Benefits of quiet workspaces in open-plan offices--Evidence from two office relocations.

https://escholarship.org/content/qt83b6q521/qt83b6q521.pdf?t=ppagcb

Continuous IEQ monitoring system: Performance specifications and thermal comfort classification

Everyday reading occurs in different settings, such as on the train to work, in a busy cafeteria, or at home while listening to music. In these situations, readers are exposed to external auditory stimulation from nearby noise, speech, or music that may distract them from their task and reduce their comprehension. Although many studies have investigated auditory-distraction effects during reading, the results have proved to be inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory. In addition, the broader theoretical implications of the findings have not always been explicitly considered. We report a Bayesian meta-analysis of 65 studies on auditory-distraction effects during reading and use metaregression models to test predictions derived from existing theories. The results showed that background noise, speech, and music all have a small but reliably detrimental effect on reading performance. The degree of disruption in reading comprehension did not generally differ between adults and children. Intelligible speech and lyrical music resulted in the biggest distraction. Although this last result is consistent with theories of semantic distraction, there was also reliable distraction by noise. It is argued that new theoretical models are needed that can account for distraction by both background speech and noise.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1745691617747398

Auditory Distraction During Reading: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of a Continuing Controversy:

Difference in satisfaction with office environment among employees in different office-types

Open-plan offices have lower construction costs, allowing for significant savings in space and, according to designers, facilitate communication between workers, thus, improving collaboration, as well as the exchange of ideas. For these reasons, this type of office has become widespread, while highlighting numerous limitations and various problems. These include the control of anthropic and electromechanical noise. In this study, measurements of the noise emitted by a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system were carried out in an open-plan office. The average spectral levels in a 1/3 octave band were compared through correlation analysis, to identify any redundant data. A model was then adapted to evaluate the importance of the variables, in order to classify the characteristics, by importance. To reduce the number of predictor variables, a selection analysis of the characteristics was carried out. A subset of predictors was extracted to be used to produce an accurate prediction model. Finally, a model based on recursive partitioning, to detect the operating conditions of an HVAC system, was developed and applied, so as to provide insights into the development and application of this technique, in these contexts. The high accuracy of the model (Accuracy = 0.9981) suggests the adoption of this tool for several applications.

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/8/12/169/pdf

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Noise Detection in Open-Plan Offices Using Recursive Partitioning

Previous research suggests that, in open-plan offices, noise complaints may be related to the high intelligibility of speech. Distraction distance, which is based on the Speech Transmission Index, can be used to objectively describe the acoustic quality of open-plan offices. However, the relation between distraction distance and perceived noise disturbance has not been established in field studies. The aim of this study was to synthesize evidence from separate studies covering 21 workplaces (N = 883 respondents) and a wide range of room acoustic conditions. The data included both questionnaire surveys and room acoustic measurements [ISO 3382-3 (2012) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland]. Distraction distance, the spatial decay rate of speech, speech level at 4 m from the speaker, and the average background noise level were examined as possible predictors of perceived noise disturbance. The data were analyzed with individual participant data meta-analysis. The results show that distracting background speech largely explains the overall perception of noise. An increase in distraction distance predicts an increase in disturbance by noise, whereas the other quantities may not alone be associated with noise disturbance. The results support the role of room acoustic design, i.e., the simultaneous use of absorption, blocking, and masking in the attainment of good working conditions in open-plan offices.

Tuomas Kuusisto

Papers

Distraction distance and perceived disturbance by noise—An analysis of 21 open-plan offices