Acoustics Whitepaper

Noise in the workplace has clear and demonstrable negative impacts on job satisfaction, productivity and employee health. In the words of bestselling author Susan Cain, open-plan workplaces “make people sick, hostile, unmotivated and insecure.” Yet at the same time, demands for productivity—both individual and organizational—are on the rise.

So, how can architects and designers tasked with fostering both collegiality and individual productivity re-imagine workspaces to achieve these ends? And how can this be accomplished in a way that’s both efficient and cost-effective? How can we counter the clear disadvantages of open-plan spaces while retaining their strengths?

This white paper takes a close look at a single interior design element that can dramatically increase workers’ satisfaction and productivity without significantly increasing building or design costs: the incorporation of acoustic lighting in open-plan spaces. From the drawback of office noise to the limitations of traditional solutions and the benefits of acoustic lighting, this whitepaper explores it all.