indoor air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor
pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor
sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and
humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants.

There are three basic strategies to improve indoor air quality.

1. Source Control
2. Improved Ventilation, and
3. Air cleaners

Source Control

Usually the most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to eliminate individual
sources of pollution or to reduce their emissions. Some sources, like those that contain
asbestos, can be sealed or enclosed; others, like gas stoves, can be adjusted to
decrease the amount of emissions. In many cases, source control is also a more cost-
efficient approach to protecting indoor air quality than increasing ventilation because
increasing ventilation can increase energy costs.

Ventilation Improvements

For most indoor air quality problems in the home, source control is the most
effective solution.

Another approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants in your home is
to increase the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. Most home heating and cooling
systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into
the house. Opening windows and doors, operating window or attic fans, when the
weather permits, or running a window air conditioner with the vent control open
increases the outdoor ventilation rate. Local bathroom or kitchen fans that exhaust
outdoors remove contaminants directly from the room where the fan is located and also
increase the outdoor air ventilation rate.

It is particularly important to take as many of these steps as possible while you are
involved in short-term activities that can generate high levels of pollutants - for example,
painting, paint stripping, heating with kerosene heaters, cooking, or engaging in
maintenance and hobby activities such as welding, soldering, or sanding.

Air Cleaners

There are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market, ranging from relatively
inexpensive table-top models to sophisticated and expensive whole-house systems.
Some air cleaners are highly effective at particle removal, while others, including most
table-top models, are much less so. Air cleaners are generally not designed to remove
gaseous pollutants.

The effectiveness of an air cleaner depends on how well it collects pollutants from indoor
air (expressed as a percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the
cleaning or filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute). A very efficient
collector with a low air-circulation rate will not be effective, nor will a cleaner with a high
air-circulation rate but a less efficient collector. The long-term performance of any air
cleaner depends on maintaining it according to the manufacturer's directions.

Ventilation

Ventilation is the intentional movement of air from outside a building to the inside. It is
the V in HVAC. With clothes dryers, and combustion equipment such as water heaters,
boilers, fireplaces, and wood stoves, their exhausts are often called vents or flues — this
should not be confused with ventilation. The vents or flues carry the products of
combustion which have to be expelled from the building in a way which does not cause
harm to the occupants of the building. Movement of air between indoor spaces, and not
the outside, is called transfer air.

Air movement into buildings can occur due to uncontrolled infiltration of outside air
through the building fabric (see stack effect) or the use of deliberate natural ventilation
strategies. Advanced air filtration and treatment processes such as scrubbing, can
provide ventilation air by cleaning and recirculating a proportion of the air inside a
building.

Types of ventilation
 Mechanical or forced ventilation: through an air handling unit or direct
injection to a space by a fan. A local exhaust fan can enhance infiltration or
natural ventilation, thus increasing the ventilation air flow rate.
 Natural ventilation occurs when the air in a space is changed with outdoor air
without the use mechanical systems, such as a fan. Most often natural ventilation
is assured through operable windows but it can also be achieved through
temperature and pressure differences between spaces. Open windows or vents
are not a good choice for ventilating a basement or other below ground structure.
Allowing outside air into a cooler below ground space will cause problems with
humidity and condensation.
 Infiltration is separate from ventilation, but is often used to provide ventilation air