What is it about?
Green buildings are designed to save energy and protect the environment, but are they also comfortable places to work? One important factor that is sometimes overlooked is sound. A noisy office can affect concentration, communication and workplace comfort. This study investigated the acoustic conditions of three green-certified office buildings in Malaysia, examining 12 office spaces, including meeting rooms and open-plan offices. The researchers measured background noise, noise characteristics, sound reverberation and speech clarity. The findings revealed that although many spaces achieved acceptable background noise levels, some meeting rooms experienced excessive noise, while several offices had longer reverberation times than recommended. The study also highlighted the relationship between background noise and speech privacy in open-plan offices. The research emphasises that an environmentally sustainable building should not only save energy but also provide a comfortable acoustic environment for its occupants. It highlights the importance of considering sound quality as an essential part of green building design.
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Why is it important?
This research highlights an important but often overlooked aspect of sustainable architecture: acoustic comfort in green buildings. While green building design primarily emphasises energy efficiency, natural ventilation and daylight utilisation, these strategies may also introduce acoustic challenges. What makes this study particularly valuable is its empirical assessment of 12 spaces across three green-certified office buildings in Malaysia, using four complementary acoustic indicators. The findings reveal that achieving acceptable background noise levels does not necessarily guarantee good acoustic comfort, particularly regarding reverberation and speech privacy. This work contributes to a broader understanding of sustainable building performance by emphasising that environmental sustainability should consider not only energy and resource efficiency but also the quality of the auditory environment experienced by building occupants. Its findings remain relevant to architects, acoustic consultants, green building professionals and policymakers seeking to improve the overall quality of sustainable workplaces.
Perspectives
As a researcher in architecture and building acoustics, I believe that a truly sustainable building should be designed not only for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility but also for the comfort and well-being of its occupants. This publication reflects my interest in highlighting the importance of the acoustic environment, which is sometimes overlooked in green building design and assessment. Through this research, I gained valuable insights into how sustainable design strategies can influence indoor acoustic conditions, particularly in relation to background noise, reverberation and speech privacy. I hope this work encourages architects, researchers and building professionals to give greater consideration to sound quality as an integral component of sustainable architecture. For me, sustainability should not only be something we see or measure through energy consumption, but also something we experience through the quality of the spaces in which we live and work.
Associate Professor Nazli Bin Che Din
University of Malaya
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Assessment on acoustical performance of green office buildings in Malaysia, Indoor and Built Environment, November 2014, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1420326x14559855.
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