The furniture industry needs a new evaluation standard for evaluation of sound absorption

Abstract

Since decades the standard ISO 11654 are prevailing for evaluating sound absorption of products. The standard is fully adapted to mineral wool ceiling manufacturer. However, the standard is used independently of which interior product it is applied to, causing a lot of "misuse" and confusion amongst many manufacturer. In particular, when it comes to evaluation of various office screens, single wall sound absorbers and space absorbers, the ISO 11654 becomes a problem. There is no need, if even possible, to calculate absorption factor for many of these products correctly. Therefore, Sweden decided to develop a new standard, SS 25269 - "Acoustics - Evaluation of sound absorption of single objects". Hence, a number of modern products aimed as absorbers in interior spaces should be treated as single objects to cover a wide range of variety. The standard specifies an evaluation method of the sound absorption using only sound absorption area for each object tested. It will minimize risk for errors since there is no need to try to state a product area in order to calculate absorption coefficient. Additionally, the area doesn't have to be stated yet again when calculating room characteristics, using the same products in the finished room. © 2013 Acoustical Society of America.