IN SESSION
Topics and trends for educators and administrators from LaBella’s educational design & engineering team
FALL 2017
Lessons in design for K-12
fall SYLLABUS
From Circulation Desk to Circuitry Tech: Inside the Modern Library
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Dr. Robert Dillon Challenges Us To 3 Lead the 22nd Century Classroom The Cadillac or the Chevy? Evaluating Furniture Options
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Not Just the Music Suite: Acoustics Impact Your Entire School
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We Might Be Giants
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In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
Join Us for Our Spring Seminar on Security in the K-12 Environment! LaBella is proud to continue our seminar series this Spring with a new program on school security. Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Coordinator of Safety/ Security Christopher Barrow will join LaBella Project Manager Michael Place for an in depth discussion about the future of school security.
THE FALL SEMESTER IS
IN SESSION Fall is a season of change, and nowhere is that more true than in our schools. Each September, students start new grades, with new teachers, in new classrooms. If you’re an educator, chances are you spent part of your summer preparing that classroom for a new group of students. You made choices about the classroom elements you can control, like arranging furniture, hanging visual aids, and organizing supplies. But, have you ever stepped back from thinking about what your classroom should look like, and thought about what it should do? Dr. Robert Dillon, educator and author, is renowned for exploring that question. We hosted Dr. Dillon this fall for a pair of workshops where we delved into the ideal classroom. From the loftiest ideas to practical enhancements, our designers were inspired to find ways for the physical environment to support new pedagogies. We’re committed to being a resource and an advocate for our clients. We hope you will enjoy this issue, and contact us at insession@labellapc.com if we can explore a topic of interest to you.
Focusing on the K-12 environment, the seminar will address the growing need for the integration of security measures into landscaping and architectural design. K-12 professionals will gain a deeper understanding of the design of vehicular, pedestrian, and asset movements, along with storage, security, and other operational needs. The seminar addresses both new construction and renovation design to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty, and staff. Michael’s presentation will describe how to implement environmental design, technologies, and practices to provide security and safety for every member of your school. Our seminar series is free to K-12 educators, administrators and facility managers. Registration is required. Visit us at labellapc.com/schools-in-session for this event’s location, date, and sign-up information.
In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall Seminar Recap: Dr. Dillon and the 22nd Century Classroom Dr. Dillon challenges educators to imagine how the role of technology in children’s lives will evolve, and how schools can keep up with— and potentially pioneer— that evolution.
One of the key takeaways from Dr. Dillon’s workshop is the idea of designing with kids, not for them. This was perhaps best exemplified by a question he asked to the crowd of educators— “Outside of school, where do kids like to study?” A few answers followed, but for the most
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from anxiety and depression than ever before. His question— “How do we design for that?”— perplexes educators.
Seminar Series
K-12 is some of the most exciting work for us at LaBella. Every day is different— some districts want traditional renovations, while others aim for a state-of-the-art revamp. That’s why we were excited to host a workshop led by one of the leading voices on the future of design within the classroom. Dr. Robert Dillon, co-author of a number of books for educators, travels the country to help districts rethink the ways in which they teach. He visited Rochester to present to LaBella designers and local educators on how— and, more importantly, why— to redesign learning spaces.
