The science behind sound appears straightforward. Sound moves through the air in waves and when a sound wave reaches our ear, we perceive its pressure as a certain loudness and its frequency as a certain pitch. The higher the sound, the higher the frequency, and the louder the sound, the greater the acoustic pressure.
Architects and consultants are aware that buildings not only need to be designed to be functional and aesthetically pleasing, but acoustically satisfying as well; whether this is to support wellbeing in the home, encourage productivity in the workplace or to enhance customer satisfaction in a hotel. But without recognised standards to work to, it is difficult to specify a well informed, collaboratively-tested, whole-building solution.