Acoustic baffles for community centre de Groenenberg
For community centre De Groenenberg, EASY Noise Control improved the acoustics in the conservatory. Because of the reverberation and high noise levels, staff avoided using the space during lunch. It was time to find a suitable solution. The glass ceiling, glass walls and characteristic wooden beams give the space plenty of atmosphere and charm. At the same time, these hard materials created a distracting acoustic environment. With a suitable acoustic solution, the conservatory was transformed into a pleasant space where staff are once again happy to gather for lunch or meetings.
Birgit Brinks
Although glass and wood contribute to the atmosphere of a space, large glass surfaces often create additional sound reflections. As a result, sound lingers for longer and speech intelligibility decreases. In a canteen, where employees meet and conversations are central, this has a direct impact on comfort. With a bespoke solution using EASYfelt baffles, we restored the acoustic balance.
The challenge: creating a comfortable conservatory
Community centre De Groenenberg uses the conservatory, among other things, as a staff canteen.
Because of the large amount of glass, sound waves travelled and reflected easily throughout the space. Conversations blended together more quickly, making the room sound busier than desired. As a result, employees used the conservatory space as a canteen.
The wish was clear:
- Improve the acoustics
- Preserve the open feel of the conservatory
- Choose a solution that complements the existing timber structure
- Create a calm and pleasant environment
The chosen solution: EASYfelt Baffles
For this project, we supplied and installed 10 bespoke EASYfelt Baffles.
Specifications
- Quantity: 10 pieces
- Colour: Light Grey
- Dimensions: 300 cm wide, 20 cm high and 2.5 cm thick
- Finish: rounded corners
The long baffles complement the architecture of the space beautifully and provide a subtle addition to the interior.
Thanks to the light grey tone, the elements remain subtly present in the design, while at the same time making an important contribution to acoustic performance.
Mounting to the wooden beams
For the installation, we used special baffle clips.
We attached the baffles directly to the existing wooden beam structure. This created a sleek and neat integration into the ceiling design without compromising the spacious appearance.
This installation method not only ensures a neat finish, but also places the absorption precisely in the right position in the room.
Why Baffles Are Effective in a Greenhouse
In spaces with a lot of glass, there is often insufficient sound absorption. Sound reflects off the windows and therefore remains audible for longer. Baffles offer an effective solution.
Because the elements hang vertically, they absorb sound from multiple sides at once. This makes them particularly suitable for spaces with many hard surfaces and high ceilings.
The benefits of baffles in this reception area:
- Less reverberation
- Improved speech intelligibility
- More tranquillity during conversations
- Preservation of the open appearance
- Visual harmony with the interior
The result
With the installation of the EASYfelt Baffles, community centre De Groenenberg gained a reception area that sounds more pleasant and feels more comfortable.
Create a pleasant and peaceful office space too?
Struggling with echo, poor intelligibility or a space where employees would rather not spend time? The right acoustic solution can make a big difference to comfort, concentration and communication. Every space requires its own approach. That’s why our advisers always consider how the space is used, the building’s characteristics and your requirements before making a recommendation.
Would you like to know how to improve the acoustics in your office, canteen or reception area? Visit our page about improving canteen acoustics or get in touch for personalised acoustic advice.
FAQ
Why choose PET felt baffles?
PET-wool Baffles are an effective solution for spaces where both acoustics and appearance matter. The vertical panels absorb sound and reduce echo, while maintaining the open character of the space. This keeps high ceilings, daylight, and installations visible, without compromising acoustic comfort.
An important advantage of PET-wool Baffles is their flexibility. The baffles are available in various colours, shapes, and sizes, making them easy to integrate with any interior concept. Additionally, they combine a modern look with strong sound-absorbing properties. This makes PET-wool Baffles particularly suitable for offices, educational institutions, restaurants, and public spaces. The result is a quiet, comfortable environment where people can communicate, collaborate, and concentrate better.
What is acoustics?
Acoustics are different for everyone. This is because everyone experiences sound differently. The characteristics of the sound in a space determine how you perceive that sound. Someone who is used to spaces with a lot of reverberation often finds a similar space pleasant and may describe the acoustics as good. Someone who is accustomed to spaces with little reverberation might find that same space uncomfortable and may describe the acoustics as poor. You might experience the acoustics as good, while someone else might find it less pleasant. In short: acoustics are your personal perception of sound in spaces and environments, and that perception varies from person to person.
What Is Sound Absorption?
Sound absorption means that a material absorbs sound waves instead of reflecting them back. An absorbing material removes the energy from the sound wave. As a result, echo and reverberation are reduced, and a space sounds quieter and clearer. Materials such as felt, wool, acoustic foams, and acoustic panels have an open structure. Sound waves penetrate and weaken within them. This causes the sound to return less loudly into the space. This has several advantages:
- Better speech intelligibility: conversations sound clearer and people need to speak less loudly.
- More concentration: there is less distraction from background noise, making it easier to maintain focus.
- Higher productivity: in quiet spaces, people work faster and make fewer mistakes.
- Less fatigue: a room with less echo feels calmer. Your brain has less effort to filter sound. This prevents listening fatigue.
In short: sound absorption provides more calm, clarity, and comfort in any space.
Why Use the Ceiling to Improve Acoustics?
The sleeping time in a space is reduced by installing sound-absorbing solutions on reflective, (building) materials. Often, the ceiling is considered first, which is not unusual: the ceiling is a large, reflective surface spread across the entire room. Unlike a wall, the ceiling is usually still an unused surface. Elements already attached to the ceiling, such as lighting and fire detectors, can be integrated with the solution. This generally leads to choosing an acoustic solution on the ceiling.