Fall 2017
part nobody knew where children like do work. “So, why are we designing rooms based on where we think kids want to learn,” he asks, “without actually knowing?” Dr. Dillon advocates looking for ways to humanize schools— which means doing away with the cookiecutter approach. “My daughter has a friend who’s 5’11”,” he laughs, “and she’s 4’11”. And they’re putting them in the same sized desks!” He says he doesn’t know all the answers for furniture— that’s something our interior design team can solve. But, he’s certain that “ordering 25 of the same chair is never the right answer. There is no such thing as ‘the average student.’” More important than furniture itself, we need to create learning spaces that meet the needs of the whole student. Dr. Dillon brings up the data that more kids are suffering
Trauma in children, he says, can mean anything from malnutrition to having seen violence. Experts are increasingly aware of the importance of classrooms supporting students’ mental health, including spaces where they can lie down or decompress. “Kids need spaces for quiet,” he says. “Just like adults do. As designers and educators, we don’t always realize that.” New technology isn’t just a tool for students. Educators also have new and exciting means to shape teaching approaches and expand our understanding of children. For example, we have access to over ten years of FMRI brain research that shows us what makes kids’ brains light up and what doesn’t. “Why don’t we use that knowledge in designing schools?” Dillon asks, and encourages engineers and architects to act as conduits of the latest research to design brain-friendly classrooms. “I always hear about ‘the 21st century classroom,’” says Dillon, “But we’re already 17 years into that. We should be envisioning the 22nd century classroom.” One challenge educators face is the power of technology as the first line of instruction. Students may learn cont’d page 4
“I always hear about ‘the 21st century classroom,’” says Dillon, “But we’re already 17 years into that. We should be envisioning the 22nd century classroom.”
Dr. Dillon led two workshops for us: one with the LaBella design team, and one with educators and administrators.
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In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
Fall Seminar Recap: Dr. Dillon and the 22nd Century Classroom, continued from page 3 more easily from a YouTube video than from a teacher at the whiteboard. But— according to Dillon— that’s okay. “If teachers don’t have to worry about being the first line of instruction,” he says, “they are actually much better at being the second line of instruction. Filling in gaps, finding mistakes, and providing support are really where teachers shine.” As classrooms hurdle toward the 22nd century, technology will hold an ever-greater presence on how we learn and teach. Although science is typically seen as impersonal and exact, in a classroom setting it’s the very tool we need to help individualize classroom design and humanize the learning environment. Throughout every technological revolution and school renovation, though, one thing will never change— what makes a good teacher. “We need to show kids that adults can be playful,” stresses Dillon. “Because if adults don’t play, why the hell would they ever want to grow up?” From an administrator’s perspective, it’s just as important to provide teachers with refreshing and exciting classrooms as it is students. “Teachers have a higher turnover rate than ever before,” says Dillon. “And by coming together with designers, we can change that.”
FF&E
The Cadillac or the Chevy? Test Driving Furniture Helps Districts Determine the Features They Need Furniture can provide classrooms with flexibility, integrated technology, and the ability to experiment with new pedagogies. LaBella’s Interiors team helps clients separate manufacturers and avoid the upsell.
East Irondequoit CSD selected 11 teachers who were willing to try new instructional approaches with new furniture and technology.
LaBella provides unbiased guidance in the selection of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E). We survey the market and evaluate product without any sales motivation. The results at East Irondequoit were mixed, but provided valuable feedback about how much adjustment is required from teachers and students.
In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
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n our research on the future of the classroom, it’s clear that change can originate from two distinct catalysts. In some cases, educators lead the charge towards new modes of instruction, and retrofit the classroom environment to support their programs. In others, changing the classroom first is necessary to enable the instructional change. In both cases, but especially the latter, evaluating furniture options can quickly become overwhelming. It’s also common for some educators within a district to have different stages of readiness when it comes to embracing change, making building consensus for innovative products difficult. Visiting manufacturer dealerships and showrooms can help educators experience the product, but it may come with some drawbacks. “Visiting a furniture dealership is not unlike visiting a car dealership,” LaBella’s Interior Design Studio Manager Jackie Driscoll said. “They’re knowledgable about the product they sell, but ultimately make a commission on whatever the district buys.” Many dealerships are exclusive to certain manufacturers, making it difficult to compare brands. LaBella’s role is more like Consumer Reports, evaluating products across manufacturers, identifying features
that add value, and working with multiple manaufacturers and dealers to bring the furniture package within the District’s budget. Our interiors team recently assisted two local districts in the process of selecting progressive classroom furniture. At East Irondequoit Central School District, administrators wanted to identify a group of educators who would be champions for change. A Request For Proposal (RFP) was issued, and teachers responded by identifying ways in which technology had changed their instruction. Ultimately 11 teachers were selected to work with our interior design team to outfit their classroom with progressive furniture. For the Webster Central School District, our designers brought the classroom straight to them to set up an experience center with nearly sixty samples of furniture. They narrowed their selection down and plan to
Experimenting with a new FF&E approach can be implemented on a introductory scale (like East Irondequoit CSD) or part of a larger capital project (like Webster CSD).
