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Buildings
Special Issues
Comfortable Environments: Materials for Room Acoustics and Noise Control
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Comfortable Environments: Materials for Room Acoustics and Noise Control

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 3484

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jesús Carbajo

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Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Systems Engineering and Signal Theory, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Interests: acoustics; sound absorbing materials
Dr. Pedro Poveda-Martínez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Systems Engineering and Signal Theory, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Interests: acoustics; sound quality; noise and vibrations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. J. Ramis-Soriano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Systems Engineering and Signal Theory, University of Alicante, Ctra. San Vicente del Raspeig, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Interests: architectural acoustics; acoustics; transducers; ultrasonics; psychoacoustics; evaluation; acoustics and acoustic engineering; acoustic analysis; sound; vibration control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Noise and vibrations are significant problems that affect the well-being and comfort of people in buildings. In this context, developing materials and devices that dissipate or control sound energy is of great importance in order to improve habitability. Advances in this field over the last few years have paved the way for the design of new systems, ranging from acoustic metamaterials to innovative constructive solutions, many of which are conceived for their use indoors (e.g., workspaces, gymnasiums, classrooms, auditoriums, etc.). On the other hand, the characterization of these materials and the assessment of their in situ acoustic performance are also integral to their adoption in the building engineering sectors.

We would like to invite researchers to contribute to this Special Issue which intends to serve as a unique multidisciplinary forum covering broad aspects of materials for room acoustics and noise control in buildings.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • An assessment of the acoustic performance of rooms;
  • New materials for sound absorption and vibration reduction in rooms;
  • Devices for noise control in room acoustics;
  • The modelling and simulation of room environments;
  • New methods and techniques for the characterization of acoustic materials.

Dr. Jesús Carbajo
Dr. Pedro Poveda-Martínez
Prof. Dr. J. Ramis-Soriano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • room acoustics
  • noise control
  • acoustic materials

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4448 KiB  
Article
Eco-Friendly and Biocompatible Material to Reduce Noise Pollution and Improve Acoustic Comfort in Healthcare Environments
by David del Rosario-Gilabert, Jesús Carbajo, Miguel Hernández-Pozo, Antonio Valenzuela-Miralles, Daniel Ruiz, Pedro Poveda-Martínez, Gema Esquiva and Violeta Gómez-Vicente
Buildings 2024, 14(10), 3151; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14103151 - 2 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1111
Abstract
Noise pollution negatively impacts people’s mental and physiological health. Unfortunately, not only is noise present in hospital environments, but its level frequently exceeds recommended thresholds. The efficacy of passive acoustic absorbers in reducing indoor noise in these scenarios has been well-documented. Conversely, given [...] Read more.
Noise pollution negatively impacts people’s mental and physiological health. Unfortunately, not only is noise present in hospital environments, but its level frequently exceeds recommended thresholds. The efficacy of passive acoustic absorbers in reducing indoor noise in these scenarios has been well-documented. Conversely, given their inorganic composition and their origin in the petrochemical industry, most of these materials present a risk to human health. Over the last few years, there has been a notable increase in research on eco-friendly, low-toxicity, and biocompatible materials. This work outlines a methodology for fabricating recycled acoustic panels from plastic bottles and PET felt composites. This study encompasses three key objectives: (i) a comprehensive biocompatibility assessment of the panels, (ii) an evaluation of their thermal and acoustic properties, and (iii) their applicability in several case studies to evaluate potential acoustic enhancements. Specifically, antifungal resistance tests, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emission assessment, and cell viability experiments were conducted successfully. Additionally, experimental procedures were performed to determine the thermal conductivity and thermal resistance of the proposed material, along with its sound absorption coefficients in diffuse field conditions. Finally, the potential benefits of using this biomaterial in healthcare environments to reduce noise and improve acoustic comfort were demonstrated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Comfortable Environments: Materials for Room Acoustics and Noise Control)
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23 pages, 3497 KiB  
Article
Improving Acoustic Properties of Sandwich Structures Using Recycled Membrane and HoneyComb Composite (RMHCC)
by Giuseppe Ciaburro, Virginia Puyana Romero, Gino Iannace and Luis Bravo Moncayo
Buildings 2024, 14(9), 2878; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14092878 - 12 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 822
Abstract
The motivation behind this study is to improve acoustic environments in living spaces using sustainable materials. This research addresses the challenge of enhancing the acoustic properties of sandwich structures through the integration of a honeycomb core with a membrane made from recycled materials, [...] Read more.
The motivation behind this study is to improve acoustic environments in living spaces using sustainable materials. This research addresses the challenge of enhancing the acoustic properties of sandwich structures through the integration of a honeycomb core with a membrane made from recycled materials, forming a recycled membrane honeycomb composite (RMHCC). The main objective is to develop a novel sandwich material with sound-absorbing characteristics suitable for real-world applications. The study employs both experimental methods and simulations, where a conventional hexagonal honeycomb geometry is combined with the recycled membrane to form the composite structure. A simulation model was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the metamaterial in reducing reverberation time within a church setting. The results indicate that the RMHCC shows significant potential in improving acoustic performance, with a notable reduction in reverberation time even with minimal usage, highlighting its suitability for enhancing acoustic environments in various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Comfortable Environments: Materials for Room Acoustics and Noise Control)
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14 pages, 5751 KiB  
Article
Study of Acoustic Prototypes Based on Plastic Cap Waste
by Romina Del Rey, José Enrique Crespo Amorós, Joan Escales Tur and Jesús Alba
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1652; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061652 - 4 Jun 2024
Viewed by 972
Abstract
This paper presents the initial prototypes of solutions designed using plastic caps, seeking acoustic applications for both airborne sound insulation and the acoustic conditioning of rooms. Plastic caps are a waste product from the packaging sector and they constitute a major waste problem, [...] Read more.
This paper presents the initial prototypes of solutions designed using plastic caps, seeking acoustic applications for both airborne sound insulation and the acoustic conditioning of rooms. Plastic caps are a waste product from the packaging sector and they constitute a major waste problem, given that, if they are not attached to the packaging, they get lost during the recycling cycle and end up in landfill. Finding an application for this waste that can provide acoustic improvements is a sustainable alternative. This paper shows the results of airborne sound insulation measurements obtained in a scaled transmission chamber and sound absorption measurements obtained in a scaled reverberation chamber for different combinations of single and double plastic caps and combinations with thin sheets of sustainable materials, such as jute weaving, textile waste, hemp felt and cork board. Tests have shown that obtaining sound reduction index values of up to 20 dB is possible with plastic cap configurations, or even up to 30 dB is possible at some frequencies with combinations of caps and certain eco-materials. With regard to the sound absorption coefficient tests, close to unity absorption values have been achieved with the appropriate configuration at frequencies that can also be selected. The results indicate that these panels can be eco-solutions for airborne sound insulation as lightweight elements, or they can be used for the conditioning of rooms, tailoring the sound absorption maximums to the desired frequencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Comfortable Environments: Materials for Room Acoustics and Noise Control)
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