One way to handle noise and acoustical challenges in a hospital is use sound-absorbing ceiling tile, according to an article on FacilitiesNet.com. If the wall goes only as high as the ceiling, look for a ceiling tile that has both a high CAC (ceiling attenuation class) rating and a moderately high NRC (noise reduction coefficient) rating, said Kenneth Roy, senior principal research associate at Armstrong World Industries.
CAC measures how well a material blocks sound transmission through a plenum between adjacent closed rooms, while NRC is a measure of sound absorption.
"When walls do not go to the floor slab above and just go as high as the ceiling, noise comes in from the floor above and also from the patient room next to you. If you can absorb sound in space, then there is less sound transmitted through the ceiling and into your patient's room," according to Roy.
Read the article.
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