implement the furniture as part of their Capital Improvement Project. Our clients can even “test drive” furniture by visiting LaBella’s headquarters, where we offer tours throughout our offices to showcase sample furniture pieces. The interior design team is developing plans to expand into an entire simulated classroom where educators can see how furniture and technology come together. Driscoll says it’s important to keep teachers and students involved throughout the selection process. Each district has a different culture, and may be at different phases in readiness for change. A successful project will require identifying the unique goals for each district and designing spaces to support student success.
Understand the Process
Selecting and Purchasing Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E) Initial Meeting: A chance to meet with stakeholders to discuss goals and scope of the project, introduce the concept of the “22nd Century Classroom” and identify “Champions for Change” who will act as key members of the project team.
Visioning Session: A hands-on, interactive session where our project team works collaboratively with teachers, administrators, facility managers and students.
Furniture Sampling and Testing: We work with you to select preferred vendors and coordinate samples of pieces for you to test and evaluate.
Programming & Design Concepts: Developing concepts for layouts and design, and a detailed list of requirements.
Final Review and Approval: Final approval of the samples and budget leads to coordination of purchase orders, delivery and installation.
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In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
Feature
From Circulation Desk to Circuitry Tech: The Versatility of the Modern Library The library is evolving, reinvented by the emerging ways we learn and teach with technology. But what does that mean for educators? by Danielle Lewis, CID, IIDA
Virtual Reality allows students and users to experience digital collections of museums, buildings and other distant places from their own location in firstperson.
Past For thousands of years, libraries have served as central hubs for knowledge around the world. Though models and systems have evolved, the founding principal of the library system has remained the same— self-improvement and accomplishment through learning. In the beginning of the twentieth century, steel tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie built and stocked just under 1,700 libraries across the United States, revolutionizing the American library system. Carnegie knew the immeasurable value of education, and ensured these libraries and their stores of knowledge were accessible to the entire community— men and women, children, and people of all cultural backgrounds. These well-stocked buildings were full of endless towers of books, journals, and other texts that any citizen could access for his or her own use. While this traditional model probably seems familiar to most, the essential functions of a library have been shifting—once again— towards a new mode.
In Session LaBella Associates |
Present There is no doubt that the world has changed from Carnegie’s Industrial Era to the age of information. Since the 1980s, Digital Natives (people who grew up in a digital world) have been traversing the largest virtual library of all— the Internet. These days, access to school-provided laptops and tablets keeps K-12 students constantly connected via these portable, hand-held devices. A few clicks of a button grants anyone access to information on every topic imaginable, from viral animal videos to breaking research on the latest scientific advances. This, among many other factors, has led to libraries that focus less on physical, printed texts. While the concept of a book-less library may have seemed impossible, it now seems almost expected. Librarians and patrons need not fear a biblioclasm, however. Providing books and other texts remains one of the core functions of the library, especially in early education settings where literacy is heavily promoted. In fact, ten out of twelve librarians cited “Providing Books/Periodicals” in the top three most prominently used functions in their libraries. This study shows that while digital information sources are increasingly more important, “analog” sources still stand the test of time.
LaBella’s design teams are working closely with districts to identify goals for each library space, while also building in flexible components for future programs.
