title: Objective and subjective evaluation of the acoustic comfort in classrooms.
abstract: The acoustic comfort of classrooms in a Brazilian public school has been evaluated through interviews with 62 teachers and 464 pupils, measurements of background noise, reverberation time, and sound insulation. Acoustic measurements have revealed the poor acoustic quality of the classrooms. Results have shown that teachers and pupils consider the noise generated and the voice of the teacher in neighboring classrooms as the main sources of annoyance inside the classroom. Acoustic simulations resulted in the suggestion of placement of perforated plywood on the ceiling, for reduction in reverberation time and increase in the acoustic comfort of the classrooms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Acústica Ambiental, Industrial e Conforto Acústico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Centro Politécnico, Bairro Jardim das Américas, CEP: 81.531-990, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. paulo.zannin@pesquisador.cnpq.br
authors.forename: Paulo Henrique Trombetta
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Zannin
authors.forename: Carolina Reich
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Marcon
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D001938:Brazil; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009622:Noise; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires