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CT: The acoustical environment of a workspace is typically given little or no attention during project planning and design. The functionality and aesthetics of the workspace are usually the primary focus of the designer. Too often overlooked, are the factors contributing to the productivity of employees occupying the workspace. Providing a comfortable environment for employees contributes significantly to their optimum performance and reduced absenteeism. Workspace comfort is really a combination of factors that includes daylighting and electric lighting, indoor environmental quality, temperature, and acoustics. The assault on ears in the workplace can come from traffic noise outside, mechanical equipment in adjacent spaces, and copiers, phones, and voices within the workspace.
The focus of this resource page is primarily on acoustic comfort in offices, classrooms, and conference rooms, though the concepts may apply to other space types, as well. For other occupancies see the references at the end of this page.
Besides the design team’s focusing on the project’s functionality and aesthetics, building acoustics is so often given low priority because it competes for limited project dollars with a number of other project goals, including: sustainable design/development, physical security/anti-terrorism, information technology/telecommunications, and building automation and controls. What is the solution to incorporating acoustics into the project development process? Employ an integrated design approach.

S: http://www.wbdg.org/resources/acoustic.php (last access: 20 February 2015)

N: While all occupants of multi-family buildings may insist on the right to live peacefully at home without having to worry about bothering or being bothered by the neighbours, few of them can objectively describe the acoustic privacy of their dwelling.To most people, acoustic comfort is a vague concept that becomes clear only when they are dissatisfied. The vocabulary that builders use to describe the acoustic comfort from which future tenants will benefit is just as inadequate; they often refer to “superior” soundproofing, which is very difficult to define in a legal context when occupants are not satisfied and turn to the courts to exercise their rights. .

S: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/tech/99112.htm (last access: 20 February 2015)

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CR: noise pollution