As the ways we learn evolve with technology, libraries are becoming multi-purpose spaces. They no longer serve the sole purpose of storing bulky tomes. The integration of technology into our lives means that libraries are becoming rooted in versatility. For instance, the Cincinnati Public Library transitioned into a fullymobile model back in 2007. Patrons can walk into the library, check out and return books, and pay library fines all through interactive selfcheck-out kiosks. On a smaller scale, many local libraries cited tablets, laptop computers, and other small hand-held devices as technology that is currently available for patron use. Lisa Ferri, a librarian at Fairport High School, further describes the library as a place where “personal technology [is] seamlessly integrated with library resources in a cafétype atmosphere.” While many K-12 libraries host scheduled, in-school classes, they also serve as a place for students to supplement their classes with self-guided learning and exploration. Internet access and personal computing aren’t the only forms of technology to have an impact on the library. Virtual reality (VR) has also begun infiltrating the educational market, with trends such as immersive storytelling and gamification (the incorporation of
Fall 2017
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educational content in video games) becoming more and more popular in K-12 schools. VR allows students and users to experience digital collections of museums, buildings, and other distant places from their own location in first-person. This technology could allow users to learn about archaeological sites not only through written word, but also through a virtual tour of the site itself. Additionally, a rise in popularity of the “Maker Movement” has led to an increase in demand for DIY, tinkering, and craft spaces. Technological tools such as 3D printers, laser printers, and design software are often expensive and unobtainable for most people. Libraries have started to fill that void, providing spaces for tech buffs, entrepreneurs, and craftspeople to experiment and create with their own ideas. Many LaBella clients already utilize this technology. Designs implemented for the Thomas High School library in Webster, NY include a Technology Bar. This space, modeled after examples from Google Headquarters and Apple Genius Bars, allows students to bring their own one-to-one technology to be fixed by other Thomas High School students. In this way, the library serves as a place to learn about how things work while promoting STEM Education in the local community. (cont’d on page 8)
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In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
Energy
Energy Performance Contracting Allows Your Capital Improvements to Pay For Themselves For decades, LaBella has helped our K-12 clients improve their end-use energy efficiency and reduce annual utility expenditures. Our firm offers a specialized energy discipline that can provide a variety of energy solutions for districts. The notion of undertaking an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) can be an intimidating and time consuming proposition, but these projects can offer much-needed capital improvements and budget relief. How? Simply put, an Energy Performance Contract project pays for itself. The energy savings amortize the capital cost of the project. EPC projects are eligible for state aid, can be funded without issuing a bond, and are not subject to voter approval or competitive bidding. By including a 3rd party professional organization such as LaBella in the early stages of a project, you’re ensuring the process is as valuable as possible. LaBella’s services include identification and review of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs), RFP assistance, RFI responses, bid evaluation, interview assistance, and of course engineering design services and SED approval process. All of these services can be done at no up-front cost to the District, as our fees are paid by the EPC contractor. Contact us today to learn more.
The Modern Library, continued from page 7 Along this line, many librarians discussed the increasing importance of classes, programs, and collaborative meeting spaces within their libraries. A 2016 contest sponsored by the Knight Foundation challenged libraries to implement innovative ideas to better serve their communities. The North Onondaga Public Library in Cicero, NY was selected as one of the winners with their Library Farm concept. Much like a traditional library promotes literacy, the Library Farm promotes food literacy, allowing users to experience gardening firsthand as well as learn from local experts about food and farm culture. Similarly, the Ivan Green Primary School library in the East Irondequoit Central School District implemented their own butterfly and herb garden so students can experience life sciences firsthand. Future So— with so many options, what does the future of libraries entail? Whether they provide physical or electronic books, offer a quiet space away from the classroom, or the ability to print 3D models is up to the community the library serves. But, a few key takeaways remain. In reality, it all stays true to Andrew Carnegie’s original vision— make knowledge and education accessible to all. To accomplish this, designers, librarians, and educators should plan libraries to remain open and flexible, featuring fewer built-in items and more movable furniture with plenty of power and data connectivity. One prime example of a
successful implementation of these design elements is the library at Laurelton Pardee Intermediate School in East Irondequoit, NY. Here, LaBella worked with library staff to create a space that aligned with students’ visions. Stationary book stacks were removed or relocated to create a more open, flexible floor plan. At the same time, a variety of fullymobile tables, chairs, lounge pieces, technology, and storage were purchased to allow for a variety of learning environments to coexist within one space. Because of this, students are now able to use the library to grab a book and settle in a comfortable corner for individual study, meet at a collaborative station where they can connect their personal devices into a shared screen, group tables together to complete a handson project, and so much more. Most importantly, the new library design allows students to take control of the space and how it functions. Justin Hoenke of Benson Memorial Library (Titusville, PA) summarizes the endeavor best: “The library of the future is a library that listens closely to the needs of its individual community and responds to those needs first and foremost.” Planning the library in this way will ensure that it’s successful throughout future changes and trends. And while the new model feels futuristic and pioneering, it is part of the library’s evolution that is as old as history itself. In Andrew Carnegie’s words— over 100 years ago— “A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert.”
