Classroom Acoustics Partnership Update
By Stephen Wilson, AIA, Architect, Michigan H&V
In December 2020, Hands & Voices began a partnership with the Educational Audiology Association to address classroom acoustics. This collaboration began because of an article in the Communicator that solicited parent input to this project. Stephen Wilson, a Michigan H&V parent who works as an architect specializing in school design, volunteered to join the committee which includes an acoustical engineer and several educational audiologists (see the sidebar on page 6 to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of educational audiologists). As a group, we represent some of the most critical elements of school design.
For the first time, the 2017 version of the standard includes a set of minimum acoustical requirements for classrooms. However, these standards have not yet been adopted by most states due to the development time required for new building codes, and cycles of adoption that often take three years or more.
The goal of this partnership is to build awareness about the importance of good classroom acoustics for communication and learning, as well as to influence state agencies who adopt building code standards for school buildings, including classroom noise levels and reverberation times. This topic has become particularly relevant recently as schools modify ventilation systems to increase airflow, a practice that often increases noise levels.
Good classroom acoustics are essential to language development in all children, especially those with hearing differences. Teaching environments with low reverberation times and less background noise help children hear more clearly and better understand their teachers and peers.
While these concepts are relatively simple to understand, the implementation of mandatory classroom acoustical requirements in schools is far more complex. Building codes throughout the United States are typically implemented at the state level, with over 50 jurisdictions implementing their own amended versions of model building codes.
The Educational Audiology Association (EAA) Classroom Acoustics Committee is partnering with Hands & Voices to advocate for the adoption of classroom acoustical requirements by state building codes and is developing materials to help parents advocate for improved classroom acoustics in their communities.
Most state building codes reference the ICC/ANSI A117.1 standard as a set of minimum requirements for access for people with disabilities. For the first time, the 2017 version of the standard includes a set of minimum acoustical requirements for classrooms. However, these standards have not yet been adopted by most states due to the development time required for new building codes, and cycles of adoption that often take three years or more.
The EAA Classroom Acoustics Committee is investigating which states have adopted the new A117.1 acoustical standard, or may be considering adopting them, as part of building code updates. The committee hopes to provide a comprehensive list of state agencies that administer building codes, so parents can understand the requirements in their state, and whom to best advocate with for improved standards in their schools.
One of the concerns of the committee is that the 0.6 second reverberation time requirement for a typical classroom listed in the 2017 version of ICC/ANSI A117.1, falls short of the 0.3 second reverberation time that is ideal for students with hearing aids or cochlear implants. The committee is investigating why these enhanced requirements, developed by the Acoustical Society of America, were not implemented as part of the A117.1 standard.
One reason why building codes may not adopt more stringent requirements for disability access is due to the real or perceived costs of implementing those standards. Because of this, the committee is working on a report based on real world examples of classroom designs, demonstrating the cost of improvements to improve a typical classroom to a 0.3 second reverberation time. The goal is to present research that can help school districts understand the actual cost impacts of improving classroom acoustics for all students.
If you are interested in more information about classroom acoustical standards, or how adoption of building codes works in your state, please contact Stephen Wilson at stephenmichaelwilson@gmail.com. ~
H&V Communicator – Summer 2021
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