When the staff and students at The Albany educational facility decided they could no longer live with the poor acoustics of its main hall, they contacted acoustic specialists Sound Reduction Systems (SRS) to see if they could help. SRS were able to collect some simple pieces of information to help them acoustically model the room in question, and offer initial recommendations, layouts and costs.
SRS were then asked to visit site to confirm their initial proposals. Free site visits and reports are available to all UK educational establishments under the terms of SRS’ ‘Acoustics for Schools’ initiative.
SRS Director, Alex Docherty, said:
“Upon entering the hall, it was clear that the acoustics would cause problems for anyone using the room, be it for teaching or recreational purposes. As is often the case in school halls and gyms, the many hard, acoustically reflective surfaces and the high ceiling had created a very reverberant, acoustically unpleasant environment.”
SRS were given a clear budget to work to, and had to find an acceptable solution within it, that included the fitting from the SRS absorption installation team. It was also stated that the panels would need to blend in with the existing décor, and that they should be the raft type absorbers that are suspended from the ceiling, and are easily detached for decorating and cleaning purposes, as opposed to directly bonded panels.
The solution was to specify the installation of White Sonata Vario raft absorbers to the ceiling of the hall to improve the school acoustics. SRS provided detailed acoustic graphs and a report detailing ‘before’ and ‘after’ performance, a full breakdown of costs and a layout design, to arm the school with enough information to make an informed decision. Out of three companies asked to quote, The Albany awarded the job to SRS.
Headteacher Jane Reason comments:
“I run a Key Stage 4 Pupil Referral Unit for students with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. All my classrooms are located off the hall, which we use as a dining space, table tennis hall and as additional space for our students to work. The echoing often meant students were easily unsettled. With the addition of the absorption panels, which blend well with the ceiling but are arranged in such a way as to also look stylish, the hall is now a calm environment and students are able to work quietly, take part in activities or eat their lunch without the distraction of the reverberating sound.”
The students at the Albany spend 2 years with them, with the core purpose being to re-engage them in their learning and maximise their achievement through a personalised curriculum which meets their needs, and builds on their aspirations. The Albany then supports them into further education to reduce the chances of them becoming part of the NEET statistics (not in education, employment or training).
The SRS Sonata range of absorbers are suitable for many different types of buildings, from educational spaces, to industrial, commercial and even domestic properties. If you have a reverberation and echo problem, there will be a Sonata absorber to help. To receive a quote, all you need to do is fill in the 3 Step form on the website with the measurements of the room, details of the surfaces and some pictures, and let SRS do the rest.
