Healthcare

What does a healthcare facility of the future sound like? Acoustics, technology, and vibration considerations are all affecting the design of the healthcare facilities of the future, in ways that administrators need to prepare for now. Effective hospital acoustics and noise control are increasingly important in the medical facility’s design, both to improve patient outcomes and comply with changing federal reimbursement requirements. In this changing healthcare landscape, Acentech is helping architects and clients deliver successful healthcare acoustics projects.

ACOUSTIC REQUIREMENTS FOR HOSPITALS

Inpatient hospital projects are facing increasingly important acoustics and vibration requirements from the Facilities Guidelines Institute. Bringing extensive experience to the design of new or renovated hospital facilities, Acentech’s acoustical consultants focus on sound isolation between spaces, room finishes for noise buildup and speech privacy, noise emissions to the exterior, and control of mechanical systems noise and vibration. Our vibration consultants identify vibration sensitive equipment and areas in the building, and incorporate the necessary structure to provide a suitable vibration environment. Acentech’s systems consultants design audiovisual, IT and security systems that provide conference capabilities, information and entertainment to patient rooms, connection to electronic health records, and access control that is compliant with NFPA egress requirements.

Acentech utilizes state-of-the-art technology to assist architects with the design and construction of healthcare facilities. To enable better coordination, visualization and cost estimation, our consultants design AV systems using Building Information Modeling (BIM). We also use sophisticated acoustics simulation technology called 3DListening® to enable clients and designers to hear how spaces will sound before they are built.

Healthcare construction projects often occur in the midst of occupied facilities with operating rooms and imaging equipment that are sensitive to noise and vibration. Acentech can predict vibration impacts by creating construction simulations with typical construction activities and measuring noise and vibration in those potentially affected spaces. During construction, Acentech provides real-time remote monitoring with alerts and private websites that enable stakeholders to view vibration data and mitigate construction activity if necessary.