Acoustically Friendly Carpets Can Positively Impact Student Learning, According to Ministry of Education

There are many factors that need to be considered when designing and constructing a quality learning space for both schools and universities. While aesthetics and cost are important considerations, one factor that should not be overlooked how the carpet will affect your classrooms’ acoustics.

Surfaces make or break the acoustics of a room. Outlined in The Ministry of Education’s ‘Designing Quality Learning Spaces’, specific requirements for acoustics are now mandatory for all school projects as of 1 January 2017. This is in recognition of the positive correlation between acoustics and learning outcomes.

According to the Ministry, “The acoustic performance of learning areas has a direct impact on the usability of the space and the learning outcomes. As educational spaces increasingly become more open to support diverse activities, they also need to be designed and built to have high acoustic performance.”

Extensive use of carpeted floors or carpet tiles is now required for new school buildings and recommended for the refurbishment of existing buildings. Carpets are used to manage and control internal noise (particularly high-frequency noise) by effectively absorbing sound and reducing impact noise such as footsteps.

Poor acoustics can impact a student’s ability to learn and stay focused. They can also affect a teacher’s ability to teach effectively because of the need to speak louder and strain his or her voice. Having carpeted flooring that effectively absorb noise is essential for clear communication and knowledge retention.

Heritage Carpets is the trusted NZ distributor of functional and acoustically friendly carpet tiles online. They carry Green Star credits from NZGBC, and have provided carpet squares for many office and residential buildings such as The University of Auckland and Deloitte. If you are looking for carpet tiles NZ wide, Heritage Carpets has the functional and sustainable flooring solution you need. To know more about nylon carpet, please visit our website for more details.