CEILING SYSTEMS
Durability, acoustics, and aesthetics key to ceilings
Ceiling systems play a key role in creating appropriate room acoustics, and as noise levels in healthcare settings and the quality of the interior environment are known to considerably impact recovery and patient wellbeing, making the right choice should be a key consideration for specifiers such as healthcare estates teams, says Simon Humphrey, Technical manager at acoustic ceiling manufacturer, OWA.
Good acoustic design is vitally important to all healthcare settings, and this is addressed in Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 08-01: Acoustics, and Health Building Note 00-10 Part B: Walls and Ceilings. Both highlight the importance of good design, and outline the policy and performance requirements for walls and ceilings used in healthcare settings. From specialist clinics and
hospital wards to doctors’ surgeries, patient waiting areas, and administrative offices, the healthcare sector is characterised by many different types of facility – each with its own design requirements, which in turn influence the building materials required. Although specific acoustic requirements vary depending on the function and use of the room, the overall guidance is clear – good acoustic design is essential in creating a safe space in which patients can rest and recover. They need to be protected from loud or disturbing noises, either from outside or from within, and with many healthcare buildings incorporating noisy equipment and a high level of footfall, the need for adequate soundproofing cannot be underestimated.
Privacy and dignity There is also the issue of privacy – in terms of maintaining both patient dignity and confidentiality, while also ensuring speech intelligibility – for instance for sometimes sensitive conversations between doctors, patients, and their families and friends. In communal areas specifically, it is also vitally important that staff and patients can clearly hear any announcements and alerts. Aesthetic appeal is of course another key consideration in healthcare facilities, where the overall design of a room needs to enhance, rather than diminish, the experience of its users. In terms of ceiling designs, this is where the use of acoustic ceilings, baffles, rafts, and canopies can make a real impact. A suspended ceiling can provide excellent
soundproofing between rooms that are above, below, and adjacent. In adjacent areas, careful consideration needs to be given to the use of wall partitions which – in many cases – extend to the suspended ceiling, but not as far as the ceiling slab above. The ceiling
Ceiling systems play a key role in creating appropriate room acoustics; perhaps nowhere is this more important than in healthcare facilities – where patients need a quiet and calming environment to recover in.
construction needs to be planned in such a way as to avoid an ‘acoustic shortfall’ between rooms caused by the transmission of sound through the ceiling cavity. Acoustic suspended ceilings also have the added benefit of concealing essential pipework and utilities or, in the case of refurbishment projects, disguising an unsightly original ceiling.
Suspended ceilings, combined with high-performance ceiling tiles with excellent sound insulation properties, are an effective choice for healthcare schemes. The type of ceiling tile depends greatly on the functionality of the room in question, but a popular option for healthcare environments is the use of mineral ceiling tiles. These tiles may comprise a mineral fibre ceiling panel with a uniform, smooth, fleece-covered visible surface which can be disinfected and wiped when required. The mineral fibre tile density can vary depending on the acoustic requirements. Lower density products offer great sound absorption, thus reducing noise and echoes, whereas denser products offer good sound insulation to reduce sound travelling from one space to another.
Aiding light reflection Acoustic ceiling tiles can also aid internal light reflection, and can be integrated with bespoke lighting solutions – not only improving the look of an area, but also creating a more comfortable and accessible space that may boost wellbeing amongst all its users. Metal ceiling tiles are also an effective choice, and
November 2024 Health Estate Journal 69
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
