Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Controlling Noise in Classrooms

Acoustical performance is a vital ceiling selection criterion for classrooms. The reason: students must be able to hear and understand their instructor if they are to learn.

In the past, acoustical ceilings offered either good sound absorption to decrease unwanted sound levels, or good ceiling attenuation to block unwanted sound intrusion from adjacent classrooms or corridors, but not both absorption and blocking in the same ceiling.

Now, the science behind the ceiling is able to offer a new generation of acoustical ceiling panels that provide an ideal combination of sound absorption as denoted by their Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) and sound blocking as denoted by their Ceiling Attenuation Class (CAC) in the same panel.

The NRC indicates the ability of a ceiling to absorb sound. It is expressed as a number between 0.00 and 1.00, and indicates the percentage of sound it absorbs. An NRC of 0.60 means a ceiling absorbs 60 percent of the sound that strikes it. A ceiling with an NRC less than 0.60 is considered low performance, one with an NRC of 0.70 or greater, high performance.

The CAC indicates the ability of a ceiling to block sound in one space from passing up into the plenum and transmitting back down into an adjacent space that shares the same plenum. The higher the number, the better the ceiling acts as a sound barrier. A ceiling with a CAC less than 25 is considered low performance, one with a CAC of 35 or greater, high performance.

Regardless of whether it’s new construction or renovation, the best solution for both reducing the level of sound in a classroom and limiting sound intrusion into it is an acoustical ceiling panel that combines an NRC of 0.70 or greater and a CAC of 35 or greater.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Sean Browne is principal scientist - Global Acoustics for Armstrong Ceilings.

Featured

  • Texas State University Completes Stadium Renovations

    Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, recently announced that it has completed a series of additions and renovations to its football stadium, according to a news release. Formerly known as the Bobcat Stadium End Zone Complex, the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center is an 85,000-square-foot expansion featuring hospitality spaces, banquet spaces, exterior concourses, and upgrades to the field house.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • Countway Library at Harvard Medical School

    From Shadows to Sanctuary: The Transformation of Light at Countway Library

    The renovation of Countway Library at Harvard Medical School demonstrates how biophilic design and advanced lighting strategies transformed a formerly dark, insular space into a vibrant, welcoming hub that supports wellness, learning, and community engagement.