ABSTRACT
The factors that determine sound quality are still imperfectly
understood, despite much recent research and experience. The
same is true to a lesser extent of the factors affecting noise. Part
of the difficulty is that asking someone how he feels about his
environment may itself modify his reactions. Very loud prolonged
sounds, such as occur in some industries, can result in permanent
damage to the ear. The fear that they can damage buildings has
been exaggerated, and need not normally be considered by the
architect. Many acoustical problems in buildings can be avoided
by considering the broad requirements early in the design process.
Later on, rectification is rarely satisfactory or economical.
