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Interview: Mr Bonnefous, Acoustician from the company Acoustex

 

9 questions to Monsieur Bonnefous, an engineer of Habitat and Life Environment Physics, working in the design department at Acoustex Engineering in Niort.

 

• For how long have you known about and been recommending the acoustic absorption fabric Acoustis®50 from the company Mermet?

I discovered this product in 2008 through a press advertisement.

As a reminder, acoustic absorption reduces the reflection of sound waves thereby limiting sound propagation within a room. Absorbent materials reduce sound levels because sound goes through them repeatedly, each time losing some of its energy.

 

• For which projects have you already recommended the fabric Acoustis® 50?

The Chauray Aquatic Centre

La Rochelle Swimming Pool

 

• What are the main applications you recommend?

Aquatic building complexes

 

• Are you satisfied with the results you have obtained from the fabric Acoustis® 50?

Unless proven otherwise, the before and after measurements we have taken on projects using panels of ACOUSTIS 50 have given entirely satisfactory results.

 

Guaranteed results at the Chauray aquatic centre

 

• Is it straightforward to treat a swimming pool for acoustic problems?

To improve the acoustic correction of a building with high levels of reverberation is usually relatively easy. This is generally the case in a swimming pool with little or even no initial acoustic treatment.

• What were the particular characteristics of the Chauray aquatic centre?

The Chauray aquatic complex had from the very beginning a very effective acoustic treatment. Even though this effectiveness had declined due to the removal of some of the original treatment (mineral wool pads on the originally fitted tensile panels), they remained quite  effective for this type of building (average RT prior to the works: 1.9s).

• What were your selection criteria for choosing a suitable product?

The objective for the installation of a new treatment was to apply a durable system (corrosive environment), to steer clear of fibrous absorbent materials and to re-establish the original levels of performance, in the knowledge that reverberation before work began was already fairly low.

• What results did you obtain from the fabric Acoustis® 50?

We observed after the completion of work that the reduction in the average reverberation time (RT) was substantial, which was all the more impressive as the average RT before work began was already relatively low.

The absorption coefficient _w of the stretched panel itself is ≥ 0.7 seconds.

The acoustic correction objective at this site was to obtain an average RT of ≤ 1.5 seconds. Before the works, the average measured RT was 1.9 seconds; after the works, it is 1.4 seconds.

• What are your conclusions regarding the use of this fabric for this project?

The fabric Acoustis® 50, by significantly reducing the acoustic reverberation (absorption coefficient αw ≥ 0.7), enables us to limit ambient sound levels and thereby to improve communication through improved intelligibility of the spoken word.

Measurements taken before work began with a perforated tank and a fabric for a tensile ceiling (without the already-removed rockwool) suggested a reverberation period of 1.9s, i.e. rather good levels of performance for this type of building. After works were completed, the reduction in the average RT was substantial with a final reverberation level of just 1.4 s, which was  exceeding expectations!

The before and after study supplies the proof that the fabric Acoustis® 50 has improved the acoustic comfort at the Chauray aquatic centre.