1. room-in-room systems for the office - why actually?

In the following article, we will look at the three most commonly used room-in-room systems to combat noise and reverberation. However, first you should know why room-within-a-room systems are gaining importance these days and are a part of almost every modern office.

Driven by modern changes in the world of work and the development of new ways of working, concepts such as open-plan, new-work and multispace offices have become more popular in recent decades, replacing classic room designs with many individual offices. The new concepts, however, brought along acoustic problems: noise, sound and echo. Sound and reverberation spread unhindered over large open areas, preventing concentrated & undisturbed work." 

Moreover, the corona pandemic has led to more employees working from home which in turn resulted in more virtual calls and phone calls and thus an increase in office noise and a lack of designated areas for phone calls. The modern post-covid office must take into account that each employee will have at least 2-5 calls per day. The office space is therefore used in a fundamentally different way and suitable quiet areas must be created for this. 

Due to the above-mentioned problems, various measures are now being used in open-plan offices to actively reduce noise and improve sound insulation in the office. In this article you will find the 10 best measures for a better sound insulation in the office. Here are three of the most important ones to absorb sound and minimise the reverberation effect.

1. Acoustic absorbers

Acoustic elements provide better sound insulation. Any kind of furniture like curtains, carpets, cupboards, tables and chairs are capable of absorbing reverberation in a room. Especially big and empty rooms lead to a lot of reverberation. These poor room acoustics can be improved by rearranging tables and cupboards, or by adding carpets and curtains.    

2. Room dividers

Partition walls and table tops can be used as room dividers. The spatial separation not only creates quiet zones, but also actively absorbs sounds and reduces noise. On top of that, the room dividers create privacy, enabling concentrated work.   

3. Acoustic panels
   

Ceiling sails and wall absorbers consist of special panels that swallow disturbing reverberation. They prevent reverberation from being reflected over walls and ceilings. They are commercially available in various designs and can be added on in hindsight.

So much for the theory. However, anyone who has ever worked in an open-plan office or coworking space knows that these measures only help to a limited extent. Noise, which is mainly caused by people talking on the phone or to each other in person, is not completely eliminated. 

For optimum and effective sound insulation, existing rooms need to be modified and new rooms created. We have therefore taken a closer look at the three most common room-in-room systems and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.

3. room systems for the office with glass partitions

Advantages of the room-in-room system made of glass partitions

Partition walls made of glass create separate areas and at the same time ensure an open room climate. Light can shine through and spaces appear brighter and larger. There are chic glazing design options that can enhance an office space. Condensations and thick glass protect well against sound. Generally, the thicker the glass, the better the sound insulation. Privacy is partially guaranteed. The spoken word does not get through and you remain visible to other colleagues, which can be an advantage in the office.

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Disadvantages of glass partitions in the office

As with drywall construction, the installation of glass partitions usually means an intervention in the building structure, which leads to short-term working noise and dirt. Glass partitions can also result in high humidity and poor air quality. This is another reason why you should think about an external air supply or integrate a window in the room. The cost is significantly higher than dry construction but quite similar to mobile room systems.

4. mobile room-in-room system: telephone booths and meeting boxes

Originally, mobile room-in-room systems were accommodation and office modules from the early 1970s and were used for the construction industry. Almost 50 years later, they are no longer containers, but converted telephone and meeting boxes or think tanks, where important phone calls, meetings and focused mental work are carried out. New work concepts such as coworking, new work and open-plan offices in particular are making mobile office space systems increasingly popular. Thanks to flex desk models and decentralized work, i.e. the concept of freely selectable seating in work and quiet zones, it is impossible to imagine the modern office world without them.   

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What are the advantages of mobile phone and meeting booths?

In addition to their flexibility and free positioning in the space, mobile office space systems offer the advantage that they can be set up without interfering with the premises. Especially for fast-growing start-ups that frequently change offices, it makes sense to rely on mobile systems from the outset. They can be rearranged as required and simply dismantled and reassembled when moving. This not only saves new construction and acquisition costs, but also possible costs for demolition and disposal of the old room systems.

Thanks to specially developed soundproof walls and acoustic felts, phone and meeting booths have a very good sound insulation and hardly let any noise in or out. They do not require a professional electrical connection - a standard power socket is sufficient. High-quality phone and meeting booths come fully equipped with ventilation through several fans, integrated lighting and interior fittings (furniture, monitor holder, sockets, USB and LAN connections).

‍What are thedisadvantages?

Mobile room-in-room systems sometimes cost more than the previous two solutions, but are reusable and more sustainable. Another reason for the high costs is the distribution by dealers (instead of direct sales by manufacturers) with high dealer margins. There are also assembly and delivery costs. This usually results in long delivery times of 4-12 weeks. It should be checked in advance whether the structural requirements of the office space can withstand the weight of the meeting boxes.