Multipurpose and School Hall Acoustics
Common acoustic problems
Multipurpose halls generally suffer from being just that. The acoustics suitable for sport are quite different to those for music. Because budgets are usually slim, acoustics is a low priority and the hall ends up being acceptable for sport but very bad for music. Designing the hall for good multipurpose acoustics is much easier at construction time, but retrofitting is possible and can turn an extremely noisy hall into a place for students to learn and play music as an ensemble.
Important factors
Acoustic panels of any type that are used in a multipurpose hall need to meet some critical criteria;
They must have compliance to the Building Code of Australia for Fire Hazard Safety (BCA C1.10)
They should robust
They should be cleanable
They should have a suitable absorption coefficient (NRC), AlphaW and Sound Absorption Class (Appendix B of DIN EN ISO 11654)
They should not fade or collapse over time
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Auditoriums and music rooms?
These dedicated rooms are easier to design acoustically in the sense that they are not multipurpose. Good acoustic design provides reliable and predictable outcomes.