In a recent CEPro article entitled “6 Steps to Isolate Rooms for Sound,” Home Theatre Designer Scott Bourquin discusses how to make a room quieter. Bourquin points out that “the quieter you make a room, the greater impression it gives of quality workmanship.” So making rooms quieter can have benefits beyond the technical aspects.
You can read the full article here.
While in his piece Bourquin offers ways to make a room “super quiet,” it did get us thinking about how our EchoControl Acoustical Shading can contribute to an overall plan to reduce noise.
Draper’s 3% openness solution provides both echo and solar control.
The first and most obvious way to use EchoControl is on the windows—including skylights. Acoustical shading addresses the reverberation of sound off of the glass, and also helps with sound from the outside. EchoControl has a Noise Reduction Coefficient of 0.60. The Noise Reduction Coefficient (ASTM C423-90a) rates the ability of a material to absorb sound. Zero is completely reflective, and one is completely absorptive. The NRC is calculated by averaging the frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz (rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.05).
By the way, don’t forget—in addition to its sound absorption properties, Draper EchoControl brings with it the advantages inherent in light filtering window shades. It diffuses light, reduces glare, controls solar heat gain, and reduces fading of interior furnishings.
Another way EchoControl can help is in reducing echo off of the headbox or fascia behind which the motor and roller mechanism is hidden. That’s because one of our hardware finish options is to wrap the headbox/fascia with the EchoControl fabric.
Another way to use Draper EchoControl.
Of course, there’s nothing that says a shade fabric is useful only on a window. Draper EchoControl with custom printed graphics can also be used in other areas in the space—especially in a commercial space where they can be used as signage or to add to the décor. When used in this way, the fabric panels can help provide added reverb dampening.
In Bourquin’s article, he discusses placing a felt curtain over a door. Instead of the felt curtains, why not an EchoControl roller shade. It can easily be retracted to allow easy ingress and egress through the door, then lowered to provide echo reduction assistance.
For more information on Draper’s EchoControl Acoustical Shading, click here.
Or, if you have a project where you think EchoControl might be able to help, contact your Draper sales rep to discuss the details of making rooms quieter. Click here for our Draper Contact Map.
