Building Acoustics is a broad term that deals with noise disturbances into a room, from other rooms or the outside world. Building acousticians measure how effectively such noise is insulated. This includes both airborne and structure-borne noise. Airborne noise is sound that is transmitted through the air, such as people talking in the room next door, while structure-borne noise results from an impact on a part of a building structure, such as footsteps on a floor which can be heard in the room below.
Building Acoustics is distinguishable from Room Acoustics, which essentially deals with the acoustic properties within the room itself. Measuring and controlling this behavior of waves is particularly useful in rooms where the quality of announcement messages and/or music is important, such as in conference halls, classrooms, concert halls, recording studios, airports, and train stations.
The measurement of Reverberation Time RT60 is necessary, for both Room and Building Acousticians, in defining how a room will respond to acoustic sound.
Building Acoustics Room Acoustics RT60 Measurement