Loud spaces can negatively impact concentration, memory, productivity, comprehension, and lower morale. Long-term exposure to noise can even increase heart rates and quicken breathing, leading to higher levels of stress hormones. In educational environments, common ambient noise levels decrease intelligibility significantly — in some cases by as much as half. Continue reading to discover the positive impact a quiet environment can have on your organization and a few steps to help optimize the acoustics in your space.
Benefits of a Quiet Environment
1. Health and Well-Being
Noise is unpleasant, often causing stress which affects mental and physical health. In workspaces with excessive noise, absenteeism actually increases. Quiet settings allow for optimal participation and wellness within that environment.
2. Productivity and Performance
Noise can have an adverse effect on productivity and concentration. This is especially true in office and educational environments. Any kind of distraction or disruption can hinder worker and student focus and performance. In quieter spaces, students and team members are able to better concentrate on the tasks at hand, leading to greater overall success.
3. Overall Quality of Life
Indoor environment designs that are functional and aesthetically pleasing create positive experiences. Great design enhances the quality of life of the people who occupy a space, and acoustics play an important role.
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Acoustic Solutions
Some flooring can reduce through-floor noise and in-room noise by 50%. There are two main types of commercial carpet backing: hardback and cushion. Cushion backed flooring can help improve the acoustics of your space significantly. Learn how the Milliken product offering is different and can have a positive impact in you space:
SOFT SURFACE | WellBAC™ Cushion Backing
- Increased durability: the life expectancy of carpet tiles is prolonged by 40-50% compared to hardback products.
- Unparalleled moisture management: permeable cushion backings allow water vapor molecules to pass through the carpet and evaporate away.
- Chemical non-reactivity: chemically inert cushion backing, so there's no risk of an adverse reaction with old products from a previous install.
- Designed for comfort: muscle strain can be reduced by as much as 24% compared to hardback carpet tiles.
- Noise reduction: cushion-backed carpet tiles absorb 50% more noise than hardback carpet, which in turn absorb three times as much noise as hard surface flooring.
HARD SURFACE | FLEXFORM SOUND™ LVT
- Quieter than Standard LVT Flooring
- 50% quieter than other LVT products.
- Quieter than Other Acoustic Flooring
- 25% quieter than other acoustic LVT products.
- A Better Value
- Reduces installation time, because it doesn't require a separate acoustic underlayment like other LVT products do. You can increase performance while lowering labor costs.
The Milliken Difference
Flooring is one of the biggest structural components affecting interior acoustics. With the popularity of luxury vinyl tiles and other smooth flooring surfaces, this can be a significant challenge for designers. Hard surfaces are noisy and do not absorb sound; they tend to reflect it back into the room or transmit it through the floor into spaces below. That's why acoustic solutions from Milliken are game-changers.
To learn about acoustic offerings and more from Milliken through OMNIA Partners, click below.
About Milliken & OMNIA Partners
Milliken specializes in delivering people-focused, design-driven, and science-backed flooring solutions to facility managers, designers, dealers, contractors, and other end-users. With expert knowledge in carpet, luxury vinyl tile, and protective flooring, their products are designed with superior functionality and aesthetics. Available through OMNIA Partners, Public Sector, Milliken offers a cooperative contract for participants to save time and money when it comes to systemwide flooring. To view the entire OMNIA Partners cooperative contract portfolio, click here.