In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
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Capital Project Considerations
Keeping Spaces Sound 11 million students nationwide are subject to poor acoustics within their classrooms. How does that inhibit education, and what can we do about it? Bad acoustics impact learning. At least according to the AIA (American Institute of Architects), whose research shows that young students are more susceptible than adults to the interference of background noise and excessive reverberation on learning. Numerous factors contribute to a school’s acoustical environment— reverberation time, background noise, and sound transmission from adjoining areas can all interrupt learning. Controlling these factors is important to achieve a good acoustical environment, which is necessary for optimal learning. Here are the basics to start a conversation with your design team. Reverberation All materials have the ability to absorb sound. Soft porous materials, however, are more absorptive than hard ones. Room with many hard surfaces have a longer reverberation time (the property of a space based on how rapidly it absorbs sounds generated within it). Each room has an ideal reverberation time based on its size and use. Acoustical engineers can tune a room to the correct reverberation time by controlling the amount of soundabsorbing material. A tremendous range of acoustical treatment materials are available and can be attractively (and affordably) incorporated into virtually any room design. How much reverberation should a room have? • Music rooms can have longer reverberation times to add warmth to music. • Classrooms and lecture halls should have very short reverberation times to enhance speech intelligibility. • Gyms should have enough reverberation to generate excitement during a game, but not so much that crowd levels become deafening or that music sounds muddy. Background Noise Background noise can include outdoor sources— like highways, aircraft, and railroads—or indoor sources, which are most commonly mechanical equipment such as HVAC, lighting, and plumbing. Outdoor interference is easily prevented by thoughtful envelope design, but control of indoor noises is trickier. HVAC noise can be controlled through careful equipment selection, application of lagging materials, controlling air velocities in ducts, and use of vibration isolators. An acoustical engineer can determine background noise levels before a space is built, and
Studies have shown that students with hearing, language, speech, attention-deficit and learning disabilities are especially susceptible to the negative impacts of poor acoustics. Don’t limit your discussion of acoustics to your music suite! (Rush Henrietta CSD Music Room)
ensure that systems will be sufficiently quiet to minimize interference by working with the project’s mechanical engineer In some spaces, a degree of HVAC generated “white noise” is desirable since it can enhance the sense of privacy by masking sounds that travel to unintended listeners. “White noise” generators are sometimes installed where speech privacy is critically important, such as in a counselor or dean’s office. Sound Transmission Sound inevitably travels from one space to another through cracks around doors, over partitions, and even directly through barriers. The ability of a material to stop sound transmission is rated using the STC system, which stands for “sound transmission class.” Most construction materials and assemblies have been tested in sound laboratories to establish these ratings. The intended STC of a wall, floor, or ceiling assembly should be selected based on the amount of privacy desired. Obviously, a higher STC rating is required between a classroom and a gym than between a classroom and an office. Very high levels are required to isolate music practice rooms from other areas. A 1981 study showed that students exposed to bad acoustics performed more poorly on tests than students accustomed to healthy acoustics. This testing gap persisted when students solved easy problems in quiet rooms, suggesting that subjection to bad acoustics can have long-term ramifications. LaBella’s in-house acoustics specialists help our clients address acoustics at every stage of their project. Contact us to learn more.
