Durability, acoustics, and aesthetics key to ceilings

Good acoustic design is vitally important to all healthcare settings, and this is addressed in Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 08-01: Acoustics, and Health Building Note 00-10 Part B: Walls and Ceilings. Both highlight the importance of good design, and outline the policy and performance requirements for walls and ceilings used in healthcare settings.

From specialist clinics and hospital wards to doctors’ surgeries, patient waiting areas, and administrative offices, the healthcare sector is characterised by many different types of facility — each with its own design requirements, which in turn influence the building materials required. Although specific acoustic requirements vary depending on the function and use of the room, the overall guidance is clear — good acoustic design is essential in creating a safe space in which patients can rest and recover. They need to be protected from loud or disturbing noises, either from outside or from within, and with many healthcare buildings incorporating noisy equipment and a high level of footfall, the need for adequate soundproofing cannot be underestimated.

Privacy and dignity

There is also the issue of privacy — in terms of maintaining both patient dignity and confidentiality, while also ensuring speech intelligibility — for instance for sometimes sensitive conversations between doctors, patients, and their families and friends. In communal areas specifically, it is also vitally important that staff and patients can clearly hear any announcements and alerts. Aesthetic appeal is of course another key consideration in healthcare facilities, where the overall design of a room needs to enhance, rather than diminish, the experience of its users. In terms of ceiling designs, this is where the use of acoustic ceilings, baffles, rafts, and canopies can make a real impact.

A suspended ceiling can provide excellent soundproofing between rooms that are above, below, and adjacent. In adjacent areas, careful consideration needs to be given to the use of wall partitions which — in many cases — extend to the suspended ceiling, but not as far as the ceiling slab above. The ceiling construction needs to be planned in such a way as to avoid an ‘acoustic shortfall’ between rooms caused by the transmission of sound through the ceiling cavity.

Acoustic suspended ceilings also have the added benefit of concealing essential pipework and utilities or, in the case of refurbishment projects, disguising an unsightly original ceiling.

Suspended ceilings, combined with high-performance ceiling tiles with excellent sound insulation properties, are an effective choice for healthcare schemes. The type of ceiling tile depends greatly on the functionality of the room in question, but a popular option for healthcare environments is the use of mineral ceiling tiles. These tiles may comprise a mineral fibre ceiling panel with a uniform, smooth, fleece-covered visible surface which can be disinfected and wiped when required. The mineral fibre tile density can vary depending on the acoustic requirements. Lower density products offer great sound absorption, thus reducing noise and echoes, whereas denser products offer good sound insulation to reduce sound travelling from one space to another.

Aiding light reflection

Acoustic ceiling tiles can also aid internal light reflection, and can be integrated with bespoke lighting solutions — not only improving the look of an area, but also creating a more comfortable and accessible space that may boost wellbeing amongst all its users.

Metal ceiling tiles are also an effective choice, and as they offer exceptional design flexibility and enhanced durability, can also help reduce maintenance costs. Constructed from robust metal such as galvanised steel or aluminium, metal ceiling tiles can be fitted with a sound-absorbing fleece backing and an acoustic pad to effectively maximise sound absorption, and are available in a wide range of perforations to achieve different levels of acoustic performance.

Hygienic solutions

Acoustic performance is a key consideration for the effective design of healthcare buildings, but must be viewed alongside the other significant challenges. These include fire safety, sustainability, cost, the reduction of ongoing maintenance requirements, and — of course — hygiene. It’s important to choose ceiling tiles that are durable enough to withstand regular cleaning, but it is also advisable to look for specialist solutions that can also offer enhanced hygiene through the use of specialist coatings that can inhibit the spread of bacteria and fungi. Such products can bring benefits to all areas within a healthcare setting, but are particularly suited to use in theatres, laboratories, and other cleanrooms.

Open plan areas can provide a specific challenge in terms of sound and acoustics, but through the careful consideration of acoustic ceiling systems, it is possible to create zones of different acoustic performance and listening conditions. The use of acoustic ceiling rafts, canopies, baffles, and wall absorbers, can be extremely effective, as they can be designed and positioned to complement the soundproofing effects of dividing a room using furniture and partitions.

It was the use of our own acoustic baffles which helped create a calm and creative working space in the new Paterson Building at The Christie, a leading specialist NHS cancer care centre in Manchester. Designed by the Manchester office of BDP Architects, the new Christie Paterson cancer research facility is directly connected to the hospital, and was built after the existing building became unusable following severe fire damage in 2017. Acoustic ceiling baffles have been used throughout in the collaborative workspaces.

Here, the clean lines of the vertical baffles are assembled to create a striking round shape, which have then been clustered together to evoke a cloud formation. As well as providing a stylish addition to the interior ceiling design, the use of the acoustic ceiling baffles has helped to improve the acoustic comfort of the workspace. This has been achieved by reducing reverberation and reflected sound to improve speech clarity and eliminate unwanted noise pollution.

To deliver this contract, OWA UK worked closely with BDP Architecture, BDP Interiors, and BDP Acoustics, specialist contractor, John Atkinson Acoustics, and main contractor IHP, the joint venture between Vinci and Sir Robert McAlpine.