ACOUSTICS
A sound argument for a change in thinking
NHS Trusts across the UK are focusing on their challenging programme of capital investment in new hospitals, modernising existing facilities, and driving down emissions, as part of the 2040 NHS Net Zero Carbon deadline. James Large, Senior Acoustics consultant at international mechanical and electrical (M&E) and sustainability consultancy, CPW, argues that against this backdrop, more focus should be placed on good acoustic design during estates upgrades.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of acoustics within hospitals, where patient care is necessarily focused on the critical and urgent, yet the facts are undeniable – good acoustic design in hospitals improves patient outcomes. Hospitals are inherently noisy places. Elevated noise levels come from a variety of sources: alarms, medical equipment, conversations, music, tannoy announcements, trolleys being wheeled down hallways, and mechanical systems like ventilation and heating. The impact on patients of consistently being subjected to increased noise levels is well documented. It can interfere with sleep, cause stress and anxiety, and result in headaches and malaise,1
all of which can slow
recovery and discharge times, and generally impede the healing and care process. We must also consider that the impact on staff may result in poorer patient care. Noisy environments contribute to cognitive overload, stress, miscommunication, and the ability to focus, all of which are essential when making critical decisions in fast-paced environments if we want to avoid medical errors. Excessive noise can mask important verbal communications between staff, leading to missed instructions or unclear orders. In busy environments like operating rooms or emergency departments, ambient noise levels can also drown out the sounds of alarms and equipment signals, potentially delaying responses to urgent situations. A well-designed acoustic environment can improve patient safety.
Effective acoustic design techniques There are a range of techniques that can be implemented to improve acoustics. These may include increasing the sound insulation performance of barriers – including walls, ceilings, and floors, to control noise transfer between areas. The use of sound-absorbing materials is also key to controlling reverberation, which reduces noise build-up and enhances communication. Hospitals pose a unique set of challenges, in particular around the issues of infection control and washability, meaning the utmost consideration needs to be given to appropriate materials for the construction and fit-out of hospital interiors. We must also take into account the control of sources of noise and vibration such as external road and rail traffic, internal building services, or medical equipment such as MRI scanners. This reduces internal levels of noise, promoting rest and relaxation. Acoustic consultants require a good eye for detail, ensuring that sound proposals are developed for the construction of barriers such as walls and floors, and how building services interact with these elements. Where essential services penetrate through walls, a weakness in
the wall is created. Through good planning, the extent of such penetrations can be minimised and mitigated, such that the integrity of the wall is maintained. Of course, while when building and equipping new
hospitals, and modernising existing ones, equipping them with latest technology and minimising their energy consumption are both key, it’s equally important that they operate efficiently and give patients the optimal care. New-build and refurbishment projects undoubtedly
pose different challenges when it comes to the acoustics of the environment. The design of new-build schemes involves many parties and stakeholders, and the development of departmental zoning can often be focused understandably on operational efficiencies. It can be hard to zone noisy departments away from quieter room uses such as consultation rooms or single-bed recovery wards. Where possible, buffer rooms or zones (such as storerooms) can be used to separate zones and minimise the acoustic impact.
Lighter weight materials Modern building constructions commonly utilise advanced, lighter weight materials for structures and facades, which are more energy efficient and reduce embodied carbon. Lighter structures generally perform worse from a sound insulation perspective, which can be challenging when locating spaces such as MRI or PET scanning rooms, with louder activities. Over time, and with the development of new
technologies, the need for specific rooms within a hospital changes. In recent years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the need for ward space, while flexible
February 2025 Health Estate Journal 57
The Princess Royal Hospital (in Telford) reception area – a quiet zone alongside single-bed wards.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