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In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
Athletics
Athletic Fields Under Water? Eastridge High School’s baseball team often had to postpone, relocate or cancel their home games due to unplayable field conditions. The outfield was consistently saturated following spring time snowmelt and rain. To resolve this issue and increase playability, LaBella worked with East Irondequoit Central School District and designed a new multi-purpose synthetic turf field. Because synthetic turf is considered impervious under NYSDEC regulations, a stormwater management facility also needed to be designed. There was only enough space for the new athletic field. A detention pond was not feasible. To resolve this, an underground stormwater chamber system was designed for installation beneath the new turf field to collect, detain, and eventually discharge stormwater at a designed flow rate. These underground chambers provide a place for stormwater to be stored without occupying real estate that an above ground pond would require. The polypropylene chambers provide a cost-effective solution and are easy to install. Chambers and piping for an entire system can be installed in a few short days. The ribbed arch design distributes loads into the surrounding stone resulting in a high strength system allowing for installation under various surfaces including parking lots. Chambers can be ordered in a variety of depths and configured to fit almost any site. The chamber system was installed in conjunction with a stormwater proprietary practice to meet current NYSDEC regulations for stormwater quantity and quality. Construction of the new Eastridge multi-purpose athletic field was completed this summer. The Eastridge baseball team will have a reliable field to play on in the spring of 2018.
These types of systems are widely used under parking lots and other impervious surfaces in situations where open ponds would not be appropriate for safety or maintenance concerns.
Company News
Get to know Meredith Smith, LaBella’s new Director of Government and Community Affairs Following seven years of service for RIT, Meredith helps educational clients engage the communities they serve.
W “Historically, referendum votes have not been controversial,” Smith says. “But that is changing.”
hile it’s true that every school district practices government and community relations, most do so without the benefit of experience on Capitol Hill. That’s where Meredith Smith comes in. Aside from her
seven years at RIT, Meredith served for a number of years in Washington, DC. Meredith is available to assist our clients in a number of ways. She closely monitors government policy that may impact our clients and projects, including regulatory changes and funding allocations. She is also well-equipped to assist districts in stakeholder analysis and management. In a highly changeable political environment, stakeholder management is critical in preventing misinformation and educating voters. More on stakeholder analysis in our Spring issue!
In Session LaBella Associates |
Fall 2017
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Company News
LaBella Ranks #5 on list of K-12 Firms in Building Design and Construction Magazine LaBella was recently ranked #5 on a list of the nation’s largest K-12 engineering and architectural firms! Building Design + Construction Magazine publishes an annual issue looking at Giants in various marketing sectors. Along with the annual list, BD+C publishes a market trend report that offers insights into the issues impacting educational design. According to the article, “Some longterm K-12 trends— like beefing up safety and security, and designing for more natural light and outdoor learning space— are still in vogue. But districts and their communities also want schools to focus on encouraging hands-on, collaborative, real-world learning experiences.” In LaBella’s K-12 studio, our team focuses on educational buildings not only from an engineer’s perspective, but also on understanding the
Some long-term K-12 trends— like beefing up safety and security, and designing for more natural light and outdoor learning space— are still in vogue. But districts and their communities also want schools to focus on encouraging handson, collaborative, real-world learning experiences.
evolving classroom from the student’s and educator’s points of view. “Our K-12 team is committed to understanding the science of pedagogy and how new technology impacts our classrooms,” says LaBella President Robert A. Healy. “Over the past year, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about the ‘classroom of the future.’” Additionally, our interior design team turned LaBella’s collaborative spaces into small showcases of the latest in flexible and technology-integrated furniture. Our showroom and learning lab allows our K-12 districts to “kick the tires” on the latest educational products. LaBella is excited about the future of K-12 design, and partnering with even more districts to create something everyone can learn from. Visit bdcnetwork.com to view the entire list.
LaBella ranks #5 this year on Building Design and Construction Magazine’s list of K-12 Giants. Don’t worry - we still know how to design for a building’s smallest occupants.
Numerous factors contribute to a school’s acoustical environment— reverberation time, background noise, and sound transmission can all interrupt learning. Control of these factors is important to achieve a good acoustical environment, which is necessary for optimal learning. Get the basics on acoustics on page 9
LEARN MORE: visit our website for more information
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