ABSTRACT
Noise is often an unwanted stimulus to the body, and clear links have been established between prolonged exposure to noise and shorter life expectancy (Maynard & Moorhouse, 2009). Good acoustic design is often seen as simply controlling disturbance and maintaining privacy. In healthcare buildings, good acoustic design is of greater importance because it can affect the health and recovery of the patients using the building. High noise levels not only cause obvious effects like annoyance and sleep disturbance but also decrease the rate at which patients’ wounds heal and increase the likelihood of rehospitalization. Links have also been found between noise exposure of staff and increased levels of stress, fatigue, and emotional exhaustion (Anjali & Ulrich, 2007). This is in addition to the usual communication difficulties associated with any noisy environment.
